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Patagonia Men’s Torrentshell Stretch Jacket – Climbing Gear Review
20 July 2013, 7:45 am

On a quest for the perfect hardshell, Kev tests Patagonia’s Torrentshell Stretch Jacket. Read the verdict… Performance: ****

Quality:*****

Style:****

Patagonia say:

“The Torrentshell Stretch Jacket is a waterproof/breathable, fully featured H2No Performance Standard shell. This 2.5-layer rain jacket with nylon ripstop fabric offers generous stretch through the arms and shoulders for mobility and protection in seriously wet weather.”

The Torrentshell Stretch Jacket is part of Patagonia’s Alpine Climbing range. I try to avoid wearing a hardshell jacket unless I really have to and when I do, I generally opt for something light and minimalist so I can barely tell I’m wearing one at all! When I was given the opportunity to test the Torrentshell Stretch  Jacket from Patagonia I was quite excited as it is a sub 400g technical waterproof and I felt it would appeal to all aspects of mountain activity.

So, how was it in practice? Well, Ive used the jacket for a few months now and have taken it on everything from wet walks in the Lake District to ski tours in the alps, ice and mixed climbs and even running. Starting with the cut and fit, I immediately noticed that was a well designed jacket. The sleeves are articulated and the combination of gussetted underarms and the stretch panels on the outer arms and shoulders help to aid movement when climbing. There was no evidence of the jacket riding up when I put my hands above my head and the velcro closure cuff worked well both underneath and over the top of gloves. The tab were also easy to operate and adjust whilst wearing gloves.

The Patagonia Torrentshell Stretch Jacket is a versatile hardshell, I found the cut of the body and arms to offer great freedom of movement for climbing. The only negative was that the hood didn’t really work with a helmet. The length of the jacket is ideal for climbing, being around about hip length. It sits comfortably under a harness and adjusts easily via an elasticated drawcord with glove friendly zippers. The cut of the body is probably best described as athletic, and my size small test garment fitted me well, accommodating a base layer and mid layer underneath with flapping around or being baggy. Overall I was generally very impressed with the cut of the Torrentshell Stretch Jacket , and it was definitely heading into the ‘couldn’t really tell it was there’ category.

The only thing that let the jacket down for me was the hood. Patagonia describe it as: ‘Helmet-compatible, 2-way-adjustable hood with laminated visor rolls down and stows.’ However I was disappointed to find it small, tight and restrictive when I tried to put it up whilst wearing my climbing helmet. It felt like it was compressing my neck and obscuring my view. The hood needs more volume and the peak needs to come further forward for this jacket to achieve a 5 star rating. Without a helmet the hood worked fine and the adjusters were simple to use, even with gloved hands.

Patagonia use their proprietary H2No® Performance Standard shell: 2.5-layer, 2.4-oz 40-denier 100% nylon ripstop with a waterproof/breathable barrier and a Deluge® DWR (durable water repellent) finish on the main body of the jacket and the stretch panels on the shoulders arms and back utilise a 2.5-layer, 4-oz 40-denier 100% nylon with mechanical stretch, a waterproof/breathable barrier and again, a Deluge DWR finish. I like the H2No fabric, it is quite light and seems plenty breathable enough, easily comparable with other brands out there. There is no mesh inner though and some people may dislike the crinkly, rustling nature of the non-stretch fabric, but personally I did not find this to be an issue. The DWR finish seems very durable and there are still no signs of the garment wetting ot, not even in the high wear areas such as the elbows and shoulders.

The jacket features a one way watertight, coated center-front zipper with internal storm flap. This seems to do a great job of keeping the elements at bay, is smooth and easy to use and works again, whilst wearing gloves.

The pocket configuration on the Torrentshell Strech Jacket provides 2 handwarmer pockets and one chest pocket. These all close with watertight zippers featuring glove friendly tabs. Personally, for an out and out climbing shell, I find the handwarmer pockets a little superfluous to requirements and would be happy enough with just one chest pocket. The 2 handwarmer pockets don’t get in the way though, although  may do if they are full and you are wearing a climbing harness.

Other features of nore are the brushed fleece area on the collar and chinguard for added comfort, both nice touches. One of the handwarmer pockets turns into a stuff pocket with clip loop, but I found it quite hard to get the jacket in and do the zip up, so this wasn’t a feature I used a lot.

Conclusion:

A great all round hill jacket, light and well made, it has a well cut body and I particularly like the stretch fabric. It is however let down by a poor hood which I didn’t feel worked very well whilst wearing a helmet. It was just too small. Perfect without a helmet though. Not quite the best choice for out and out climbing, maybe try the M10 jacket instead, but a good all round rain coat.

• Price: £160
• Find out more and buy this product from the Patagonia website.

Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Aurora Women’s Ziplock Harness by Wild Country – Climbing Gear Review
29 July 2013, 10:09 am

 Kasia Baldwin heads to the sunny Kalymnos sport climbs and the mountain crags of North Wales to put the new Wild Country Aurora Women’s Ziplock Harness. Read her verdict… Performance: ****

Quality:****

Style:***

Wild Country say:

“Lightweight and superbly shaped, this all rounder has a figure hugging, flexible fit for comfort and performance on big days out.”

Due to go on holiday to Kalymnos for the first time, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to trial and test the Wild Country Aurora Women’s Ziplock harness.  On first impressions, before even trying it on, I was impressed with how light it felt. Testing the small size (it only comes in XS, S and M) it weighs in at 385 grams. I was however slightly disappointed that it came in ‘cool grey’ and not something a bit brighter.

The Wild Country Aurora Women’s Ziplock Harness is a nice lightweight harness, perfect for sport climbs like those found in Kalymnos. I’m a size 10/12 and the small fits both hips and thighs. The fact that the leg loops are Ziplock as well helps with this.

The harness itself certainly proved itself to be comfortable with its ‘Batwing’ belt shaping, having tested it sport climbing in Kalymnos and multi-pitch trad climbing in North Wales.

Features:

The harness has one Ziplock fastening on the right-hand side of the waist. This obviously helps reduce the weight and I must have had the right size for me as I never felt the harness and it’s gear loops were lopsided, which can sometimes happen with harnesses that can only be adjusted on one side. I did however definitely need two hands to tighten the harness as the 20mm webbing was quite stiff through the Ziplock.

