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Wild Country Proton Quickdraw-Climbing Gear Review
21 May 2014, 5:17 pm



Dave gives the new Wild Country Proton Quickdraw a test out and overview.

The Proton is Wild Country’s most complete sports climbing karabiner, tuned to perform in the toughest arenas.

Performance****

Style *****

Value

The first thing I’d like to point out that the quickdraws we were sent for review are not the same colour as the retail one’s. So please do not go looking for black and white draws – they will retail with the grey draw. The carabiners, however are the same as the retail version.

The Wild Country Proton is a quickdraw designed for sport climbing and has features that are well suited for that purpose. The look remarkably similar in design to the DMM Alpha Sport quickdraws we reviewed earlier in the year. There are however, small design differences that set them apart.

The Wild Country Proton – a high quality sport climbing draw. The quickdraw has a great 25mm sewn draw that was easy to grab and pull up on. The ends were narrower to accommodate the carabiners. The webbing had a compimentary colour scheme that looked really nice and gave a quality experience. Lots of bar tack stitching gave complete confidence in the 22kN rating.

The carabiners had a great clipping action and I couldn’t fault them, the ergonomic back bar fitted snugly against my forefinger for both clipping into bolts and feeding the rope into them. I particularly liked the bent gate, which is more pronounced than the DMM Alpha Pro. The straight gate had a curved feature that added a little extra friction and held the gate open when held in a stick.

The straight gate could have been more featured for stick clipping. The Wild Country Proton didn’t hold open as securely as I would have liked in my clipstick (I was using a BetaStick for the test) as when it knocked against a bolt or I was fumbling the gate snapped closed. So this could be an area that would benefit from a small redesign in future models.

The bent gate had an ergonomic gate that made rope clipping a dream. At the other end the bentgate carabiner was held securely in place using the ‘Vice’. This worked very well, looked robust and the carabiner never moved on. I would not advise taking the biner out as it was absolutely desperate to get back on again!

Both carabiners had wide internal surface areas to maximise rope and bolt placement as well as being engineered for weight reduction.

We had a couple of 17cm draws for test and the range comes in 3 lengths 12, 17 and 25cms with the 17cm draw weighing in at 121g. They also come in sets of 5

So overall a great sport climbing quickdraw and addition to the Wild Country range. They will work well in all sport climbing situations whether you are cranking a hard redpoint in Water Cum Jolly, on sighting 40m routes in Catalunya or steaming your way up multi pitch heaven in the Wilder Kaiser the Wild Country Proton quickdraw will be a high quality addition to your rack.

SRP: £12cm – £19, 17cm – £19.50, 25cm – £20, Sets of 5 12cm £88 and 17cm £90

Stockists



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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5.10 Rogue VCS
24 May 2014, 8:40 am

CGR tests out the super comfortable Rogue velcros from 5.10

Built on our Anasazi last, the Rogue VCS has a premium leather upper that conforms to your foot. This comfortable climbing shoe is designed for gym-to-rock performance and features our Comfort Range Slingshot and Active Arch Technology.

Performance ***

Style ****

Value****

I spend a lot of time ion climbing shoes, either when instructing, training or my own personal climbing. I have discovered, over time that you need a shoe that is comfortable as well as having good performance. Most people fit their climbing shoes much too small in the mistaken belief that they need that for the shoe to perform. Climbing shoe manufacturers have made great strides in the design of shoes to do both – I just feel that people’s opinions need to catch up. I usually advise to go to a specialist shop and try on all the types of shoe they have to see which one fits best, start with the shoe being a half a size smaller and go from there.

And so it was with new, redesigned 5.10 Rogue VCS shoes that popped onto my desk for review. My usual review size is a UK7.5 (EUR 41.5) as I can make a fair comparison for fit against other makes and models. I’ll come to fit later but first I’ll discuss styling. The 5.10 Rogue VCS is built on the legendary Anasazi last so it looks similar to the Anasazi velcro shoes but it has some distinguishable differences. The uppers are made of leather and not the Cowdura faux leather that is more usual in the 5.10 performance range. It must be noted however that the shoes have been designed as an all day comfort shoe that would suit beginners and climbers making the transition from climbing wall to outside, so leather works better in these situations as it stretches more as the day goes on and your feet getter bigger (they do as they heat up). This is a significant improvement on the 2010 model.

Great friction and comfort with the 5.10 Vogue. The styling gives them more of a performance look than the more traditional beginners shoe so they would be great for trialling before you go straight into the more uncomfortable performance styles. The bright blue and charcoal colour combination looks good without it being too garish and is contrasted with bright green stitching and  closure loops. So the styling offers a performance look without the feel that you’ve got disco shoes on your feet.

The leather uppers have the advantage of allowing the shoe to breathe, this definitely is a good advantage over other models in the 5.10 range (not all are made from Cowdura) as they will not smell as bad over time. So I would always recommend for people with foot odour that they buy a leather upper climbing shoe. That said the tongue and some of the inside of the shoe is made from microfiber so they won’t have full breathablility. The tongue was well padded with a brushed velour lining that made it very comfortable. The velcro straps were also made from microfiber and fed through a hard plastic hole to give a good range of fitting options.

As I said earlier the 5.10 Rogue VCS has the same shape as the 5.10 Anasazi, my feeling is it isn’t as radially asymmetric as the Anasazi and this is what makes it more comfortable. The shoe has a complete rand and good coverage in the toe for toe hooking for foot jamming. The heel has been resigned from the 2010 model and fitted nicely, it performed reasonably well heelhooking. The heel was finished with an offset pull tab. This is again a remodel on the 2010 version that had two pull tabs. This one works much better because the shoes are easier to pull on and off and, more importantly, the shoes are bought together in a much more tidy fashion for clipping onto your harness. A nice touch.

5.10 Rogue, comfortable for all day, multi pitch wear. The rubber is the legendary Stealth C4 and was very sticky on all the rock types I tested it on (Mountain Rhyolite, Gritstone and Limestone). The sole was very soft and I really felt this on long and multi pitch routes. The comfort was excellent but I could often feel sharp holds through the shoes and my feet got tired after a while.

The sole has no midsole stiffener so felt very soft and bendy. This was fine for indoor climbing but for someone who relies on footwork I found them much too soft for my style of climbing. Most of the time of the time this didn’t matter as I’m hanging around on lower grade climbs teaching people to multi pitch climb or lead. But as soon as I got into the VS range and above I felt that I needed a stiffer shoe. I haven’t climbed anything harder than HVS in these as I feel the shoes are not designed for harder climbs.

So to conclude – the 5.10 Rogue VCS is a great improvement on the 2010 model. They are supremely comfortable and will be a great beginner shoe for people just starting out and making that all important transition from climbing wall/gym to outdoor climbing. I have worn them for instructing, muliti pitch climbing to VS, single pitch climbing and sport climbing as well as bouldering and they have performed well. Do remember to size them appropriately as they will stretch over time and that they are definitely not a hard, performance shoe. The range comes in a lace up version for extra precision and a women’s specific version. Sizes UK 1-13 in half sizes and UK 14.

SRP £75

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Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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DMM Thor – Climbing Gear Review
28 May 2014, 12:10 pm





CGR test out the new and mighty DMM Thor quickdraw sets for all mountain use.

This biner is truly versatile, and could equally be used for trad, sport or winter climbing alike. If its extra security and robustness you are looking for, then this is an obvious choice.

Performance *****

Quality*****

Value****

Late last year CGR tested the latest sport climbing quickdraws from the DMM Alpha range the DMM Alpha Pro. We concluded that apart from stick clipping issues it was a great sport climbing so it was great when a set of the new DMM Thor quickdraws landed on our desk for review.

DMM are world renowned for their well designed and high quality hardwear and the DMM Thor is no exception, based on the highly popular DMM Spectre 2 the differences are very subtle but useful.

The DMM Thor is a thicker and more robust carabiner than the Spectre 2. The differences this make are that it has a rating of a whopping 28kN against 24kN for the gate closed strength and a rating of 11kN against 9kN for the gate open strength. This one is more important as it could mean the difference as it gives you the same safety strength as a DMM Wallnut 3. The cross gate strength is similar to both with the Thor offering 7kN and the Spectre 2 8kN, this being due to the wire gate for both biners. If that’s worrying for you the Thor also comes with a Shadow top biner which ups the rating to 9kN (but drops the overall rating to 24kN). Confusing? Well just think of the DMM Thor as a mighty Norse version of the Spectre 2, beefed up and more robust.

The DMM Spectre 2, Thor and Thor/Shadow. Spot the difference. So where does this extra strength come from? Well it comes from the additional thickness in key areas: the basket (the area where the rope lies or wire/tape lies depending on the which way round it is), the back bar and the tape end (where the quickdraw tape lies). These are all thicker areas than the Spectre and really make the DMM Thor so much stronger.

Although the styling is based on the DMM Spectre 2, the Thor definitely feels more large hand friendly even though they are the same size, so if you have large hands you are going to like the Thor biners. They also worked well with gloves on, I wear gloves a lot for winter climbing and my summer rock climbing work, so it’s important to have biners that work well with gloves on. The DMM Thor didn’t disappoint, this must have been down the small difference in the width. I have got these too early for winter climbing but I can already see these becoming my regular winter quickdraws. So a great handling quickdraw with or without gloves on.

The DMM Thor handled very well in all test situations. Other styling differences are the nice ribbing on the back bar. We saw this in the DMM Alpha Pro and it’s been reproduced in a similar fashion in the DMM Thor. It’s a small thing but does make a difference to the friction when clipping, helping to ensure the biner isn’t slipping around. There is also a slight grooving on the rope radius to ensure the rope sits in the right place. Other than that you’d need a close inspection to see where the extra thickness comes from. This extra thickness, of course comes with a weight difference with the Thor weighing at 36g which is 3g heavier than the Spectre 2 (33g).

The rope groove placed the rope perfectly. Here we show the Thor/Shadow combination The DMM Thor quickdraw set comes with the familiar 11mm Dyneema tape (rated 22kN) and the silver and gunmetal carabiner colour styling. With the silver being the carabiner that clips into the protection and the gunmetal the rope. The rope end is firmly held with a rubber insert (in fact so firmly that if can actually manage to get one out you‘ll be hard pushed to get it in again!). The colour range is same as the Spectre range with the 12cm coming in gold, the 18cm coming in grey and the 25cm coming in red. They come separately or in sets of 5.

