Climbing_2014_04

$5.99 US / CAN APRIL 2014

DISPLAY UNTIL MAY 6, 2014

176 CLIMBER-TESTEDPRODUCTS & TIPS

+BOULDERING, SPORT, TRAD, ALPINE, BASECAMP

GEARGUIDE D E S I G N L A B

TECH TIPS PAC K S M A RT 3 : 1 H A U L I N G SYST E M S AVO I D L I G H T N I N GST R I K E S C H O O S E T H E R I G H T G E A R

BEHIND THE SCENES AT

PATAGONIA, EDELRID,THE NORTH FACE,

TRANGO, AND MORE!

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climbing.com | 1

c o n t e n t s

issue 324

Celebrating innovation, utility, andabove

allstraight-up awesomeness, here are our

10 Editors Choice winners.

14 Editors choicE

Whether youre training at home or heading

out for a weekend trip, this gear will improve

your pebble-wrestling game.

23 BouldEring

Top-of-the-line shoes, a two-in-one rope, a

surprisingly smart chalkbag, and more for the

bolt-clippers among us.

31 sport

For this gear-intensive discipline, nd a haul-

worthy crag bag, the low down on new hardware,

and the years best belay device innovation.

44 trad

Keep your racks light, ropes dry, ascents

quick, and feet happy with these comfortable

and durable high-country winners.

55 alpinE

Staying the night? Whether its car camping

at Shelf Road or a backcountry bivy in the

Tetons, heres the stuff to make camp home.

62 BasEcamp

The skinny on removable bolts, reading

mountain weather, 3:1 haul systems, and

packing for the long haul like a pro.

75 clinics

gEar guidE2014

ben fullerton

Some of our 2014 favorites: an award-winning pack,

high-performance shoes, and a value-packed rope.

On ThE COvER: Law student and tester hale

Melnick ventures onto the money pitch of the Kor-Ingalls Route

(5.9+) on Castleton Tower, Utah.Photo: Andew Burr

*ALL gEAR PhOTOS WIThIn ARE COURTESy OF ThE MAnUFACTURER. ALL CLIMBIng And SCEnIC ShOTS WIThIn ThE gEAR REvIEWS ARE By ThE ILLUSTRIOUS AndREW BURR.


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E D I T O R I A L

EditorS H A N N O N D A V I S

Art DirectorJ A C Q U E L I N E M C C A F F R E Y

Senior EditorJ U L I E E L L I S O N

Editor at LargeD O U G A L D M A C D O N A L D

Senior Contributing Photographer

A N D R E W B U R R

Staff PhotographerB E N F U L L E R T O N

Tablet Media SpecialistC R Y S TA L S A G A N

InternC L A I R E R I C K S

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MOST OF THE ACTIVITIES DEPICTED HEREIN CARRY A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH. Rock climbing, ice climbing,

mountaineering, backcountry skiing, and all other outdoor activities are inher-ently dangerous. The owners, staff, and management of CLIMBING do not

recommend that anyone participate in these activities unless they are experts, seek quali ed professional instruction and/or guidance, are knowledgeable

about the risks involved, and are willing to personally assume all responsibility associated with those risks.

2014. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in whole or in part without consent of the copyright owner. The views herein are those of the writers and do not necessarily re ect the views of CLIMBINGs

ownership, staff, or management.

B U S I N E S S

Group PublisherJ E F F T K A C H

J T K A C H @ A I M M E D I A . C O M

Advertising Director S H A R O N H O U G H T O N

S H O U G H T O N @ A I M M E D I A . C O M

Midwest Account ManagerC H A R L O T T E S I B B I N G

C S I B B I N G @ A I M M E D I A . C O M

Eastern Account DirectorJ O A N N M A R T I N

J O A N N M A R T I N @ A I M M E D I A . C O M

Eastern Account ManagerM AT T H I G G I N S

M H I G G I N S @ A I M M E D I A . C O M

Western Account Managers

N I C K F R E E D M A N

N I C K @ M E D I A H O U N D S I N C . C O M

J O H A N N A W O L F

J O H A N N A @ M E D I A H O U N D S I N C . C O M

Detroit Account Manager K E I T H C U N N I N G H A M

K E I T H - C U N N I N G H A M @ S B C G L O B A L . N E T

Account ManagerS E A N B O N S E R

S B O N S E R @ A I M M E D I A . C O M

Group Marketing Director L I Z V E R H O E V E N

Director of Integrated Marketing C O U R T N E Y M AT T H E W S

Digital Marketing Director P H O E B E L E G G

Prepress Manager J O Y K E L L E Y

Prepress Specialist G A L E N N AT H A N S O N

Sales Coordinator J E N N I F E R R AY

Circulation Director J E N N Y D E S J E A N

Circulation Assistant L A R A G R A N T- W A G G L E

Director of Retail Sales S U S A N A . R O S E

Group Circulation Manager D A R Y L M A R C O

Group New Business Manager K AT H L E E N D O N A H U E

Web & Partnership Director D E B B I E K A N E

MANAGED BY:

ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIAS OUTDOOR GROUP

SVP, CONTENT & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT | J O N AT H A N D O R N

GROUP CREATIVE DIRECTOR | M AT T H E W B AT E S

GROUP PRODUCTION DIRECTOR | B A R B A R A V A N S I C K L E

Chairman & CEO E F R E M Z I M B A L I S T I I IPresident & COO A N D R E W W. C L U R M A NSenior Vice President & CFO B R I A N S E L L S T R O MSenior Vice President, Operations PAT R I C I A B . F O XVice President, Controller J O S E P H C O H E NVice President, Research K R I S T Y K A U SCopyright 2014 Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc.

WHATS YOUR FAVORITE PIECE OF GEAR THAT COSTS LESS THAN $20?

LEADING SINCE 1970

An ancient Campmor polypro balaclava. More warmth for weight than anything but 850- ll down, wicks like crazy, and indestructible through its rst decade.

Chalk. Always more, more, more chalk!

My Nalgene!

Grabber Hand Warmers. Good for all shoulder-season sports!

In cold temps: my no-name stainless steel thermos full of Bengal Spice tea. In warm

temps: trucker hat.

Nut toolcleans cracks, removes booty, and open beers.

No. 4 Wild Country Rock. The go-to piece on my nut rack.

My Spyderco Bug SS Slip Joint Plain Edge Knife. I carry this thing

everyday.

Swiss Army knife that I got for my high school graduation from my

best friend.

Collapsible REI camping candle.

C11FPBK

DELICA4

FLAT-GROUND

BLADE


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D i scover t he d i f ference

Your Passion,Our Mission:

F i t z Roy de l i ver s w i t h a l i g h twe i gh t , f l ex i b l e , and compact des i gn .

offer puncture - res i s tant p rotect i on i n a l i g h twe i gh t package . Gore -Tex membranes guarantee your feet s tay dry .

Conquer your cha l l e nge w i t h conf idence ; conquer i t w i t h F i t z Roy .

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4 | 2014 gear guide

editors

note

We Love This Job

Jean Belanger

Years climbing: 22

Tip: Lube cams and biners

with super-ne graphite

powder.

andrew Bydlon

Years climbing: 3

Tip: If youre a photographer

and hauling, look for the

lightest and fastest gear.

Sam Calahan

Years climbing: 3

Tip: Duct tape. I x every-

thing with that shit. Or tent

patches to get fancy.

PaiSley CloSe

Years climbing: 17

Tip: Keep extra layers in a

separate stuff sack to pro-

tect them from sharp gear.

dylan Connole

Years climbing: 6

Tip: Keep your gear out of

the dirt, which will wear

things out prematurely.

Paul Creme

Years climbing: 10

Tip: Pull your rope through a

stful of damp rags to clean

and inspect it.

liz drummond

Years climbing: 6

Tip: You can replace a

busted trigger wire on a cam

with 2mm cord.

Cory Fleagle

Years climbing: 23

Tip: Repair holes in your

pack as soon as they happen

to make it last longer.

dougald maCdonald

Years climbing: 35

Tip: Keep everything out

of the sun as much as pos-

sible. UV is a gear killer.

hale melniCk

Years climbing: 15

Tip: Keep your rope clean

and your cams lubed, espe-

cially in the desert.

kate mittendorF

Years climbing: 4

Tip: A quick x for a split in

a shoe is to melt the rubber

back with a decent lighter.

Bryan naniSta

Years climbing: 4

Tip: Buy used climbing

shoes for the gym or other

training, to tear up.

alton riChardSon

Years climbing: 6

Tip: Put your gear away ev-

ery time so you can inspect

and deal with any damage.

Brennah roSenthal

Years climbing: 8

Tip: Use a rope bag, and yell

at people when they put

your rope on the ground.

kevin Pereira

Years climbing: 4

Tip: Isopropyl alcohol and a

nylon scrub brush make old

shoes super grippy.

dave Sheldon

Years climbing: 22

Tip: Use a little sunscreen

or cooking oil to lube your

cams and biners in the eld.

gary SorCher

Years climbing: 10

Tip: Properly store your

gear; its so simple, but

ofen neglected.

zaCh SwaSman

Years climbing: 2

Tip: Color-code your bags:

red for rst aid, yellow for

food and snacks, etc.