Once you’ve tightened the harness there are two elasticated loops on the inside of the waist belt at the front for the ‘excess’ waist belt to be stored. This works fine until you weight the harness with some gear and hang around for a bit. After a while the ‘excess’ waist belt slips out and annoyingly hangs down. This didn’t happen all the time but made me question whether I should have got a bigger size so that I might have more excess waist belt to thread through the loops. I didn’t have a medium size so couldn’t compare. (Ed- Wild Country stated that they think Kasia would have been better with a Medium harness, this would have solved the issue she was having).

The Wild Country Aurora Women’s Ziplock Harness is well equipped to carry lots of quickdraws. The only negative we found with this harness was that the excess waist band tended to pop out and hang down. Looking at the moulded gear loops it was great to have five for once on a women’s harness, something I’ve never had on previous harnesses. Whilst I didn’t really need the fifth gear loop at the back whilst sport climbing it came in handy on the North Wales multi-pitch trad climbs, at least to store prusik loops, sling and belay plate. The harness also sports a haul loop at the back.

The Wild Country Aurora Women’s Ziplock Harness has 5 gear loops. well placed to handle a lrage rack of trad gear. Seen here used on the North Wales classic E1, Cemetery Gates. Another feature I also loved when caught short is the releasable leg loop fastening on the waist belt. This meant when I had to answer the call of nature I didn’t have to keep taking my harness off or try and overstretch the elasticated leg loop straps. It made things simpler, though re-attaching them can be a bit fiddly to begin with.

With regards to the leg loops, one thing that differed from my last harness was the fact that the webbing wasn’t sewn to all of the leg loop padding – about an inch of the padding is not attached on either side. Whilst this didn’t affect the performance of the harness, it felt a little unfinished, like the end of the waist belt that didn’t always sit snugly within the loops provided to keep it in place.

Conclusion:

Overall the Wild Country Aurora Women’s Ziplock is a nice harness with some good features. Plus points for me are its comfort, provision of five gear loops and releasable leg loop straps. The only real negative is the end of the waist belt not staying in place and it would be nice to see a brighter colour.

• Price: £##.##
• Stockists.

Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Gear News- the new 2013 alpine clothing range from Black Diamond.
30 July 2013, 9:39 am



CGR takes a preview at the specialized Alpine Range of clothing from the legendary US company Black Diamond We first noticed that Black Diamond had moved on from just providing t-shirts as clothing during 2012 when they introduced a dedicated rock climbing trousers, shorts, hoodies and jackets. That trend continues with the introduction of specialised alpine clothing, CGR takes a preview at what’s on offer:

DAWN PATROL – SCHOELLER® COLLECTION

Dawn Patrol—our Schoeller collection—is built around two core technologies delivering a myriad of benefits. Schoeller stretch-woven fabric is highly durable and optimally breathable. Great stretch and recovery allow for a slim, efficient fit without restriction. NanoSphere® Technology is the industry’s best-performing and longest-lasting solution for repelling water, dirt, and oil. NanoSphere keeps you dry and comfortable in the field and your product clean and like new season after season.

Dawn Patrol™ Hybrid Shell In situations where demanding terrain and wide-ranging weather predominate, movement matters. Our Dawn Patrol Hybrid Shell delivers a superior combination of active and protective benefits without weight, restriction, or compromise.



Fabric: Schoeller® StretchWoven nylon (190 g/m2, 95% nylon,5% elastane) with NanoSphere® Technology

Dawn Patrol™ Hybrid Bib We recommend the Dawn Patrol Hybrid Bib for anyone whose demands require both full coverage and full features. The addition of stretch panels gives these bibs the freedom of a regular pant with the improved protection of a shell in mixed conditions.



Fabric: Schoeller® StretchWoven nylon (190 g/m2, 95% nylon, 5% elastane) with a body-mapped three-layer waterproof laminate (143 g/m2, 71% nylon, 4% elastane, polyurethane laminate with tricot backer) with NanoSphere® Technology.

Dawn Patrol™ LT Shell We often require a softshell of stealthy performance and proportions. The Dawn Patrol LT Shell is a study in simplicity and minimalism—without compromise. Its clean, streamlined silhouette carries all the features you need and nothing you don’t.



Fabric: Schoeller® StretchWoven nylon (190 g/m2, 95% nylon, 5% elastane) with NanoSphere® Technology.

Dawn Patrol™ Touring Pant Traverse great distances in variable conditions with sizable elevation changes at speed, while staying warm and dry: this is the new Dawn Patrol Touring Pant.



Fabric: Schoeller® StretchWoven nylon (260 g/m2, 91% nylon, 9% elastane) with brushed back and NanoSphere® Technology.

ACCESS SERIES – PRIMALOFT® COLLECTION

Access Series gives you the ability to wear an insulator and move. Core warmth is delivered by PrimaLoft One® insulation technology—hybridized with Schoeller® stretch panels that are treated with NanoSphere® Technology.

Access Hybrid Hoody The Access Hybrid Hoody’s mixed approach to materials incorporates the durability of ripstop and the agility of stretch panels. It insulates on ice and on rock and is built for movement and warmth.



Fabric: Nylon shell (20D 40 g/m2 Pertex® nylon ripstop with DWR) with PrimaLoft® insulation (60 g/m2 PrimaLoft One®) and Schoeller® StretchWoven nylon side panels with NanoSphere® Technology (260 g/m2, 91% nylon, 9%

CO-EFFICIENT SERIES – POWERDRY® COLLECTION

CoEfficient Series enhanced breathability in a low-profile form. Our most efficient midlayer— another textile development unique to Black Diamond, this fabric was optimized for warmth, breathability, and dry time. Fine-tuned to our specifications, this High Efficiency® Power Dry® fabric has enhanced durability and is the ideal lightweight technical fleece. Perfect for layering under our shell collection.

CoEfficient Hoody With this one we addressed three critical needs—warmth, breathability, and fast dry times. The CoEfficient Hoody delivers it all with great stretch, maneuverability, and durability as well.