The DMM Thor – beautifully engineered. So, in conclusion I have no hesitation in awarding the DMM Thor quickdraws 5 stars for performance. I have used them for all my Trad climbing this season, they perform well enough for sport climbing (although they work better for on sighting as the thin Dyneema slings are not good for grabbing) and I feel they will perfom great in winter. The sets come with either a Thor top biner or a shadow top biner, my preference has definitely been for the wire gate Thor.

If you only want to buy one set of quickdraws that will serve all your climbing needs then the DMM Thor will not disappoint. And if  you are of a nervous disposition that extra thickness and the robust feel should give you extra confidence in you gear placements. If price is an issue then the sets are sold with a Shadow top biner and a Thor rope end.

SRP:

Thor prices:

Thor Carabiner – £8.50

12cm QD – £16.00

18cm QD – £16.60

25cm QD – £17.00

QD set 1 x 12cm, 3 x 18cm, 1 x 25cm – £75.00

QD set 12cm (5 pack) – £75.00

QD set 18cm (5 pack) – £75.00

 

Thor / Shadow QD

Shadow straight gate / Thor 12cm Combo QD – £16.00

Shadow straight gate / Thor 18cm Combo QD – £16.00

Stockists

Why not receive our latest reviews and gear news via your inbox by following our blog: perfect for all gear freaks! Just sign up via the home page link in the sidebar. We never keep an email list (too much hassle – we’re out climbing) and we would never, ever pass your email address on to someone else (no, no, no that would be very unethical).



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Edelrid Zodiac Helmet – Climbing Gear Review
29 May 2014, 8:05 am



With improvements in fit and style and massive weight reductions, helmets are an increasingly common sight at the crag these days. Kasia Baldwin tests out the Zodiac Helmet from Edelrid…  Performance ????

Durability ?????

Value ?????

Edelrid Zodiac Helmet – comfortable and lightweight, great for rock climbing. A helmet is a personal thing and in my opinion if you get one that actually suits you it’s like winning the lottery. Okay so perhaps I shouldn’t go that far, and in truth whether you look good or not, that certainly isn’t the deciding factor on which one to get – though I still insist on a quick glance in the mirror when trying one on! As always your priorities when buying a helmet are that it fits and that it’s built for purpose. You can find out more here: https://www.thebmc.co.uk/new-helmet-guide-launched

Back to the Edelrid Zodiac helmet. This is the first Edelrid helmet I’ve tried and I love it. On first impressions it’s light and doesn’t feel too fragile, as though it will crack when stuffed in a rucksack with all my climbing kit – though of course you still need to be careful. The Zodiac is a hybrid helmet in that it’s made from an ABS shell outer and an expanded polystyrene foam inner shell. Plus it only weighs in at 359g (Edelrid’s Zodiac Lite weighs in at 335g). Whilst it’s not the lightest helmet on the market, at least I don’t feel like I’m carrying a brick on my head and I know it’s not going to blow away in the slightest of breezes – which I’ve witnessed can be a risk with some of the even lighter helmets that are now available.

So why do I love this helmet? For one it fits me and feels secure and comfortable, so that’s point one ticked off the check list. This is probably helped by the fact that the helmet has a ‘wing-fit’ system and an ergonomically-shaped interior with padding that can be removed if need be. I kept the relatively thin padding in and still have the spare padding it came with. This is very simple to remove and is simply held securely in place with small Velcro patches on the foam inner shell. The fit of the helmet is also really easy to adjust by simply turning the dial on the back of the cradle which sits neatly above the back of neck. This is where I’ll gripe a little in that it sits just wear my ponytail would usually be – but I get that with every helmet I’ve had so far and thus have to adjust my hair accordingly!

Time to tick off point two on my checklist – the hybrid element with an ABS outer means I can wear it climbing, ice-climbing and mountaineering – perfect. Edelrid also suggest this is a perfect helmet for those heading out to do a bit of Via Ferrata.

Edelrid Zodiac Helmet – note the head torch clips and air vents. It currently comes in four colours; sahara, snow, icemint and oasis (orange, white, blue and green). I went for the classic ‘snow’ in order to keep cooler when used on summer days in the Alps. The helmet does also come with six vents for when things do heat up.

Other points to mention are that the chin strap is very easy to adjust but I did find the fastening could be stiff to undo at times, especially when wearing gloves in the winter where you can’t quite get the ‘pinch’ right first time. The cradle at the back of the helmet also sits nicely tucked into the main helmet shell when you’re packing it away. This means it doesn’t jut out and make it even more awkward to stuff in your pack. As for the head torch attachments – these are four fairly standard type clips which I’ve not had any trouble with so far.

It comes in one size to fit heads sized between 54cm to 62cm and of course it’s UIAA approved. Should I need to retire the Zodiac anytime soon during my adventures, I’ll certainly consider another one and think it is great value for money.

• RRP: £50
• Find out more from the Edelrid website.

Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Mountain Hardwear Super Chockstone Jacket – Climbing Gear Review
29 May 2014, 11:40 am

James Parkinson tests out a versatile softshell jacket from Mountain Hardwear; the Super Chockstone Jacket. Performance – *****

Durability – ****

Value – ****



Spring in the UK: warm, cool, windy, calm, showery, dry – who knows what the weather’s going to

do?! For most days out, you’ll need protection from the wind and maybe the odd shower but do

you want to be burdened with the weight and limited breathability of a hardshell? The Mountain

Hardwear Super Chockstone jacket can be thrown on in the morning and forgotten about.

The Super Chockstone is a very lightweight softshell made from MH’s own Chockstone™

Doubleweave fabric. I found the fabric to be pretty wind resistant and had no issues with it on some

very blustery days in the Llanberis Pass. A proper winter wind might find its way through but for

spring to autumn it works fine. This level of air permeability means that the jacket is very breathable

or those uphill walk-ins, a big plus at this time of year. I also found that the DWR finish on the fabric

dealt well with the odd light shower, with rain actually beading up on the face. After about three

months of regular wear this doesn’t seem to have lost its effectiveness. I did find however that some pilling developed on the inside of the arms after a while – maybe not a massive problem but something to note. The fabric also has an SPF 50 rating so it would be good for the high mountains in summer – no frying on the glacier!

Mountain Hardware Super Chockstone Jacket – the DWR finish worked well! The cut is described as Active Fit and I guess that means pretty close-fitting. I wouldn’t want much

more under it than a base layer or t-shirt but you could go up a size if you’d want to throw a fleece

underneath. That said, it would go very well under a shell as a light mid layer. The fabric is quite

stretchy, so what might feel like a relatively tight fit shouldn’t hinder your movement when actually

climbing. I found the jacket moved pretty well with me; no problems with high reaches!

There’s a low profile hood that fits well under a helmet but which I’ve not actually used on the

hill. I’d say it would work best as a second hood when using the Super Chockstone jacket under an

insulating belay jacket when the weather closes in and you want all the layers you can get as I’d

prefer a hood that just goes over everything.

Mountain Hardware Super Chockstone Jacket – great for climbing and scrambling. The waist has an elastic draw string that can be adjusted with one hand but as the jacket is close

fitting anyway, I didn’t feel the need to have the string particularly tight. The cuffs have an elastic

strip on them but no other adjustability. I found this to be fine but you might struggle to get the

cuffs over a bulky glove in cold weather. There are three zipped pockets on the jacket; two hand

warmer and one chest. The chest pocket is interesting in that it is mounted on the right hand side

of the main zip, not the left as is usual with single chest pockets. Apparently the reason for this is to

allow you to have things in this pocket as well as in pockets on any other jacket you may wear over it

and not have them bang together. Not an issue I’ve ever encountered but nice to see the Mountain

Hardwear designers thinking outside the box!

The Super Chockstone Jacket comes in three colours – Shark (grey with orange zips, the colour I

had), Azul Blue and Fuse Green.

As an outer layer for spring to autumn in the UK or for summer alpinism, the Mountain Hardwear Super Chockstone jacket is very good. Layer it under a shell and it will even take you into the fourth

season.

 

• RRP: £100
• For more information visit the Mountain Hardwear website.

Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Patagonia Men’s Alpine Houdini Jacket – Climbing Gear Review
30 May 2014, 4:41 am

So, you’re half way up Ben Nevis’s classic HVS, Centurion. It started out with sunshine but now the wind is howling and the rain drives horizontally towards the rock. You left your waterproof at the bottom to save on weight and bulk but now seek out a miraculous escape from the weather. Maybe an Alpine Houdini Jacket from Patagonia is just what you’re after?  Performance ????

Durability ??? and a half

Value ????

 

Patagonia Alpine Houdini Jacket – great lightweight wind and moisture protection, a brilliant hood and super simple too. Here on the summit of Pigne d’Arolla whilst ski mountaineering in the Valais region of the Swiss Alps.  

Patagonia say: “Featherweight, emergency storm protection for light-and-fast alpine endeavors, the Alpine Houdini® Jacket disappears when clipped to your harness, then deploys to shed wind and precip when your weather window closes.”

Ok, so the Alpine Houdini Jacket from Patagonia is a really versatile jacket. Because it weighs next to nothing and packs down to the size of an orange, I really don’t mind carrying it. I’ve used the Alpine Houdini Jacket both as an emergency shell on days when I wasn’t expecting bad weather but also as my main shell as well. Due to the fact that it’s windproof but also waterproof to a hydrostatic head of 10000mm I could trust that it would keep me dry and cut out any wind chill. As such I’ve used it for fell running, rock climbing, alpine climbing and ski touring. It’s certainly a pretty minimalist piece though and if you’re planning on being out in the pouring rain for hours on end, then most people will want a full on hardshell. But the Alpine Houdini is designed as emergency protection after all.

