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Arc’teryx Alpha FL Jacket – Climbing Gear Review
1 September 2014, 11:58 am



Kev takes the minimalist Alpha FL Jacket from Arc’teryx on some technical outings to see if it really is the best technical climbing shell on the market… Performance *****

Durability *****

Value *****

A while ago I reviewed the Beta LT Jacket from Arc’teryx, noting that it was the perfect hardshell jacket for technical mountaineering and alpine climbing. But there were some (very) minor areas for improvement.  So, when I was given the chance to review the Alpha FL jacket this summer I was keen to see if it was even better than the Beta LT and if so, by how much…

Arc’teryx Alpha FL Jacket – perfect for technical climbing. well cut and breathable, it was an easy choice for me to take this as my windshell on long technical rock routes. Here on pitch 8 (F7b) of Ici Mieux Q’uen Face, Tour Termier, Ecrins, France.  

The Alpha Series of garments are what Arc’teryx call “Climbing and alpine focused systems” and FL stands for “Fast and Light“, so as far as jargon hype, things were already sounding good for the Alpha FL! I’ve used the Alpha FL all summer for climbing both in the UK and the European Alps, and I’ve worn it in cold and dry, cold and wet and warm and wet conditions, battling everything from icy winds, driving rain, snow, rock, ice and mud! It really has been put through the mill.

Glad of my Arc’teryx Alpha FL Jacket as the weather takes a turn for the worst on the approach to Refuge du Promontoire, Ecrins, France.  

The fast and light persona has shone through admirably in all situations. At 325g this is a lightweight shell, bearing in mind that it is a full 3 layer piece constructed from GORE-TEX® Pro 3L with supple yet durable N40p-X face fabric. No tissue paper thin, tear-tastic emergency pieces here. This jacket is tough! It has stood up to granite chimneys and razor sharp limestone without so much as a nick or hole.

Arc’teryx Alpha FL Jacket – battling icy and rough rocks in the Dumhel Couloir during a traverse of La Meije, Ecrins, France. So, how have Arc’teryx saved on weight? Well, firstly by construction, with clever patterning and micro seam allowances. And secondly, by features. Or lack of them! When I reviewed the Beta LT I talked about the way in which I would have liked to have seen only one chest pocket rather than 2. The Alpha FL only has one. It has a full length WaterTight™ Vislon front zip, laminated die-cut Velcro® cuff adjusters to reduce bulk and possibility of snagging and one of my favourite Arc’teryx shell features, the harness Hemlock™ inserts which help keep the jacket in place under a harness. Some might argue that if a jacket is cut sufficiently well then a feature like this shouldn’t be necessary but I find that combined with a great cut (which the Alpha FL has) it keeps everything really neat around the waist and I never have to worry about adjusting the jacket because it has popped over my harness, obscuring my gear loops.

Arc’teryx Alpha FL Jacket – descending after the classic 18 pitch rock route, Rankxerox on Tete d”Aval, Ecrins France. On the subject of the cut, the Alpha FL is perfect for climbing with that almost bespoke feel that you expect from Arc’teryx. There is no extra fabric flapping round and I found my size small to fit brilliantly over a baselayer and light midlayer. One of the best features of the Alpha FL is the hood. It fits perfectly over a helmet, is comfortable round the face and chin, as well as being simple to adjust so that it fits over a hat, hood, helmet or nothing at all. One final nice touch is the inclusion of a stuff sack so you can clip it to your climbing harness should you wish to carry it as an emergency shell.

Arc’teryx Alpha FL Jacket – an awesome helmet compatible hood that doesn’t interfere with movement or vision. So what is the conclusion? Is there anything wrong with it? And has it overtaken the Beta LT as my new favourite hardshell? Well, first of all the Alpha FL is definitely my new shell of choice. It is more of an out and out climbing jacket than the Beta LT and the more minimalist styling definitely suits my tastes. It is not a jacket for walkers seeking lots of pockets and extra features though, but if you want a lightweight shell for climbing, running and general high octane mountain pursuits, then get an Alpha FL. You won’t be disappointed! We awarded the Beta LT 5 stars and in my opinion the Alpha FL is just a tad better!

 

 

• Price: £350
• Find out more as well as where to buy this jacket, at the Arc’teryx website

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Therm-a-Rest Antares Sleeping Bag and Therm-a-Rest NeoAir All Season mattress
8 September 2014, 8:09 am



Dave puts the Therm-a-Rest sleeping bag and mattress combo through it’s paces to see if he can get a good night’s sleep.

 A three-season sleeping bag should handle it all – from late-season snowstorms to early frosts.

Lightweight, durable and extremely warm, the NeoAir All Season mattress is the ultimate solution to year-round backcountry comfort.

Performance ****

Ease of use****

Value***

During the spring and summer I do quite a bit of camping, this year I’ve been supervising Duke of Edinburgh expeditions back to back and so have spent more than enough nights under canvas.

My dirty secret amongst CGR testers is that I like a little bit of backpacking and bivvying and will often choose a bivvi over a night in a stuffy Alpine hut. Sleep, however, poses a problem for me: I run hot but sleep cold so I like to be warm and will often wake up cold during the night, so it was great to test out the new Therm-a-Rest Antares 15F/-9C three season down bag. I’ve spend over twenty nights in it this season so far and it kept me warm and toasty throughout. The bag won an OutDoor Industry Award in 2013, this is an award given at the major European Outdoor Trade Fair in Freidrichshafen, Germany. So I was keen to test it.

The Therm-a-Rest Anatres 15F/-9C Sleeping bag was warm and cosy. The sleeping bag is box baffle construction and has a great loft. I tested a regular size and found the bag very roomy with plenty of room to move around inside when asleep without getting twisted. The rating is for the bag is -9ºC (or 15ºF if you’re American) so is plenty warm enough for most three season adventures. On test I found it nice and toasty in all conditions and the loft was great. I slept in it for a full 10 days at 1600 metres and constant 4C mornings and most nights I was a little too warm!

The Anates bag worked really well with the NeoAir All Season. The design of the Therm-a-Rest Antares 15F/-9C is a mummy shaped bag with a great hood. The hood shape fitted perfectly around my head in spring conditions when I needed a little extra warmth around my head. The bag is super warm with 750+ fill power and you can really notice that there is a lot of down around you. This extra down comes from the back of the bag, which is just a strip of fabric so it’s very important to use the bag with the SynergyLink loops and a mattress.

The bag also has a unique SynergyLink system that is two elasticated and sewn loops. You basically slide an insulated mat into the two loops and it is held in position. This keeps the fabric layer against the mat which is very important because if you don’t you will get a cold back when you turn over in the night. The SynergyLink system worked very well with the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir All Season mattress as the extra thickness of the mattress locked into loops and kept the sleeping back perfectly in position.

The Therm-a-rest NeoAir All Season was plenty big enough for my frame. I also own a Therm-a-rest ProLite Plus mattress and this also worked well but the shorter length meant my feet got a little cold. This was easily solved by using my pack to put under my feet which is what I do with any other bag when using the ProLite. In fact I’ve also recently used it with a huge base camp mattress and it worked perfectly, it locked the bag in position and I was able to toss and turn very easily just like under a duvet in bed. No more getting tangled up in the night.

 

The NeoAir Mini Pump is a brilliant invention. I did find putting the bag into the SynergyLink loops a little fiddly when inside my tiny MSR Carbon Reflex tent, especially when it was wet and I needed to be in the tent. I’m often sleeping alone when I’m training, supervising or assessing and so use a one person tent when on expedition and I found that the SynergyLink system works better in a bigger, open tent spaces as you need a little room to fix the system in place. It did work but just took a little more creativity in a cramped space. All the zips worked really well on the Therm-a-Rest Antares 15F/-9C sleeping bag and at no time did they snag – important when you’ve stayed in the bag for as long as possible and the rush to finally answer the call of nature!

I often use a climbing huts during the colder months and I found that using the Therm-a-Rest Antares sleeping bag without a mat in the loops created a cold strip along my back – so as I said earlier it’s really designed to be used with the SynergyLink loops and a mattress. This, I feel, restricts the versatility of the bag for those who want a sleeping bag for uses outside of camping. New developments for 2015 include the option of Nikwax Hydrophobic down in the form of the Antares HD which should be great for open air or tarp camping.

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir All Season sleeping mattress was an excellent piece of kit. I’ve used a NeoAir XLite mattress since they came out several years ago and love the compact nature. I’ve never been cold when I’ve used one. If you have any doubts about the effectiveness of this air based mattress system then let me dispel them. The packability is supreme, the NeoAir All Season mattress folds down really small and takes up no more room that a hardshell so no need to have your sleeping mat outside your pack.

The Therm-a-rest Mini Pump works off 2 AAA batteries. They do take a little effort to blow up so Therm-a-Rest have come up with the brilliant NeoAir Mini Pump. This works with all Threm-a-Rest nozzles (so you could use it help inflate the huge Mondoking) and you will really feel the benefit as you pop the Mini Pump over the nozzle using the rubber tube and then get on with other tasks. It takes up very little room in the pack and with a couple of AAA Lithium batteries weighs no more than 65g. Just unfold the nozzle and it comes on, fold it back and it shuts off – nice and simple. I probably wouldn’t take it on an Alpine bivvi but for base camp and backpacking I definitely would as it saves a lot of effort. It has no automatic cut off so you’ll need to keep an eye on it. It’s a great little invention and solves the issue of time consuming inflation. It comes included with the NeoAir All season as well as a handy repair kit.

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir All Season filled my MSR tent. The width has been just right for my medium frame and I could happily toss and turn and not fall off it. It was also important to fully inflate the mattress as it can be little noisy when you move on it if you don’t.

All in all I feel the combination of the Therm-a-Rest Antares 15F/-9C sleeping bag and the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir All Season mattress has been very good when used in the SynergyLink combination. It makes for a very warm, light and packable sleeping system that is great for backpacking and climbing basecamp adventures. The addition of the NeoAir Mini Pump (included with the mattress) is a great extra that really will save you some time and effort. For an alpine base bivvi just substitute the all season mat for a Prolite Plus (which is what I do) and for an on route bivvi for the great Z Lite matress (cut down to ¾ to save even more weight and space).

The Therm-a-Rest Anatres 15F/-9C sleeping bag comes in sizes Regular and Long and the NeoAir All Season comes on Medium, Regular and Long.

SRP Anatares bag: £320 (reg), £340 (long)

SRP NeoAir All Season: £125 (med and reg), £150 (long)

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Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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The North Face Wicked Crag Hoodie
9 September 2014, 3:52 pm





CGR Tester Katie takes a look at the nice looking Wicked Crag hoodies from The North Face Value for money: ***

Quality: ****

Performance: *****

It’s been a lovely summer so far with some crazy temperatures, but there have also been a few of those special days, sunshine and a cool breeze.  These are the days I’ve brought out The North Face Wicked Crag hoodie to wear.  The hoodie is made of a nice heathered fleece with brushed inside to keep you toasty and warm.  It has a Kangaroo style front pouch which works as a good mitt and a fitted hood for when the breeze picks up to a strong wind!  Other features are thumb loops (which aren’t annoying as the arms are quite long) and a hidden zip pocket on the side of the front pouch for the important things.  The fabric also has a UPF 30 sun protection to it, so no need to worry when the sun is shining down on winter days.

The North Face Wicked Crag hoodie was great to climb in. There were a few things I wanted to check for whilst testing this hoodie; could I wear it whilst climbing, so was it stretchy and did it get sweaty.  How did it handle a few washes, does it bobble up or stay looking good.  These are the classic things I look for and I think I’ve had a fair test of them.

So was the hoodie any good to climb in?  The answer is yes; I was a little wary to start with as it didn’t feel that stretchy, but it doesn’t hinder movement and the hood stays out of the way due to the streamline design of it; It’s not really big enough for a helmet comfortably, but great with a beanie underneath.  It’s also good to mention it doesn’t have any annoying toggles to tighten the hood, it has some cool little elasticated fabric pull ties that keep well out of the way (a nice touch).  The sleeves aren’t that wide though so having climbers arms means they don’t pull over the forearms that easily at first. It’s been through a few washes and has the start of bobbling on the front pouch a bit but nowhere else and not in any extreme.

Nice pockets and a zipped security one was a nice feature. In the past I’ve had clothing that’s been made of similar fabric which has got sweaty as soon as I’ve done anything vaguely sporty, so I assumed this would be the same; but it’s actually pretty good, it seems to breath quite well whilst keeping me at a good temperature.  I made sure I wore the hoodie in a number of different scenarios to get a good feel for it, one of which was cycling. Wearing it cycling showed it to be a great wind stopper, the fabric being as it is doesn’t let any wind through so keeps you toasty warm.  General lounging around and hanging out at the crag is comfortable and it’s pretty light weight so isn’t anything to worry about when packing light.