Fabric: Polartec® Power Dry® High Efficiency® fleece (200 g/m2, 88% polyester, 12% elastane).

We are currently awaiting test samples but in the meantime you can check out stockists from the Black Diamond Website.



Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Salewa Miage 35 Backpack – Climbing Gear Review
8 August 2013, 12:24 pm

James Parkinson heads out into the hills to see if the Miage 35 pack from Salewa, really is as versatile as it sounds?

Performance ****

Style****

Value for Money****

Billed by Salewa as a “classic backpack for alpine needs” the Miage 35 is designed for mountaineering, ski-mountaineering and via ferrata.

First things first – the Salewa Miage 35 is an exceptionally comfortable sack to carry. The Contact Fit system uses big foam pads against the back which move with the wearer and enables good freedom of movement for climbing of scrambling. I climbed up to HVS wearing the Salewa Miage 35 and didn’t have any trouble.

James testing how the pack carries whilst climbing. Botterill’s Slab, Scafell Crag. The removable hip belt is very well designed; it sits nicely on my hips and takes most of the load off the shoulders. Some people may not like a full-on padded belt on a climbing/mountaineering sack but for those long walk-ins carrying a full rack and ropes I found it very useful. The buckle system on the belt is worth mentioning; instead of a large buckle front and centre, a smaller buckle attaches on the left hand side and the belt is tightened via pull tabs on each side of the waist – a simple idea that works well. When the climbing harness goes on and the gear is racked, it is very simple to remove the belt (it’s held in place via a slot and a large Velcro patch) and stow it in the body of the pack. A smaller webbing belt is included as a replacement if needed.

On first acquaintance, the shoulder straps may seem a bit thin and I was concerned that they may cut into my shoulders. This turned out not to be the case; the combination of the ergonomic shaping of the straps and the excellent belt meant that I never had sore shoulders.

The Salewa Miage 35 pack is a good all round mountaineering pack and just as happy out cragging in the UK as it is on alpine ski tours. Seen here on the a crag approach in the Lake District. The 35L size makes the Salewa Miage 35 ideal for UK trad climbing (I’ve had all my gear in it for a big day on the north face of Scafell and a rope strap under the lid gives you further options) but many of the other features of the sack point to more specific uses. A diagonal ski carry system (as well as side compression straps for a more traditional A frame) along with compartments for an avalanche probe and shovel make this a very functional sack for ski-mountaineering missions or hut-to-hut tours. One slight drawback is that there is only one ice axe holder, further highlighting the specificity of the sack towards classic mountaineering rather than harder winter climbing.

Salewa Miage 35 pack, fully loaded for climbing. The lid has both internal and external pockets for all your bits and an elastic bungee on top. A nice touch to the underside of the lid is an SOS label, giving emergency phone numbers for several countries as well as simple arm signals and Morse-style codes for if the worst should happen.

A couple of other features that are useful are the slot for a hydration tube (and elastic holders on the shoulder strap) and a small pocket on the left of the hip belt and a fabric gear loop on the right. There are also mesh pockets on each side for stashing water bottles or ski skins.

Conclusion

The Salewa Miage 35 is a comfortable and versatile sack, very good for UK rock climbing as well as classic mountaineering and ski touring. Maybe not ideal for winter climbing due to only having one tool attachment point but would do the job. Several nice little touches and features.

SRP: £85.00

Stockists



Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Millet Absolute TRX 9mm climbing rope- Climbing Gear Review
15 August 2013, 4:33 pm





The domination of triple rated ropes continues: CGR puts the Millet Absolute TRX 9mm rope to the test.  Performance****

Durability *****

Value for money #####

Who would ever think that a company that started life manufacturing the first shopping bags with shoulder straps would evolve into a major French tour de force in alpine equipment? Well the more I write these reviews and the more history I delve into the more amazed I am!

Millet founders showing off their first backpacks. Many here in the UK might mistake Millet for the retail outlet Millets – that is a confusion we here at Climbing Gear Reviews are more than happy to clarify. Make no mistake there is no connection whatsoever, the pedigree of Millet equipment is well established. They started making backpacks in the 1930’s and then began supplying French expeditions in the 1950’s. They have a long standing association with the Chamonix Guides Company and on any trip to the Alps you will see how extensive the brand is. You can read more on the history of Millet here.

Now that I’ve dispelled the association with that popular UK retailer, we are happy to announce that we have several Millet products on test here at CGR – the first being the Absolute TRX 9mm rope. Kev has recently reviewed another triple rated rope and waxed lyrical on the versatility. I’m also about to add to that, if you are planning to buy a ‘one size fits all’ rope then these styles of rope are ideal and well worth the investment.

The Millet Absolute TRX was perfect for long sport routes – Kev working out on Free and easy in prep for his epic Totally Free ascent. I first came across using a single 9mm rope watching Pete Gommersall on his attempts repointing Urgent Action at Kilnsey. This, of course, was well before triple rated ropes and his redpoints were on a 9mm half rope (we didn’t even have 8 or 8.5mm ropes in t’ good old days). He obviously appreciated the lightness of the system but needless to say the rope didn’t last long before the sheath got trashed.

The model tested was the TRX 9 with a hydrophobic dry treatment, the ropes, the range also comes with an anti-friction coating. The manufacturing technology is Millet Triaxiale. This means that the core is made up of three separate, braided cores. This means that if the rope is cut (say through falling onto a sharp edge) there is some redundancy in the system as you may have one or two fully complete cores still in use. Of course, a dry treated rope is a little heavier but is likely to last longer and indispensable for winter and ice climbing (unless you like dragging up to 15% more weight up your route in water).

The Absolute TRX proved to be a great all-rounder. As good for trad as it was for sport. Dave @ Clogywn y Grochan So how did the Millet Absolute TRX perform for climbing? Firstly the all-important handling, the rope felt thin for single use – I had to buy a new belay device as my old Gri-Gri wasn’t up to the job. The rope is stiff to handle, this is not in any way a disadvantage; Mammut ropes have always been stiff and the Millet rope is similar in feel. The advantage being they last for ages and take a real trashing. I have used the rope in a variety of situations but mostly for redpointing and working out at Malham this season. The rope has performed brilliantly for this use; the 60m length was perfect for those long left hand routes like Yosemite Wall and Space Race. It felt light and pliable enough for those tricky clips. I’ve taken quite a few falls on the rope and it’s showing absolutely no sign of wear at all, especially in the 3-10m area that takes the real beasting in any rope.