Briana valoroSi

Years climbing: 2

Tip: When I get something

new, I prep it for use by wa-

terproong and washing.

Gear maven and editorial MVP Julie Ellison rounded up more than 50 climbers to eld-test equipment so we could bring you the expert reviews within this issue, the only gear guide on the newsstand dedicated to the sport of climbing. Meet our all-star team, hear their best gear advice, and then turn the page to nd the right gear for you.

kel roSSiter

Years climbing: 20

Tip: Take a pair of needle-

nosed pliers to a wonky zip-

per and squeeze each side.


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ADVENTURE TESTED

ASCEND FS12T KAYAKAscend fishing kayaks are built by fisherman, for fisherman and they're made in America. So fish with the

confidence that goes with being aboard a craft built with all your needs in mind. With features like convenient

rod holders, tackle storage and a place to put your catch, this is everything a fisherman could want in a kayak.

Available at Bass Pro Shops, basspro.com and other fine retailers.

FACEBOOK.COM/ASCENDGEAR

THEY CAN SWIMBUT THEY

CANT HIDE


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6 | 2014 gear guide

f lash


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climbing.com | 7

Facundo Langbehn Ferro once Upon a Time (V3 R)black mountain, california

Fifeen years ago, thousands of people watched Chris Sharma climb at Black Mountain in the 1999 bouldering lm Rampage, and many credit this lm for jump-starting the American bouldering craze, as well as turning Black Mountain into a Southern California pebble-wrestling hotspot. Over the past few years, the area has experienced a new wave of development spearheaded by locals, including Ian MacIntosh and Alan Moore. Its known for granite highballs (think 25 feet and up) and somewhat sandbagged ratings (Mountain Project suggests that newcom-ers leave their egos at home), so its not for the faint of heart. This aesthetic problem is particularly challenging because it features a 40-foot chasm on one side of the landing and a 60-foot drop on the other. While that adds a serious sweaty-palms factor, combined with the 7,500-foot elevation, it makes for a spectacular view that goes on for miles. Photographer and local Devlin Gandy calls it one of the most classic, iconic climbs in the area.

DevlIn GAnDy


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flashflash

8 | 2014 gear guide


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climbing.com | 9

Scott Adamson

UnnamedZion national Park, Utah

During a two-week rst ascent binge in early February, Scott Adamson and Angela VanWie-meersch, with the help of Matt Tuttle, climbed more than a dozen major new ice routes in Zion National Park, Utah. Bush-whacking for hours through the rough high country, the climbers fought their way to remote canyon rims, rappelled in, and climbed back out. More than half of the new routes are 400 feet or longer. Many were super-thin (as in less than an inch) for long stretches, leading to dangerous runouts in an area where retreat or rescue would be extremely difcult. Most of the climbs, including this beauty, have not yet been named. Senior Contrib-uting Photographer Andrew Burr says this might be the greatest water-ice discovery in the U.S. in the last 10 to 20 years.

ANDreW BUrr


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flashflash

10 |2014 gear guide


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C L I M B I N G.C O M | 11

Scott Bennett

Africa (5.10+)El Chorro, Spain

While the route itself isnt known for its dif culty, the one-of-a-kind approach de nitely ups the intimidation factor. To get to the route, one must cross El Caminito del Rey (The Kings Little Pathway), a dilapidated, man-made walkway that follows the contours of the limestone cliffs. This via ferrata was started in 1901 and com-pleted in 1905 so workers would have easy passage between hydroelectric plants at Chorro Falls and Gaitanejo Falls. Today, its mainly used by climbers to access the numerous routes that line the gorges heavily featured walls, and the locals recently installed an additional cable for increased safety. The journey to this particular wall, El Chorros infamous Africa Wall, doesnt stop there. Af er the bridge, climbers must crawl through a small tunnel that goes into one side and comes out the other side of the wall, and then rappel 60 meters down to the river. Once youre there, the only means of escape are swimming downriver or climbing out. Then comes the easy part: climbing various beautiful limestone cracks on traditional protection. With the canyon on each side and river down below, it doesnt get much wilder than this.

FOREST WOODWARD


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12 | 2 0 1 4 G EA R G U I D E

FLASH

Carlo Traversi

UnnamedBrione, Switzerland

Swiss photographer Stefan Schlumpf and American pro climber Carlo Traversi have been friends and partners since they rst met at Hueco Tanks, Texas, in 2010. During a recent trip when Traversi worked a problem called Vecchio Leone (V12) near the Verzasca Valley in southern Switzerland, the pair were on the way home af er a day of climbing and shooting when Schlumpf spotted a striking highball directly above the river. He asked Traversi to climb the problem (Traversi later called it easy, but keep in mind this V15 crushers standards) just for a photograph, and Traversi obliged, dem-onstrating the beauty of an ideal climber-photographer relationship. The Verzasca Valley became well-known in the 1990s because a bungee-jumping scene from the James Bond ick GoldenEye was shot there. Verzasca is also a world-class destination for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts because of its dramatic landscapes, polished rocks, and natural pools.

VISUALIMPACT.CH / STEFAN SCHLUMPF


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When you climb fast in the mountains and bring almost nothing,

everything you carry and what you carry it in takes on critical

importance. Patagonias new Ascensionist technical packs

are straight up, utilitarian and versatile, with essential features that matter

most to alpinists and nothing more. Available in 25L, 35L and 45L.

patagonia.com/speedof light/techpacks

2014 Patagonia, Inc.

Straight up

So sweet. Joel Kauffman on the first ascent of Super Domo (with brother Neil and Mikey Schaefer), a stunning

eight-pitch line named for a favorite flavor at the scoop shop in El Chaltn. Patagonia, Argentina. MIKEY SCHAEFER


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editors choice awarInnovative, smart, lust-worthy, and just plain cool: 10 new must-have products that topped our testers lists

AN

DR

EW

BU

RR


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choice awards


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16 | 2 0 1 4 G EA R G U I D E

Once we nally got our hands on one of these nifty little tube-style belay devices, our testers were over the moon for its unbeatable versatility and addi-tional stopping power. Its light (2.3 oz.), and the smartly designed shape makes it bite down on the rope during a falljust like an assisted-braking belay device (think Grigri or Cinch). You get all the features of an auto-blocking tube (two-rope rappels, guide mode for following, belaying) with the increased safety of those other mechanical devices. When my partner took the big ride off his project in Clear Creek Canyon, it caught the rope just as well as my Grigri, but when we went to hop on the four-pitch Playin Hooky, I could still use it to belay him in auto-block mode from the top, as well as do the four rappels, one Colorado tester said. The Mega Jul is made of stainless steel, which is more durable than other tube devices that utilize aluminum. (Take a look at your aluminum tube-style device right now. Chances are that there are some sharp grooves forming on the brake side.) Plus, it offers two rappel modes: one that works like normal when your weight and gravity move the rope through the device and one that utilizes the assisted-braking feature. This rappel

EDELRID MEGA JUL

do-it-all belay device

RAKKUP IPHONE APP

mode locks the rope off and keeps you from moving down unless you put the nose of a carabiner in a specialized hole, and then use the biner as a handle to le-ver the device, which allows the rope to move through and you to move down. The one teeny-tiny nitpick is that its best to have someone show you how to use the device since its so uniqueor watch a video: climbing.com/megajul.

$35; scarpa.com/edelrid

SPORT

TRAD

ALPINE

BASECAMP

editors choice awardsBOULDERING

GPS-based crag guides

You know that moment when you get to the crag, and you know youre in the right vicinity but you just cant seem to nd the route you hiked in two hours for? Weve all been there, and so have the guys over at rakkup, which is what inspired them to create this intensely detailed smartphone app that utilizes GPS tracking, turn-by-turn directions, and photos to get you directly to the base of the routeeven if that includes fourth- or fth-class scrambling. A com-pass with a direction-of-travel arrow and a map that moves with you keep your group heading in the right direction so you can avoid wasted time and energy. Wall and route descriptions include nearly all the beta youd ever need, with zoomable topos, rack info, descent info, and individual pitch descriptions. Its similar to our other favorite app, Mountain Project, but instead of relying on user-generated content, rakkup uses professionals and guidebook authors to write descriptions and gather info. Game changer: Belay View photos that show you exactly what the route looks like from the bottom belay stance, as opposed to that far-away and unhelpful view of the whole wall. The breadth of information and utility is amazing, said one tester of the Red Rock guide. I cant wait until they launch more areas. Thats the only downside: Rakkup currently only offers downloads for Red Rock, Ri e, Smith Rock, and Exit 32. But more areas are in the pipes. Interesting bonus: If you know a crag better than anyone, rakkup will even work with you to develop a digital guide and share the pro ts.

The app is free, but the prices of guidebook

downloads vary; rakkup.com

CO

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AP

PL

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Although many lady climbers have rocked the mens Solution from La Sportiva since it came out in 2006, this year the Italian company made a few tweaks to make it just right for the feminine persuasion. Designers changed the shape of the last to better mimic a womans more slender foot, and they tapered the Achil-les. The result? The shoes wont shift around when your feet are in intensely delicate positions.