The North Face Wicked Crag hoodie was nice and warm on those cooler days. Price wise at £70.00 RRP it’s bang in the middle of the warm midlayer hoodie prices.  The colours great (Fiery red) and it comes in a Dazzling blue and Fanfare green as well, so enough choice.

I really like this hoodie, I’ve been grabbing it as I leave the house all summer because I know it’ll be just the ticket to keep me warm when the balmy days turns to cool evenings.  I’m especially looking forward to wearing it this Autumn/Winter (which isn’t far away!  Ahh sweet friction).

Stockists

 

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Kouba Climbing – Abalak, Alu and Hex Nut Sets.
15 September 2014, 10:06 am

CGR gives the Kouba Climbing Nut Sets a full test to see if value means performance.

In Kouba, we understand specific needs of every climber, that’s, why we offer ten different shapes of nuts and three different types of cams.

Performance *** (Hexes ****)

Value ****

We are always keen to test climbing hardwear here at Climbing Gear Reviews; we’re out a lot, climbing a lot so an extra set of wires comes in very handy.

What originally drew my attention to Kouba Climbing was the set of Abalaks; the notion of a Tri-cam on wire seemed quirky and intriguing. As a point of interest my most frequent equipment loan is my Tri-cam #2, why? This sits perfectly in Millstone shot holes!

 

The Abalak 4 was about the same size as a Tricam 2. So any mate wanting to try Masters Edge or Edge Lane will be asking to lend it. I was drawn by the winter climbing potential of the Abalaks as Tri-cam work well in iced up horizontal cracks – particularly in areas like the Northern Corries.



But winter is long way off yet, so how have the Kouba Climbing sets performed on summer rock. Firstly the Hexes. These have been great, they are very well made and the finish is excellent. The sizes come in #1-6 and the swages are colour coded to aid identification. I have a set of Black Diamond hexes on wire and the Kouba Hexes compare in quality. They were easy to place and easy to remove (although we did lose one on test which would not come out even after some-one had broken their nut key trying. This was down to the bizarre placement though).

The Kouba Hex was an excellent, totally bombproof piece of kit. They would be ideal on any rack and we found that these were easily the best nut on test. I would not hesitate to recommend these to students and friends alike. There’s not much more we can say about these, they are well made, well priced and are a tried and trusted nut shape. My preference is have a set of hexes on wire and not on tape – why? Well they sit easier on my harness and I find them easier to place, also the sound of hexes, dangling away like Swiss cowbells drives me crazy!



The Kouba Alu nuts didn’t perform so well. Again they are well made and a great price. They placed really well and provided a bombroof placement in many cracks. I have used them everywhere this summer, Lake District mountain crags, Gogarth and Stanage and have found them great to place. The finish is also excellent and as with all Kouba Climbing nuts they are certified with the CE/EN safety mark, the certificates can be viewed on the Kouba website in the safety section which is a nice touch of transparency.

The issue we had with the Alu nuts is that the heads annoyingly slid up the wire when racked. It didn’t happen when placed as the weight of the quickdraw and rope kept everything in place. There was some discussion on rockclimbing.com about this.

The Kouba Alu, fitted all cracks and provided a solid placement. My experience was that it was an extra annoyance when you needed to place it and having to pull the head back into place before placing. Kouba offer a technical explanation but it seemed a little over complicated to a simple wire and the benefits didn’t outweigh the nuisance value. Still they are great value and I’m sure this is something Kouba will address in due course. Another great value set of nuts though.



Finally the Abalaks, these are Tri-cams on wire so I was really keen to look at them. On test I found them very ‘springy’, which was a positive point as it helped keep the Abalak in place. They worked really well in Gritsone horizontal cracks and would work as good as a normal camming device for a fraction of the price.

The Kouba Abalak was great in horizontal cracks. In vertical cracks they proved a little more tricky to place as sometimes I needed two hands to make sure it was seated correctly. In pockets the Abalaks were excellent, easy to place, there springiness kept them in place but did make them a little tricky to extract.

The were great in pockets. The groove into which the wire sits when placed also seemed to protrude slightly from the top and I have some concern about this wearing on the wire over time. It’s something you would definitely have to watch for. As I said earlier in the review I was very interested in these for winter climbing and we are looking forward to using them this winter, we will update the review through the comments section later in the year so watch out for that. The Abalaks are a great first camming rack for those who can’t afford a full rack of conventional camming devices. The smaller sizes also work well as ‘micro’ cams.

In conclusion the Kouba Climbing Nut Sets have proved a well priced set of protection devices that would suit any rack, there are some issues with the Alu but the price will tempt many. The Hexes are very good and well worth the money and the Abalak’s will be great for those seeking a good range of camming for less than the price of one normal cam.

I think Kouba will begin to give the main manufacturers a run for their money, especially at the budget end of the market and watch for their camming devices coming soon.

SRP: Hex Set £40.00; Alu Set £48.00, Abalak Set £50.00

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Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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DMM Puma 2 Women’s Climbing Harness – Climbing Gear Review
17 September 2014, 7:56 am

DMM Puma II CGR reviewer, Kasia takes DMM’s Puma 2 Women’s Rock Climbing Harness for a spin on everything from trad rock to snowy mountains. So what did she think? Performance ****

Value ****

A great all round harness and perfect for long rock routes.  

The Puma 2 Women’s harness is DMM’s top of the range all-rounder specifically shaped for the female form. So whether you’re looking to spend a season red-pointing or ice-climbing you’ve got the comfort factor and the gear loops to deal with it all.

 

It’s not the lightest harness, or most packable harness on the market but you can’t expect that with a work horse harness like this which is a jack of all trades. When I first got the Puma 2 the first thing I noticed and loved was the floating waist band. At last I could wear as many or as little layers as I wanted and I could still equalise the gear loops so I didn’t end up lopsided when wearing a full rack of gear. And with me that can be a lot. I’m still one of those climbers that can often be seen taking my whole rack up a route…’just in case’. Though I have learnt over the years that I don’t always need that number 11 Hex! Having worn the harness in both summer and winter I still love the floating waistband and for me it’s one of the best features that the Puma 2 has to offer.

 

As for carrying lots of gear you’ve got a minimum of 5 gear loops (7 on harness sizes medium and large) and 4 ‘Hypalon’ ice patches. Two of the Hypalon ice patches are between gear loops so you can still fully rack up with your trad gear without your ice screws getting in the way. Otherwise the front two ice patches sit in the middle of the front two gear loops for when you’re climbing predominately on ice and can sacrifice the front two loops. According to DMM, “The front gear loops on either side have had their orientation shifted to reduce bunching; this is particularly helpful on slabby ground or in constricted positions.” Put it this way I haven’t really noticed my gear getting in the way when climbing so I’m going to make the presumption that this shift in orientation works!

 

“The waist belt is constructed from high quality closed cell foam combined with a firm spreader plate.” Having worn the harness on single and multi-pitch routes and generally for all day outings I don’t recall ever moaning about it being uncomfortable so for me it certainly wins the comfort factor. Again I think the floating waistband helps with this, as it ensures that the padding always sits where it’s meant to. The leg loops are also slightly padded and the fact that the leg loops are also adjustable with Slide Lock buckles, means you’ve got a better chance of creating a fit that suits you. The leg loop adjustability also means it’s easier to put your harness on when wearing big boots and crampons in winter.

 

DMM Puma Women’s Harness – adjustable elg loops and ice clipper slots make this a great harness for mountaineering. All the buckles on the harness have been given rounded edges and a low profile to help stop them snagging in restricted climbing situations. Any spare webbing tails created when you’ve adjusted the harness can be tucked away under the elasticised retainers that have been fitted so they don’t get in the way.

 

So far I’ve worn the harness lots and it’s still wearing well which I’ll put down to the durable cordura fabric which DMM use. On top of this the harness’s tie in points are protected by an even tougher abrasion resistant webbing. When I said this was a bit of a work horse harness I meant it. Even the thinner looking belay loop still packs a punch rated at 25kN and its slimmer proportion is now suited ‘for better compatibility with small belay biners’.



…or UK trad. So have I discovered any negative points to this harness? Not really, though I do have two minor gripes, which only really came into play for me when wearing this harness in winter and others may not find this. The first is that the gear loops can sit quite flat against the harness, which meant when wearing gloves, I found it could be fiddly to attach and remove gear. I’ve found with other harnesses this can be easier when the gear loops stand slightly away from the waist belt. Secondly the narrow leg loop elastics at the back of the harness, the clips were a bit too narrow to undo and fasten easily when answering that call of nature. Hard enough with bare hands never mind when wearing a pair of gloves where it became an impossible task for me.

 

Taking these points away which I appreciate might be down to my fat finger glove wearing skills, the harness is great and a welcome addition to my kit. If you’re looking for light simplicity then this isn’t the harness for you. But if you want a hard wearing all-rounder that’s comfortable to wear all day that I’d certainly take a closer look at the DMM Puma 2.

 

• RRP: £70
• Find out more at the DMM website.

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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The North Face Corona Climbing Pants – Climbing Gear Review
17 September 2014, 9:37 am

Kev has been out in the Alps for much of the summer where he has been putting the very jazzy looking Corona Climbing Pants from The North Face, through their paces. So what was the verdict? Performance *****

Value ****

The North Face Corona Climbing Pants – great for technical rock climbing. The North Face say: “The Men’s Corona Climbing Pant by THE NORTH FACE is a Summit Series™ pant in TNF™ Apex Universal fabric with a tapered lower leg for unrestricted footwork.“

I have worn The North Face Corona Climbing Pants all summer for rock and alpine climbing. In short I have been super impressed with these pants. They are comfortable and durable. They have attracted a fair bit of attention from others too, although I expect that a lot of this is down to the garish ‘Salsa Red’ colour way! I was told numerous times that I “looked pretty Euro” or “would fit in well in Italy”, whatever that was meant to mean! Joking aside, these pants are fantastic for technical climbing and if the bright red colour way is not your thing, then TNF also do them in two slightly more conservative colours; grey and black.

The North Face Corona Climbing Pants – great for mixed climbing. The Apex Universal fabric that The North Face use to produce the Corona Climbing Pant, is stretchy, breathable and fairly wind and water resistant. In terms of fit, the trousers are reasonably tight (not in a restrictive way, far from it in fact) or maybe narrow in the leg is a better description. They are designed to offer freedom of movement without having any extra fabric flapping in the way, which can potentially snag on rocks and crampon spikes. They do this perfectly, aided by the articulated knees and tapered legs. In fact the Corona climbing pants are slightly boot cut so that they sit perfectly over the top of mountaineering boots. Not so much as to get in the way when wearing rock shoes though. They also have tie down loops on the hems so you can add bungy elastics to stop them riding up which pretty much negates the need for gaiters. This is an essential feature on an alpine pant as far as I’m concerned.

The North Face Corona Climbing Pants – a great fit with rock shoes or mountaineering boots. In terms of other features the Corona Climbing Pants are quite minimalist, which is one of the reasons I like them so much. They have two zippered pockets, a reversed fly zipper which is easier to access when wearing a harness (although it could do with the addition of a zipper tab) an awesome flat waist band which is super comfy and doesn’t interfere with a harness, and finally a simple webbing waist band to keep them in place.

 

On the rock I found the Corona Climbing Pants to be amazing, the excellent fit meant no restriction of movement, even on harder pitches and the neat fit meant there was no danger of snagging or catching on crampons whilst ice and mixed climbing. They’ve also been incredibly durable, surviving a whole summer of alpine granite, limestone, snow, ice and rubble without so much as a nick or tear.

 

So to conclude, the Corona Climbing Pants from The North Face are awesome. They have the best cut of any technical softshell climbing pant I have worn. They have all the features you need and do the job perfectly.

 

• RRP: £110
• Female fit available
• Visit The North Face website

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Boreal Marduk
25 September 2014, 3:55 pm



Dave tries out the new mid range Boreal Marduk to see if they can imbue him with God like powers. Performance ****

Fit ****

Value*****

Semi-asymmetric shoe with slightly down curved last shap. Comfortable and effective on any kind

of climb.

Marduk was a Babylonian God associated with magic and judgement. Boreal state that the shoe name has no connection with the god of magic, but I reckon anything helps!

The Boreal Marduk is a mid range climbing shoe that sits nicely in the upper end of the improver/intermediate performance range. They are designed to compete with the Scarpa Vapour, Evolv Pontas. They are definitely not a starter shoe as they are too performance shaped. I was given the choice of shoes to test and chose these as I thought they had a wide appeal to a range of climbers.

Stylewise, they are asymmetric with a slightly downturned toe section. They are velcro fastening and interesting have a non-split, mesh tongue. The colour is a striking blue with orange flashing with the logo and name displayed on the heel and toe. The heel is low cut and was very comfortable around the Achilles heel, I never had any problems there as the split leather was very soft and supple.