I used it straight out of the bag and it had a few kinks, but these soon came out. It hasn’t suffered too much with kinking since and it’s getting better the more I use it  - even when used with an italian hitch the kinks soon came out.

Another advantage is that the rope has minimal stretch so when you are working routes and want pull into a quickdraw you don’t ‘sag’ back down another 30cm when your belayer has taken you in: all good for harmonious belay relations. This is especially important on very long routes with lots of rope out. The rope worked very well in a Gri Gri 2 and Petzl Reverso 3 with no slippage when holding falls or working routes.

Easy to use as a double rope system as well as single. The rope came with a dyed middle marker and the ends were sealed with marker tips, these came off however and the rope ends were not as well sealed as I would have liked on a high end product such as this. The ends would benefit from being pressure sealed, this would enhance the quality of the rope, but to be honest this is a minor fault and the only one I can find with this rope. The colour was a fantastic bright green and never failed to attract comments every time it came out the ropebag, I loved looking down at it when high on a route, it cut a striking line down the route. For those who may baulk at the bright green, the rope also comes in a more muted red colour

I have used the rope for trad as a half rope, I’ve used in doubled up on grit routes and it has performed very well in all situations. I haven’t used it for winter climbing yet as it arrived during late spring, but I can see it doing very well for a single rope when ice climbing. I probably wouldn’t use it for hard mixed routes as it’s too heavy to carry in to use as a half rope, I’d take an 8mm or 7.5mm for that. But for ice climbing it would be great, it would work well for abbing using a tag rope (which is what I’ll do).

So the Millet Absolute TRX 9 is a great all round rope that will serve you well in all climbing situations, trad, sport and winter so it’s great value if you are an all-rounder and want just one rope, it’s triple rating makes it safe for any situation you are going to use it for. It’s very durable and easy handling ensures that it will last a long time.

SRP: £###.##

Stockists.



Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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FIRST ARC’TERYX EUROPEAN STAND-ALONE STORE OPENS IN LONDON – Climbing Gear News
22 August 2013, 8:57 pm



FIRST ARC’TERYX EUROPEAN STAND-ALONE STORE OPENS IN LONDON

Vancouver, BC – The first European stand-alone Arc’teryx shop has officially opened its doors in London. This exciting new store, in partnership with Snow & Rock, is located in St Martin’s Lane, Covent Garden – a prestigious pedestrian shopping area linking Long Acre and Seven Dials, whilst also being adjacent to Snow+Rock’s existing Mercer Street store.

Arc’teryx has built a reputation as an innovator in the outdoor industry. Renowned for their impeccable fit, cutting edge fabrics and meticulous attention to detail, Arc’teryx create products that enhance performance in the outdoors. The new 70 m2 store will showcase the essence of the entire Arc’teryx collection, which covers hiking, mountaineering, alpine climbing, wintersports, packs and lifestyle wear. The store will also be the first place to preview many new products, as well as being a home to events with team athletes including renowned British climber James McHaffie and bouldering sensation Mina Leslie-Wujastyk.

The interior of the store features large landscape and nature images shot by Arc’teryx photographers Angela Percival and Brian Goldstone. The pale grey floor, black ceilings and high steel and concrete displays underline the classic, understated high quality look of Arc’teryx products.

Having introduced Arc’teryx to the UK in 2000, and helped grow the Canadian brand to where it is today, it was only natural that Snow+Rock was chosen as their partner to open a store in the UK. The Covent Garden shop is the brand’s first stand-alone European store, and precedes the opening of two new stores in Seattle (Sept 3) and Vancouver (1 October).  Arc’teryx also has a store in Montreal and shop-in-shop partnerships with Globetrotter, Cologne and Transa in Zurich.



Neil Bradley, Regional Commercial Director EMEA at Arc’teryx commented: “We’re thrilled to continue the rollout of Arc’teryx within the UK. There’s a growing, loyal following for the brand and this partner-store is a new way for us to make more Arc’teryx products available to our consumers whilst also allowing us to give more of a flavour of what the brand stands for. To do this together with one of our retail partners is also very satisfying; we are really dedicated to working together with our customers to build our joint business.”

The shop will open in time for the Autumn/Winter season, showcasing the brand’s latest innovations including its award-winning down technology and the new Gore-Tex Pro which is 22% more breathable, more windproof, waterproof and rugged than the previous product generation.



Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Mammut MTR71 Trail Running Shorts and MTR 201 Men’s Long Sleeved Zip Top – Trail Running Gear Review
27 August 2013, 2:52 pm

Last spring saw Mammut introduce an exciting new trail running range comprising clothing, footwear and accessories.  Using the latest innovative fabrics and designs, Mammut has created a range that they claim, offers unrivaled comfort and performance. CGR have been hitting the hills and trails to test out 2 key products in the range: the MTR71 Trail Running Shorts and the MTR 201 Men’s Long Sleeved Zip Top. So what was the verdict?  

Testing out the Mammut MTR 71 shorts and MTR 201 top in the Aiguilles Rouges, Chamonix  MTR71 Trail Running Shorts

Mammut MTR71 Shorts Performance: *****

Quality: *****

Style:*****

Well, starting with the Mammut MTR71 Trail Running Shorts and the verdict is unanimously positive. I absolutely love them. They’re light, flexible, well designed and great quality. Everything you’d expect from a Swiss company in fact.