Other than those small changes, this new iteration keeps all the great features of the classic Solu-tion: sticky Vibram XS Grip rubber, aggressive downturn, stiff sole, a wrap-around sock for comfort, and the fast hook-and-loop closure system. I didnt think there could be a better shoe for me than the mens Solution, until I tried the ladies version, one 5.12 climber chick said. It noticeably ts my narrow, low-volume foot better,

LA SPORTIVA WOMENS SOLUTION

sticky-rubber Cinderella slippers

and it feels more secure on heel and toe hooks. Lady boulderers at Guanella Pass, Mt. Evans, and Rocky Mountain National Park, all in Colorado, universally agreed that the womens version of this ultra-classic was an upgrade in all departments. Not to mention the fresh new magenta color differentiates it from the boys without being too girly.

$175; sportiva.com

Traddies and sportsters alike will fall in love with this burly daypack, just like our testers who dragged it from Yosemite, California, to the towers of Utah, to the Shawangunks in New York. Dont be fooled by this haulers simplistic look; its the usefulness of the included features and the ber-comfy carry that make it a winner. I cant believe how good the minimalist suspension felt on two-hour, straight-uphill slogs, one user said of the thick, sturdy padded foam back panel. With a at bottom and a roll-top closure similar to a dry bag, the Cinder sits up on its own with a top that opens extra-wide, making it very easy to load and unload the pack and to dig around inside. Testers found the roll-top closure quicker to open and close than many standard top-loaders, so despite not having exte-rior pockets, you can still access your gear at lightning

speed. With practically nothing on the outside except a few load-bearing haul loops, a removable hipbelt, and ultra-durable 840-denier polyurethane-coated nylon, this sack can also be used as a haulbag. More than six months of weekly use has it no worse for the wear. Compression straps on the outside make it cinchable for smaller loads, like our tester experienced at Shelf Road, Colorado: We walked in under sunny skies, so all my layers were in the pack. When we trudged out in hail and snow later that day, the pack was signi cantly less full but didnt feel clumsy or uncomfortable. Favorite feature: one-of-a-kind hipbelt buckle that took a minute to gure out but was easier to adjust than anything else weve ever used.

$129; thenorthface.com

THE NORTH FACE CINDER 40

smart, burly, simple


WorldMags.net

18 | 2014 gear guide

sport

trad

alpine

basecamp

editors choice awardsbouldering

Typically high-end rock shoes fall in one of two camps: total exibility for sensitivity and precision, relying on the strength of your foot to per-form, or an aggressively downturned and stiff sole that directs power into your toes. No longer will you have to subscribe to the extremes thanks to the Tenaya Oasi. This downturned kick keeps a stiff forefoot (funneling power to the front) but a highly pliable midfoot (creating twisting functionality) for ideal performance on everything from steep to slabby. I needed some smedging-specic power and precision for a micro-nub on Horse Pens 40s Slush Puppy (V4), and my ultra-stifes kept slipping off. The Oasis made me feel like I was standing on a ledge, one tester said. Their ideal balance of stiff and ex nailed it. Then I carried them to Yellow Bluff, Alabama, for some steep sport climbing,

and on to Yosemite for jamming on long routes. Theres nothing the Oasi cant do. With a cotton-lined synthetic upper, the shoes are easy to wear for two-hour gym sessions, and they wont stretch outone tester is going on six months with no loss of performance or deformation.

$165; trango.com

tenaya oasi

do-it-all high performance

petzl tikka

rXp

perfect light every time

If you live with a headlamp on your dome, from alpine starts to sauting fajita meat, check out this addition to the Tikka line with Petzls Reactive Lighting technologyit automatically adjusts the intensity and beam pattern for optimal illumination. Its totally hands-free, said one tester. Peer into the dark-ness to nd your tent, and the beam narrows and brightens. Look down at the topo in your notebook, and the beam dims and softens. The secret? A light sensor reads the amount of ambient light and calibrates output accordingly. For steady output, use the lockout feature to dial in desired brightness. The RXP model (pictured) boasts a 215-lumen max and a stronger beam for distance, while the R+ ($75) packs up to 170 lumens. With nightly use in camp, our testers were able to use the torch for ve days with no out-put concerns, and then charge it with solar panels. Going long with no mode of recharge? Petzl sells a battery adapter separately. Oops: The on/off button is small and hard to nd with gloves on.

$90; petzl.com

Every climber worth his salt has at least one epic bivy tale. But if we had to use a frozen rope for a pillow, eat dry ramen, and spoon with our stinky partner every night to avoid dying, well, wed consider taking up surng full time. Enter the Backcountry Bed, the rst sleeping bag weve used that didnt leave us dreaming about our cushy digs back in the van. Its also the rst zipperless bag that couples the thermal efciency of a mummy bag with the comfort of a mattress-and-quilt scenario. Instead of a side zipper, the bag has a large oval opening that runs from your waist to the top of your head, and a 43-inch-long trapezoidal down blanket attached on the inside at the bottom of that slit. The blanket is oversized and meant to tuck in around you on your sides and up to (or over, if you prefer) your head. Get in, use the large hand pockets on the corners of the blanket to tuck it into the slots near your head, and get comfortable. To say the least, I was skeptical that a bag with a gaping hole down to my waist would keep me warm! said one tester. But after thriving through a week of sub-freezing desert nights, I have to say its more than legit. Ive never slept better. Thrashers and side sleepers loved the increased freedom of movement: I didnt feel like I was suf-focating on down and nylon when I slept on my side, one tester said. I had some room to roll and move within the protective cocoon that this blanket creates. Tuck the blanket to stay warm in temps down to the low 20s, or untuck it in muggier climates for more breathability and comfort. And the best part? No more ddling with stubborn zippers in the middle of the night when nature is urgently calling!

600-ll: $250 (30F), $300 (15F); 800-ll: $350 (30F), $400 (15F); sierradesigns.com

sierra designs backcountry bed

sweetest dreams


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Picture your home crag on a beautiful weekend afternoon. If its anything like our haunts near Boulder, Colorado, its full of climbers wearing jeans and T-shirts. What rock climbers really wear for a day of cragging focuses acutely on comfort and durability. That, and the fact that the best rock climbing days are sunny and dry, is why were clad in so much cotton. If youre not duking it out on a multi-day climb in the alpine, theres no reason to get Everest-ready. This is why we took so quickly to La Sportivas Mountainware, a collection of tanks, Ts, shorts, pants, and hoodies designed with cragging as the focus. In many cases, theyve taken blended fabrics to add just the right amount of stretch or quick-drying capabilities, like our editors new favorite jeans, the Kendo, made from cotton, Cordura, and a touch of Lycra. Testers loved so many pieces that we couldnt narrow it down to just one or two (or even three), so we awarded the whole line. However, there were a few standouts. The womens Oliana Short had a great mid-thigh length, which laid nicely under a harness, and was mod-est enough not to give a show. Other favorites were the Chaxi Pant, Kalymnos Pant, Bishop Hoody, and the Astroman Tank that was just old school enough to be cool. From single-pitch days in Yosemite to bouldering in Little Rock City, Tennessee, our testers chose Mountainware more than any other apparel.

Prices vary; sportiva.com

LA SPORTIVA MOUNTAINWARE

perfect crag apparel


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sport

trad

alpine

basecamp

editors choice awardsbouldering

You hear it all the time: Down is light, toasty, and uffy but as useless as a chocolate teapot when it gets wet. Synthetic insula-tions, meanwhile, are bulkier, not as warm for the weight, but still insulate you during soak-outs. Forget all of it. With the ThermoBall line, The North Face has created a jacket that looks, feels, and heats like down but dries quickly and stays warm when wet. A true game-changer in puffy jackets. This new synthetic insulation from PrimaLoft mimics the shape of down clustersultra-ne bers are teased into lofty, cotton balllike forms and contained in small bafes to keep them from shifting. The heat is so instant that I actually thought this was down, said one tester. Until it got wet when I was ice climbing in Hyalite Canyon and it didnt lose all of its insulating value. Then the light bulbs went off: Finally! A puffy jacket I dont have to baby or use only in the right conditions. I packed it for a soggy trip to the Pacic Northwest and an arid adventure scumming up towers in Utah. A trim t was ideal for lay-ering on top and wearing while climbing, but it wasnt so tight that you couldnt easily get a eece midlayer underneath, and 15-denier nylon stood up to puppy claws and light rock abrasion.