Boreal Marduk was great for trad climbing. When I spoke to the team at Boreal I was advise to size small. My normal test size is a UK 7.5 or a 41.5 as my trainer size is a UK8 or 42. So we agreed on a size UK size 7 and they duly arrived. However, they were too small so they had to be sent back and replaced with my usual 7.5. This just goes to show that it is important to go to a specialist retailer and try any climbing shoes on or at least by two sizes online and send one pair back.

The fit of the Boreal Marduk was very precise with a tight toe box and well positioned heel. This allowed for a snug fit which was great for all the climbing activities on test. The sole was quite stiff when I first got them with the characteristic dome on the ball of the foot to help place the toes on the toe box. They have flattened out over the couple of months on test to develop into a great shape. The shoe is lined with a terry cotton like lining which had a great feel to them and help retain the shape and fit.

The toe shape was great for all styles of climbing and I have worn them teaching on VS routes to my personal climbing 7b+ as well as bouldering and lots of trad. They have performed very well in all these areas. They were not, however, an all day comfort shoe in the size tested. I could keep them on for two or three pitches, then after that they had to come off. They were also not overly comfortable to walk down in either. For instructing work I would like to have had a size UK8. A recent trip to the Ecrin had me having to slip the shoes off on belays. But they were fine, easy to get on and off and when the weather is that warm it’s always difficult to keep a shoe on all day – and performance wins over all day comfort.

Although the midsole was stiff, they performed well on smears. One of the areas that Boreal consistently score well on test is in the heel and the Marduk didn’t disappoint. The heel was very comfortable and precise and didn’t budge an inch when heelhooking. There was no dead space at all and as I said earlier the soft, split leather and double heel tags meant that my Achilles heel was nice and comfy. The midsole was also very stiff, which made them great for edging. The stiffness has remained good throughout the test period.

The Velcro fastenings were robust and easy to use and most importantly the right size so there was little excess to get in the way of nifty footwork. I did like the way the top strap was wider and helped offer a better fit. What I didn’t like so much was the mesh tongue. This was a one piece affair that had a tendency to crumple slightly when I needed to really cinch the shoe up. I feel it would have been better split, but I do understand that this can often cause even more problems with a thick strip going down the middle of the foot. It wasn’t too much of an issue except on really hot days (but to be honest the agonising pain in my toes countered anything else!). Once the shoe had worn in there were no real problems getting the shoe on and off and the soft mesh was comfortable and very breathable.

The Marduk was comfortable on big multi pitch routes. The rubber is the now established Zenith and is 4mm in thickness. I have always maintained that the market advantage for rubber has diminished over the years; escpecially in the mid grade range where comfort with a performance fit outweighs the friction advantage. The rubber however was excellent and provided good friction over a range of rock types. The Boreal Marduk even performed on the polished hell that is Malham Cove reasonably well and that is praise indeed! It is always worth remembering that if you feel the friction of your climbing shoes has become rubbish then wash the soles in hot soapy water to bring them back to pristine condition.

So, in conclusion, the Boreal Marduk is a great mid range performance shoe. It sit neatly in the new range of Boreal shoes and compares well with other shoes in the mid performance range such as the Scarpa Vapour. The price range is good and the quality is great. The colour is the calmest of the new range and I particularly liked the support from the stiffened sole, the heel and the comfort of the split leather heel.

Oh, of course, the Babylonian God like powers? I’m still working on that :-)

Price £99.95

Stockists.

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Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

[comPiler]

Petzl Meteor 4
6 October 2014, 3:33 pm

    We test out the new and updated iconic climbing helmet from Petzl with the oh so brilliant magnetic clip.  Performance *****

Style****

Value***** (what price can you put on your head?)

Lightness and comfort have made the METEOR helmet a signature product for climbing and mountaineering. This model has the advantage of large openings for excellent ventilation.

I never really was a helmet sort of person, for years I spurned them in favour of freedom and the feeling of the breeze through my hair. Climbing helmets in those days were big and bulky affairs. They were ugly looking, heavy and felt cumbersome with complaints such as ‘ I always scrape my head against the rock when I’m wearing a helmet and never when I’m not’.

Then Petzl bought out the radical Meteor helmet, this was a revelation. This blew away the concept of a tough resin dome and a cat’s cradle of webbing inside and bought cycling helmet technology to climbers. Light, stylish (for those days) and colourful. It even had dials you could twiddle! Since then I’ve always worn a helmet in the mountains. I still climb helmet free; for single pitch sport climbing or climbing on a less busy outcrop. Professionally I feel I need to set good practice so always wear the latest model of lightweight helmet and am happy to discuss the pros and cons of different helmet styles.

I have owned and wore every model of Petzl Meteor helmet since they came out and still have the Meteor III+, which I thought was one of the very best climbing helmets out there. Petzl have ditched the numeric and gone back to just naming the helmet the Petzl Meteor. A quick Google search however will reveal that most retailers are calling it the Meteor 4. The new Meteor comes in two sizes: size 1 for smaller heads and size 2 for average to large. The cradle range is plenty big enough to accommodate most head sizes and there is some overlap, do measure your head though and don’t forget that you may well be wearing a hat with the helmet on.

The Petzl Meteor still retains the classic Meteor III shape with some very subtle changes: more vents which are slightly larger which helps regulate the temperature when climbing aerobically (such as climbing a snow field or approaching the base of a route)’ a redesigned rear which reduces the bulk of the helmet and makes it look and feel more sleek when wearing it.

Le nouveau derriere! More venting and the gap disappears. The headtorch clips have been slightly recessed and cleverly (oh so French) designed into the helmet again to reduce the bulk and make the helmet feel compact to look at and wear. The clips worked really well with both single and overhead headtorch straps and once clipped into place any headtorch was firmly locked in.

The adjustable cradle on the Petzl Meteor was very easy to operate. It worked best when the helmet was actually on. There are two white buttons on either side of the cradle. Just depress these and the cradle will adjust outwards. If the cradle needs to be smaller it’s easy to place your thumbs just above and behind your ears then press and push the buttons towards your thumb. This worked just as well with gloves on (but was more tricky with larger belay gloves – as you would expect). But once adjusted at the beginning of the climbing day it never moved. The surface of the cradle was wider in crucial areas and the material rubberised to help keep the cradle firmly in place.

Light to wear and well ventilated for all day wear. There are some velcro fastened foam inserts to keep your head away from the expanded polystyrene. These can be removed for washing and you get a spare pair in the box as well as a protective cover.

The chin strap was easy enough to adjust and I would always advise spending some time this is done correctly. I spent a considerable amount of time adjusting clients helmets correctly when working. A lopsided helmet is not only ineffective it looks really uncool! The forward adjustment was easily done by pushing the strap forward then pulling the other side. It is then locked into place with serrated teeth. Backwards adjustment was very slightly harder but nothing too difficult it just needed a little more fiddly pushing.

The Petzl Meteor III and 4. Showing the improved vents. Then of course there is the magnetic closure – did I mention magnetic? Yes of course I did. This first appeared on the Petzl Sirocco helmet last year and is a great little feature. One of my bugbears is chin straps clasps, always fiddly to close, especially with gloves on. Petzl have elegantly solved this with the addition of two small magnets. This then becomes a joy to use, as soon as the two parts come to meet together the magnet guides the clips into place and ‘click!’ they’re firmly clipped together. A joyous piece of French design, that although small is a delight to use.

In conclusion, the Petzl Meteor is great update. I’ve been using the Meteor III+ for a while for both climbing and mountain biking and I feel the new one is worth the upgrade. It feels more compact, lighter to wear and supremely comfortable. The new, larger vents help keep my head cooler. The straps are easy to adjust and the magnetic clip is great. The overall, compact shape and the new colour scheme makes the helmet look cool too. The Petzl Meteor climbing helmet has always been and will remain an iconic piece of climbing equipment.

 SRP £80.00 for both sizes.

 Stockists

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

[comPiler]

Arc’teryx Morphic Zip Neck Long Sleeve Top – Climbing Gear Review
6 October 2014, 7:38 pm

We try and get Kev to finally take off his Arc’teryx Morphic Zip Neck Long Sleeve Top and tell us what he thinks of it! Performance *****

Style*****

Value****

Arc’teryx Morphic Zip Neck Long Sleeve Top – great for rock climbing. Note the tougher fabric used on the forearm areas. In this photo Kev is climbing Trenke Crack on the First Sella Tower, Sella Group, Dolomites, Italy. Arc’teryx say that the Morphic Zip Neck Long Sleeve Top is a: “Versatile alpine, ice, expedition and rock climbing Phasic™ AR-X zip neck wicks moisture and provides stretch performance to rock, ice and alpine climbers. Reinforced with Enduraflex™ in zones prone to abrasion.”

 

Certain pieces of clothing become everyday, go-to items and this usually means that they’re pretty good. Having used the Morphic  Zip Neck Long Sleeve Top from Arc’teryx, over the whole of the summer climbing season in both the UK and the European Alps, I have realised that it is one such item. And I have continued to wear it into the Autumn too. (It has been washed during this time, I promise!)

So, the Morphic Zip Neck Long Sleeve Top is a mid weight top, best worn next to the skin. The Phasic AR-X fabric is comfortable and stretchy allowing freedom of movement, with a close fit. As you’d expect from Arc’teryx, the excellent fit comes from an almost tailored anatomical patterning with underarm gussets that allow freedom of movement when climbing and a nice stretch so it fits closely but doesn’t feel restrictive. The waist length cut means it sits nicely under your harness waist belt as well, and it doesn’t ride up when running or wearing a pack.

Arc’teryx Morphic Zip Neck Long Sleeve Top – a great cut for climbing rock or ice. Here in use on the Pembrokeshire sea cliffs, South Wales. The zip neck helps with venting on hot, sweaty approaches or when running (which it is also perfect for). I have worn the Morphic whilst approaching alpine routes, running in the mountains, rock climbing, bouldering and as a heavier weight base layer under my shell on cooler days. In some ways, there is not an awful lot to say about it but this definitely does not mean it is ordinary. In my opinion the best kit is usually pretty simple and it is generally this simplicity that means it “just works”! This is definitely the case with the Morphic.

The main “feature” that makes it a little bit different is the addition of enduraflex fabric (a kind of light softshell fabric) on the high wear areas of the forearms. This is definitely an area that wears out quickly on many of my other baselayer tops that I use a lot whilst rock climbing. On the Morphic however, there is no sign of any wear at all. The fabric is nice and stretchy and also light and smooth against the skin too. One final feature I’d like to mention is that the Morphic sports factor 50+ UPF sun protection. This is great if you are of the sun intolerant, albino brand of skin that I’m made of!

I was glad of the zip neck for venting and the factor 50+ sun protection! The Arc’teryx Morphic Zip Neck Long Sleeve Top was fantastic for long rock routes like the 650m classic F7a, Rank Xerox on Tete D’Aval in the Ecrins, France. So, to conclude, the Morphic Zip Neck Long Sleeve Top from Arc’teryx is a versatile mid weight thermal top with a twist. It is perfect for summer rock climbs, running or alpine routes on hot days. It is also the basis of a great layering system. Wear it on the approach then layer up over the top as you slow down on more technical ground. A great cut, high quality, durable fabrics and excellent wicking ability make it a mountain wardrobe favourite. Simple does the trick again!

Also available as a crew neck.

• RRP: £80
• Find out more and buy at the Arc’teryx website.

 

 

 

Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

[comPiler]

Petzl Meteor 4 Climbing Helmet – Climbing Gear Review
6 October 2014, 3:33 pm

    We test out the new and updated iconic climbing helmet from Petzl with the oh so brilliant magnetic clip.  Performance *****

Style****

Value***** (what price can you put on your head?)

Lightness and comfort have made the METEOR helmet a signature product for climbing and mountaineering. This model has the advantage of large openings for excellent ventilation.

I never really was a helmet sort of person, for years I spurned them in favour of freedom and the feeling of the breeze through my hair. Climbing helmets in those days were big and bulky affairs. They were ugly looking, heavy and felt cumbersome with complaints such as ‘ I always scrape my head against the rock when I’m wearing a helmet and never when I’m not’.

Then Petzl bought out the radical Meteor helmet, this was a revelation. This blew away the concept of a tough resin dome and a cat’s cradle of webbing inside and bought cycling helmet technology to climbers. Light, stylish (for those days) and colourful. It even had dials you could twiddle! Since then I’ve always worn a helmet in the mountains. I still climb helmet free; for single pitch sport climbing or climbing on a less busy outcrop. Professionally I feel I need to set good practice so always wear the latest model of lightweight helmet and am happy to discuss the pros and cons of different helmet styles.