Patagonia Alpine Houdini Jacket – light and comfortable weather protection, great for rock climbing in. Due to the fact that the Alpine Houdini Jacket is so minimalist, it’s drawn quite a lot of attention from friends who joked that was like tissue paper and I’d be papier mâchéd if it was to rain or it was like a sandwich bag! Well, they were wrong on both counts! I’ve used the Alpine Houdini Jacket in some pretty heavy rain and snow conditions and it has kept me dry, both from precipitation outside and sweat inside. And I was sceptical about how waterproof and breathable the laminated membrane would be. I suppose the only concern I have now is about how durable the waterproofing will turn out to be as I seem to be wearing it an awful lot (yes, I do love it!) but I suppose only time will tell.

Patagonia Alpine Houdini Jacket – about to tackle some drizzly rock climbing in Pembroke. So why do I love the Alpine Houdini Jacket so much? Well, as I’ve already said, it’s light, small and protects me from the wind and rain. It’s also incredibly simple. Elastic cuffs, full length zip, awesome helmet compatible hood and one inner chest pocket that the jacket stuffs into complete with harness clip loop. The zipper has a glove friendly tab and the hood and drawcord have simple elastic drawcord closure systems. And that’s it, all in a 187g package. What’s not to like?

Patagonia Alpine Houdini Jacket – packs in to its own chest pocket so you can easily clip it to the back of your harness. The only real downside is that a jacket like this won’t last forever. I’ve put a small hole near the cuff of mine already and lots of rough rock climbing probably isn’t going to do it any favours but it’s not meant to be a wear it all the time type of garment. It just so happens I have been and I suppose considering the amount of wear it has had so far, it’s actually doing remarkably well.

So to sum things up, the Alpine Houdini Jacket from Patagonia is a super light, compressible emergency rain shell. Perfect for clipping to the back of your harness for some “just in case” weather protection on long rock or Alpine routes, trail running, hiking and ski touring. Don’t expect lots of pockets and faffy features but do expect lightweight simplicity.

 

• RRP: £150
• Find out more at the Patagonia website.

 

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Mammut MTR 141 Thermo Jacket and MTR 141 Hybrid Pants – Trail Running Gear Review
4 June 2014, 8:27 pm

A while ago we reviewed a few pieces of kit from the Mammut MTR range, a range of gear aimed at trail runners. You can read those reviews here. During the Spring months I’ve been lucky enough to test a couple more products from this range, the Mammut MTR 141 Thermo Jacket and 141 Hybrid Pants. MTR 141 Thermo Jacket from Mammut

Performance ????

Durability ????

Value ????

Mammut say: “The warm, elastic PowerStretch  fleece material is ideal for long runs in cool temperatures. The windproof, very light 10-denier micro fabric on the front prevents rapid cooling in cold winds. Lightweight,fast-drying jersey inserts under the arms provide optimal temperature regulation.The offset shoulder seams guarantee  a perfect fit while clever details such as reflective logos and easily stowable finger gaiters make the MTR 141 an ideal running partner.”

I’ve worn the MTR 141 Thermo Jacket from Mammut for lots of runs on cold days in the hills and love how comfortable it feels and the way that it helps to regulate my core temperature. The balance between windproofness, breathability and warmth makes it ideal for trail, fell and road runs in cooler weather or on on days when the windchill is proving a little too much! I’ve worn mine for cold morning runs from my house or when running in the hills of Snowdonia and the Lake District.

 

Mammut MTR 141 Thermo Jacket – great for long runs in the hills, particularly on cool and windy days. The Power Stretch fleece insulates effectively but also breathes well. The fit is a close one but the fabric is stretchy and moves with your body. I did find the sizing to be on the small side though, but I think this only felt that way across the chest and this is perhaps because the windproof panel on the front (which is great keeping the wind off), doesn’t stretch the same way that the Power Stretch fabric underneath does. I really liked just having this front windproof panel though as I sometimes find that a full windproof makes me overheat, even in quite cool winds. The lighter wicking fabric used on the underarms is also a nice touch and adds to the comfort of the MTR 141Thermo Jacket.

On really cold days I’ve worn this jacket next to the skin and it has performed brilliantly but the close fit does also allow for layering as well and it works fine with a thin baselayer underneath.

Going back to the cut, I really like the length (the jacket is hip length) as it keeps my lower back and kidney area well insulated and doesn’t ride up. I found the full length zip very smooth to use and also useful for further ventilation if things got a bit warmer. The collar gave a nice snug fit around my neck without feeling restrictive.

Mammut MTR 141 Thermo Jacket – super comfortable cuff and thumb loops. Other features I like are the super comfortable cuffs and thumb loops which are really cosy but don’t feel like they add extra bulk when not in use.

Mammut MTR 141 Thermo Jacket I would recommend the MTR 141 Thermo Jacket from Mammut to anybody who runs in cooler weather be it on road or trail. It is not an item that should be pigeon holed though as it also perfect for cold weather walking and climbing as well as ski touring, cross country skiing and cycling.

• RRP: £130
• Visit the Mammut website.

 

 Mammut MTR 141 Hybrid Pants

Performance ??? and a half

Durability ????

Value ????

Mammut say: “The lightweight, elastic materials in the Mammut MTR 141 Hybrid Pants provide unrestricted, warmth and protection. Once again, the cosy and stretchable Power Stretch fleece material is used to keep the legs warm. If the weather suddenly worsens, the laminated and waterproof polyamide fabric offers optimum protection from the elements. Knee folds backed with mesh also ensure great freedom of movement and excellent ventilation. Another sophisticated detail is the zip on the legs to adjust the width, ensuring an equally good fit for both easy ski tours and trail running.“

So, when I first received the  Mammut MTR 141 Hybrid Pants, I was a bit sceptical, thinking they looked what some of my friends call “a bit Euro” in their styling and also (being a fan of simplicity) that they also looked a bit overdesigned. I was actually wrong on both counts, and once I got over the slightly unusual styling, I found that these pants are actually brilliant!

Fitting somewhere between a (super technical) running tight and a jogging pant, the Mammut MTR 141 Hybrid Pants have some interesting features. The upper leg, down to the knee is produced in Power Stretch and gives a close (but not tight) fit providing efficient thermal properties and great freedom of movement, with a well thought out, paneled construction and great articulation in the knees. Over the front of the entire trouser (for the whole length) is added a waterproof polyamide fabric to keep both the wind and moisture at bay. This fabric is used on the whole of the lower leg to protect whilst running through mud and long wet grass etc. The lower leg also has zippered gussets so that the pants can work over boots and ski boots although I still found them too neat even with the zips open, to fit properly over my ski touring boots.

Running in cold and dry or cold, damp and windy conditions is when the  Mammut MTR 141 Hybrid Pants truly come into their own. I did find that they can quickly become too warm in anything but cooler conditions and the waterproof polyamide fabric made them feel a bit sweaty in these sorts of conditions.

Once again I wouldn’t pigeon hole these pants as just being for running. They’re also great for cool weather walks, cross country skiing and even climbing.

If you are a runner who is looking for an alternative to the traditional winter tight, then these could be just the thing for you!

• RRP: £110
• Visit the Mammut website.

 

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Arc’teryx Alpha Comp Hoody – Climbing Gear Review
5 June 2014, 3:43 pm



 

Earlier this year we ran a news item about the release of the Alpha Comp Hoody hybrid softshell jacket from Canadian brand, Arc’teryx. You can read that news here. Well, we’ve also been lucky enough to put one to the test in the mountains! So how did it perform?  Performance ****

Durability ****

Value ****

Arc’teryx Alpha Comp Hoody – great for technical climbing in cold, dry conditions. Here seen in action about to tackle the snow mushroom on the Ice Bulge pitch of the 1938 Route, Eiger North Face, Switzerland. Arc’teryx say that the Alpha Comp Hoody is a: “Composite construction jacket with versatile thermal management and zonal weather protection in a single garment.“

So what exactly do they mean by ‘composite construction’? Put simply, it is all about combining two materials in a way that is supposed to maximise the benefits of each one. In the Alpha Comp Hoody, Arc’teryx have combined their own Fortius 1.0 stretch woven softshell fabric with a N40p 3L laminated GORE® Product Technology fabric. This means that some areas of the jacket are fully water and wind proof, and some are not.

So which bits are which and what is the thinking behind this composite construction?

The hem, sleeves, shoulders and hood are produced in the waterproof Gore fabric, whilst the main body back and inner arms are produced using Fortius 1.0 stretch woven softshell fabric. The idea is that the shoulders, arms, hood and hem are the places that are most exposed to snow and dripping water. The rest of the jacket can benefit from the enhanced freedom of movement and breathability that Fortius 1.0 affords. This is especially useful when carrying a pack etc as moisture (I mean sweat here) moves more readily through Fortius 1.0 than through the Gore waterproof fabric.

Arc’teryx Alpha Comp Hoody – the pockets didn’t interfere with a pack, the breathable Fortius 1.0 fabric on the back kept me comfortable and the great cut and harness Hemlock feature made this a great technical climbing jacket. So hopefully you get the idea behind the composite construction. It’s designed to be the kind of jacket that once you’ve put on at the start of your day, you don’t need to take off. It offers enough weather protection if things turn out badly but also enough comfort and freedom of movement if you are moving quickly or climbing technical ground.

So, this great in lots of respects but not so great in others. However, before I go through the ins and outs of why, please do remember that this is a pretty specialist piece of kit from Arc’teryx’s Alpha range, a climbing and alpine focused series of clothing. It’s not a hill walking waterproof or a dog walking jacket!

I’ve pretty much used the Alpha Comp Hoody in two different environments. The cold, (mainly) dry European Alps and the often damp (read that as chucking it down!), fluctuating temperature levels of the UK mountains.

Arc’teryx Alpha Comp Hoody – could handle the odd bit of precipitation when it needed to! Let’s start with the use in the Alps. I’ve used the Alpha Comp Hoody for climbing and ski mountaineering in the European Alps during the past winter and spring and this is exactly what the jacket is designed for. I’ve used it for day hits climbing goulottes in Chamonix, ice falls, descents of the Valee Blanche on skis and chose to take it as my shell of choice on the Eiger North Face. As it was never raining or even forecast to rain, during any of these endeavours, I was quite happy that I did not need the protection of a full on hard shell. I did encounter snowfall during some of these days but as they weren’t huge wet flakes, the Alpha Comp coped fine. I also encountered drips from melting ice but these usually hit the strategically placed waterproof Gore fabric rather than the Fortius 1.0, with the DWR repelling anything effectively that did hit the softshell fabric. Any spindrift pummeling that I took whilst climbing gullies, was easily parried by the Gore fabric and the awesome helmet compatible hood and again the Fortius did it’s job, stretching with my body and breathing well when I was working hard.