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The rope you bring to the sport crag depends on what phase of the redpointing process youre in: Toproping and working a project requires a nice fat cord while send attempts are much better with a pleasantly skinny cord. Instead of luggingand buyingtwo separate lines, take the Opposite TRX 9/10, which is an 80-meter cord with two different diameters. One end is 50 meters of 9mm thickness, and the other is 30 meters of 10mm thickness, so you can carry one cord for two vastly different purposes. Not only did our testers think this was a genius idea, but they loved the performance of the rope, from toproping in Rumney, New Hampshire, to taking 15-foot falls on Sonic Youth (5.13a) in Clear Creek Can-yon, Colorado. Millets Triaxiale braided core has been proven in past years as a strong and long-lasting design, and that was no different with the Opposite. Six months and two road-tripping send-bots couldnt get the rope to reveal any durability aws, and it ran through a variety of belay devices (both tube style and assisted braking) smoothly. Even the changeover point where it goes from 9mm to 10mm was seamless when moving through belay devices and gear. It only comes in an 80-meter version, and at an average of 63 g/m, it weighs in at just over 11 pounds.

$300; milletusa.com

MILLET OPPOSITE TRX 9/10

two for one!


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You only get 26,320 days, more or less. How will you spend them?

scarpa.com/techno-x


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boulderingFrom training to approaching to sending, these 10 products have got you covered

AN

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24 | 2 0 1 4 G EA R G U I D E

EDITORS CHOICE AWARDS

SPORT

TRAD

ALPINE

BASECAMP

EVOLV ICEMAN

thoughtfully featured midsize pad

bouldering

A tapered heel and a new last shape t narrow and low-volume lady feet

much better, and the aggressive downturn, excellent rubber, and world-class

design of the original Solution make this a top performer for anything steep.

The Womens Solution is the climber girls version of a sticky-rubber Cinder-

ella slipper. Read the full review on page 17.

$175; sportiva.com

LA SPORTIVA WOMENS SOLUTION

favorite shoe gets a feminine update

No one knows muscle pump, fatigue, and the resulting frustrations like climbers do, and now theres a portable solution that offers relief through self-massage. The A.R.M. is a 26-ounce contraption that looks like a piece of As Seen on TV exercise equipment gone wrong. But its actually very simple and effective: Sit down and put your leg through the large hole at the bottom. Use the Velcro strap to adjust how much pressure you want, stick your arm through, and move the device back and forth along your forearm. Whether you do it before, during, or after climbing hard, this nifty setup improves circulation (which de-pumps you), loosens overtrained muscles, and helps eliminate trigger points (small knots of muscle tissue, common in climbers forearms where all these tiny muscles are needed for the in nite ways we use our hands). One tester carted the A.R.M. to Bishop, California, and Horse Pens 40, Alabama, saying, When I feel the pump coming onwhether its after my rst problem or my tenthI do about two to three minutes of gentle rolling, and after that I feel loose and ready to crush.

$65; armreliefmassager.com

ARM RELIEF

MASSAGER

forearm therapy

By thinking outside the box, designers built a crashpad that ignores standard closure systems ( ap or metal buckle and strap) and instead employs a completely simple but effective setup. Two-inch-wide Velcro straps on the top, bottom, and side slide through large, rectangular loops, and then fold back to attach directly to itselfalmost identical to the hook-and-loop clo-sures of most Velcro shoes. The one thing I hate about bouldering is constantly open-ing and closing your pad to move from one spot to another, but the Iceman was way faster and easier to use than every other

pad in my quiver, one diehard boulderer said after taking it to pebble-wrestling hotspots in Colorado, Utah, and California. Other pads with strap systems force you to hook the buckle, and then tighten, which is sometimes dif cult with a too-small and slippery webbing strap that gets stiff when dirty. The Icemans genius straps close and tighten in the same movement. At just under 7.5 pounds and with a 32 x 42 coverage area, the Iceman is excellent for after-work sessions or as a ll-in pad.

$135; evolvsports.com


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climbing.com | 25

A lot of thought went into this board. In fact, a Spanish climbing coach with a masters degree in sports science created it to ac-company a training program she devised for intermediate to ad-vanced climbers. It has an over-hanging design with eight edges that vary in depth from 6mm (trust us, thats small) to 18mm, plus a large, comfortable jug at

the top. With more than 10 years of research, including endorse-ments from Europes top climbers, backing creator Eva Lopez prod-uct, the theory is that you should train just under maximum effort so you can see gains without getting injured. One tester loved the uni-form style of hanging on smaller and smaller rungs, I could actu-ally feel improvement week after

Transgression Board

high-level hangboarding

week and was able to mark my progress solidly because I could hang on ever-smaller edges. The polyester resin is comfortable to train on, and if the edges are too sharp for your liking, the board is designed so you can le them down to your own personal ergonomic taste.

$330; holdz-on.com

Eight months of weekly testing throughout the West has put this pad to the top of my gear pile, one tester said of the Session. Its the one mat I take every time. From lling in uneven landings in Hueco Tanks, Texas, to being a stand-alone landing zone for the at ground of Guanella Pass, Colorado, this pad proved its worth through versatility. The 45-degree-angle hinge offered extra protection and prevented the ankle-twisting dead zone in the middle that some bi-fold pads have. Burly ny-lon outer fabric has stood the test of time and maximum abuse, with no tears or pulls despite the harsh treat-ment of being trundled down talus elds, raked across sandstone slabs, and dragged through mud and snow. Testers lauded the small carpet in the middle of the pad, which was just enough to wipe my feet but not so much that the entire top of my pad collects dirt and grime. The ap closure system kept everything packed inside secure; plus, a small stash pocket on the ap was perfect for keys, phone, and wallet. With a nine-pound weight and a comfy hipbelt/shoulder strap system, youll barely feel it on your back, even for long hauls up to alpine blocks.

$149; metoliusclimbing.com

MeTolius session Pad

workhorse mat

1. Pads are made with two types of foam: stifer

closed-cell foam is more durable and is used as a thin sheet on top (and sometimes on the bottom) to disperse

impact, while thick, squishy

open-cell foam is sandwiched in the middle to cushion

falls.

2. Burly shell ma-terial is crucial as pads get dragged over rock, roots,

and dirt.

3. A common clo-sure system is large aps, which keep anything stufed

into the pad secure, but they can be

more complicated to close. Buckle/strap systems are easier to close, but they wont keep loose items inside

the pad.

4. Go for a beeer, padded waistbelt and shoulder

straps if you hike a long way or carry a

lot of gear.

5. Most pads are a bi-fold design, meaning theres a hinge in the

middle that cre-ates a soft spot in the landing zone. Many manufactur-ers are mitigating this with uniquely angled hinges that keep the land-

ing zone uniform throughout.

crashpads

knowthis


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26 | 2 0 1 4 G EA R G U I D E


boulderingSPORT

TRAD

ALPINE

BASECAMP

Stop whatever cobbled-together exercise regimen youve concocted and check out brothers Mike and Mark Andersons thorough and extensive training system, ideal for the busy weekend warrior who needs ef cient exercises. This package includes a hangboard, The Rock Climbers Training Manual, and a pulley system, a unique part of the Andersons routine. The Rock Prodigy Training Center hangboard is de-signed for very precise and speci c movements, to be used in conjunction with the pulley system so you dial in the exact right amount of body weight for each grip position. The two-piece structure of the hangboard is perfect be-cause it allowed me to custom t it to my own 6-foot-2-inch wingspan, one tester said. Anoth-er customizable feature are the variable-depth rails that are shallow on one end and deep on the other; not only does this mimic real rock,

but it allows you to vary the dif culty level as you improve. Pure brilliance: By positioning the pinch grips so they point straight down (back of your hands up), you train only forearm strength and not compression muscles (e.g., your chest) like with other hangboards that force a sideways grip (back of hands out to the sides). One tester said she felt twice as strong on pinches (her former weakness) after training with the Rock Prodigy for three weeks. The hangboard comes with workout guidelines, but to maximize training, the book is a must-have accessory. It covers every aspect of climbing, from footwork to mental strategies, and one gym-fanatic tester deemed it the most comprehensive training book Ive ever seen.

$179 (Elite Package), $120 (hangboard), $37

(pulley system), $29 (book); trango.com

ROCK PRODIGY ELITE PACKAGE

comprehensive training tools for the everyman

Slippers are usually reserved for crack and slab climbing, when you want the exibility of a sock and the sensitivity of an almost-bare foot, but that doesnt really lend itself to the power needed for bouldering and steep sport climbing. Leave it to genius rock shoe designer Heinz Mariacher to change the game by creating a stiff and ber-downturned Velcro- and lace-free shoe aimed at high-end climbers. As a boulderer, Ive always scoffed at slippers, but the Stix easily competed with my favorite top-notch rock shoes, one Colorado tester said after carrying them to Yosemite, Joes Valley, Utah, and Little Rock City, Tennessee. A stiff forefoot and X-tension randing system transfer energy into the pointed toe for grabbing and pushing off

pockets and nubs. And dont worry about the Stix for intense heel and toe hooks: This is the only true slipper Ive used where popping off or shifting when I tenuously hung on my heel was a non-issue, one tester said. The secret is in the elastic band that runs over the top of the foot and keeps the shoe incredibly snug. Smart addition: Its reinforced with thermoplastic strips that add stability and durability. That combined with the synthetic-leather upper mean the shoe will keep its shape over the lifespan. One tester has climbed dozens of boulder problems and 40+ pitches with no deformation and no stretching out.