Testing the Mammut MTR 71 Shorts on the local trails in the Yorkshire Dales. Mammut say the MTR71 Trail Running Shorts are:

“extremely lightweight and highly breathable, preventing the build-up of heat and promoting temperature regulation. The Mammut VENtech fabric has an antibacterial treatment, which helps reduce odour. They also benefit from an athletic fit; great freedom of movement, thanks to the high elastane content in the fabric and reflective logos for visual safety.“

The fit of the shorts is great. I have a 29 inch waist and Size Small works perfectly. They are reasonably close fitting without being tight, but the great cut and flexible fabric (it is slightly stretchy) means that you barely notice that you’re wearing them. The flat waist band is comfortable and doesn’t chafe and the simple drawcord keeps everything secure. The internal brief is comfortable, breathable, quick drying and supportive. The VENtech fabric with antibacterial finish keeps odours at bay even after repeated wearing and washing and the fabric dries quickly. I’ve used these shorts in all weathers and conditions and can safely say that this is the best pair of running shorts I’ve ever used. I really like the small rear zipped pocket which is perfect for keeping keys and energy gels close to hand.

A great piece of kit. Well done Mammut

Price: £60

• For more information visit the Mammut website.

 MTR 201 Men’s Long Sleeved Zip Top

Mammut MTR 201 Men’s Long Sleeve Zip Top Performance: *****

Quality: *****

Style:*****

Mammut say:

“a medium-weight shirt built for activity, with an athletic fit and seam design, with reflective logos for visual safety. Fast drying material means lasting comfort and the fabric’s antibacterial treatment helps reduce odour. The shirt features structured knit fabric ideal for higher altitudes, a securable front zip for tailored ventilation adjustment and flat-locked seams for extra elasticity and abrasion resistance.“

First of all I’d have to say that labeling this piece as a being purely for trail running, is probably doing it an injustice. Yes, I’ve used it lots for running around the local hills and trails, as well as in the Alps but it’s also perfect for hill walking, rock climbing, trekking and cycling. It is dubbed a 3 season piece and as such it is ideal for running at higher altitudes.

The Mammut MTR 201 Men’s Long Sleeve Zip is perfect for running at higher altitudes. Again it is a superbly designed and crafted piece of clothing where the main benefits come from it’s simplicity. It is another example of a piece of clothing that you could almost forget you were wearing. The close, athletic fit really is that comfortable. The VENtech fabric breathes well, transporting moisture from the skin and keeping you dry and comfortable. The antibacterial treatment keeps odors at bay and the short collared zip neck can be secured at any level to provide bespoke venting. The flatlock seams ensure a chafe free fit.

Other features include reflective logos for visual safety. The fabric is also treated with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) 30+ to help filter out the harmful rays of the sun.

Another fantastic piece of clothing, so good you’ll forget you’re wearing it!

Price: £60

• For more information visit the Mammut website.

Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Millet Denali Jacket – Climbing Gear Review
29 August 2013, 6:02 pm



CGR reviewer James Parkinson tests out the summer alpine shell from Millet

Jacket for modern mountaineering: in-action performance, freedom of movement, extreme resistance to adverse weather and abrasion.

Performance – ****

Quality – *****

Style – ****

Relatively unknown in the UK, Millet (pronounced mee-ay and not to be confused with a certain high street camping shop) have been making outdoor clothing and equipment (especially their famous rucksacks) in France since before the Second World War. With input from such legends as Lachenel, Bonatti and Messner, and now providing clothing and gear to the Compagnie des Guides of Chamonix, Millet are a big name in European outdoor equipment. With them expanding their operations on this side of the Channel, CGR got their hands on the softshell Denali Jacket.

Billed as a “jacket for modern mountaineering: in-action performance, freedom of movement and extreme resistance to adverse weather and abrasion”, the Millet Denali is built from Millet’s own Element Shield Matrix softshell fabric. I found this to be quite thick and robust and stood up to some thrutchy chimney climbing very well without damage. The Matrix fabric is also very weather resistant – pretty much windproof and light rain actually beaded up on the fabric. Because of this, although primarily a summer jacket, the Denali wouldn’t be a bad choice for year round use – sunny ice cragging or drizzly running could all come within its scope. The fabric is also very stretchy, something I found useful when it came to the fit of the jacket.

The Millet Denali looked very stylish on. The athletic fit was great for climbing. The Millet Denali is ergonomically cut and some care may be needed with sizing. I had a medium (my usual size in jackets) and found it to be very close fitting. As it turned out, this wasn’t an issue as the stretch of the fabric allowed for unrestricted movement. I did find however that the body was slightly short and was in danger of being pulled out of my harness when climbing. In contrast, I found the sleeves to be an excellent length; I have reasonably long arms and I never felt like the sleeves were too short. Velcro tabs at the wrists also allow for some adjustability.

I found the high collar of the Denali to be very comfortable, fitting snugly but not tightly. An issue I have had before with hoodless jackets is that the collars just never seem right and struggle to seal out the elements. With this jacket, I really liked the high fit and elastic drawstring of the collar to keep out the breeze.

Comfortable enough for all day wear. The full-length zip runs smoothly and has an underflap to further block out the wind. Two large pockets cover pretty much the whole of the body of the jacket providing plenty of space for OS maps, guidebooks or chocolate bars. A drawstring at the hem allows you to cinch it in but I never felt the need.

Millet Denali Jacket – light, breathable, flexible…perfect for moving quick in the mountains. James tests his on the Cosmiques Arete, Chamonix. Millet have reinforced the shoulders with patches of Schoeller® Keprotec®, a material that incorporates Kevlar to make it very hardwearing and resistant to abrasion. I thought the Matrix fabric used in the rest of the jacket was pretty tough but I don’t suppose some extra burl is a bad thing, especially if you’re planning on doing a lot of load carrying.

Available in blue/black (the version I had), red/black and black/blue, the Millet Denali is a good looking piece of kit which performs well and is suitable for a wide range of activities across the seasons.

SRP: £120.00

Stockists



Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Wild County Blaze Harness – Climbing Gear Review
4 September 2013, 9:57 am





CGR takes a look at the new lightweight Wild Country Blaze harness to see if takes the lobs and epic belay sessions. Performance ****

Style****

Value for money****

Earlier in the season CGR reviewer looked at the new Wild Country Aurora, a female specific harness from the UK based company Wild Country. Wild Country have been making harnesses since 1979, they were the first company to introduce bar tacking for extra safety and of course they produced the legendary Littlejohn harness which superseded the very painful Whillans harness from Troll.