Arc’teryx Alpha Comp Hoody – the composite construction breathes well and moves with your body when you’re working hard. Here in use on the lower slopes of the 1938 Route, Eiger North Face. So what was it like in the UK and is it any good for the Scottish winter climbing enthusiasts amongst us? Well first of all it’s important to note that this is not a waterproof jacket and if you are heading out for a prolonged period in heavy rain then you will get wet! I tried it and did! That is not to say it is useless for UK users. You just have to weigh up the pros and cons based on the day, routes, weather forecast etc. I’m much more of a fan of climbing in softshell or hybrid style jackets as I find them more comfortable than a full hardshell. I would tend to use a jacket like this in the UK (Scottish winter etc) unless it was forecast to be full on wetness all day long. Unfortunately this winter in Scotland has been just that, so I’ve not used the Alpha Comp on many perfect days but the ones where I’ve taken a punt, it’s been absolutely fine and the benefits for me have far outweighed the little bit of moisture I’ve had to contend with. I do know a lot of other folk who will only climb in a hardshell in Scotland though so it’s down to a question of taste here. And as I said earlier, I wouldn’t consider it myself if I knew the day was going to be out and out wet.

Arc’teryx Alpha Comp Hoody – perfect for those rare crisp winter days in the UK. Here on the summit of Tryfan, North Wales. One of the big tests for me was using this jacket on the Eiger North face. I was unsure of whether to take a full on hardshell for this route so I weighed up the pros and cons. I knew we had a 3 day long clear weather window and that we aimed to climb the face in 2 days, spending one night bivvying. I knew that it was forecast to be dry, calm and clear and that we’d be moving together most of the time, so energy output would be high and I’d want good breathability to remain comfortable and not overheat. I also knew that there’d be the chance of spindrift though so I did want some moisture protection. I also needed a well cut jacket that wouldn’t hold me back on the harder pitches. I didn’t want to carry a hardshell and a softshell as this would be extra weight, so I went for the Alpha Comp Hoody and it proved to be the perfect choice for this route and weather conditions.

Arc’teryx Alpha Comp Hoody – well cut for technical climbing and durable as well. Here showing it’s full credentials on the Difficult Crack, 1938 Route, Eiger North Face. Moving on to other features of the Alpha Comp Hoody…

The athletic fit and stretch fabric mean it is great for technical rock, ice and mixed climbing. It is moves with your body and doesn’t ride up when you are climbing, or feel restrictive in any way. The zipper works smoothly and seals out the elements when needed and the micro zipper tabs works with gloved hands. As I said earlier, the hood is awesome and worked even over the top of my skiing helmet. The adjustable drawcords gave a great fit whether over just my hair or a helmet. The zippered pockets, 2 handpockets and 1 chest pocket, gave sufficient storage options and didn’t interfere with a pack or a harness.

Arc’teryx Alpha Comp Hoody – an awesome helmet compatible hood. It was also great to see one of my favourite Arc’teryx jacket features on the Alpha Comp Hoody. The harness Hemlock inserts. Although the jacket is well cut and there is very little riding up anyway, I find this simple feature brilliant for keeping the jacket sitting neatly under my climbing harness. The hem drawcord works effectively to seal out snow and wind from underneath too and the high quality velcro cuffs are simple and do the job.

Ok, to sum things up. The Alpha Comp Hoody is a great jacket for high output technical climbing where breathability, protection from occasional snow and spindrift and durability are all required in a lightweight package. Basically the sort of weather, climbing and conditions you get in the European Alps. It is not a waterproof jacket and as such, has limitations for UK use, although it is perfect for those rare blue sky Scottish winter days. The cut, hood and quality are all awesome, just as you’d expect from a brand like Arc’teryx. All in all it is a specialist piece but if you can afford the luxury of having one, go for it!

• RRP: £275
• Find out more and buy one at the Arc’teryx website.

Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Haglöfs Spring/Summer Range 2014 – Climbing Gear News
10 June 2014, 10:58 am



 

CGR recently visited Haglöfs Head Office to take a sneaky peek at what they had in store for climbers and mountaineers for the coming Spring/Summer season… Haglöfs have a great range of products out there for climbers and mountaineers and CGR were lucky enough to be given a thorough tour through some of the hottest picks for this Spring and Summer. From lightweight hardshells, down and synthetic insulation, softshells and base layers, there is definitely something to suit everyone. Here is a run down of our favorites.

 

ROC LITE PULL

The lightest shell jacket in our Mountain concept, the Roc Lite Pull strikes the perfect balance between weight, durability, and protection. It uses breathable 3L GORE-TEX® Pro, and we’ve included thoughtful technical details.

• Made with the new generation Gore-Tex® Pro technology with enhanced breathability and durability
• Durable three-layer 40D Gore-Tex® Pro, hardwearing yet lightweight.
• Three-way adjustable climbing helmet compatible hood with foam and wire reinforced peak
• No shoulder, side and inner sleeve seams for enhanced durability and to avoid chafing
• Water resistant zippers throughout
• Half-length front zip
• Spacious horizontal slanted chest pocket with built-in bellow function for extra space
• Extra sleek inner placket with integrated rain channel
• Articulated sleeves
• Velcro adjustable cuff with pre-folded gusset
• Integrated single hand hem drawcord
• Dropped rear hem
• Rear hanging loop

RRP: £330

Find out more at the Haglöfs website.

CGR says: Lightweight smock style, 3 layer hardshell. Tough, breathable and simple with a half zip, large front pocket, great hood and hemline that won’t interfere with a harness. Great for light and fast missions in foul weather.

 

SKARN HOOD

A versatile and durable, full stretch soft shell jacket with excellent comfort.

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• Non membrane FlexAble™ fabric provides the optimum balance of wind resistance together with excellent breathability
• Stretch throughout for maximum freedom of movement
• Reinforced shoulders and sleeves
• PFOS/PFOA free DWR treated surfaces
• Three-way adjustable, climbing helmet compatible hood with reinforced peak
• Hidden front zip for a hardwearing clean look
• Two mid mounted pockets with extra durable laminated zippers and a built in ventilation system
• One laminated slanted chest pocket
• No shoulder, side or inner sleeve seam to avoid chafing and enhance durability
• Articulated sleeves
• Stretch cuffs with thumb grip
• Integrated single hand hem draw cord
• Dropped rear hem
• Rear hanging loop

RRP: £150

Find out more at the Haglöfs website.

CGR says: A great softshell which is really tough, stretchy and versatile. Just as happy scraping up granite chimneys as it is navigating on the Cairngorm plateau. Perfect for a wide variety of mountain activities. We particularly like the thumb loops :)

 

MYLONITE PANT

A versatile three-season pant, the Mylonite Pant embraces nature with a bluesign® designation. Designed with articulated knees and a gusseted crotch, it offers superior freedom of movement, as well as thoughtful tech detailing.

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• Non-membrane FlexAble™ fabric provides the optimum balance of wind and water resistance together with excellent breathability
• PFOS/PFOA and fluorocarbon free DWR treated surfaces
• Made of a midweight warp and weft stretch double weave quality with a smooth inside for next to skin comfort
• Innovative patterning with reduced seams to avoid chafing and enhanced durability
• An elasticated adjustable low profile waist
• Two upper pockets with zippered thigh and back pocket
• Zipped fly
• Articulated knees
• Gusseted crotch for extra freedom of movement
• Reinforced instep made in Schoeller® Keprotec®
• Single hand adjustable gaiter that can be folded away when not needed
• Rear hanging loop

RRP: £170

Find out more at the Haglöfs website.

CGR says: An awesome technical softshell trouser, perfect for all your Spring/Summer Alpine endeavors. The knee patches feel indestructible and the cut and stretchy fabric make them awesome for technical climbing.

 

L.I.M ESSENS JACKET

The L.I.M Essens Jacket is our premier down jacket when each gram counts. Every detail is attended to: the shell is extremely lightweight and tough, with articulated sleeves for movement. 800-fill goose down offers a warm embrace.

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• Extreme lightweight face fabric and lining in a 7 Denier construction with PFOA-free DWR treated surface
• Mini box quilted construction stabilizes premium 800 fill power goose down
• Full-length main zipper, with wind baffle behind and integrated chin guard
• Two handwarmer pockets
• Elasticated sleeve and bottom hems to give comfortable closure without adding weight
• Articulated sleeves
• Rear hanging loop

RRP: £200

Find out more at the Haglöfs website.

CGR says: Simply put, this is luxury! It weighs next to nothing (180g) but is incredibly warm too! Perfect as an extra layer on those cold Alpine mornings, or throwing on at night around the campsite. Beautiful!

L.I.M BARRIER PRO HOOD

The L.I.M Barrier Pro Jacket is our most lightweight, minimalist, and packable hooded jacket. Featuring our superior QuadFusion+ insulation, it offers an extraordinarily warmth-to-weight ratio for those cold excursions.

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• Extremely lightweight face fabric and lining in a 7 Denier construction with PFOA-free DWR treated surface
• Long lasting, fast drying lightweight insulation with outstanding warmth to weight ratio
• Snug fit elasticated hood
• Full-length main zipper, with wind baffle behind and integrated chin guard
• Two handwarmer pockets
• Elasticated sleeve and bottom hems to give comfortable closure without adding weight
• Articulated sleeves
• Rear hanging loop

RRP: £200

Find out more at the Haglöfs website.

CGR says: An incredibly versatile layering piece, that can be worn as a mid or outer layer. It is way warmer than it looks and at 200g, very light as well. The close fitting hood fits well under a climbing helmet.

L.I.M POWER DRY HOOD

 

This L.I.M Jacket features Polartec® PowerDry® fabric, keeping you warm and dry through every adventure. Simply put, it is our most lightweight and forgiving hooded mid-layer, and it promises many seasons and stories to tell!