$149; scarpa.com

SCARPA STIX

powerful performance

After 12 years of training on vari-ous hangboards, Mark Anderson eventually found all of them inadequate for his short-on-time training style. Anderson is known for putting up hard climbs (up to 5.14) throughout Colorado, and he doesnt get the chance to climb outside much or train in a gym, so his goal was to maximize the amount of training time he does have. I believe that the hangboard is a fundamental-ly awed concept the idea that one size ts all. I really reject that idea, he says. The two pieces allow for versatility to t a variety of skill levels (beginner to expert) and a variety of body shapes and shoulder sizes. He wanted to of er holds of every single type, including pinches that actu-ally train nger-pinch strength and not large chest muscles like most pinches. He also wanted to of er two or three sizes of each hold type, so he made variable-size holds that can be located by small raised ribs in the hold itself. This allows for recreating the same dif culty every time.

Mark Anderson Product Designer,

Rock Prodigy Training Center

interview


WorldMags.net


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28 | 2 0 1 4 G EA R G U I D E


boulderingSPORT

TRAD

ALPINE

BASECAMP1. In most cases, comfort and per-formance have an inverse relation-ship: High perfor-mance for steep climbing means less comfort, and ultimate comfort for long routes

means less perfor-mance. This gap

has closed in recent years, but take it

into account for the type of climbing you do most often.

2. Flat-lasted shoes with thick rubber (4.5 to 5mm) are great for edging and will give your feet support for all-day routes.

3. Downturned and asymmetric (pointed toe) lasts are excellent for

anything from ver-tical to overhangs. These direct power to your toe for tiny pockets and nubs.

4. Certain brands will t speci c foot types better than others, and sizing between brands varies, so nd a brand that works for you. Find more

reviews on climbing.com/gear.

5. Rock shoes should be tight but not painful, especially in the beginning. Aim for a shoe that

contacts your foot completely, with no dead space in the

toe or heel.

Swoon alert! The Team line from Five Ten has always boasted maximum exibility, but this iteration takes it to a whole new level. Plus, the Stealth Mi6 rubber was the stickiest in comparison to other kicks right out of the box. While these puppies are ideal for strong-footed climbers on steep routes and roof boulder problems, they also stood out on slabs, like the runout section on J Crack (5.9) in Lumpy Ridge, Colorado, and the numerous less-than-vertical granite faces Yosemite. Paste your foot anywhereabsolutely anywhereand it will stick, one smitten user said. Zero stiffness throughout means you can get maximum contact between rock and rubber. Our testers sized down as much as two full sizes from their street shoes; the pliability of these Teams make them easy to put on and wear. Most testers found the best t one size down. One tester even called them the most comfortable high-performance rock shoes hed ever worn. Note: You will have to learn how to curl your toes and use the strength of your foot initially if youre accustomed to stiffer shoes. Achilles heel? While the rubber was among the stickiest wed ever used at rst, after a few weeks, it was similar to other high-end rubber compounds.

$170; veten.com

FIVE TEN TEAM VXI

sensei of sensitivity

Lapis boars hair brushes have long been the premium tool to remove chalk and other gunk from holds, but weve seen countless broken half-brushes discarded in gyms and at the bases of boulders. (What happened to leave no trace, people?) Bristles intact, these leftover pieces are forgotten and useless because the plastic handles have snapped off from aggressive brushing by boulderers who dont know their own strength,

getting stepped on, or even just being dropped and forgotten. The new wood version not only cleans holds that left other brushes looking as weak as a feather duster, but it has also withstood outing after outing, crammed into packs and crashpads. And the bristles? Still good as new after nearly six months of use.

$10; libertymountainclimbing.com

LAPIS WOOD BOARS HAIR BRUSH

updated classic

rock shoes

knowthis


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The inspiration for this approach shoe-cum-clog came from the pain that climbers put their feet through on a daily basis. Italian Enrico Bucciol says, Climbers are a little crazy in that they ac-cept to sufer when they climb to get performance, but when you nish your route, you desire comfort to recover your painful feet. We wanted to guarantee that comfort after a climb, but a shoe that was only comfortable wasnt going to stand out or be suc-cessful in the market. Thats where the smart solution of getting two shoes in one came in. About two and a half years ago, we had the idea of this transformer shoe, and the team immediately started sketching and creating prototypes. The heel belt holds the foot in place when walking up or downhill, and the laces attach to pieces of webbing that run directly down to the sole [instead of attaching to holes in fabric]. This adds structure and support to the upper every time you cinch the laces down. The Capsico added something unique to the racks that was missing.

The sideways glances our testers shot each other said it all: They were skeptical. Is this an approach shoe or a Croc? said one. The beauty be-hind this kick, though, is that its both. You get a supportive shoe for the hike in and something thats easy oneasy off for the two dozen times youre squeezing into and out of your rock shoes. The Capsico offers a sturdy, sticky rubbersoled approach shoe that turns into a comfy clog with the ick of a wide rubber band. On crumbling, rocky approaches in Joes Valley, Utah, and Red Rock, Nevada, testers positioned the band in the back and tightened the cinchable laces for reliable scrambling, but once at the crag, they could put the band in the front and fold down the back of the shoe for a cozy slip-on. This is two shoes in one, meaning I can pack less stuff, one tester said. Plus, the Capsico is more like foot therapy than my usual go-to, imsy ip-ops. Thats thanks to the wide forefoot, which gave cramped toes room to spread out and breathe, and a rubber toe bumper kept them stub-free. While a touch loose for steep sidehilling, they are worthy hikersone tester carried a 20-pound pack on long approaches in Indian Creek and Castle Valley, Utah. Olfactory alert: Too much barefoot use may result in earlier-than-anticipated funk, as one tester reported. Socks recommended, especially for the hike in and out.

$109; salewa.com

Salewa CapSiCo

approach shoe turned slip-on

Enrico Bucciol Product Designer, Salewa Capsico

interview

We know your climbers will love the TRUBLUE Auto Belay. Try one (or a couple) at your climbing gym risk-free for up

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sportProject-worthy gear to improve your

bolt-clipping game

AN

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BU

RR


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editors choice awards

sporttrad

alpine

basecamp

Theyre stiff yet supple, and that perfect combi-

nation gives them a better feel and more uses than

all the other high-performance rock shoes out there.

Plus, the brilliant lacing system ts a wider variety of

feet. Read the full review on page 18.

$165; trango.com

tenaya oasi

max versatility, max performance

bouldering

This little hauler was excellent for everything I threw in it, our main tester said of this midsize pack. With 35 liters of space, it was the perfect t for moderate-weather days of sport, trad, and even ice. He threw it around at sandstone crags in Utah and at New Hampshire destinations with their trademark unforgiving schist, and he was consistently impressed with how the 840-de-nier ballistic nylon stood up to all kinds of abuse. I was surprised how much I used the outer handle on the back; it was perfect for the grab-and-go movement from route to route, he said. The beefy but ventilated CoolWave suspension mimics that of a much higher-volume pack, so our tester was still smiling under loads up to 35 pounds. A few of the extras were unique and useful, too: A separate lid that unzips to accommodate a rope or a helmet, including a special V-shaped strap to hold either in place. Ice tool loops on the bottom increased the versatility, and two water bottle pockets on the outside left more room inside for necessary gearand made it easy to hydrate on long approaches.

$130; mountainhardwear.com

mountain hardwear hueco 35

sturdy all-purpose pack

Marc Gutirrez and Jos Luis Gallego live and breathe rock climbing. So its not surprising that the inspiration for the Oasi came while climbing on the Mediterranean coast after a discussion about wanting a shoe that had the right balance between beauty, functionality, and comfort. The perfect shoe, Gallego says, would be the one that ofers the ideal response to what the foot demands, which is comfort, efciency, and the right performance in any situation. According to him, a climbing shoe doesnt need to be painful since it wont respond to your foot if it hurts. After two years of hard work in research and development, the Oasi was born, representing all of these features. Designers had the goal from the beginning to make a highly specialized shoe thats versatile at the same time, one that would make climbing more intuitive. By including stifness in some areas and exibility in others, this shoe meets that goal. The small details like guring out the width of the shoe and adjusting the strap system were constantly tweaked. Reaching a point where the Oasi is aggressive and balanced at the same time, with a wide range of responses, and always with comfort, was something difcult to achieve, Gallego says.

Marc Gutirrez and Jos Luis GallegoProduct Designers, Tenaya Oasi

interview


WorldMags.net


1. All modern climbing ropes

have an inner core, which gives a rope its strength, and an outer sheath, which protects the

core.

2. Thick diameter (10mm and up) means more

durability. Thin (8.6mm to 9.9mm)

means less weight and easier handling, but also more stretch and quicker wear.

3. A primer in single, half, and twin ropes: A single rope is just that and is

suf cient for most climbing. Half

(or double) ropes are skinnier than singles. You tie into both but clip each into separate pieces

of protection, handy on wandery routes and for long rappels (hello,

alpine). Twin ropes are even skinnier, but they must both be clipped together into every piece. Not many Ameri-cans use them, but twins of er security if rope-cutting is a

concern.