I have owned and wore every model of Petzl Meteor helmet since they came out and still have the Meteor III+, which I thought was one of the very best climbing helmets out there. Petzl have ditched the numeric and gone back to just naming the helmet the Petzl Meteor. A quick Google search however will reveal that most retailers are calling it the Meteor 4. The new Meteor comes in two sizes: size 1 for smaller heads and size 2 for average to large. The cradle range is plenty big enough to accommodate most head sizes and there is some overlap, do measure your head though and don’t forget that you may well be wearing a hat with the helmet on.

The Petzl Meteor still retains the classic Meteor III shape with some very subtle changes: more vents which are slightly larger which helps regulate the temperature when climbing aerobically (such as climbing a snow field or approaching the base of a route)’ a redesigned rear which reduces the bulk of the helmet and makes it look and feel more sleek when wearing it.

Le nouveau derriere! More venting and the gap disappears. The headtorch clips have been slightly recessed and cleverly (oh so French) designed into the helmet again to reduce the bulk and make the helmet feel compact to look at and wear. The clips worked really well with both single and overhead headtorch straps and once clipped into place any headtorch was firmly locked in.

The adjustable cradle on the Petzl Meteor was very easy to operate. It worked best when the helmet was actually on. There are two white buttons on either side of the cradle. Just depress these and the cradle will adjust outwards. If the cradle needs to be smaller it’s easy to place your thumbs just above and behind your ears then press and push the buttons towards your thumb. This worked just as well with gloves on (but was more tricky with larger belay gloves – as you would expect). But once adjusted at the beginning of the climbing day it never moved. The surface of the cradle was wider in crucial areas and the material rubberised to help keep the cradle firmly in place.

Light to wear and well ventilated for all day wear. There are some velcro fastened foam inserts to keep your head away from the expanded polystyrene. These can be removed for washing and you get a spare pair in the box as well as a protective cover.

The chin strap was easy enough to adjust and I would always advise spending some time this is done correctly. I spent a considerable amount of time adjusting clients helmets correctly when working. A lopsided helmet is not only ineffective it looks really uncool! The forward adjustment was easily done by pushing the strap forward then pulling the other side. It is then locked into place with serrated teeth. Backwards adjustment was very slightly harder but nothing too difficult it just needed a little more fiddly pushing.

The Petzl Meteor III and 4. Showing the improved vents. Then of course there is the magnetic closure – did I mention magnetic? Yes of course I did. This first appeared on the Petzl Sirocco helmet last year and is a great little feature. One of my bugbears is chin straps clasps, always fiddly to close, especially with gloves on. Petzl have elegantly solved this with the addition of two small magnets. This then becomes a joy to use, as soon as the two parts come to meet together the magnet guides the clips into place and ‘click!’ they’re firmly clipped together. A joyous piece of French design, that although small is a delight to use.

In conclusion, the Petzl Meteor is great update. I’ve been using the Meteor III+ for a while for both climbing and mountain biking and I feel the new one is worth the upgrade. It feels more compact, lighter to wear and supremely comfortable. The new, larger vents help keep my head cooler. The straps are easy to adjust and the magnetic clip is great. The overall, compact shape and the new colour scheme makes the helmet look cool too. The Petzl Meteor climbing helmet has always been and will remain an iconic piece of climbing equipment.

 SRP £80.00 for both sizes.

 Stockists

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

[comPiler]

Black Diamond Sabretooth Stainless Crampons – Climbing Gear Review
7 October 2014, 8:08 pm



Performance *****

Value*****

Black Diamond say: “Our best all-around crampon, the Sabretooth features a lightweight stainless steel design and versatile horizontal frontpoints. Available in a Pro or Clip version.”

Black Diamond Sabretooth Crampons – a great all round mountaineering crampon that will help get you into awesome places like this! Brunneghorn, Switzerland. I’ve tested the Sabretooth crampons for both a full winter and full summer season now. I’ve used them for everything; Scottish mixed ridges, big alpine faces, mixed climbing and ski mountaineering, you name it and they’ve done it. You’re probably already getting the impression that this crampon is a great allrounder, and you’d be right! The Sabretooth is just as happy climbing grade V gullies on Ben Nevis as it is on the NE Ridge of Barre Des Ecrin.

The Sabretooth is definitely constructed more in the classic ilk of an all round mountaineering crampon. The horizontal frontpoints and 12 sidepoints offer greater security on classic snowy faces and moderate ice whilst the slightly more aggressive secondary frontpoints allow greater bite on hard ice. For difficult, more technical ice and mixed I’d personally go for a monopoint such as the Stinger, but as a one quiver crampon to take me up classic TD+ faces and grade 5 ice, I wouldn’t have a problem taking the Sabretooth anywhere. I found the vertical frontpoints very stable on rock compared to other similar crampons I have used.

Black Diamond Sabretooth Crampons – the horizontal frontpoints worked well on mixed ground. Le Rateau West, Ecrins, France. In terms of fit, the Sabretooths are very versatile. I’ve worn mine on Scarpa Phantom Guides, La Sportiva Trango Guides, La Sportiva Spantiks and my Dynafit ski touring boots. I’ve not had an issue with fitting them to any of these. The central bar adjusts easily (and a longer bar is available for those with larger feet) whilst the heel clip has extra hole options for tweaking the fit and a micro adjustment wheel, that I found easy to use, even in the field. Black Diamond offer 2 toe bail options. The Pro, a wire bail which works on rigid boots with both toe and heel welts, and a the Clip, a plastic bail which only requires heel welts. I chose the Clip version for greater versatility.

Black Diamond Sabretooth Crampons – Clip version on ski boots. The Sabretooth crampons are semi rigid because the central bar flexes. The amount of flex however, is largely dictated by the boots you fasten them to. If the boots are rigid then the crampon will be pretty rigid, whereas if the boots are more flexible then the crampons will flex with them.

Black Diamond Sabretooth Crampons – Clip version on more flexible lightweight mountaineering boots (at lunchtime!) I have been very very impressed with the quality of the Sabretooth crampons. Straps, buckles, bars and the bespoke antibott anti balling plates are all manufactured to the highest quality. I’ve used these crampons for 8 months and they’re still looking good. I find the anti balling plates to do a great job, but they do feel quite hard compared to some others I have used but I only find this to be an issue on the late in the day, sticky summer snow. Then I have to be mindful as snow does tend to build up on the bottoms and I have to occasionally knock the bases with my ice axe, in order to clear it off.

 

When stainless steel first started to be used to produce crampons a lot was made of the benefits, with many claiming that it was actually lighter than carbon steel. This is in fact, not true, with carbon steel and stainless steel actually weighing the same. What is true however, is that stainless steel does not rust, is more resistant to blunting (I can vouch for this here), and is tougher and stronger. Which is perhaps where the lightweight claim came from as in theory this allows you to make the same crampon as a carbon steel one, but with less steel? Just for the record, the Sabretooth weighs 925g per pair including the antiballing plates.

 

Black Diamond Sabretooth Crampons – great on snow, ice or rock – built to handle the mixed demands of classic mountaineering.  

To conclude, the Sabretooth crampons from Black Diamond are an awesome classic 12 point crampon, that I really am struggling to find any fault with at all. They do everything well, whether it be classic snow climbs, moderate ice routes or ski mountaineering. They adjust easily, are high quality and the stainless steel doesn’t rust or wear out quickly. I wouldn’t hesitate to take these on my next trip into the mountains.

 

• RRP: £135
• Find out more and buy them at the Black Diamond website.

 

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

[comPiler]

Petzl Meteor 4 – Climbing Gear Review
6 October 2014, 3:33 pm

    We test out the new and updated iconic climbing helmet from Petzl with the oh so brilliant magnetic clip.  Performance *****

Style****

Value***** (what price can you put on your head?)

Lightness and comfort have made the METEOR helmet a signature product for climbing and mountaineering. This model has the advantage of large openings for excellent ventilation.

I never really was a helmet sort of person, for years I spurned them in favour of freedom and the feeling of the breeze through my hair. Climbing helmets in those days were big and bulky affairs. They were ugly looking, heavy and felt cumbersome with complaints such as ‘ I always scrape my head against the rock when I’m wearing a helmet and never when I’m not’.

Then Petzl bought out the radical Meteor helmet, this was a revelation. This blew away the concept of a tough resin dome and a cat’s cradle of webbing inside and bought cycling helmet technology to climbers. Light, stylish (for those days) and colourful. It even had dials you could twiddle! Since then I’ve always worn a helmet in the mountains. I still climb helmet free; for single pitch sport climbing or climbing on a less busy outcrop. Professionally I feel I need to set good practice so always wear the latest model of lightweight helmet and am happy to discuss the pros and cons of different helmet styles.

I have owned and wore every model of Petzl Meteor helmet since they came out and still have the Meteor III+, which I thought was one of the very best climbing helmets out there. Petzl have ditched the numeric and gone back to just naming the helmet the Petzl Meteor. A quick Google search however will reveal that most retailers are calling it the Meteor 4. The new Meteor comes in two sizes: size 1 for smaller heads and size 2 for average to large. The cradle range is plenty big enough to accommodate most head sizes and there is some overlap, do measure your head though and don’t forget that you may well be wearing a hat with the helmet on.

The Petzl Meteor still retains the classic Meteor III shape with some very subtle changes: more vents which are slightly larger which helps regulate the temperature when climbing aerobically (such as climbing a snow field or approaching the base of a route)’ a redesigned rear which reduces the bulk of the helmet and makes it look and feel more sleek when wearing it.

Le nouveau derriere! More venting and the gap disappears. The headtorch clips have been slightly recessed and cleverly (oh so French) designed into the helmet again to reduce the bulk and make the helmet feel compact to look at and wear. The clips worked really well with both single and overhead headtorch straps and once clipped into place any headtorch was firmly locked in.

The adjustable cradle on the Petzl Meteor was very easy to operate. It worked best when the helmet was actually on. There are two white buttons on either side of the cradle. Just depress these and the cradle will adjust outwards. If the cradle needs to be smaller it’s easy to place your thumbs just above and behind your ears then press and push the buttons towards your thumb. This worked just as well with gloves on (but was more tricky with larger belay gloves – as you would expect). But once adjusted at the beginning of the climbing day it never moved. The surface of the cradle was wider in crucial areas and the material rubberised to help keep the cradle firmly in place.

Light to wear and well ventilated for all day wear. There are some velcro fastened foam inserts to keep your head away from the expanded polystyrene. These can be removed for washing and you get a spare pair in the box as well as a protective cover.

The chin strap was easy enough to adjust and I would always advise spending some time this is done correctly. I spent a considerable amount of time adjusting clients helmets correctly when working. A lopsided helmet is not only ineffective it looks really uncool! The forward adjustment was easily done by pushing the strap forward then pulling the other side. It is then locked into place with serrated teeth. Backwards adjustment was very slightly harder but nothing too difficult it just needed a little more fiddly pushing.

The Petzl Meteor III and 4. Showing the improved vents. Then of course there is the magnetic closure – did I mention magnetic? Yes of course I did. This first appeared on the Petzl Sirocco helmet last year and is a great little feature. One of my bugbears is chin straps clasps, always fiddly to close, especially with gloves on. Petzl have elegantly solved this with the addition of two small magnets. This then becomes a joy to use, as soon as the two parts come to meet together the magnet guides the clips into place and ‘click!’ they’re firmly clipped together. A joyous piece of French design, that although small is a delight to use.

In conclusion, the Petzl Meteor is great update. I’ve been using the Meteor III+ for a while for both climbing and mountain biking and I feel the new one is worth the upgrade. It feels more compact, lighter to wear and supremely comfortable. The new, larger vents help keep my head cooler. The straps are easy to adjust and the magnetic clip is great. The overall, compact shape and the new colour scheme makes the helmet look cool too. The Petzl Meteor climbing helmet has always been and will remain an iconic piece of climbing equipment.

 SRP £80.00 for both sizes.

 Stockists

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

[comPiler]

Black Diamond Sabretooth Crampons – Climbing Gear Review
7 October 2014, 8:08 pm



Performance *****

Value*****

Black Diamond say: “Our best all-around crampon, the Sabretooth features a lightweight stainless steel design and versatile horizontal frontpoints. Available in a Pro or Clip version.”

Black Diamond Sabretooth Crampons – a great all round mountaineering crampon that will help get you into awesome places like this! Brunneghorn, Switzerland. I’ve tested the Sabretooth crampons for both a full winter and full summer season now. I’ve used them for everything; Scottish mixed ridges, big alpine faces, mixed climbing and ski mountaineering, you name it and they’ve done it. You’re probably already getting the impression that this crampon is a great allrounder, and you’d be right! The Sabretooth is just as happy climbing grade V gullies on Ben Nevis as it is on the NE Ridge of Barre Des Ecrin.