Their harness range has come on a long way since then and the current harness range is very versatile, ranging from the all-round Summit harness to the children’s harnesses. To complement the new female Aurora harness reviewed by Kaisa, Wild County also sent the new men’s rock climbing harness The Blaze for test.

The Wild Country Blaze is the new breed of super light harnesses from Wild County. Light, comfortable and easy to fit. The Blaze is marketed as an all-round harness suitable for all rock climbing activities and I would agree. The harness would be fine for Alpine climbing and general winter climbing, but if you do a lot of icefall climbing the lack of ice clipper slots will impair the performance – Wild Country do have specific winter harnesses in the range, notably the Summit.

There is a great video from Wild Country athelete Tom Randall using the Blaze harness:



The technology is called LST which stands for ‘load spread technology’; this mimics the Arcteryx Warp technology but is much less complex and therefore reduces the price. The LST is then laminated between the outer material and a die cut foam for comfort. This is now a proven weight saving technology and will become ever more standard on harness designs.

I tested a size Medium, I am a size 32” waist and the sizing was fine. The harness has a good range of size adjustment I would say a medium would fit waist sizes from 30” to 36”. The range comes in sizes S, M and L so you will find a harness to suit your size. Sizing is important as you will need to fit the harness so the excess waist tongue fits into both retaining loops, this will stop the issues Kaisa was having with the Aurora and I was having when I first used the harness. I have become a fan of the fully adjustable harness of late as I have found the leg loop adjustability useful for my beefy mountain legs – I no longer have matchstick sport climber legs and feel all the better for it!

I have used the harness all season on plenty of trad and sport climbing and it has performed very well in both these areas. The Blaze is a fully adjustable harness; both the waist belt and the legloops adjust with a Ziplock buckle. This worked very smoothly with the 20mm webbing, it cinched nice and tight and never came loose. It also undid very nicely even after repeated falls in it. The waist belt had two retaining loops for the excess tape and I was able to locate and use these easily. One retaining loop, however was located in the centre of the rear, right hand gear loop and at first it cause a little trouble when I was clipping gear through it. Once I had tucked the webbing tightly under the waist belt it became less of an issue.

Plenty of room on the gear loops for carrying kit. The legloops also tightened easily and smoothly and the rise felt just right for my height. This gave a good fit and ensured the waist belt stayed on my waist above the hips. When I teach climbing I spend a lot of time on fitting a harness correctly, having a harness on your hips is very dangerous. Also, a well fitted harness a much more comfortable experience for both climbing and belaying. The ziplock could be undone completely for fitting the legloops with crampons on.  The excess tape was tidied up with a single retaining loop on the leg, this was a little oversized and occasionally the tape dangled down. Again careful sizing would be needed to ensure you had enough tape for it to go through the loop and stay there. The problem could be easily solved with a smaller sized retaining loop. The rear, elasticated, leg loop adjusters could be adjusted using the tiny steel buckles, they were fixed and not suitable for undoing in the field, so if you are taken short on a big route you would have to undo the leg loops completely to complete your toilet.

The waist was very comfortable due to the 5mm medium density foam, I have spent a lot of time belaying this season both prolonged sessions at Malham with Kev on his epic ascent of Totally Free and hanging belays for multi pitch trad and the comfort has been excellent. I haven’t noticed it being too sweaty even in our recent spell of hot weather, the waist belt foam felt breathable without the need for excessive ventilation.

Wild Country Blaze harness. Great for trad and sport climbing. The Wild Country Blaze harness comes with four gear loops. These were traditional 10mm tape encased with clear plastic tubing of semi-circular design. A tried and tested gear loops design that has stood the test of time. The front two were angle towards the tie in loop and the rear two were horizontal. They all worked fine, I had a minor issue with gear falling over my thigh when the loop was fully loaded with gear for trad but with a slight racking re-arrangement this was avoided. I was able to locate and replace gear easily, the loops were well bartacked so will last the life of the harness. There was a small loop on the back, large enough to take a karabiner but too small for anything else. This would be fine for clipping your chalkbag into the harness but not for much else. My preference is to carry my emergency kit on this loop (prussic and Ropeman) but most people clip their chalkbag directly into a harness so it’s fine for this purpose. It also removes the very dangerous temptation to belay into this loop, as I have seen done on numerous occasions.

The tie in loops were very burly in construction: triple folded and triple bartacked. It felt very reassuring in, what is the most important part of the harness. They were plenty big enough for two 9mm ropes and really did have a reassuring, burly looking feel to them. I had complete confidence taking fall in it and it performed well for falls as the back was wide and comfortable. The abseil loop was also double looped and triple bartacked, this complemented the rugged construction. It was large enough to take plenty of screwgates and other items on belays.

I have used the Wild Country Blaze harness for all the spring rock climbing season and if you are looking for an all round rock climbing harness you won’t go far wrong. It’s comfortable, light, super adjustable and has a great freedom of movement feel to it. Just remember to get the sizing right and the addition of a bigger loop or even a fifth gear loop would make it even better.

SRP £60.00

Stockists



Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

[comPiler]

Wild Country Blaze Harness – Climbing Gear Review
4 September 2013, 9:57 am





CGR takes a look at the new lightweight Wild Country Blaze harness to see if takes the lobs and epic belay sessions. Performance ****

Style****

Value for money****

Earlier in the season CGR reviewer Kasia, looked at the new Wild Country Aurora, a female specific harness from the UK based company Wild Country. Wild Country have been making harnesses since 1979, they were the first company to introduce bar tacking for extra safety and of course they produced the legendary Littlejohn harness which superseded the very painful Whillans harness from Troll.

Their harness range has come on a long way since then and the current harness range is very versatile, ranging from the all-round Summit harness to the children’s harnesses. To complement the new female Aurora harness reviewed by Kasia, Wild County also sent the new men’s rock climbing harness, The Blaze for test.

The Wild Country Blaze is the new breed of super light harnesses from Wild County. Light, comfortable and easy to fit. The Blaze is marketed as an all-round harness suitable for all rock climbing activities and I would agree. The harness would be fine for Alpine climbing and general winter climbing, but if you do a lot of icefall climbing the lack of ice clipper slots will impair the performance – Wild Country do have specific winter harnesses in the range, notably the Summit.