4. Dry treatments repel water and

increase protection against dirt and

abrasion.

5. Learn when to retire a rope: climbing.com/retire-gear.

If youre looking to slim down in rope size but have been hesi-tant because of durability con-cerns, look no further. By upping the amount of sheath on the rope with a super-tight braided structure, you get more stiff-ness, less op, and ultimately a longer lifespan. While the core still provides the strength of your cord, a denser sheath will add rigidity so it has a thicker feel without added width or weight. It also means more ma-terial standing between the core and agents of abrasion. Thanks to that tight outer material, This rope slid through gear like water through a sieve, so it was great for long routes where rope drag would otherwise be an issue, one tester said. Despite the thin diameter, which usually means more dynamic elonga-tion, the stretch on this was minimal when one tester took about seven falls at the crux of Horizontal Mambo (5.13a), Pot-ash Road, Utah. I would deem the slogan of this rope, Worry

less, climb more! he said. Feel free to take this on long slogs to the crag, too, as its 56 g/m, so the 60-meter version weighs in at a mere 7.4 pounds. Bonus: Its rated as a half rope, too.

$183 (60m);

bluewaterropes.com

BLUEWATER WAVE 9.3skinny size, fat function

EDELRID HMS

STRIKE SAFELOCKtwice the safety

This belay biner earned unanimous praise from our test team. With Edel-rids unique slide-gate locking mecha-nism, the biner automatically locks itself when closed, and you can unlock it with a simple ick of your thumbno twisting, screwing, or secret-switch locating. That leaves your other ngers to lift the inner anti-cross-loading gate that runs across the bottom. Not only does this inside bar keep the belay biner from cross-loading (a dangerous situation where the biner is sidewayshence, less safeon the belay loop), but it also provides a second locking mechanism for the carabiner by prop-ping the gate closed. This anti-cross-loading double locker is as safe as it gets, one tester said. One gripe is that it took a few times to get used to hav-ing to lift the inner gate just to open the biner, but it quickly became second nature. And, as Edelrid describes it, the opening procedure is deliberately complex, so it wont accidentally open in any situation.


Watch your friends around these because they will get permanently borrowed, one tester warned after a few weekends sport climbing in Boulder Canyon, Colorado. These are all about clippability. With a unique bent-gate bottom biner, the bend is more dramatic and lower on the gate, so it receives the rope smoothly and naturally; one tester felt like she fumbled way less with these quickdraws. Both the straight- and bent-gate biners are sturdy keylocks, with a smooth pro le on the noise that prevented snagging when removing from bolts. Plus, grooves on the gate itself provided extra grip for thumbs and other ngers when clipping and unclipping. We loved these draws as our everyday set, with enough thickness and burl in the dogbone that you could grab them when necessary and con dently climb on them regularly, but theyre not so heavy at 3.9 ounces for the 12cm version that youre adding lots of weight to your setup. Also available in 18cm.

$21 (12cm), $22 (18cm); dmmclimbing.com

DMM AERO QUICKDRAWeasy clipping

ropes

know this


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9.2 mm multi-standard lightweight rope.

The VOLTA 9.2, part of Petzls completely redesigned rope line, is the cord for the

most demanding users. Lightweight yet durable, and rated for use as a single, half,

or twin, it provides for exceptional performance at the crag and in the mountains.

Learn more about our all-new line of ropes on www.petzl.com/ropes

Tie in to a new level of performance.

VOLTA 9.2


WorldMags.net

climbing.com | 35


sporttrad

alpine

basecamp

bouldering

I love these, I love these, I love these! one overly caffeinated 5.13 climber said after climbing multiple hard routes in Colorado. Their edging ability is unbeatable, he said after redpointing Anarchitect (5.12d) in Clear Creek Canyon, Colorado, which requires a balancey crux on the tiniest of footholds. Credit the moderate downturn supported by a super-stiff midsolemuch more rigid than other kicks in the top-notch league. The aggressively pointed toe and vacuum t gave power and precision to the entire foot, making them ideal for vertical and slightly overhanging routes. And theyre easy enough to wear for a few back-to-back routes in the gym. Tried-and-true Vibram XS Grip rubber lines the sole for excellent purchase on all types of rock, and after 100+ pitches its still going strong. An anti-bacterial Bio-Active lining combined with perforations in the upper enhance breathability while also regulating odor and keeping the Red Eagles from getting that nauseating rock shoe stench. Despite being a very stiff shoe, they were comfortable with no break-in period, but keep in mind that rigidity does limit sensitivity.

$165; lowaboots.com

lowa red eagle

stif sole, sharp toe

When a respected rope manufacturer sets out to make an all-around cord that is friendly to every type of budget, this is what we call a win-win-win situa-tion. The 9.5mm diameter is ideal for toproping and projecting when it will experience substantial abra-sion and abuse, but its light enough at 57 g/m that on a 30-meter pitch, youll only be dragging about 3.7 pounds behind you at the very top. Testers thought this rope felt and handled like a skinnier cord, too: It was easy to clip, even in my teeny-tiny ultra-light biners, one tester said. Because of the Innity Clas-sics excellent all-around performance and bargain-basement price, this rope is ideal for those looking to make the leap into sub-10mm ropes. Mammut saved cost by skipping the dry treatment, which is a pricey process that makes ropes suitable for ice and snow but can be unnecessary for people in drier climates who stick to only rock. For handling, durability, and overall feel, this rope competes with the best of the best, and its unheard of to offer such a quality line at such a low price, said another trad and sport climbing user.

$150 (60m); mammut.ch

mammut infinity

classic 9.5

bargain skinny rope

At rst glance this pack looks just like a bike messenger bag, but pull back the large top ap on it to reveal a spacious 55 x 55 rope tarp and a voluminous bucket for gear. Petzl says it holds up to 110 meters of rope, and since none of our testers carry that much cord (we tested with 70m cords), they lled the rest of the space with sport rack, shoes, and water; and inner and outer sundries pockets were great for keys and phone. It was just enough to hold all the days necessities for a warm day of climbing. Sport climbers appreciated the urban style of the Kab combined with the technical functionality of other tube-style rope bags on the market. With a hipbelt strap usually reserved for actual bike messengers, the Kab stays in place if you are on uneven terrain (or on a bike). Although the padding on the single shoulder strap did carry comfortably for short jaunts, we wouldnt recommend it for long slogs where youll probably want a larger pack anyway.

$50; petzl.com

petzl Kab

new take on a classic design


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36 | 2 0 1 4 G EA R G U I D E


TRAD

ALPINE

BOULDERING

BASECAMP

As a manufacturer of both harnesses and climbing apparel, it seemed obvious to try and combine a harness with shorts, Fritz Shaefer says. Mammuts idea for the pants came from the shorts, which came from a college thesis statement in 2008 by then-student and now current designer Benno Reichard. He wrote about the possibility of integrating a load-bearing structure into a pair of shorts. In 2011, after the rst pro-totypes had passed a standard fall test, Mammuts team began climbing with them in the gym and outside. In the beginning, we had no idea whether all this would work and if the nal product would perform at all, Shaefer says. But after sponsored athletes came back with positive reviews, the designers knew they had created a successful product for the highest levels of climbing. The biggest change from the original idea was realizing that the material of lightweight shorts alone would not be durable enough for repeated falls, no matter the design, so they integrated a webbing harness into the shorts instead. The durable mate-rial still breathes well and feels nice on the skin with a mesh liner for temperature control. Shaefer says, Its something innovative that of ers striking bene ts compared to standard harnesses; we simply went about doing it in an unexpected way.

Nothings perfect, you say? Try these on. For starters, theres a harness built directly into these bottoms. The Realization Short came out last year, and we loved that iteration for their gym and warm-weather-cragging appeal, but for those who prefer climbing outside when temps plummet, the pant version was a top pick for our testers. I was worried I would feel like I was wearing an adult diaper, but the integrated harness feels and moves seamlessly, one lady tester said. With a baggy t on both mens and womens models, they offered unbeatable range of movement for agging, hook-ing, and step-throughs at Shelf Road, Colorado. The harness waistbelt and leg loops are connected by a mesh liner, so the entire rig maintains its shape and each component stays where its supposed to be; leg loops wont ride up into your nether regions. The inside of the contact points with the harness are a soft micro eece, and our testers found they were an absolute pleasure to wear and beyond convenient. Same caveat with the pants as the shorts, though: Youre wearing your harness all the time, no matter what, so to take off your harness, you gotta take off your pants.