The Sabretooth is definitely constructed more in the classic ilk of an all round mountaineering crampon. The horizontal frontpoints and 12 sidepoints offer greater security on classic snowy faces and moderate ice whilst the slightly more aggressive secondary frontpoints allow greater bite on hard ice. For difficult, more technical ice and mixed I’d personally go for a monopoint such as the Stinger, but as a one quiver crampon to take me up classic TD+ faces and grade 5 ice, I wouldn’t have a problem taking the Sabretooth anywhere. I found the vertical frontpoints very stable on rock compared to other similar crampons I have used.

Black Diamond Sabretooth Crampons – the horizontal frontpoints worked well on mixed ground. Le Rateau West, Ecrins, France. In terms of fit, the Sabretooths are very versatile. I’ve worn mine on Scarpa Phantom Guides, La Sportiva Trango Guides, La Sportiva Spantiks and my Dynafit ski touring boots. I’ve not had an issue with fitting them to any of these. The central bar adjusts easily (and a longer bar is available for those with larger feet) whilst the heel clip has extra hole options for tweaking the fit and a micro adjustment wheel, that I found easy to use, even in the field. Black Diamond offer 2 toe bail options. The Pro, a wire bail which works on rigid boots with both toe and heel welts, and a the Clip, a plastic bail which only requires heel welts. I chose the Clip version for greater versatility.

Black Diamond Sabretooth Crampons – Clip version on ski boots. The Sabretooth crampons are semi rigid because the central bar flexes. The amount of flex however, is largely dictated by the boots you fasten them to. If the boots are rigid then the crampon will be pretty rigid, whereas if the boots are more flexible then the crampons will flex with them.

Black Diamond Sabretooth Crampons – Clip version on more flexible lightweight mountaineering boots (at lunchtime!) I have been very very impressed with the quality of the Sabretooth crampons. Straps, buckles, bars and the bespoke antibott anti balling plates are all manufactured to the highest quality. I’ve used these crampons for 8 months and they’re still looking good. I find the anti balling plates to do a great job, but they do feel quite hard compared to some others I have used but I only find this to be an issue on the late in the day, sticky summer snow. Then I have to be mindful as snow does tend to build up on the bottoms and I have to occasionally knock the bases with my ice axe, in order to clear it off.

 

When stainless steel first started to be used to produce crampons a lot was made of the benefits, with many claiming that it was actually lighter than carbon steel. This is in fact, not true, with carbon steel and stainless steel actually weighing the same. What is true however, is that stainless steel does not rust, is more resistant to blunting (I can vouch for this here), and is tougher and stronger. Which is perhaps where the lightweight claim came from as in theory this allows you to make the same crampon as a carbon steel one, but with less steel? Just for the record, the Sabretooth weighs 925g per pair including the antiballing plates.

 

Black Diamond Sabretooth Crampons – great on snow, ice or rock – built to handle the mixed demands of classic mountaineering.  

To conclude, the Sabretooth crampons from Black Diamond are an awesome classic 12 point crampon, that I really am struggling to find any fault with at all. They do everything well, whether it be classic snow climbs, moderate ice routes or ski mountaineering. They adjust easily, are high quality and the stainless steel doesn’t rust or wear out quickly. I wouldn’t hesitate to take these on my next trip into the mountains.

 

• RRP: £135
• Find out more and buy them at the Black Diamond website.

 

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

[comPiler]

Wild Country Pro Guide Lite
9 October 2014, 2:14 pm



We give an update on the updated Wild Country Pro Guide in the form of the Pro Guide Lite We reviewed the Wild Country Pro Guide last year and we’ve been sent the updated Lite model for a test. So what’s different? Well it works in exactly the same way and is 15g lighter due to material in the three walls being removed.

The Wild Country Pro Guide Lite feels much lighter. So all the benefits with less weight, what’s not to like! I’ve been using the Wild Country Pro Guide all season since I’ve tested it and it’s worked brilliantly, I’ve used with my skinny double rope and my massively fat working 11mm rope and it’s worked great every time. It’s been a great addition to my rack and any chance to lighten the load will be taken so I’m replacing it with the Pro Guide Lite. The plate also comes as set with the Synergy Lite HMS scewgate carabiner.

SRP: Pro Guide Lite £24.00,  Pro Guide Lite Set £30.00

Stockists

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Black Diamond Raven Ultra Ice Axe – Climbing Gear Review
9 October 2014, 5:12 pm

We’ve used the Black Diamond Raven Ultra Ice Axe on classic alpine routes, ski tours and approaches. So what did we think? Performance ****

Value ****

Black Diamond say: “Built with a streamlined design and lightweight materials, the Black Diamond Raven Ultra Ice Axe is ideal for ski mountaineering missions, descending off alpine rock climbs or those just-in-case situations that involve short sections of glacier travel. The unique, integrated angled spike plunges easily in snowy couloirs, and the investment-cast, polished stainless steel head and pick provide secure bite in moderate ice.“

 

Black Diamond Raven Ultra Ice Axe – great for ski touring.  

I have used the Raven Ultra mainly for ski touring and ski mountaineering and it’s lightweight simplicity, makes it perfect for this. It has a stainless steel head and pick which actually work on proper ice, unlike some of the lightweight aluminium axes I have used. The shaft of the axe is aluminium, has no rubberised grip or handle and can feel a bit slippery when you actually need to pull on it on steeper ground but you could add some self amalgamating plumbers tape for extra stickiness if you found this to be an issue. On terrain that was AD+ or harder, I’d usually carry a proper ice tool anyway.

The Raven Ultra has a stainless steel spike integrated into the bottom of the aluminium shaft and whilst this is definitely more effective than some other lightweight models I’ve seen without this feature, offering greater durability and security when plunging it into snow and ice, it is definitely not as effective as a proper spike. However the Raven Ultra is all about compromise. It is a fantastic lightweight axe with a stainless steel pick that actually works in ice, and an adze that is very effective in chopping steps. The holes in the middle of the head and adze give lots of options for creating snow belays too.

Black Diamond Raven Ultra Ice Axe – works well on classic alpine terrain such as here on the Monch, Switzerland. As I said earlier the lightweight simplicity of the Raven Ultra make it perfect for skiing where weight is usually an issue. However I’ve also used mine on plenty of classic alpine routes up to AD and found it to work really well. I mentioned earlier that the shaft can feel slippy to hold, but holding the head feels pretty comfortable and secure and whilst it’s not the most comfortable I’ve used, it’s also not far off.

Due to it’s light weight and compact size (I tested the 50 cm version but 55cm and 60cm are also available) I have found the Raven Ultra invaluable when approaching alpine rock climbs such as on the South Face of the Aiguille Du Midi or when crossing short sections of glacier. It fits inside my 25 litre pack and doesn’t feel bulky or heavy to carry.

Black Diamond Raven Ultra Ice Axe Whilst the Raven Ultra has some failings you have to remember the context of the review and the purpose that the ice axe is designed for. It is a lightweight, minimalist axe designed for easy climbs, ski mountaineering and short sections of approach and descent where using an axe may not form the main part of the day. But when you do need it the Raven Ultra works, and works well!

 

• RRP: £85 (available in 3 lengths – 50/55/60cm)
• Find out more at the Black Diamond website.

 

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Evolv Valor
11 October 2014, 8:07 am



Evolve Valor Is the Evolv Valor the ultimate all-round entry level rock shoe? An especially comfy heel/Achilles area. When the opportunity came to review the Evolv Valor I was looking for a comfy multi-pitch big mountain day shoe. With age I find I’m less willing to suffer craming my toes into overly tight shoes. No more siting at the bottom of Buoux with plastic bags over my feet tying to pull on ridiculously small slippers! Thankfully boot technology and ergonomics has moved on in the last 25 years and boots fit better, you no longer need the pain to get the performance.

Comfy boots let you savour the route. The Evolv Valor is a classic double Velcro strap design billed as an entry level to intermediate rock shoe. It shares a common design heritage with the Evolv Defy but differs in that it has a beefier/stiffer sole. Unlike high-performance shoes the Valor has a flat rather than down-turned sole profile and a less aggressive heel band. Both these design elements decrease ‘power’ at the toes but conversely make the shoe very comfortable to wear. If you’re someone who suffers Achilles problems that are aggravated by the aggressive heel bands on some rock shoes the Valor would make a great choice. The build quality of the Valor is excellent a durable synthetic upper resists stretching out and good quality stitch work means there have been no ‘blow outs’ or any appreciable wear to the uppers during the review period. The sole and rands are Evolv’s Trax XT rubber which has also worn well and performed effectively. The rands are Evolv’s VTR design (variable thickness rand) that puts more rubber in high wear areas and reduces thickness elsewhere to enhance comfort. They are certainly comfortable but I can’t comment on rand wear really apart from to say there is nothing yet after three months! I find it quite hard to judge rubber unless comparing similar types of shoe as other characteristics such as sensitivity and stiffness tend to colour perceptions but the Trax rubber certainly held its own.

Lots of comfort and support even when wearing a sac. Over the past few months I’ve used the Valors on a variety of rock including grit bouldering, limestone sport routes as well as multi pitch mountain routes in the UK and France and training indoors. The Valors have performed well in all of these roles but for me where they really shine is on the multi pitch stuff. For bouldering and sport climbing they are fine but I found them a little insensitive for my tastes, this is probably due to the thicker sole and the ‘comfort’ fit that I opted for. Likewise indoors the reduced sensitivity had an impact on harder problems but the comfort when doing circuits was joy! Once I got them out on bigger routes the comfort and support came into their own. No desperately sprinting up pitches to rip your boots off at the belay to relieve screaming toes! Even with the extra weight of a sac my feet remained comfortable and I could savour every pitch without the distraction of painful feet.

Overall the Valors have proved a great all round shoe, I sized them for comfort and using on big routes but even so they still performed well in a variety of roles. They make a great entry level boot that will still serve more advanced climbers especially on less technically intense mountain routes.

Stockists

RRP £70

Performance ? ? ?

Durability ? ? ? ? ?

Value ? ? ? ?

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Haglöfs L.I.M. Powerdy Hood – Climbing Gear Review
11 October 2014, 2:51 pm

CGR take a look at the L.I.M. Powerdry Hood from Swedish brand, Haglöfs…. Performance *****

Value ****

Haglöfs LIM Power Dry Hood – great for multipitc rock climbing. Gelbe/Mauer, Dolomites.  

The L.I.M. range from Haglöfs stands for ‘Less Is More’, a lightweight, minimalist philosophy where a garment is produced with only the features it needs to do it’s job. These garments are lightweight, high quality and perform well across a range of activities.

Haglöfs market the L.I.M. Powerdry Hood as a superlight midlayer and as such it serves this purpose perfectly. However, for me this is only half the tale and it is definitely one of those products that I have found to be way more versatile than a few lines of text on a website would suggest! I’ve found the L.I.M. Powerdry Hood to cover a multitude of uses from best pub buddy to cosy heavyweight baselayer on frigid north faces. I’ve also worn it alone whilst running on cold still days, rock climbing, hiking, as a midlayer on technical mixed routes and I’m sure it will be forming the basis (or baselayer) of my mountain wardrobe for this winter too.

Haglöfs LIM Power Dry Hood – a great, versatile base/midlayer. The full zip aids venting. Ok, so what is there to like? Well first of all the fabric, which is a Polartec® PowerDry® High efficiency, is amazing! The grid pattern feels supremely comfortable against the skin and slides effortlessly over lightweight baselayers as well. It breathes effectively whether worn next to the skin or as a baselayer, the grid pattern providing an increased surface area so that moisture disperses and then dries more readily. I’ve also found the fabric to be durable and there is no sign of bobbling or pilling on the smooth outer face.

Haglöfs LIM Power Dry Hood – excellent balaclava style hood, brilliant under a helmet. The L.I.M. Powerdry Hood fits closely to the skin but the excellent cut (lack of shoulder seams, articulated sleeves) and stretchy fabric means that freedom of movement is not compromised whether you’re scrambling or pulling hard on ice tools. The hood is brilliant, fitting like a balaclava, you don’t notice it under a climbing helmet and it provides that extra boost of warmth when you need it. I seldom wear a hat or separate balaclava in the mountains these days as most of my favourite base/mid layers feature brilliant under helmet hoods. The slightly longer length means the top is comfortable under a harness and this coupled with the great cut I mentioned earlier, ensures it doesn’t ride up either.

Haglöfs LIM Power Dry Hood – works well under a climbing harness and doesn’t restrict movement. Unkown 7b at Tornoux. The jacket has a full length zip for easy venting, with a laminated inner placket which ensures comfort against the skin. The zipper features a minimalist glove friendly tab, and is easy to use in the field (sorry I mean mountains!). Another feature I love are the super comfy thumb loops, something I feel are an absolute must on a top like this. It gives a real boost to the hands in cool weather and ensures there are no cold spots in the gap you can sometimes get between jacket cuffs and gloves. A single low profile chest pocket completes the package.