There is a great video from Wild Country athlete Tom Randall using the Blaze harness:



The technology is called LST which stands for ‘load spread technology’; this mimics the Arc’teryx Warp technology but is much less complex and therefore reduces the price. The LST is then laminated between the outer material and a die cut foam for comfort. This is now a proven weight saving technology and will become ever more standard on harness designs.

I tested a size Medium, I am a size 32” waist and the sizing was fine. The harness has a good range of size adjustment I would say a medium would fit waist sizes from 30” to 36”. The range comes in sizes S, M and L so you will find a harness to suit your size. Sizing is important as you will need to fit the harness so the excess waist tongue fits into both retaining loops, this will stop the issues Kasia was having with the Aurora and I was having when I first used the harness. I have become a fan of the fully adjustable harness of late as I have found the leg loop adjustability useful for my beefy mountain legs – I no longer have matchstick sport climber legs and feel all the better for it!

I have used the harness all season on plenty of trad and sport climbing and it has performed very well in both these areas. The Blaze is a fully adjustable harness; both the waist belt and the legloops adjust with a Ziplock buckle. This worked very smoothly with the 20mm webbing, it cinched nice and tight and never came loose. It also undid very nicely even after repeated falls in it. The waist belt had two retaining loops for the excess tape and I was able to locate and use these easily. One retaining loop, however was located in the centre of the rear, right hand gear loop and at first it cause a little trouble when I was clipping gear through it. Once I had tucked the webbing tightly under the waist belt it became less of an issue.

Plenty of room on the gear loops for carrying kit. The legloops also tightened easily and smoothly and the rise felt just right for my height. This gave a good fit and ensured the waist belt stayed on my waist above the hips. When I teach climbing I spend a lot of time on fitting a harness correctly, having a harness on your hips is very dangerous. Also, a well fitted harness a much more comfortable experience for both climbing and belaying. The ziplock could be undone completely for fitting the legloops with crampons on.  The excess tape was tidied up with a single retaining loop on the leg, this was a little oversized and occasionally the tape dangled down. Again careful sizing would be needed to ensure you had enough tape for it to go through the loop and stay there. The problem could be easily solved with a smaller sized retaining loop. The rear, elasticated, leg loop adjusters could be adjusted using the tiny steel buckles, they were fixed and not suitable for undoing in the field, so if you are taken short on a big route you would have to undo the leg loops completely to complete your toilet.

The waist was very comfortable due to the 5mm medium density foam, I have spent a lot of time belaying this season both prolonged sessions at Malham with Kev on his epic ascent of Totally Free and hanging belays for multi pitch trad and the comfort has been excellent. I haven’t noticed it being too sweaty even in our recent spell of hot weather, the waist belt foam felt breathable without the need for excessive ventilation.

Wild Country Blaze harness. Great for trad and sport climbing. The Wild Country Blaze harness comes with four gear loops. These were traditional 10mm tape encased with clear plastic tubing of semi-circular design. A tried and tested gear loops design that has stood the test of time. The front two were angle towards the tie in loop and the rear two were horizontal. They all worked fine, I had a minor issue with gear falling over my thigh when the loop was fully loaded with gear for trad but with a slight racking re-arrangement this was avoided. I was able to locate and replace gear easily, the loops were well bartacked so will last the life of the harness. There was a small loop on the back, large enough to take a karabiner but too small for anything else. This would be fine for clipping your chalkbag into the harness but not for much else. My preference is to carry my emergency kit on this loop (prussic and Ropeman) but most people clip their chalkbag directly into a harness so it’s fine for this purpose. It also removes the very dangerous temptation to belay into this loop, as I have seen done on numerous occasions.

The tie in loops were very burly in construction: triple folded and triple bartacked. It felt very reassuring in, what is the most important part of the harness. They were plenty big enough for two 9mm ropes and really did have a reassuring, burly looking feel to them. I had complete confidence taking fall in it and it performed well for falls as the back was wide and comfortable. The abseil loop was also double looped and triple bartacked, this complemented the rugged construction. It was large enough to take plenty of screwgates and other items on belays.

I have used the Wild Country Blaze harness for all the spring rock climbing season and if you are looking for an all round rock climbing harness you won’t go far wrong. It’s comfortable, light, super adjustable and has a great freedom of movement feel to it. Just remember to get the sizing right and the addition of a bigger loop or even a fifth gear loop would make it even better.

SRP £60.00

Stockists



Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

[comPiler]

Blue Ice Warthog 26 Pack – Climbing Gear Review
5 September 2013, 7:42 pm

 Kev puts the tardis-like Warthog 26 pack from Blue Ice, through it’s paces. Performance: ****(and a half)

Quality: *****

Value: *****

Blue Ice say:

“The Warthog 26L is our toughest, most streamlined backpack. Designed by alpine guides and built for extremely intensive use, it features just the accessories you need and nothing more. The helmet holder, rope carrier and top-loading design optimize carrying capacity during the approach. The top lid features a separate pocket to keep your wallet and keys safe when you rummage for an energy bar or sunglasses at the belay. The low-profile hip belt won’t interfere with your harness, and the pack’s compact design ensures maximum freedom of movement when you’re climbing. The Warthog holds up to the harshest abuse and climbs like a champ, making it the ideal pack for light and fast one-day ascents and short technical climbs.”

Blue Ice Warthog 26, a great Alpine pack. Now and again I’m sent a piece of kit to test that I fall in love with. The Warthog 26 pack from Blue Ice, is one of those. I’ve used the Warthog 26 pack for Scottish winter routes, UK cragging and Alpine hits and apart from a couple of minor niggles, I can’t fault it.

So why do I love this pack so much? Well, the main reason is it’s simplicity. It really does just feature the things you need (well almost all of them) and nothing else. And that’s what I want. I find many modern climbing packs too overly featured, heavy and cumbersome. Essentially badly designed with lots of straps and flaps that are superfluous to requirements, add unnecessary weight and could have your eye out in a strong wind! The Warthog 26 has none of this.