$230; mammut.ch

MAMMUT

REALIZATION PANT

the perfect climbing pant

Theyre soft, aggressive, and t like a customized glove, one tester said who loved the Nexxos overall feel and response after taking them to pocket paradise Ten Sleep, Wyoming. The Nexxo shined on the slabby then super-steep Aunt Jemimas Bisquick Thunderdome (5.12+), requiring both delicate edging and pow-erful pulling. After experiencing their breakout performance, our testers were not surprised to learn that Chris Sharma is the man behind this sport-speci c slipper hybrid. (Evolv calls it a hybrid because although it is constructed like a slipper, the Velcro strap offers more security and a vacuum t.) The Nexxo has some of the same features as the Shaman (the rst shoe from Sharma), which made it a favorite high-performance shoe, including the Love Bump that pushes toes into an arched and precision-improving position, and the Knuckle Box that makes this position fairly comfortable (and not torturous). These shoes started out stiff and dif cult to put on, but after a few wears, they began to ex and provide increased sensitivity more on par with other slippers. Credit Evolvs new Power System (EPow) that provides tension and support while maintaining some malleability, especially in the toe and forefoot.


sharmas new shoe

EVOLV NEXXO

sport

Fritz ShaeferProduct Manager, Mammut Realization Pant

interview


WorldMags.net


WorldMags.net

38 | 2 0 1 4 G EA R G U I D E


sportTRAD

ALPINE

BASECAMP

BOULDERING

1. Adjustable leg loops are great for ice climbers and

mountaineers who need to accom-modate layers;

xed leg loops save weight.

2. Measure your true waist (above your hips) to nd the correct size.

3. It should be snug but not tight, so you can move freely. Make sure all the straps are

cinched down (and doubled back if necessary) with a few extra inches

of tail.

4. Big wall and trad setups have max padding for hours of hang-

ing. Sport rigs are lighter with just

enough cushion to soften falls.

5. Features vary by discipline: number and orientation of gear loops, haul loop, belay loop, ice-clipper slots, and drop seat (for easier bathroom

breaks).

Minimalist-harness fans are going to wonder why they spent so many years cutting off circulation to their legs by hanging in rigs that skimped on mate-rial to cut weight. Edelrid took a different approach by using textiles that were inherently lighter so a larger amount could be included without weigh-ing the whole thing down. They call it 3D-Vent technology, but its more or less a layer of thin foam wrapped in mesh, with supportive, stiff webbing strips that wrap around your torso and legs, adding some rigidity and only a little bit of weight. Both the hipbelt and the leg loops are ultra-wide to maximize the contact zone, which prevents pressure points, but the mesh and perforations in the foam keep the harness extremely light and breathable. It feels more like sitting in a padded chair instead of a complicated pattern of webbing, like other harnesses, one tester said. Another factor that con-tributes to comfort is the ergonomic shape of the hipbelt and leg loops: They taper out slightly at the top and the bottom, so they wrap around your esh when the harness is weighted, instead of digging in. Four stiff, plastic gear loops are suitable for racking whatever your route requires, and a zippy single buckle closes and opens fast.


EDELRID CYRUS

streamlined comfort

One great way to be a better belayer instantly? Get a pair of gloves. Youll increase your stopping power, which is ever more important as ropes get skinnier and skinnier. Plus, youll have increased protection from sharps your rope might have attracted (like goat heads or cactus spines) on its way to your hands. Gloves do have a small down-side, though, particularly in summer months: It can get hot in there. And swampy! The answer? The Grip Glove. The huge swath of stretch nylon across the back makes these among the most breathable weve used. After a summer of chasing shade in Boulder Canyon, chasing sun in Rocky Mountain National Park, and a fall that included sun-drenched trips to the Utah desert, I got everything I want from a belay glove without any drawbacks, praised one tester. The main body is made of supple goatskin, while a split cowhide reinforces key wear spots on the palm and thumb. After ve months of use, our tester reports no uncommon wear. Bonus: nice price.


METOLIUS GRIP GLOVE

airy belay gloves

Replacing our old favorite Trango Smooth draw, the React has a similar build with reliable keylock carabiners, bent gate on the rope end, and a thick dogbone for easy grabbing when you need to do a quick clip or are looking at a sketchy fall. The React has two notable updates over the Smooth, though: a rubber carabiner keeper on the bottom that prevents it from ipping over when trying to clip the rope, and more notably, bar-tacking on the whole bone that stiffens the draw signi cantly for hard-to-reach clips. The 17cm version of this draw is a godsend for us shorter folks, one 5 tester said after reaching for high clips at Shelf Road, Colorado. Instead of using my ghetto-rigged homemade stif e, all of these draws have built-in rigidity. They gave me a bit more peace of mind for trying hard routes with dif cult clipping stances. The price of each draw is about $4 less than similar models, too.

$19 (12cm), $19.50 (17cm); trango.com

TRANGO REACT DRAW

durable project quickdraw

harnesses

know this


WorldMags.net

OPPOSITE T

RIAXIALE

9/10

A Triaxiale d

ynamic rope

, with exclus

ive dual diam

eter construc

tion.

High-calibre

sport climbin

g ranges from

training sess

ions requiring

an ultra-

robust rope,

to the perfor

mance focus

of execution, fo

r which a slim

and uid

rope is ideal.

The Opposit

e TRX 9/10

combines th

ese two rope

s in one.

www.millet

.fr

Andres Marin I Indian Creek I Crack Attack 5.11

F. Marm

sater

O F F I C I A L P A R T N E R

BE BOLD


WorldMags.net

40 | 2 0 1 4 G EA R G U I D E

What do two French best friends talk about when they go climbing at the local crag? Climbing, gear, and women. This is where the inspiration for Millets innovative Opposite TRX 9/10 rope came from. Laurent Bouvet wanted one rope that would do it all, saying that some climbing days leave you beat after an all-day session, while on others, youre mindful of your energy and you come up with new ideas to nish your project. A rope with dif erent sizes is not a new idea, but the innovation is having a solid, standard rope on each side. This was part of his plan, making sure that his design would be one step beyond the ropes already on the market. Its an upgrade of the variable-diameter technology, but its a brand new angle of view concerning the practice, Bouvet says. In the fall of 2012, the Millet team began testing the rope, see-ing if the idea would actually work, and two years later the innovative Opposite is out.


sportTRAD

ALPINE

BASECAMP

BOULDERING

With 30 meters of 10mm rope on one end

and 50 meters of 9mm cord on the other,

youre getting two different ropes that any

committed sport climber needs: his trusted

fatty for taking tons of falls and a lighter,

skinnier rope for send attempts. Read the

full review on page 21.

$300; milletusa.com

MILLET OPPOSITE TRX 9/10

one rope pulls double duty

One tester described these as a paradox, They wear like running shoes, but theyve been sturdy, stable, and durable throughout my testing. A polyurethane midsole was dense enough to provide all-day support and shock-absorbing comfort when our tester took them to Venezuela for a boulder- nding mission. They were my go-to shoe because of their technical climbing abilities, stability to prevent foot fatigue, and ultimate comfort at the end of a long day, he said. A huge climbing zone of at, non-lugged rubber on the front toe and inside forefoot made these shoes feel reliable and agile on anything between fourth class and 5.5, and large lugs in the heel provided excellent purchase on loose descents. Despite several long days in the Vitamin, a lining with 37.5 technol-ogy (formerly Cocona) wicked sweat from the foot and thus prevented odor buildup. These shoes t wide-footed testers slightly better, but with the suede upper that molds to your foot and lacing down to the toe, you can dial in a perfect t by cranking on the laces. Wear them all day, and then rock them at basecamp; this is your quiver-of-one approach shoe.

$199; scarpa.com

SCARPA VITAMIN

light but burly approach shoes

You could take an old jeans pocket and a length of twine and make a pass-able chalkbag. Thats why we review so few of themits usually just a matter of splitting hairs about fabrics. Not so with the downright revolutionary Ap-erture. Its the only chalkbag Ive ever used where chalk blowout is not a con-cern, said one tester. Just twist the top of the bag a turn and a half and snap it shut. Chalk stays put, even when shoved in a pack. The sub-three-ounce bag is made from a burly nylon on the base and a thin ripstop polyester on the twistable portion. A stiffened rim keeps the bag wide open, and a plastic belt attachment is shaped to double as a beer opener. Ding: After seven months of use, our tester reported wear and tear (literally) along the rim of the opening and on the twistable portion. But its still his favorite chalkbag.

$29 (small), $35 (large); arcteryx.com

no-spill chalkbag

ARCTERYX APERTURE

Laurent BouvetProduct Designer, Millet Opposite TRX 9/10

interview


WorldMags.net


WorldMags.net



sporttrad

alpine

basecamp

bouldering

After dozens of scary tales of hardware failing around the world, permanent protection has come under scrutiny at crags from New Hampshire to Thailand. While perma-draws are not appropri-ate for many sport climbing areas, Omega Pacic wanted to up the safety ante by including a small label on the draw that allows the equipper to write the installation date on the draw itself. (Use permanent pen and throw a strip of clear tape on top so it wont fade.) Age isnt the only factor you should consider when deciding if hardware is safe or not (one route might see 10 ascents in a year while another route might see 1,000), but its helpful information to have when deciding if you should trust your life to a small piece of metal or not. The Dura draw is made for maximum durability (hence the name), with an all-steel construction: a bent-wire gate on one end, quicklink on the other, and a swaged, galvanized cable in the middle. Black tubing covers the cable to protect from UV rays and abra-sion, and a small crossbar inside the biner keeps it from ipping over and making the rope hard to clip.