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• Polartec® PowerDry® High efficiency provides excellent warmth to weight ratio with enhanced wicking capabilities
• Next to skin comfort in a soft hand fabric with smooth outer face for layering
• Stretch fabric throughout to allow maximum freedom of movement
• Snug fitted hood
• Laminated inner placket
• Full-length front zip
• No shoulder seams for enhanced durability and to avoid chafing
• Flatlock seams throughout to optimize low bulk and durability
• One laminated chest pocket for small items
• Thumb holes at cuffs to enhance fit and maximize heat retention
• Articulated sleeves
• Dropped rear hem

RRP: £120

Find out more at the Haglöfs website.

CGR says: My personal favourite piece! This is awesome as a light midlayer or a heavier baselayer. The fabric feels amazing next to your skin, wicks well and dries quickly. The balaclava style hood is super comfy as are the awesome thumb loops.

 

RUGGED II MOUNTAIN PANT

Extremely durable, fully featured stretchy hybrid trekking pant

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• Triple stitching main seams, double stitching on others.
• Hardwearing nylon/polymide with stretch
• Reinforcement in rear back and over knees with fabric in four-way stretch with waterproof membrane
• PFOA-free DWR treated surfaces.
• Internal elastic webbing at waist with Velcro adjustable straps
• Zippered fly with button closure with six belt loops of which two in front has a hook loop
• Two hand pockets, two thigh pockets with stretch bellows, one zippered back pocket
• Phone pocket in right thigh pocket and one hidden security pocket in the waistband
• Zippered ventilation at thigh
• Reinforced lower leg insteps made of durable 500D Polyamide and one layer PU coating.
• Gaiter hook and buckle adjustable leg hems

RRP: £150

Find out more at the Haglöfs website.

CGR says: A rework of an old favourite. These are a brilliant workhorse mountain pant that feels indestructible. Really comfy and well featured. Classic!

 

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Patagonia Ascensionist 25 Pack – Climbing Gear Review
11 June 2014, 11:05 am



Having been one of the leading lights in Alpine apparel for many years, Patagonia’s first range of dedicated alpine climbing packs has been a long time coming. So has it been worth wait? Well, CGR tested out the Ascensionist 25 Pack from Patagonia on everything from days out cragging in the Yorkshire Dales to multi day technical alpine missions, in order to find out…  Performance *****

Durability ****

Value *****

Patagonia say: “Ideal as a leader pack on done-in-a-day alpine routes, the streamlined Ascensionist 25L is perfect for everything from long, granite ascents in the Bugaboos to a day-push on El Capitan.”

Patagonia Ascensionist 25 Pack – great for technical alpine climbing. Here it is being put to the test on the 1938 Route, Eiger North Face. One of the downsides of many of today’s technical and fully featured “climbing” packs is that they are just too complicated, too fussy and in a nutshell, too heavy. Many of them weigh well over a kilogram even before you put anything in them! Weight is generally pretty critical when alpine climbing if you are to move fast and stay safe. Also, carrying a bulky, heavy pack whilst technical climbing is not going to be the most pleasant experience or going to allow you to climb your best.

 

Personally I like to use a small pack of 25-30 litre capacity for most of my Scottish winter and alpine climbing. I suppose I’m quite efficient at packing, I’m quite confident about what I do and don’t need, and I don’t mind strapping items such as the rope, to the outside on an approach. I would rather do this and then have a nice light, empty pack on the climb. I know that when I am climbing, most of my gear will be in use, not in my bag, meaning that this sits comfortably out of the way, on my back.

Patagonia Ascensionist 25 Pack – allows you to carry all you need but move unhindered. Here in use on the Traverse of the Gods, 1938 Route, Eiger North Face. So, to the Ascensionist 25 Pack from Patagonia. Bearing in mind what I just said about empty packs being heavy, I was absolutely over the moon when I first lifted the Ascensionist 25 out of the box and realised that when empty, it really didn’t weigh very much at all. Patagonia quote 349g on their website and this really is light for a 25 litre pack.

They haven’t scrimped on features either. There are twin ice axe attachment points with simple elastics to secure the shafts. The loops for securing the axe heads are adjustable as well, thus giving a better and more secure fit for modern hammerless and adzeless tools. There is a single lid pocket to keep energy bars, topo, suncream etc all handy and this is secured with a glove friendly zipper. Daisy chains run down the front and sides of the pack and these can be used to attach extra kit. If you are taking a bivi pad for example, just add some crisscrossed bungee elastic to the daisy chains. The same system can be used to secure your crampons to the front.

Patagonia Ascensionist 25 Pack – can be over-packed with rope and bivi pad strapped to the outside when on the approach or soloing up less technical terrain.  

Other features include a removable and adjustable waistbelt and chest strap, padded shoulder straps and simple padded back. There is also the option of moving the main closure strap when the bag is over-packed so that you can lash the rope to the top. This is simple and easy to do, but also secure. I personally have used this feature quite a lot and really like it.

Patagonia Ascensionist 25 Pack – rope lashed to the outside. Whilst the Ascensionist 25 Pack has all the features I need for a day of alpine climbing, it’s simplicity is still it’s greatest feature. One thing I look for in all packs is how easy it is, to actually pack my kit into it. Whether that be a chalk bag, harness, shoes and a bunch of quickdraws for a day sport climbing or shovel, probe, rope and rescue gear for a day of ski touring, I want it all to fit in the pack with minimum fuss, effort and bulk. I have used the Ascensionist 25 Pack for both cragging and ski touring as well as alpine day routes and it really is easy to pack. I find a lot of other packs, with all the different organisational compartments can actually be more difficult to use as you just end up with lots of dead space in the pack and extra weight from all the extra material needed to make it. Not so with this one. It is essentially a big stuff sack with a nice wide opening at the neck and this makes packing super simple :) .

Whilst on the subject of packing and also the neck of the pack, it is worth pointing out the way in which the Ascensionist range has been designed. It has what Patagonia call “an asymmetrical spindrift collar” and this means that fabric is saved as the lid is actually just part of the main body. This again saves weight and also gets rid of any seams and stitching that would have been required if the pack was constructed in the usual way. The collar cinches down to protect your kit (this can be done with one hand) but will stand up and accommodate any over-packing should you need it to.

Here is a great video of Patagonia ambassador, Steve House talking through all the features of the Ascensionist 25 Pack:

I found this feature to be very useful and it came in handy for multi day routes where I had to pack the Ascensionist 25 to the max, particularly on the approach to the climb. I used the Ascensionist 25 pack on a 2 day ascent of the classic 1938 Route on the Eiger’s infamous North Face. When choosing my pack I knew I needed something that would be able to transport all my technical climbing gear, sleeping bag, bivi pad and bivi bag, stove, water, food, headtorch, spare clothes and other essentials to the base of and then up the climb itself. The actual approach to this climb isn’t that long so I also knew that a lot of the climbing kit would be in use after the first hour so the pack would only have to cope with a bit of over-packing until then. I then wanted something that was simple, comfortable and streamlined for when I was actually climbing. The Ascenionist 25 Pack seemed like the obvious choice and performed brilliantly on this route. It never felt like I needed to take it off or that it got in the way, even on the crux pitches.

It’s not a comfortable backpacking pack though so if you are carry a heavy load for a few hours to a base and climbing from there, then you might want to consider the Ascenionist 35 or 45 instead. It is totally ideal for one to two day light and fast, technical alpine routes though.

Patagonia Ascensionist 25 Pack – tough enough to deal with thrutchy corners and chimneys and streamlined so it doesn’t get in the way. Here on the Waterfall Pitch, 1938 Route, North Face of the Eiger. Okay, so what are the downsides of this pack? Well firstly there is not a lot of padding but again, this isn’t really that sort of pack and a bit of careful packing will make sure those spiky bits of kit don’t end up poking in your back. Secondly it’s not the toughest pack in the world, but actually considering it’s lack of weight, it’s not doing too bad either. Mine only has a couple of small abrasion holes in it from some rough alpine chimneying and the ripstop fabric has stopped this going any further.

So to conclude…

My first experience of Patagonia’s Ascensionist pack range gets a huge thumbs up! Light, simple and innovative, it has all the features you need for a day of UK cragging, winter climbing or technical alpine mixed routes and none of the features you don’t. If you’re one of those folk who always has a huge rucksack, regardless of what you’re doing, take the plunge, ditch the ‘spare sets of everything’ and enjoy the freedom a pack like this can offer you. I can’t wait to get out and use mine again!

 

 

• RRP: £90
• Find out more and buy one at the Patagonia website.

Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Black Diamond Aspect Harness – Climbing Gear Review
16 June 2014, 7:16 am

Dave takes a close look at the all season Aspect harness from Black Diamond

Ice routes in Canmore. Sport climbs in Rodellar. Splitters at Indian Creek. For those who climb it all, all year long, the Black Diamond Aspect provides four-season performance and comfort with our Dual Core XP Construction™.

Performance ****

Versality****

Value****

I generally have two harnesses, one for my UK winter climbing and instruction work and one for my personal climbing. The Black Diamond Aspect harness falls into the latter, I’ve been using it for all my rock and ice climbing throughout the winter season.

A climbing harness needs to fulfill many requirements: safety (it’s the link between you and the rope), comfort (you are often wearing it all day) and utility (it needs to organise and make gear selection easy). So you need to think carefully about what climbing activities you will be enjoying and buy a harness to suit.

Black Diamond have done a good job with the Aspect harness of creating an all-round harness, with minimal fuss and weight. The specified weight is 410g and the CGR scales weighed it in at 389g, wow! It has nice styling and I liked the ergonomic back.

The harness is made using Black Diamonds Dual Core XP technology; this uses thin webbing with, what felt like, 5mm of EVA foam (a plastic with a wide commercial and medical applications but you will probably know it from a foam sleeping mat). This gave plenty of comfort and support but not much ventilation.

The waistbelt was plenty comfortable for long trad routes. The waistbelt was very comfortable to wear and I could hang around for lengthy belay sessions both on multi pitch routes and ground belays. It cinched tight with a 20mm webbed belt and the colour co-ordinated, self locking buckle gave a very smooth operation. The excess webbing was tucked away with two, well designed loops situated on the left hand side. I am a 32/33” waist and the harness was a size Medium, it fitted nicely even with several winter layers.