Is there anything I don’t like about the L.I.M. Powerdry Hood from Haglöfs? Erm, simply no!

So, in short, the Haglöfs L.I.M. Powerdry Hood is an awesome, versatile hooded top. It’s suitable for many different outdoor activities, either as a baselayer or light midlayer. The fabric feels luxurious against the skin and it breathes well too. A ‘just what you need’ feature set. Faultless!

• The Haglöfs L.I.M. Powerdry Hood is manufacture to standards. Read more about Bluesign here.
• RRP: £120
• Visit the Haglöfs website.

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Evolv Valor Rockshoe – Climbing Gear Review
11 October 2014, 8:07 am



Evolve Valor Is the Evolv Valor the ultimate all-round entry level rock shoe? Performance ? ? ?

Durability ? ? ? ? ?

Value ? ? ? ?

An especially comfy heel/Achilles area. When the opportunity came to review the Evolv Valor I was looking for a comfy multi-pitch big mountain day shoe. With age I find I’m less willing to suffer craming my toes into overly tight shoes. No more siting at the bottom of Buoux with plastic bags over my feet tying to pull on ridiculously small slippers! Thankfully boot technology and ergonomics has moved on in the last 25 years and boots fit better, you no longer need the pain to get the performance.

Comfy boots let you savour the route. The Evolv Valor is a classic double Velcro strap design billed as an entry level to intermediate rock shoe. It shares a common design heritage with the Evolv Defy but differs in that it has a beefier/stiffer sole. Unlike high-performance shoes the Valor has a flat rather than down-turned sole profile and a less aggressive heel band. Both these design elements decrease ‘power’ at the toes but conversely make the shoe very comfortable to wear. If you’re someone who suffers Achilles problems that are aggravated by the aggressive heel bands on some rock shoes the Valor would make a great choice. The build quality of the Valor is excellent a durable synthetic upper resists stretching out and good quality stitch work means there have been no ‘blow outs’ or any appreciable wear to the uppers during the review period. The sole and rands are Evolv’s Trax XT rubber which has also worn well and performed effectively. The rands are Evolv’s VTR design (variable thickness rand) that puts more rubber in high wear areas and reduces thickness elsewhere to enhance comfort. They are certainly comfortable but I can’t comment on rand wear really apart from to say there is nothing yet after three months! I find it quite hard to judge rubber unless comparing similar types of shoe as other characteristics such as sensitivity and stiffness tend to colour perceptions but the Trax rubber certainly held its own.

Lots of comfort and support even when wearing a sac. Over the past few months I’ve used the Valors on a variety of rock including grit bouldering, limestone sport routes as well as multi pitch mountain routes in the UK and France and training indoors. The Valors have performed well in all of these roles but for me where they really shine is on the multi pitch stuff. For bouldering and sport climbing they are fine but I found them a little insensitive for my tastes, this is probably due to the thicker sole and the ‘comfort’ fit that I opted for. Likewise indoors the reduced sensitivity had an impact on harder problems but the comfort when doing circuits was joy! Once I got them out on bigger routes the comfort and support came into their own. No desperately sprinting up pitches to rip your boots off at the belay to relieve screaming toes! Even with the extra weight of a sac my feet remained comfortable and I could savour every pitch without the distraction of painful feet.

Overall the Valors have proved a great all round shoe, I sized them for comfort and using on big routes but even so they still performed well in a variety of roles. They make a great entry level boot that will still serve more advanced climbers especially on less technically intense mountain routes.

Stockists

RRP £70

 



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Haglöfs Rugged II Mountain Pants
15 October 2014, 5:12 pm





Dave takes the updated, ultimate mountain pants from Haglöfs for a test. Performance *****

Style****

Value*****

Extremely durable, fully featured stretchy hybrid trekking pant

Back in 2011 we tested the Haglöfs Rugged Mountain Pants. The we concluded that the pants would be a great 3 season mountain pants for a variety of mountain activities.

This season I have been testing the updated Haglöfs Rugged II Mountain Pants so how have they been improved?

The style is very similar to the original Rugged Mountain Pants and the sizing is the same. A size medium was a 32” waist and expanded to a 33”. They are still incredibly burly and well made with triple stitching and bar tacking . I have worked for two years in the original Rugged Mountain pants and they are still going strong showing very little signs of serious wear.

Haglofs Rugged 2 pants are great for anything the mountain can throw at them. One good improvement is the addition of a Velcro fastener on the waistband, the waistband is elasticated at the back but is held in place with two vecro fastening. This helped keep the trousers up, especially when they were wet. I did state in the original review that the pants would have benefitted from some braces loops, they are still missing from the Rugged II Mountain Pants. At 770g a pair I had to cinch them up tight to stop the legs becoming too long.

The colour scheme has also changed from an orange inner trim to fluorescent green. This worked OK as most of it is contained inside the pants. The pockets are still great and the voluminous thigh pockets have proved very useful when working and when winter climbing. The inner phone pocket now holds an iphone or other medium sized smartphone, but probably not the bigger sizes – this is an area that Haglöfs can’t win on as phones change so rapidly. The size is good though for most sensibly sized phones.

The materials are still the excellent Climatic with hardwearing knees and seat. The material is now much softer, making the Haglöfs Rugged II Mountain Pants very nice to wear. In the original review I stated that the pants would be good for winter mountaineering and so they have proved to be – for active mountaineering they have been excellent. For technical climbing I have worn a merino wool ¾ length baselayer and they have been great.

Good freedom for technical mountaineering. The adjustable hems and lace hook have also proven useful as I can quickly cinch them up when walking through boggy ground.

The Rugged II Mountain Pants were great for alpine climbing. So, the Haglöfs Rugged II Mountain Pants are a good update on the original pants. So burly it’s unreal and they really have lasted years and will do so for years to come. Come October through to March they are my pants of choice for all UK activities. I wore them recently for an Alpine trip and they performed there too. Professionally I wouldn’t be without them for any big boot type of day. A great update and well worth the money and with it having the Bluesign label you can be assured it’s been manufactured with respect for the environment.

Sizes come in XS to XXXL and colours are Black and Juniper (Green)

SRP £150.00

Stockists

 

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Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Salewa Wildfire Approach Shoe
21 October 2014, 7:24 am

   Dave puts the Salewa Wildfire approach shoes to the test to see if they are his final choice. Performance *****

Stlye ****

Value****

Lightness, anatomical last, and an aggressive outsole design make it the final choice for approach

Last year we reviewed the Salewa Firetail approach shoes, I concluded that the shoes were a great all round approach shoe suitable for a range of mountain activities.

The Salewa Wildfire has also been in the collection for several years and the new version have been tweaked and updated for 2014.

I tested the technical approach version of the shoe with the climbing sole, they also come with a more hiking friendly EVO sole that is more like a hiking/trainer sole. I tested my usual size UK 8 or EUR 42 for fit and the fit was excellent. Straight out of the box they were a great fit, I could easily tweak them further by removing the additional insole which was Velcro fitted to the main insole. This allowed for a more comfortable toebox fit. The lacing also allowed a good fit by the laces extending down to the toe, just like a climbing shoe. This meant that I have a relaxed fit for the hike in and then conch them tight for any scrambling to the base of the route. The toe profile is a little wider than the Firetail so if they have been too tight you should get on well with the Wildfire.

The Salewa Wildfire were really nice for walking in. Style wise, they look and feel like a trainer, they have a protective toe rand and a nice patternated rand around the rest of the shoe. At first I thought this just wasn’t going to cut the mustard as I’d seen this type of fancy rand just peel away before. This rand however has lasted a tough summer of me constantly wearing them for all my expedition and climbing work both professional and for recreation. I really like it, it’s a nice way of adding more protection and adds to the style. I was sent the Emerald Green shoes, which I must say were a little bright for a Brit. I have, however, had lots of compliments as too the colour and they do stand out from the crowd. I don’t wear them recreationally though! They come in Blue and Green and a more muted Black for those of a shy nature.

I would have liked a more burly heel tab for carrying. The heel was well cushioned with an PU heel unit and the heel cup was nice and rigid. I have actually been able to use these for running in (they are a little too heavy for longer runs) and they’ve been fine. The Achilles area was well padded and again very comfortable in use. I could walk all day in the Salewa Wildfire and have spent all summer working in them for long days in the mountains and crags. The 3F webbing looks a little gimmicky and I’m not sure of the absolute benefit, it may offer a little more support around the heel and distal area but I couldn’t tell when they are on. The usual criss cross pattern added a little structure to the Salewa Wildfire and has increased the durability significantly. I have grown to like the patterning and hope Salewa don’t change it as it’s distinctive and makes the shoe look like a technical shoe and not just recreational. The only bugbear has been the pull tab on the heel – I would have liked to see this a little bigger, bar tacked to the heel and offset so the shoes sat more neatly on my harness when carried.

They had a good toe profile and plenty of rand. The materials are burly and hardwearing, that doesn’t mean they’re heavy though. The stated weight is 401g per shoe and the trusty CGR scales weighed my UK 8 shoe in at 400g, so nice and light. The one piece mesh hasn’t shown any sign of wear and I’ve testing them all summer and early autumn. The crucial toe area is further reinforced with synthetic leather and this extends into the gusseted tongue. All the inner is treated with NXT silverised odour control and this seems to have worked as they smell very fresh (although I do not suffer from smelly feet) and I’ve worn them in some quite wet weather.

 

The sole had an EVA midsole which was stiff enough for edging, in fact the Salewa Wildfire were great for climbing in and I’ve really enjoyed using them for my instructional work. They sole is still Vibram and was very sticky. It has a dotty pattern on the edges with little wear and a dedicated climbing zone in the toe area and around the heel. They have performed very well for both technical approaches, tricky descents and rough boulder fields. I can’t fault the sole unit and gave the shoe five stars for this area.

They were great for technical approaches. Overall I’ve used the Salewa Wildfire for a wide variety of mountain activities and they have been a constant companion throughout the season. They have proven to be comfortable, technical and robust and I reckon I have another season left in them. They are a great update on the original and apart from the tab they have been pretty faultless.

The shoes come in sizes UK 6 to 12 in half sizes from 6 to 11.

They also come in a more hiking friendly EVO style and both also come in Gore Tex (GTX) versions for extra protection from the elements.

SRP: £115.00, GTX £135.00

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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Haglöfs  Skarn Q Hood – Climbing Gear Review
23 October 2014, 4:02 pm

Kasia gives us the rundown on the Skarn Q Hood (Q being the name Haglöfs give to their female specific products)  softshell jacket from Haglöfs. How was it? Performance ****

Quality *****

Haglöfs Skarn Q Hood – a great jacket for alpine climbing. Summit of Pic De La Grave, Ecrins, France.  

According to Haglöfs the Skarn Q Hood is a ‘versatile and durable, full stretch soft shell jacket with excellent comfort’. I have to admit after trying the jacket, walking, cragging and climbing in the alps it pretty much does what it says on the ‘tin’.

I’ve been testing the women’s size medium in the ‘Firecracker’ colour. From a technical point of view this jacket is certainly a winner when it comes to comfort. The decent cut (articulated sleeves and dropped rear hem) and 4-way stretch certainly doing its thing. The arms and body being made from the same material meant I definitely didn’t feel restricted in my movement at any point. The stretch factor also meant that when using the thumb loops I didn’t have to worry too much about the jacket riding up. For me the thumb loops are a nice little touch and help to make things cosier when the wind picks up and you want to prevent those draughty gaps which can occur around the sleeves when wearing a pair of gloves.

Another cosy feature is the super soft chin guard which I think is a general must on jackets nowadays and not to be taken for granted. A small comfort I enjoy if the weather picks up when on belay half way up a multi-pitch. You’ll also find an integrated single hand hem draw cord to help cinch things in. Whilst easy to pull the hem tight I sometimes needed two hands to help slacken it off again.

Haglöfs Skarn Q Hood – a great cut for climbing and durable too. Apparently the shoulders and sleeves are reinforced – I can’t tell how looking at the jacket, but from having worn the jacket climbing and whilst wearing a rucksack, it still looks in great condition. The only place I’m starting to see some slight signs of wear and tear is on the cuffs which have certainly had some abuse when scrambling with the thumb loops on – so a slight bobbling here is only to be expected.

The hood boasts a ‘three-way adjustable, climbing helmet compatible hood with reinforced peak’. Whilst the hood will go over my helmet it didn’t manage to cover the whole thing. So if like me you prefer a hood where the peak protects your eyes even with a helmet on you’ll have to decide if the plus points of this garment outweigh – for me the only downside to this jacket. Otherwise without a helmet, the hood adjusts fine and can sit snug around the face.