$19; omegapac.com

omega pacific dura

draw

timestamped perma-draw

Holy rope tarp! At rst glance the Antidote looks like a standard tube-style rope bag, but undo the straps to nd a cavernous opening and a massive rope tarp. At 4 x 5 the rectangular rope protector can easily house 80 meters of cord and then some. Testers actually had no problems belaying two neighboring routes with two 60-meter ropes with room to spare. Other tube-style rope bags have a mouth thats so narrow its like wrestling a ferret trying to get the rope in the bag. But not the Antidote, one tester said. The design thats wider at the top than the bottom made rolling the rope in the tarp and then directly into the bag an absolute breeze. Two closure op-tions at the topa cinchable drawstring and two metal hooks and webbing strapsmade it so testers could secure the rope quickly when hustling between routes at Smith Rock, Oregon. It was easy to throw around without a care thanks to one drag handle on the side and a burly nylon outer, and two removable shoulder straps had some nice padding to carry it like a backpack or a messenger bag.

$34; trango.com

trango antidote rope bag

compact package, big ol tarp

Pay attention, gym rats! The days of sour, funky, repugnant climbing shoes are over. Not only are these mid-performance shoes machine-washable (throw em in with regular detergent and then air dry, they wont shrink, stretch, or change shape), but theyre also designed with sweaty, stinky feet in mind. The upper is three layers: a perforated outer for breath-ability, microber in the middle for structure, and a wicking fabric thats lined with silver to prevent smell and keep you dry. These shoes were also

easy to wear for entire two-hour gym sessions, thanks to a at (read: very little downturn) design, a stiff, sup-portive 1.8mm midsole, 5 millimeters of rubber on the sole, and a slightly asymmetric toe. If you do want to take these on and off constantly, two hook-and-loop Velcro closures made them easy oneasy off, and it was quick and simple to dial in the t ev-ery time. Also available in a womens-specic version.

$99; sportiva.com

la sportiva oxygym

machine-washable rock shoe


WorldMags.net

If you believe function and style go hand in hand, youll love the Neon Crag. While it looks like a basic daypack, ip back the lid to discover a gaping opening. It makes stuf ng and locating crucial gear a cinch, and two large racking loops on the inside offer just enough organization for quickdraws, belay device, and personal tether. A zippered guidebook pocket on the outside makes on-the- y beta-checks easy, like when one tester consulted the guidebook a half-dozen times on the way to French Cattle Ranch in Ten Sleep, Wyoming. Everyone who used it touted the clean and low-pro le design that tapered at the bottom, so when compared to other packs, it felt like a sports car instead of a sport utility vehicle. Plus, contoured shoulder straps and hipbelt hugged the body for seamless carrying. The outer canvas fabric has a sleek, non-technical look with a natural wax-based DWR treatment that offered improved durability and function. One thoughtful design feature was the packs pleated side panels. This enabled the pack to compress or expand for different loads; it looks and carries exactly the same when its lled to the brim and when its only half-full. This is my ideal sport climbing hauler because it has everything I need and nothing I dont, one tester said. Doesnt hurt that its only 100 clams, either.

$100; mammut.ch

MAMMUT NEON CRAG 28

urban woodsmans crag pack

BARTLETT REALLY VALUES PEOPLE. THEY CARE ABOUT OUR SAFETY, OUR SCHEDULES AND WE ALL FEEL LIKE FAMILY.

RAMON, FOREMAN,

HIRED 2004

Opportunity grows on trees.

Enhance your skills and advance your career with the #1 tree and shrub care company in the world.

bartlett.com/careersAn equal opportunity employer.


WorldMags.net


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WorldMags.net



sport

alpine

basecamp

trad

The Pinky is perfect, one tester said of the sorely missed pink Anasazi lace-ups high performance and incredible versatility. It was discontinued in 2007, but high demand brought it back. The new version features a redesigned and deeper heel that has a more aggressive taper toward the top, and testers deemed it comfy but technical. It was tight enough to inspire condence on a variety of terrain, but it wasnt so snug that testers feet were screaming after a short pitch. Its at-lasted with no downturn and plenty stiff enough to edge and provide support on long routes like Fine Jade (5.11a) in Castle Valley, Utah, but users were pleasantly surprised that it was also soft enough to smear on nothing holds. I can face climb and jam on moderately difcult routes with the same amount of success, one tester said. Tried-and-true Stealth C4 rubber was ultra-sticky, while the lined Cowdura upper (synthetic leather) molded to feet sans stretchingeven after six months. Welcome back, Pinkies. We missed you.

$150; veten.com

anasazi lace-Up the pink

With slimmed-down suspension and padding, this single-com-

partment pack carries better than most teched-out overnight

bags, and the quick roll-top closure lets you access your gear

faster than you can say off belay. Not to mention it stands up

on its own, which makes gear sorting fast and efcient. Read the

full review on page 17.


the north Face cinder 40

bombproof bucket hauler

List features you want in a shoe for climbing hand cracks and youll likely nd them all in the Evolv Addict. Theyre rigid to support your feet for all-day wear and for protection in potentially pain-ful cracks, but testers could still smear on delicate outside edges and nubs. Plus, the VTR rand puts thicker rubber in the toe area, for increased grip on twisting foot jams and more armor for sensitive toes. One tester took a pair on 15 pitches in a day of crack climbing at South Platte, Colorado, and he loved that there werent any laces, Velcro, or buckles to get caught or to pinch his foot: I can throw my whole foot into a crack without ddling to reposition and without major discomfort. Gen-erous elastic on top of the foot made them easy to put on, and a leather upper stretched up to about a half-size for maximum comfort after a break-in period. Testers found they t narrow feet best.


evolv addict slipperboUldering

Bombproof is the one word you should use for this new pack; the word durable was actually criticized as underrating the bag. Every iteration was taken to the mountains, abused, and then brought back to the shop to make it burlier. Peter Croft returned the rst prototype ripped in half. So we beefed up the outer material. Then the plastic buckles broke, so we replaced them with metal buckles usually reserved for avalanche packs, which must pass certain fall tests with an 8kN rating. The shoulder straps broke down, so we put a piece of webbing in them that connects to the frame. That way, when you pick the pack up by the shoulder straps, youre pulling on the entire frame. This bag went through hell and back, returning stronger and better than ever. Designers kept returning to a simple idea: If we could make the ultimate product for ourselves, forgetting about the commercial aspect, what would we make?

beloved workhorse brought back from the dead

keep jammin in a stif slip-on

Andy Coutant and Austin Robbs

Product Designers, The North Face Cinder

interview


WorldMags.net

climbing.com | 47

The Meteor has long been a top helmet choice for all-around climbing, and this year it gets a few more updates that make it even better. Its always shined as a well-vented and lightweight brain bucket, but by expanding the size of existing vents and adding a few more, designers were able to cut weight and make it more breathable without any loss of integrity. One of the most breathable

helmets Ive worn, one tester said. Though a smart adjustment system allowed this helmet to t a wide variety of domes, Petzl added a smaller size (48 to 56cm and 53 to 61cm) for the most diminutive melons. The harness nests down into the helmet for easy packing. A soft headband molded to testers noggins for complete comfort and admirable sweat wicking, and testers were free of pressure points caused by other helmets. Favorite feature: Petzls magnetic buckle chinstrap (which was rst seen on the Petzl Sirocco, out last year) makes on and off doable with one hand, a key trait for climbers of all types.

$100; petzl.com

Petzl Meteor

upgraded favorite

Weighing in at less than an ounce, this triple zero is the lightest micro-cam on the market. Its range is from .26 inches to .4 inches, meaning it can t in places where other pro doesnt stand a chance. Rated to 5kN, its intended purely as an aid piece. Our test unit was an early model, clearly labeled not for climbing. Full disclosure, however, we couldnt resist scouting out a thin crack to give it a whirl (not far off the deck, promise). The three machined cam lobes, barely wider than the steel cable, when retracted, bite solidly, and the cables ex for funky placements. Stay tuned for a full review.


Metolius 000

Micro tcu

super-tiny pro

Auto-blocking tube-style devices have made multi-pitch climbing much easier and safer as long as theyve been around, but the big-gest caveat has always been lowering the follower if he gets stuck or needs to move down for whatever reason. Wild Country xed that problem by offering a much larger hole that can be used with almost any non-locking carabiner (and small lockers) on the market. These devices with guide mode are a tried-and-true design, but with the bigger biner hole, I could easily lower my followers on anything from

a single 10.5mm rope to 7.3mm half ropes, one tester said who took it for rock and ice in Rocky Mountain National Park. (The device is rated for 7.7mm to 11mm, but our tester found it successfully locked with ropes down to 7.3mm.) At 2.7 ounces, the Pro Guide Lite is a wel-come upgrade for anyone who uses these devices on the regular.

$30; wildcountry.com

Wild country Pro Guide lite

small change, big diference

1. Comfort is the most important factor when it

comes to buying a helmet. If your helmet doesnt

feel good on your noggin, youll never

wear it.

2. Fit: It should sit squarely on your head, not

forward, backward, or of to the side, and it s

Climbing_2014_04

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basecampgearguide d

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