The tie loops were burly and well stitched giving plenty of confidence, all stress points were heavily bar tacked. I’ve been doing plenty of falling in this harness and it’s been great. The abseil loop was also very burly; double looped and plenty of stitching and bar tacked finished.

Super comfy for sports routes, even long multi pitch ones. The leg loops on the Black Diamond Aspect were made with the same Dual Core XP technology and were comfortable, easily adjusted with the excess tucked away with two loops. I did find the first loop a little on the large size and found the excess was often dangling around, especially in winter when I’m often wearing more clothing around my legs. This wasn’t too much of an issue when rock climbing as I usually have the leg loops tighter around my legs.

The leg loops were attached at the seat with 10mm elasticated webbing. These were secured with a hook and were easy to undo but not so easy to put back on. This does make toilet visits easy and the loops were fine an a warm rock climbing day, but fiddly in winter (when I’m more likely to want a toilet stop). To be honest though, I’ve never come across the ideal arrangement for this on any harness I’ve tested and I try to avoid defecating on or around the crag at all costs.

The gear loops were plenty big enough for most racks. The gear loops were made form pre moulded, clear plastic tubing which worked really well. It’s now an established feature on the entire Black Diamond range and the Aspect harness was no different. They racked quickdraws perfectly for sport climbing and could hold an entire trad rack with no problems. I really liked the gear loops on this harness, the equal distribution of gear with no crowing in the middle or forcing down to the front.

The Black Diamond Aspect harness had 4 ice clipper slots, the front two were poorly sited and I never used them. When the harness was tightened it but the ice screws over my front thigh (which had be worrying whether the teeth were going to pierce my expensive pants). I only used the the better sited loops that were placed between the gear loops. There was also a rear loop made from 4mm cord, this was plenty big enough to put plenty of kit on the back of the harness – approach shoes, belay gloves, screwgates, etc. My only minor complaint with this is that it was fiddly to access kit with a chalk bag on and if the biner nose wasn’t ‘clean’ it snagged. There was also a 12kn haul loop on the back for hauling sleds and pucks (but shouldn’t be used for clipping a chalk bag on as the biner can really hurt your back if it’s forced in by falling)

So in conclusion I think Black Diamond have created a good all-round harness that would be suitable for most of you climbing adventures. My preference has been to use it for rock climbing for which it has been brilliant. I found it a little lacking for UK winter climbing (where more kit is needed) but perfectly fine for ice fall climbing.

I feel that it could be improved by trying to add some ventilation at the back and ditching the front ice clipper slots. Both minor points really so a great harness that’s well worth the price.

SRP: £74.99

Stockists



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Mountain Hardwear Hueco 20
27 June 2014, 4:17 pm

CGR takes the Mountain Harwear Hueco 20 for a multi pitch test ride.

Straight to the point. This rugged rock-climbing pack focuses on function so it won’t get in your way on a multi-pitch climb.

Performance***

Style****

Value***

Why would you purchase a specialist pack for multi pitch climbing? Well there are plenty of benefits: you can pack that lightweight belay jacket and gloves; you can take a little extra food and a drink and you can take a couple of pairs of shoes for the descent (even for multiple abs shoes will be more comfortable at the end of a long day out). So we’ve established that having a pack on whilst climbing multi pitch routes can be beneficial let’s look at the Mountain Hardwear Hueco 20 to see if that fits the bill.

Firstly I would like to say that the Hueco 20 is more versatile than just a multi pitch pack, I’ve used it for sport climbing days at Malham Cove, hiking in the Lake District and general urban living and it’s done a great job, it is a nice, well designed pack.

 

A small pack is unobtrusive when multi pitch climbing. The Hueco is made from burly 400D nylon with a very abrasion resistant Hypalon type insert which Mountain Hardwear call Hardwear Tarp. This is cleverly placed at the front so that the pack has protection for thrutchy chimney climbing and hauling. The seams are folded sewn folded over and covered in nylon piping and although the Hueco is not waterproof it shed off a light shower very easily.

The lid was easy to open and access the contents, the inside consisted of a security pocket that was big enough to for my phone, wallet and it also had a handy keyclip. There was also a hydration bladder pocket for those who like to use them, the tube could be fed through the same opening that the rope strap came through. I’m not a hydration bladder fan though so I found it very useful for stowing maps, guidebooks and other flat items in. There was also a loop for clipping items to using biners (such as abseil tat, a knife, etc), this had a plastic tube cover so acts like a gear loop on your harness. There was also plenty of room for all sorts of kit as I’ve described above. There was also a very well designed stowable rope strap which fed through just behind the lid via a Velcro opening, it adjusted enough to securely strap a 60m rope to the top of the pack.

The shoulder straps were very comfortable and I have used the Mountain Hardwear Hueco 20 for quite long hiking days and it was very comfortable. They were easy to adjust, had two taped tabs on for clipping stuff onto (or attaching my watch to as when I’m working I always like to keep one eye on the time). They also had elasticated loops for securing a hydration hose and a good, easy to adjust sternum strap which had a whistle clip.

The large grab handles made it easy to work with on belays The Hueco 20 also had front and rear grab handles that were very handy, especially when attaching the pack to my harness when doing chimney or thrutch manoeuvres and it’s time to take the pack off and having dangling under me. Or general hauling (sometimes, when it’s windy it’s handy to haul the pack up when your second has stashed everything away and you want a belay jacket). The pack also has two large, zipped, side pockets for stowing all sorts of items such as energy bars, gloves, small guidebooks, camera, etc. The pockets expanded internally into the pack so I needed to remember to pack the pockets first then the main body.

The Mountain Hardwear Hueco 20 was neat enough for hiking with. The Mountain Hardwear Hueco 20 has a nice tapered shape that made it really nice to climb with (which, after all is the most important thing for a climbing pack). It really was good, it rode high on my back so didn’t interfere with my harness. Once I got going I hardly noticed I had it on and it has quickly become my first choice for a work pack (I often have to carry a first aid kit and other items when I’m working on my MIA assessment).

I haven’t used the pack in winter yet but I can already see the advantages, it’s quite flexible so will stow inside my main pack. Why not, I hear you say, use it for your main climbing pack? Well the pack is only a 20L pack so try as I may I couldn’t fit everything in and this is one area I felt the Mountain Hardwear Hueco 20 could have been improved – I would have liked to have seen some small tabs sewn into the front of the pack so that I could lash extra items to it with elasticated cord. I would also liked to have seen some thought to securing a climbing helmet to the pack. That said, if these are important to you then the larger Hueco 35 might be an option.

So, in conclusion the Mountain Hardwear Hueco 20 is a great pack for multi pitch climbing, scrambling, hiking and general urban commuting. It’s comfortable, big enough to stow plenty of kit for a big route and is well made. There are some slight improvements that could be made to make the pack more versatile but these really are minor and shouldn’t detract from what is a nice day pack.

SRP: £50.00

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Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

[comPiler]

The North Face Cinder Pack 32
7 July 2014, 3:56 pm





CGR reviewer Katie gets her rope out to test the new sport climbing pack from The North Face.

The North Face Cinder Pack 32 is a dedicated, technical sport climbing backpack with the versatility needed for a day at the crag.

Value for money ****

Quality *****

Performance *****

So apparently the season for sport climbing started ages ago, I’ve been too into bouldering to realise this, but by getting the New TNF Cinder pack (sport climbing specific) through my door I’ve been catapulted back into the world of ropes and shiny gear.

The North Face Cinder Pack is a 32 litre technical sport climbing back pack, this is the smallest pack in the Cinder family but no less great.  Helped in design by the legendary Peter Croft, this pack is ready for anything you have to throw at it.

The pack itself is super robust made of 800D PU coated nylon, it’s tough.  Think, dropping it down the crag and it bouncing for miles and looking fine at the end of it tough.

One of the designs of the pack is it that it stands upright even when empty, it has a sturdy square base reinforced around the edges to create a very handy upright pack.

The North Face Cinder 32 – a burly looking pack. The Cinder is a hybrid between a haul bag and a regular crag pack, I’m not normally a multi pitch sport climber, so I haven’t been able to properly test out the load bearing haul loops, although I’ve found them pretty useful for standard things like grabbing it out of the car or carrying it by the haul loop when I’ve got other things on my back.

The back panel is great, it’s made of light weight E-VAP perforated foam panels, which aim to increase air circulation improving breathability and evaporation, stopping you from getting that horrible sweaty back syndrome we all hate.  I found it really supportive as well, the pack can hold quite a lot of gear so gets reasonably heavy, but once you’ve clipped the waist belt and chest strap up it’s really comfy and distributes the weight well, definitely a plus with a long uphill walk in.

The comfortable back made walking in a breeze. The E-VAP panels also feature on the waist belt and shoulder straps, so no uncomfortable cutting in as a side effect.

There are a few simple zip up pockets, one on the top lid of the pack and one on the inside back, for me this was enough, and I like having an easy access pocket which is big enough for all your important stuff (phone, purse, keys etc).

I would have liked the pack to be the same dimensions all the way through the pack but it’s slightly smaller in diameter at the base which I find a little annoying sometimes when trying to fit things down to the bottom.  Saying this I happily fitted a 70m rope, harness, down jacket, two pairs of shoes and chalk bag into the bag with a little room to spare.  The good thing about sport climbing is you need two people, so even though I didn’t have room for lunch I had an extra person to bring that part up!

The North Face Cinder 32 easily fitted all you need for a day on the crag. It’s not the biggest bag, so if you like to carry all the gear, snacks and all other crag amenities, you may want to opt for one of the larger versions (55 or 42), but I don’t know too many people with that craving.

Colour wise, in this size the bag comes black as standard so no hard decisions there and the price is pretty reasonable for the lifetime you’ll probably get out of it (£90.00 RRP).  The pack weighs in at 1380g so no real extra weight other than what you put into it.

The only thing I would add to this pack if I could would be a side zip so I could get to the bottom of the pack quickly if necessary, bare that in mind if you prefer that as a feature.  Other than that I’d say it does exactly what it says on the can, so if the pack ticks all the boxes when you read about it online you won’t be disappointed with it when you buy it.

I have no doubt The North Face Cinder 32 will be with me for a long time to come, and I’m not one of those people who are careful with their things.