Haglöfs Skarn Q Hood – a helmet compatible hood. The look of the jacket is kept sleek and simple with a hidden front zip. The sleeve pocket on the left arm is a laminated pocket to reduce unnecessary seams and works well for lift passes and other small easy to grab essentials. There are also two mid mounted pockets (accessible whilst wearing a harness) which have a mesh liner to help with ventilation when moving more aerobically. All the zips come with a pull cord which makes them easier to use when wearing gloves.

The jacket is a lightweight outer shell providing a good mix of wind resistance and breathability – down to the Haglöfs non membrane FlexAble™ fabric. It’s not waterproof and doesn’t claim to be, but as the fabric is treated with a PFOS/PFOA free DWR it will shed some light drops of rain – just not a downpour. If it does get wet you’ve got a handy rear hanging loop to hang it from in the drying room!

Overall I loved the jacket. Whilst the hood doesn’t give full coverage whilst wearing a helmet I’ll certainly be taking this on future alpine trips. For me the real plus side is the comfort and wear ability provided, which means I don’t feel restricted when making that awkward climbing move. Besides, it’s also served me well as a light summer jacket around town!

The Skarn Hood is also available for men and there is a Skarn Winter Hood and Skarn Q Winter Hood available for the coming winter season too.

• RRP: £150
• Visit the Haglöfs website

Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Kendal Mountain Festival 2014, November 20-23 – Climbing Gear News
30 October 2014, 8:54 pm

  The annual Kendal Mountain Festival will soon be upon us, taking place from the 20th to 23rd November and the 2014 line up promises to be as good as ever, with a super mix of speakers, films and socialising for you to enjoy!  High calibre alpinist, Ueli Steck is confirmed as one of the speakers this year.  

‘Kendal’ is the biggest event of its type in the world and it’s the main social event for outdoor enthusiasts in the UK. As ever there’ll be hundreds of film screenings including high-profile premieres plus loads of speakers and special guests making this a must-do long weekend in the Lake District.

 

This year an exciting mix of speakers will appeal to travel and adventure fans, armchair alpinists and activist climbers alike. Characters such as Australian adventurer, author and filmmaker Tim Cope who spent the best part of a decade travelling Central Asia by bicycle, boat, skis, horse and camel, turning these experiences into award-winning films and books. And Steve Fisher – three times voted the world’s best all-round kayaker by top pros, the South African paddler and filmmaker has made over 100 ‘first descents’ across the world, including the man-eating Inga Rapids on the Congo.

Uber-alpinist Christophe Profit makes an appearance at this year’s festival. Climbers will queue to hear uber-alpinist Christophe Profit, the Frenchman who ripped up the mountaineering rule book in the 1980s with a string of ultra-fast ascents across the Alps, almost always without a rope. Then there’s the ‘Swiss machine’ Ueli Steck, past holder of the Eiger North Face speed record – 2hrs 47mins, solo. Ueli has had a busy couple of years to say the least, with stories to tell including his ultra-fast ascent of Annapurna’s South Face and being caught up in the high-altitude Sherpa fracas on Everest.

 

Recounting decades of pioneering through their new books will be three very different personalities: Martin Boysen, Martin Moran and Steve McClure. All three climbing legends will be lecturing and talking about their biographies, sharing their experiences.

The RAB party is ure to provide plenty of opportunities to socialise, sample the local ale and maybe even get on the dance floor! Together with the art exhibitions, literature, the RAB Party plus the Boardman Tasker literary prize, it promises to be another unmissable year. The organisers say that there are more surprises to come, so watch this space!

 

Dates are 20-23 November with tickets already on sale.

You can buy tickets and view the full programme of speakers and events at the KMF 2014 website.



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Stop Press! Kendal Mountain Festival Secures Jeff Lowe’s Metanoia
7 November 2014, 8:52 pm

News has just come in from Kendal Mountain Festival HQ, that the event has secured the second-ever public screening of ‘Jeff Lowe’s Metanoia’. Jeff Lowe on the 2nd Ascent of Ama Dablam in 1979 Only completed in the last two weeks and premiered at the Banff Mountain Festival on 2 November, this is a major film that has been in production for several years.  Not only will the film be screened, but Jeff Lowe himself will travel across from the USA to be in Kendal, despite the terminal illness he is suffering from.

 

“We’ve been in discussion for a little while with Jeff and Connie Self, his partner and the film’s producer”, says Festival director Clive Allen. “I have to say it’s a huge privilege that they have allowed us to screen the film so soon; Jeff is determined to come across and share it with us.  It wouldn’t have happened though with out the support of Lowe Alpine who have stepped in to ensure we have the resource to bring Jeff and Connie across.”

 

‘Jeff Lowe’s Metanoia’ explores the life and climbs of the legendary US alpinist. The most talented technical climber of his generation, for 40 years Jeff made his mark across the world; from the big walls of Yosemite and Utah, to the Alps and the great Himalayan peaks. And of course in 1967, along with his brothers Greg and Mike, Jeff founded Lowe Alpine Systems in Colorado.

 

Jeff’s ‘piece de resistance’ lies on North Face of the Eiger. Climbed in 1991, and still unrepeated, Metanoia (graded VII, 5.10, M6, A4) is the hub of this biographical documentary.  Narrated by Jon Krakauer, the film tells the compelling story behind that climb and what lay beneath Jeff’s high adventure lifestyle. For the past decade Jeff has suffered from a relentlessly progressive neurological deterioration, and is now confined to a wheelchair. Since being diagnosed with this terminal disease, he has brought the strength that characterised his climbing career to the physical challenges he faces today, and also to a reassessment of his own mortality. A tribute to a remarkable man and climber, this is a film about one man’s journey from the top of the world to the end of the line. Kendal Mountain Festival and Lowe Alpine are proud to bring you the British premiere; to introduce and talk about the movie Jeff himself has taken the big decision to travel especially to Kendal for this occasion.

The line of Jeff Lowe’s ‘Metanoia’, still unrepeated! Jeff Lowe and the film ‘Jeff Lowe’s Metanoia’ are being brought to Kendal Mountain Festival with the kind assistance of Lowe Alpine.

• Visit the Kendal Mountain Festival 2014 website.
• Buy tickets here

 



Jeff Lowe answers a few questions about the screening of ‘Metanoia’ at Kendal Mountain Festival

 

1) Why did you participate in the making of this film?  

Jeff Lowe: I want to share the experiences and lessons of a life based in love rather than fear; embracing the reality of each moment and digging deep for beauty and wonder.  I know my time is short. Film can convey so much, so succinctly. As time went on during the making of the film, my experience of Metanoia on my Eiger climb, where I had “…a fundamental change of thinking, a transformative change of heart…”, continued to unfold and I found myself on the greatest adventure of all. In our culture, death and dying are seen as horrible. Connie and I see it all quite differently. On the Eiger I saw what might be on the other side of death and I am honestly curious about that and very interested in what is happening to me as I make my way towards that ultimate transition. I have always known that love powers the universe and that all that is creative and good in our world is born out of love. What I didn’t know is that it is the most powerful motivator in life and should be pursued with passion, sensitivity and skill: Love for people, mountains, art, music – whatever it is that you love, you must make it a priority. I was lucky that I did that with climbing… and now I do it with everything and everyone.

Connie Self (Jeff’s partner and the film’s producer): No one leaves our apartment without hearing those 3 little words from Jeff: I love you.

 

2)      How do you feel about it showing at KMF? 

We are thrilled to have our United Kingdom Premier at KMF. This is my tribe. I have premiered other films here, but this one is my legacy – the last hurrah, so to speak. This one is my heart on the screen. KMF brings the climbing community together like very few other places – I am especially grateful that I get to be here – still on the planet – to attend our first UK screening of the film with my all of my tribe that can get here.

 

3)      What do you hope the audience takes away from learning about how you’re living with your illness? 

Life is life and it is really always the same. The chaplain from Hospice once told me that we die the way we live. I am seeing that happening. As a climber, I did the best I could with what I had from where ever I was – on a big wall like the South Face of Snow Patch Spire in the Bugaboos, an alpine climb with a small team on Latok in the Karakoram, or just cragging in Eldorado Canyon – and designing clothing and equipment to have more freedom and fun in the hills – focused on the present moment, having fun, working hard and figuring it out as I go. With the help of loving people, I am still doing the same thing; adjusting my wheelchair to suit me better, finding ways to move and get around so that I can still participate fully in my life, finding new tools to help me speak, new exercises to keep me flexible – and simply enjoying each moment to the best of my ability. It comes pretty easily to me these days. I don’t spend time wishing things were different than they are. There is always plenty to be grateful for – plenty of beauty and wonder and love – so I focus on that. If people take a little from my experience and find a positive personal resonance, that will make this whole project worthwhile.



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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CGR Buyers Guide to headtorches
17 November 2014, 7:07 pm

This season’s CGR Buyers Guide covers headtorches – we look at all the latest ones for 2014.  

Headtorches are something we probably take little notice of because we only use them infrequently. It’s rare that we plan to use one, we might use one for an approach to a winter or alpine route, we may use one to navigate off the mountain when the light has faded. Other than that our most often use of a headtorch is on camp or in a climbing hut.

There are, however, lots of occasions when I had wished I’d had one but hadn’t! My most memorable occasion was in Rjukan, when we had left our packs at the bottom of the route and off we went. We decided to ignore the track heading off rightwards and ploughed on to the top in true Brit fashion only to find we’d run out of daylight! No fear though we managed all the abs using our phones to light the way. Needless to say the event would have been far less exciting if we’d had taken a headtorch or two.

Headorches come into three categories for climbers: a dedicated torch that you know you will be using for climbing – these turn night into day. They are very powerful but can be bulky and need lots of battery power. A headtorch that can be deployed for climbing and will get you out of a tight spot but will also be useful for reading that book in the tent, nipping to the toilet or lighting your way back from the pub. They are packable, lightweight and provide sufficient light to climb with. Then there is the small, lightweight emergency type that you keep in your pack at all other times. These can give just sufficient light but there are some interesting ones that now can be used for ultralight alpine ascents as well as for lighting the way back to the car or as a backup.

So what should you be looking for in a headtorch for mountain activities:

• Variable light settings – these should be easy to operate and should have a boost (full power ) for picking navigation attack points or showing the route, low settings for lighting the path or reading and a red light setting for reading the map (the white light reflects back off the map to reduce the effectiveness of you night vision).
• Easy to operate buttons – these should be super easy to locate and use and especially so with gloves on. We used a standard pair of leather gloves for the tests and a pair of thicker ice climbing gauntlets just to be awkward.
• Easy to use battery compartment – it should be easy to change the batteries in the field or even on a route.
• Good beam dispersal – you need a system that will pick out far objects with a focussed beam and then disperse light for a wider beam when walking down rocky paths or navigating off your route.
• Easy to adjust headstrap – this should be easy to adjust with gloves on and not be a faff. The headstrap should also work with a climbing helmet and not flop about.

There are also other considerations – waterproof, dustproof and easy to maintain. With the newer types of LED torch the days of changing the bulb are over.

We take a close look at all the latest models for 2014 from the major players in the market. We have collected a good range from the top end to a good budget one and tested them in a variety of situations to determine the pros and cons of each. We list them by size and give them a CGR star rating that rates them for their suitability for all mountain sports.

 

Black Diamond Ion

Black Diamond says…

Extremely compact and powerful, the Black Diamond Ion headlamp packs 80 lumens of power into a tiny package for just-in-case lighting and ultralight missions. The touch-control housing lets you switch from full power to dimmed, strobe or red night vision lighting at the swipe of a finger.

Swish, swash swoosh! The new Black Diamond Ion is a brilliant, throw in the bag and forget headtorch. I have definitely replaced my Petzl e-lite with this for all climbing occasions except winter and alpine climbing. The technology is brilliant, the Ion has no buttons and works with pressure swipes and presses. Although tricky to get used to, it took me half a hour of frustration before I got it to work. But once I got used to it I couldn’t leave it alone. Place your finger on the lens, swipe rightwards and the light comes on. Press your finger on the Black Diamond symbol and the light brightens and fades until you have the beam you want. Swipe right to left and the red beam activates, again you can adjust the brightness by pressing the Black Diamond logo on the front. It was, however, very easy to accidentally switch it on and it was confusing for my feeble brain to remember all the sequences needed to operate it.

The Black Diamond Ion gave enough light to light up the path. What a great little headtorch however: the system works with gloves (but not bulky ones) and it’s a great all round headtorch, suitable for 3 season climbing and hiking. If you’re a super light alpine freak then it could be bright enough for that too. There was no focus and the beam dispersal was quite wide. It gave brightness to about 30m so easily enough to light the footpath on the way back to the car or to go running with. It runs on 2 AAA batteries is easy to change and feels very compact and robust. The Black Diamond Ion is superlight too weighing in at a miniscule 47g with 2 lithium batteries and has an IPX4 rating so nice and showerproof. My favourite headtorch for keeping in my pack to deploy when it gets dark on the way back to the car.

CGR rating **** SRP: £24.99

Stockists

LED Lenser Neo

LED Lenser says: Introducing NEO – the ultra-compact, wider-view head lamp from LED Lenser

LED Lenser’s elegant new NEO Head Lamp is a hands-free light with everything an outdoor enthusiast could ask for. Sleek and aerodynamic it incorporates an extra wide-angle 16:9 reflector lens plus built-in Smart Light Technology with three different light settings covering everything from immediate bright light to night reading without glare. For safety there’s a rear red light so that others can see you. Comfortable to wear it weighs only 88 grams (with batteries) and rolls up into a compact bundle for easy portability. A choice of five bright neon colours should satisfy the most style-conscious wearer.

The LED Lenser Neo is more of an active style headtorch rather than a dedicated climbing headtorch. It was nice and sleek and gave a great wide angle beam that easily lit up the footpath when night running or hiking. It was compact to stow in a pack and very easy in use. A button located at the front of the unit operated with three presses – full power, low power and flashing. Two presses activated a red flashing LED at the back of the headtorch on the battery unit.

The LED Lenser Neo gave a great wide angled light. Good enough for running and hiking. The LED Lenser Neo was a very stylish headtorch, the range comes in five bright colours, all very neon. We found the headtorch great for hut/camping use, running and summer hiking. It wasn’t functional enough to be a climbing headtorch as the beam just wasn’t powerful enough to light up distant features. It was more than enough to get you off the crag and back to the car though so a nice all round headtorch. It was light too weighing just 76g with three AAA Lithium batteries (it comes supplied with Alkaline AAA batteries) and its IPX4 rated which is splash/shower proof.

CGR Rating *** SRP £24.95

Stockists

Varta 1W Indestructible Headtorch

Varta says:

Extremely robust (9m drop test), water resistant (IPX4) head light with shock-absorbing rubberized casing.

We scoured the shops and manufacturers for a budget headtorch that would be suitable for mountain activities and settled on the Varta 1W Indestructible headtorch for this feature. Our reasons were that it was easy to use with 2 power settings, full beam and low power. Lightweight (we took the supplied AAA batteries out and weighed it with Lithium batteries) weighing in at 90g, which is refreshing for a budget headtorch, cheaper usually means heavier but not in this case it was easily as light as the more expensive headtorches. The button was nice and big and very easy to use with gloves on and the tilt mechanism was very solid. The batteries were easy to change, you have to remember to tilt the head off the ratchet to access the back properly.

The Varta Indestructable gave a great light – enough to pick out distant features. A great budget headtorch. The 1W LED gave plenty of light to light up features more than 75m away in good visibility and the batteries lasted well over a week of constant use. The Varta 1W headtorch was indeed pretty indestructible – we tested it by dropping off the top of Almscliffe, dropping a climbing pack onto it off a boulder and we dunked it in several puddles. It survived all those tests and we had some fun too.

The headtorch doesn’t win any prizes for style and it was the only torch on test to have a three part headband which made it difficult to adjust on the move. It did, however, stay on a climbing helmet quite well and the rubberized casing did set it apart from the pack and for £15.00 – 16.00 it is very well priced for those on a budget and more than enough you get you operating in darkness.

CGR Rating **** – Best Budget Choice Price £ £16.00 (ish).

Stockists: Tesco and Amazon

Petzl Tikka XP Petzl says:

The Tikka XP is a true all-rounder, combining light weight and a compact design with significant power. Rated at 120 lumens, there are three beam options: flood for close-in lighting, combined with a focused beam for movement, and pure focused beam for distance. It also has a Boost mode, offering temporary access to 160-lumen maximum power, and red lighting and strobe mode. Constant Lighting technology means that power output remains constant, not decreasing gradually as the batteries are drained. There’s also a phosphorescent reflector in the lens that allows location in the dark when switched off.

I’ve been using a Petzl Tikka XP² for several years. It’s been my headtorch of choice for mountain activities and I’ve climbed some great routes with it. The updated Petzl Tikka XP is a great improvement and definitely takes it up a notch. Gone is the single LED with the flip down diffuser, which has been replaced by two LEDs, a diffused lens for general lighting and both for high power.

The headtorch fitted securely onto a climbing helmet and the headband was easy to adjust. I found the tilt ratchet a little flimsy and would like to see future models beef this area up.

The Petzl Tikka XP was comfortable to wear and gave good light settings The Petzl Tikka XP is button operated with a large rubber button situated on the top of the casing and gives the headtorch 5 settings: one long press for general tent/hut reading, press two for higher power (going down the pub), press three and the high power LED comes on as well, press 4 for full power (good for 50 to 60m) and this easily lights up the way ahead whether it’s hiking or climbing. Press five is for flashing and if you keep the button pressed it activities the red LED for helping to keep you night vision. There are just two setting on red, main beam and flashing.

It’s very compact, light and runs on three AAA and weighs in at 76g with three AAA Lithium batteries. The Petzl Tikka XP is excellent for a 3 season headtorch and is suitable for hiking, rock climbing and superlight alpine adventures as well as night running. A very versatile headtorch and well worth the money, my favourite headtorch for trekking trips.

CGR rating **** SRP: £50.00

Stockists

LED Lenser SEO 7R

LED Lenser says: Stand out from the crowd

The pioneering SEO headlamp range from LED Lenser effortlessly combines serious lighting performance with award-winning design and world-class light optics. High on comfort, low on weight, SEO will especially appeal to active users seeking immediate control of their lighting environment.  That’s why each lamp in the series has an integrated white LED for instant bright illumination plus a red safety light to protect night vision.

If you can get past the very scary faces on the packaging the German company LED Lenser makes some great headtorches. The LED Lenser SEO 7R is a top of the range mountain headtorch with reactive lighting sensors and a rechargeable battery unit. The SEO 7R was definitely the most versatile headtorch on test. It was extremely powerful on full power delivering 220 Lumens,  it has a rotating lens that focusses the beam from very wide to picking out features 80-100m away. There was no diffused beam, just one LED with 4 settings from full power to tent reading on three presses with flashing for the fourth. A long press deployed a red LED with two settings, fully on and flashing.

The LED Lenser SEO 7R – a great all round headtorch. The head unit was very compact and the tilt was very good and easy to operate. My only issue with the headtorch was the small size of the rubber button and the fact it was situated at the back of the head unit, but this didn’t really impede it’s use and it worked perfectly every time with or without gloves on. Still if it was larger and further forward it would have been easier to use when on a climbing helmet.

At the back of the SEO 7R was the battery unit. This opened easily to reveal a compact rechargeable battery. The 3.7v 880mAh battery charged via a micro usb slot so no need to take an extra charger (unless you’re an iPhone user), but no worries if it runs out (I’ve been using it recreationally for well over a month and it hasn’t ran out of charge yet) just pop in 3 AAA batteries and let there be light! This was a great, no faff, feature so you could fully charge the battery at the beginning of the day and use it on full power safe in the knowledge that the battery was easy to change in the field.

The headband was easy to adjust but the white soon discoloured, it fitted neatly onto a climbing helmet and didn’t move too much once it was in place. The tilt adjust was also very firm and felt solid when clicked. The LED Lenser SEO 7R was nice and light too weighing at 93g with the supplied rechargeable unit and 94g with three AAA Lithium batteries.

The SEO 7R has Optisense technology which adjusts to the light level, this technology is becoming more popular and we should start to see more of it in 2015. The technology is good and means the headtorch adjusts to a lower power when reading a map and then powers into full beam when focussed to the distance. In use it worked reasonably well, but felt a little slow to react in use and not as noticeable as the Petzl Nao.

In our opinion the LED Lenser SEO 7R was the most versatile headtorch in the test and wins Editors Choice. The beam focussing was nice, the build solid, the rechargeable battery was great and it easy to change in the field. . It easily suitable for all mountain activities from a night run, a benighted last pitch, ice climbing to navigating your way off the mountain in the dark. A great headtorch and my favourite for climbing and teaching night navigation.

GCR Rating ***** – Editors Choice SRP: £79.99

Stockists

Petzl Nao 2014 Petzl Nao 2014 Petzl says:

The NAO uses Petzl’s Reactive Lighting technology, providing light that automatically adapts to your environment. A sensor monitors reflected light from your direction of vision and adapts light output accordingly, so there’s no need to manually adjust brightness when looking between close or distant objects. Another benefit is that it only provides the power you need so the battery can last at least three times longer than it would do under constant full power. The NAO features twin LEDS and a sensor, linked to the rear-mounted battery by the Zephyr cord-lock headband. You can choose between Reactive Lighting or Static modes, with high/low output options in each. In Reactive Lighting mode the headset uses a high-output LED in a wide-angled beam, plus a second LED giving a focused beam where distance output is required. In Static non-reactive mode the headset uses both LEDs on constant. Maximum power output is 575 lumens, maximum beam 135m and max battery life 12.5 hours. The battery is a 2300 mAh lithium-ion unit, rechargeable via an integrated USB plug. The battery pack also accepts 2 x conventional AAA batteries. Performance profiles can be customised via Petzl’s OS 2.0 on your computer. The Petzl NAO gives you the right light when you need it – automatically.

The latest version of the Petzl Nao was by far the most powerful headtorch on test. If you want to climb any route in complete darkness then this is the headtorch for you. It’s a fully featured ‘turns night into day’ expedition headtorch. We had the latest version on test with an improved battery – a whopping 2600mAh Lithium-ion and the ability to run it off 2 AAA batteries when the rechargeable runs out. There was a battery indicator to let you know the battery was fully charged as well as how much charge was left.

The battery compartment showing the massive battery and 2 emergency AAA batteries. The battery pack is rear mounted and charged via a normal usb pin. The whole unit came off via a small clip underneath and you just plug the whole unit into a usb plug. You then clip it back in and plug the wire in. This all felt very complicated and not easy to do in the field. It was important to get everything right at the beginning of the day as changing the batteries in the field was tricky, especially with no light.

The headband set up looked quite complicated but worked really well. The front of the Petzl Nao was elasticated band as normal, but the rear was static cord that cinched up with a cord lock. It fitted a climbing helmet brilliantly and was extremely stable with no movement at all. Of all the headtorches on test, the Nao was the best on a helmet. The tilt adjust was excellent, super solid clicks kept the headtorch in the position required with no movement or flopping- period!

 

A solid fit on a climbing helmet. The front unit was triangular in shape with the bottom two LEDs for providing light and the top being the Reactive Lighting sensor. The left hand LED had a diffused lens for providing general light and the right hand one for full power. On the right hand side was the large switch which you just gently twist forward – once for general light, hold it down a little longer for full, blinding power. The switch was the easiest to use on test with any gloves on. The Petzl Nao was also showerproof with an IPX4 rating.

The Petzl Nao – like having the Sun on your head! On full power the Petzl Nao delivered an awesome 575 Lumens, a real light everything up beam. It easily lit up the way ahead clearly and was a great leader torch. The leader has the most powerful torch to light the way ahead whilst other team members have lower power headtorches to just follow. But whatever you do, do not turn around to look at team members – you will temporarily blind them!

The Reactive Technology worked really well. The Nao is designed to be hands free, look into the distance the light level adjusts to more power, but get the map out and turn the torch dims – it’s really amazing to witness just how good this is and Petzl are beginning to integrate it into some of the headtorch models such as the Tikka RXP. The lighting is also programmable using the Petzl OS software that can be downloaded from the Petzl website.

The Petzl Nao is best if you do a lot of Alpine climbing and spend a considerable amount of time moving in the dark. This is what it is designed for and this is the environment it works best in. It is also very useful for Polar work but needing access to electricity would limit its use on a full expedition. The battery however has lasted a long time and I have had the Nao on test for several months and haven’t needed to recharge it yet. You can buy a spare too so if you want to have one on expedition you can.

The updated 2014 model is a great improvement: the battery life has been improved and you can now run the headtorch off 2 AAA batteries which negates the need for the AAA adapter which was needed for the older model. This area though needs further improvement, I can however understand that the headtorch needs a big, powerful battery for the full power mode, it would have got 5 stars but for field change issue. The Petzl Nao never fails to impress students when I get it out on Night navigation courses, it’s almost cheating they cry – a worthwhile investment if you are heading for your Mountain Leader assessment – this will take the stress out of your Night Nav.  Do say as it gets dark – ‘my lead!’

CGR rating **** SRP: £145.00

Stockists

 

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Source: Climbing Gear Reviews