Always good when a company takes advice from someone who knows the sport inside out, I only wish others did it more!

SRP: £90.00

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Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

[comPiler]

DMM Flight Pack
16 July 2014, 3:58 pm



Dave tests the new sport specific pack from welsh climbing company DMM – did he have the bottle to use it as cabin luggage? Performance ****

Style ****

Value****

The Flight is a highly featured sport climbing crag sack, combining rope bag and rucksack. It is sized to cope with everything you could possibly need for a day at the crag, and that includes a Euro style 80m rope.

DMM have been working hard this year, launching a pretty thorough range of soft goods from chalkbags and ropebags to a new range of climbing packs. We’ve tested out the sport climbing specific DMM Flight pack to see if it made and performs with the usual DMM quality.

Firstly, why would you want to buy a pack just for sport climbing? Well rock climbing is a truly diverse sport and there are plenty of people who just sport climb and boulder and never trad or winter climb, let alone partake in the dark art of Alpinism. So a pack that is featured for sport climbing makes sense as you need less kit for sport and indoor. Also the idea of an integrated rope bag appeals as it’s less to carry in.

The DMM Flight – plenty big enough for a day of sport climbing. During the late eighties and early nineties I concentrated purely on sport climbing. I was young, it was fashionable and it was sexy (well maybe not the lycra), we were all going to be French and climb wonderful limestone in sunny places with not a care in the world. I had one of the very first sport climbing specific pack from the states – this one even had a seat with it! The premise was that you could have a different shape as you weren’t carrying it that far so comfort wasn’t too much of  an issue  and you could therefore concentrate on features. A few carries up to Ceuse soon scotched that!

The DMM Flight is a fully featured and comfortable pack that has all the necessary features for a full day of sport climbing. It is a ‘suitcase’ opening style pack that gives full and easy access to all your equipment. There are two compartments : one containing the removable rope tarp and two extra pockets and another mesh closing pocket that is plenty big enough for quickdraws, harness, boots, chalk bag, food and water. The amount you can get in depends on the size of rope you’re packing, if it’s 80m then there’s less space. Although the handy rope strap means that on those cold windy (some might ideal) days you can make extra room for belay jackets and all that extra clothing that’s needed.

Handy compartments for organising your kit. There are three pockets on the DMM Flight pack: a large one at the top of the pack big enough for hat gloves, camera, guidebook, etc and an inner security pocket that was plenty big enough for a phone, wallet and car keys; there is a key clip for extra security. There is also a large side pocket that fitted a 2l water bottle quite happily. So there are plenty of organising options so those who like to be organised.

The detachable tarp was very useful. There is a strap to help keep it wrapped in the pack. The pack is stiffened using 5mm rigid foam around the edges and two panels for bulking out the mesh compartment. This made for a comfortable carry as it kept the gear in place to stop it moving around, which can often do in suitcase style packs. The panels flattened down for when the pack needs to be made smaller, such as if taking the pack as cabin luggage on a flight.

Which brings me to my story… I recently took the pack on a trip to Catalunya, which was ideal trip to test the pack out. I was flying with a well known Irish based budget carrier and when I checked the hand luggage requirements they had a maximum height of 55cms for hand luggage, the DMM Flight measures 59cms. I lost my bottle as the pack was definitely poking above the basket and I changed my cabin luggage into a small pack I’d taken for multi pitch climbing. In the end the check in staff didn’t even check my hand luggage, if was flying scheduled or a national carrier I would have no hesitation in taking it as hand luggage – but once bitten twice shy with some airlines so I’m always cautious.

The pack was very comfortable to carry when loaded. The comfortable carry is helped with a large hip belt and railed sternum strap, this allowed quite heavy loads to be carried in comfort. The meshed back panel and shoulder straps also added to the comfort and overall I found the DMM Flight a very comfortable carry. As mentioned earlier a great little feature was the hidden rope strap, two straps were hidden in small pockets just above the shoulder straps, these could be deployed over the rope and attached to small loops by a clip. They had adjusting buckles and securely kept the rope in place. Useful for making extra room in the pack or for attaching an abseil rope.

The other feature is the integrated helmet shield, this deployed from a zipped compartment at the bottom of the pack and hooked onto loops located on the pack sides. This worked OK but felt a little insecure when carrying a helmet as the helmet could have easily fallen out of the sides, an extra loop and clip would easily solve this, it wouldn’t need to be adjustable and would hold items much more securely.

The rope strap and helmet shield are handy when you need extra room. The DMM Flight was easy to move around the crag or climbing wall as it closed by folding and had suitcase style grab handles which meant I could chuck everything in fold it up and take it to the next route with minimal fuss. It also has a top handle for easy movement in the check in queue or just quick carry to the car or café.

Overall I think the DMM Flight is a great sport climbing pack, you could quite happily use it for a day on the Grit and is comfortable and versatile enough to use as a trad pack for most outcrop climbing. It has great features and is robust enough for everyday use, it comes in the now iconic DMM colours of bright Green and Red as well as a more muted grey and looks destined to become a very popular pack.

SRP: £85.00

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Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

[comPiler]

Y&Y Belay Glasses
24 July 2014, 2:41 pm

Up periscope! Dave tests out the well priced glasses from Y&Y to see if they can relieve his Kilnsey neck.

Y&Y belay glasses can help belayers to avoid raising head for long time, in order to relax muscles at neck area. Let them feel smoother and more comfortable. Say NO to belayer’s neck!

Performance *****

Style****

Value*****

I was an early adopter of belay glasses using the CU glasses as soon as they came out. My local sport climbing crags are very steep and belay sessions can be an arduous affair. I’ve had plenty of mates that have accrued quite severe neck and spinal injuries over the years and I’m pretty sure belaying has been a contributing factor. So I would always recommend buying a pair when chatting to beginner and intermediate climbers. Advanced climbers should know better!

The Y&Y Belay Glasses are a smart, stylish and well priced pair of belay glasses, as you would expect from a French company. For those who are new to the concept they work exactly like a periscope except you are looking from horizontal to vertical and not the other way around.

The details of the glasses are worth mentioning as they are very well made, using high quality materials. The bows (arms) are made from SMA (shape memory alloy) this material retains its original shape even after deformation. The actual frame itself is made from stainless steel and the prisms are very high quality. All in all a very good quality pair of glasses, they are very light so you won’t notice them in your pack when you have to hike them up to Ceuse.

Plenty of options with the selection of extras, all included. The box contents includes a cord retainer (so you can look like a senior citizen with them hanging around your neck), a lanyard, a hard case and even a small screwdriver for adjustments. I never needed to adjust them as they fitted and were useable straight away. The hard case seemed a little over designed with velcro flaps and a full zip as well as a carabiner for clipping onto your harness, etc, it even had a belt loop! There is also options for nose sizes with the removable silicon nose pads.

In use they were great, perfect optical vision through the high quality prisms, the leader came into view at about 8m so it was a case of have them hanging around my neck until I felt I needed them. The prism tended to slightly enlarge and foreshorten the leader but once I was used to this I was able to anticipate rope without any problems.

Perfect for steep routes – Kilnsey Crag, Yorkshire. The Y&Y Belay Glasses have been a great addition to my sports climbing kit. I’ve used them in a variety of climbing situations and even used them for multi pitch trad climbing (although there’s so much faff with trad kit that I would use them all the time as I’d be anxious of losing them) and they would be great for a multi pitch bolted climbs. They’re perfect for climbing walls and steep sports routes and much, much cheaper than a series of physiotherapy or chiropractor visits.

The next phase for Y&Y is to respond to customer feedback and develop a series of colour options, you can have your say on their facebook page here.

 

SRP: £49.99 plus p+p

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Why not receive our latest reviews and gear news via your inbox by following our blog: perfect for all gear freaks! Just sign up via the home page link in the sidebar. We never keep an email list (too much hassle – we’re out climbing) and we would never, ever pass your email address on to someone else (no, no, no that would be very unethical).



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

[comPiler]

Edelrid Pure Slider
7 August 2014, 4:15 pm

CGR road tests the wonderfully engineered Elderid Pure Sliders for their Vorsprung Durch Technik Performance ****

Quality*****

Value****

I must confess that when the Edelrid Pure Slider landed on the desk I got very excited (but then I get excited over a pair of approach shoes), they looked absolutely brilliant. Super sleek, awesomely engineered and I just couldn’t stop opening and closing them.

The Edelrid Pure Slider is the new self-locking carabiner from a German climbing company steeped in history. We have tested plenty of Edelrid products and always found them to be excellent quality and the Pure Slider was no exception.

Hot forged and sporting a solid gate the Pure Slider could easily be mistaken for a normal carabiner and with a bit of practice you could use them that way.  They are outrageously light for a locking carabiner with a stated weight of 42g, the CGR scales weighed one in at 44g so you definitely won’t feel them weighing you down. It has a strength rating of 23kN with the gate closed and 8kN for gate open and across the gate and is reinforced in all key areas. The keylock closure was great as the biners didn’t snag on cord or wires.

Edelrid Pure Slider – easy to use and speeds up belay building. The slider was extremely simple to operate-just slide down and push the gate open. This became automatic with just a little practice and was easy enough to operate with thin gloves on. Of course the typical human brain can conjure all sorts of scenarios in which the gate might accidently open, such as the rope sliding over the mechanism or a sling twisting over it. But in all my 30+ years of climbing I have never had any sort of carabiner accidently opening and the stories I hear are usually freak occurrences. So the probability is the locking mechanism will work perfectly well in most conditions – as it has for us throughout the test period.

The sleek nose didn’t snag and the slider was easy to operate. We’ve been using these all season now and find them really useful in all sorts of summer conditions – belays, clipping the pack to the belay and in all situations that need a locking carabiner except for belaying (although the HMS Strike SafeLock would be ideal). They would be ideal whenever you feel you need to have a locked carabiner, on a traverse for the first runner, we’ve been using them as screwgate alternatives to great effect.

The only situation where we feel the Edelrid Pure Slider wouldn’t work is in winter climbing where we feel it would ice up pretty quickly and be difficult to release – but then I’ve had plenty of normal screwgates ice up. That said it’s interesting to get the view of Daniel Gebel, Head of Product DEvelopment at Edelrid, we’ve only used them in summer conditions and will schedule an update in the winter.

We all agree that they would be great for all Alpine and multi pitch climbing where weight saving is important. A few Edelrid Pure Sliders should be on the rack of any serious Alpine and multi pitch rock climber.

SRP: £16.00

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Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

[comPiler]

adidas Terrex Solo
13 August 2014, 10:17 pm

CGR tester Richie takes the adidas Terrex Solo out for a #unbeatablegrip test This is the flagship approach shoe from the new adidas/Five Ten link up. So we have the promise of adidas’s extensive footwear expertise paired with the ‘world’s stickiest rubber’ experts Five Ten.

Ideal for rocky walk-ins Appearance wise the adidas Terrex Solo has a definite slant toward the more ‘Euro’ style with a striking blue, black and orange colour scheme. The build quality is first-rate too and these shoes immediately give the impression they are going to last. The uppers are a mixture of tough synthetics more akin to the make up of a light mountaineering boot than a running shoe. There are some thoughtful touches here too; asymmetric heel tab loops so that the shoes can be clipped neatly to a harness, slightly stiffened tongue to prevent fold over, and finally a lace tidy. The toe box area is protected by a substantial rand that also aids toe jams. The lace tidy was a new one to me, I’ve seen it before on cycling footwear where it serves to prevent laces fouling the cranks/chain/chainring but I’m less sure of its utility on an approach shoe. Fit wise I found them to be on the narrow side of normal but I do have wide-ish feet (in fact I substituted a thinner footbed for most of the test period to provide a little more room).

Great on scree  

Aproach shoes are a funny category of footwear, the original Five-Tennies promised the idea of a trainer that you could walk to the crag in and then use to climb a route. In reality they are always a compromise between climbing performance and walking comfort. The Terrex Solo does a good job of balancing these conflicting needs without compromising too much. Climbing wise it is the best of the approach shoes I’ve tried to date. The narrow-ish fit, superb rubber and large ‘toe smear’ area together with the rand and lacing to the toe all make it an excellent performer. For the walk-in the addidas Terrex Solo had a slightly split personality. On rocky trails and scree slopes it was a consummate performer, the tough upper was protective and the 5.10 rubber gave superb grip – this was particularly noticeable on polished descent routes. However on wet grass and muddy paths the lack of tread let the shoe down. For rocky trails typical of many European approaches the Terrex Solo would make an excellent shoe especially if some scrambling or low-grade climbing was involved. Likewise if you need to carry your shoes on your harness they carry very neatly and are fantastic on polished descents but are not the lightest of shoes at around 411 grams each. For wet muddy/grassy approaches or descents the lack of tread would make them less ideal.

Overall a great climbing approach shoe that is well-built and protective that excels on rocky terrain but beware of the lack of tread/grip on wet grass and muddy slopes.

 

Excellent for polished scrambles and descents RRP £95

Performance ? ? ? (?) if there is no wet grass/mud

Durability ? ? ? ? ?

Value ? ? ? ?

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

[tomtom]

I bought a pair of these last week and tbh I think they're shit.

The problem is they are jack of all trades master of none...

They are a pretty good climbing boot - albeit with no feeling. They have been made super stiff in the sole and so its quite easy to edge on them. The rubber is super sticky on rock as well. I'd be happy puntering up a long multi-pitch diff/low severe mountain route in these in complete comfort... But as a proper rock shoe they are no where near as good as even a loose fitting comfy regular rock boot. So why not wear a comfy multi pitch style rock boot instead...

As a trainer - they are rubbish. There is little or no cushioning below the ball of the feet or heel - which means they are clumpy and uncomfortable to walk on rough terrain in. To be honest, they feel like wearing a brogue when walking around normally... In the street they clump along (not nice and smooth and quiet like a regular trainer) and again feel like I'm wearing shoes rather than a trainer... That big chunky 'must be full of foam' looking heel but is solid.

They have a very high and stiff back around the Achilles that has given me a blister about 8-9 cm above my heel - really unusual - never had a shoe run there before. I guess its to provide more support for the climbing side.

The final nail in the coffin is that MrsTT says they look like chav shoes, and that I would look perfect in matching grey tracky top and bottoms and a Salford hair cut...

Don't bother folks - they're log. Nice idea - but ultimately a flawed concept.

If I hadnt persevered with them and worn them a bit I'd have sent them back by now...

[a dense loner]

Well I like mine. Would I try to climb a route in them? No since I'm not Johnny brown. Would I wear em to walk to the crag, ahem wall, yes. Realistically I bought them to go to the pub and virgin cos they look fuckin good. Anybody who buys anything Adidas thinking they're going to be good for climbing needs to take a long hard look at themselves. But on the chav front, like north farce, they tick all the boxes

[Johnny Brown]

Climbing wise it is the best of the approach shoes I’ve tried to date. The narrow-ish fit, superb rubber and large ‘toe smear’ area together with the rand and lacing to the toe all make it an excellent performer.

They look to me to have a little bit of the Daescent in their heritage. Given that those greatest of all climbing trainers have been discontinued they have to be worth a look.

why not wear a comfy multi pitch style rock boot instead

'Cos they aren't in the same league for comfort, and aren't much better if it gets really hard. I see these type of shoe as either doing everything (either Stanage evening, or long easy route), or everything bar the hard pitches. You can't walk in or out in comfy rock shoes. Just be careful on the glacier and pray for plus-zero temps.

[Paul B]

and avoid grass at all costs.

[a dense loner]

Unfortunately they don't have the feel of the daescents, I think they'd be terrible for climbing. Do feel clunky

[tomtom]

why not wear a comfy multi pitch style rock boot instead

'Cos they aren't in the same league for comfort, and aren't much better if it gets really hard. I see these type of shoe as either doing everything (either Stanage evening, or long easy route), or everything bar the hard pitches. You can't walk in or out in comfy rock shoes. Just be careful on the glacier and pray for plus-zero temps.

The problem is - as approach shoes they're not good either... too clunky and not enough cushioning.. They feel worse than a pair of crocs (at least they give a bit..)..

Anyway - spend £80 on a pair and see whether or not you agree with me...

[a dense loner]

Why would anyone want nearly 4/5 of a pair of shoes?

[comPiler]

Haglöfs Roc Lite Pull – Climbing Gear Review
26 August 2014, 2:11 pm

The classic anorak/smock top seemed to have gone out of fashion but recently one or two companies have brought a modern day version back into their range, obviously recognising the benefits of many of their features. One such company is Haglöfs with the Roc Lite Pull… Performance ****

Durability ****

Value ****

Haglöfs Roc Lite Pull – great for moving fast in miserable weather! A hardshell jacket is generally not the most favoured piece of clothing in my wardrobe. Instead, I see it as something of a necessary evil. If I do have to wear one then I like it to be light and simple. When I saw that Haglöfs were producing what they called “The lightest shell jacket in our Mountain concept” I was interested enough to take a look. The fact that it was a smock added extra interest.

Haglöfs Roc Lite Pull – on the Monch Switzerland So, the Roc Lite Pull is a fully featured 3 layer hardshell (or waterproof as they used to call them in the old days!) constructed using 3 layer 40D Gore-Tex® Pro which is light whilst still being fairly durable. It comes with a host of technical features which Haglöfs list as:

 

• Three-way adjustable climbing helmet compatible hood with foam and wire reinforced peak
• No shoulder, side and inner sleeve seams for enhanced durability and to avoid chafing
• Water resistant zippers throughout
• Half-length front zip
• Spacious horizontal slanted chest pocket with built-in bellow function for extra space
• Extra sleek inner placket with integrated rain channel
• Articulated sleeves
• Velcro adjustable cuff with pre-folded gusset
• Integrated single hand hem drawcord
• Dropped rear hem
• Rear hanging loop

At around 375g for a size Large it is pretty light for a 3 layer hard shell but not the lightest on the market either.

 

What have I used it for?

I have used the Roc Lite Pull over the last couple of months for trail running, rock climbing, walking and technical alpine climbs in some very nasty weather. I have used it in the UK and in the European Alps. In short it works well in all of these applications.

Haglöfs Roc Lite Pull – light enough and tough enough for tecjnical rock routes. Here in use on the Sella Towers, Dolomites, Italy.  

What do I like about the Roc Lite Pull?

Firstly, I love the fact that (despite being well featured) it is also simple and uncluttered. No pit zips, no bulky storm flaps, no ridiculous number of pockets (it only has one) and no flappy elastic ready to take my eyes out in a storm. I also really like the face fabric, which is quite soft for a hardshell and doesn’t rustle too much.

For a climbing hardshell I always look for a simple and uncluttered silhouette and the Roc Lite fits the bill nicely. There is no restriction of movement whether I’m rock climbing, swinging an ice tool or running over the local moorland in the rain. I always look for a helmet compatible hood that gives good coverage, is easy to adjust and doesn’t restrict my vision and I would have to say that the Roc Lite Pull is as good as any I have used in that respect. The kangaroo style front pocket is very roomy but also sits flat when empty. I love the way I can fill it full of snacks whilst I’m on the move so I don’t have to keep getting them out of my pack, which can slow things down when running and climbing. It also easily swallows a full size map too.

The front zipper comes down half way offering as much ventilation as I need in a hardshell. If I need more then I’ll take it off! It also offers easy “on/off” access even over the bulkiest climbing or skiing helmets.

The lack of a full zip is particularly beneficial when wearing a climbing harness as it totally eliminates bulk around the waist area.

Haglöfs Roc Lite Pull – great weather protection for mountaineering. Works well with a climbing harness.  

 

Any negatives?

The Roc Lite Pull is a brilliant jacket. The only minor niggle I had was with the velcro cuffs and that was because I struggled to get them to close snugly enough around my skinny wrists.

 

Conclusion

The Roc Lite Pull from Haglöfs is a high quality top end hardshell jacket. It is perfect for those who want to move quickly and unhindered in the mountains and who like top level weather protection with minimum fuss. The smock style is a great alternative to the numerous standard full zip shell jackets that are on the market and has particular benefit when wearing it under a climbing harness.

 

• RRP: £330
• Find out more at the Haglöfs website.

Source: Climbing Gear Reviews