Blue Ice Warthog 26 – fully loaded for a day on Ben Nevis So what does it have? Well, it has a roomy 26 litre main compartment which despite it’s small size, swallows enough kit for a day in Scotland in winter, UK trad or an Alpine route. The pack is a bit of a tardis and many friends have commented on how they don’t understand how all of the things I carry in it, actually fit in it! I am quite good at packing these days and I do have light compact kit but still, I’ve had no trouble getting a large mixed rack, food, water, spare clothing, crampons, axes, rope and helmet in the Warthog 26. Well, I say in but the axes go on the outside, the rope goes under the lid secured by it;s dedicated fastener and the helmet fits under the mesh holder on top of the lid. The mesh helmet holder is actually one of my favourite features and neatly secures the helmet when you need it but stores discretely in it’s own pouch when not needed. When in use you can store your butties in your helmet to stop them getting squashed too!

The helmet holder is a great feature! The top lid contains 2 pockets. One is underneath and is great for storing items or valuables that you don’t want to drop whilst rummaging around. These can be left secured and other items like energy bars, topo etc can be stored in the main lid compartment. Both compartments feature secure, high quality, glove friendly zippers. There is also and integrated drinks bladder pocket in the main body of the rucksack, this holds a 2 litre bladder and has a built in hole for the hose to poke out of. I didn’t really use this much as I generally find these bladders end in spillage disasters, however I did find the slot useful for storing flat items such as a map.

As I mentioned earlier, the compact design of the pack meant you could climb freely and unhindered and the removable hip belt and adjustable chest strap with safety whistle helped stabilise the pack when it was full. I tend not to use the waist belt so I removed this quite early on but it was an easy process and some may find it useful to have on there. The back system features simple foam padding and cordura and this was ample for the loads which I carried. The straps were padded enough too.

Blue Ice Warthog 26 – perfect when climbing. I really like a pack which doesn’t get in the way when you’re climbing with it on and I reckon that the Warthog 26 is the best I’ve used in this respect. Some of the reasons for this are:

• The rope and helmet, whilst carried externally, don’t really need to go inside the pack if they are attached securely. When you’re climbing, you’re using or wearing them so no need to have a large bulky main compartment.
• When you have all of your climbing kit on there is very little left in the pack. The lid can then be stored in the main body, the drawcord tightened and the rope strap passed through the tube hole and secured over the top.
• The body is narrow and low profile.

The fabric used on the main body of the Warthog 26 is a mix of 500 and 1000 denier CORDURA®. It is incredibly tough but also light with the whole pack weighing in at just 740g. I’ve used it now, for 6 months and there is very little evidence of wear.

So what are the niggles? Well firstly the ice axe loops don’t work very well with modern hammer and adze-less ice tools. You need to secure them carefully; I added a karabiner which worked fine. I would like to see some tabs so that I could add bungie cord to the front in case I want to take a bivi pad. I also found the buckles  a little stiff to operate whilst wearing big gloves. I suppose the other issue is that some UK climbers might not find it big enough but this really wasn’t an issue for me at all. And if it is for you then there’s always the fantastic looking Warthog 38 pack instead.

So in conclusion, this is my current favourite pack for Alpine and winter climbing. Comfortable when climbing, great quality and brilliantly simple. Awesome!

• Price: £85.00
• More information on the Blue Ice website

Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Mammut Footwear: T-Advanced GTX, T-Aenergy GTX and Redburn Pro – Climbing Gear News
5 September 2013, 8:44 pm

Get set for autumn with Mammut!  As Autumn approaches with the inevitable damper conditions, there’s a need for more substantial footwear, but before you fix your crampons look no further than three robust yet lightweight styles from Mammut: T-Advanced GTX, T-Aenergy GTX and Redburn Pro. Mammut T Advanced GTX Men’s Boot  

Mammut T Aenergy GTX Men’s Boot The Mammut T-Aenergy GTX builds on the highly successful Teton GTX and the T-Advanced is based on the T-Aenergy GTX, so the features are much the same:

• Outer fabric – T-Aenergy GTX: two tone PA; T-Advanced GTX: velours leather and textile
• Rubber toe cap – protects the front of the foot.
• Soft interior and robust exterior materials – easily adapts to the anatomy of the foot whilst still offering protection.
• EVA wedge with integrated Mammut Rolling Concept in the sole – offers a controlled and gentle stepping motion of the foot.
• Base Fit lacing system – ensures that the foot is safely secured within the boot.
• Memo Foam – cushions the instep, shinbone and ankle for optimum comfort.
• GORE-TEX Performance Comfort Footwear Membrane – keeps your feet dry and comfortable in wet weather.
• Vibram® Scale sole – offers maximum grip on wet, muddy terrain.
• Lightweight – T-Aenergy GTX: 1216g per pair of mens UK 8.5 and 1034g per pair of womens UK 5.5

T-Advanced GTX: 1247g per pair of mens UK 8.5 and 1059g per pair of womens UK 5.5

SRP:                    T-Aenergy GTX £160                                      T-Advanced GTX £150

 

Mammut Redburn Pro Men’s Shoe The Mammut Redburn Pro is the ultimate approach shoe, an urban-styled, go-to shoe for a whole host of activities:

• Outer fabric – velours leather and textile.
• Rubber toe cap – protects the front of the foot.
• Base Fit lacing system – ensures that the foot is safely secured within the boot.
• Sticky Rubber Compound – gives extra grip underfoot.
• Cougapproach Technology – claws and rib-shaped profiles, ensure maximum safety and grip.
• Ghilly lacing – locks the foot in place for superior grip.
• Asymmetric lacing – adapts to the anatomy of the foot and boosts the pressure on the big toe for precision footwork.
• LP Lace – flat profile and textile mix for ultra-smooth gliding and durability. Despite this, the knot remains secure.
• Board lasted – ensuring stability.

SRP: £100

 

• Stockists Information: Mammut UK tel: 01625 508218 or www.mammut.ch

 



Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Millet Peuterey 35+10 Pack – Climbing Gear Review
9 September 2013, 6:52 am

 Pete Chadwick tests the Peuterey 35+10 Pack from top French brand Millet. Cragging, Scottish Wineter and Alpinism; it takes it in it’s stride! Performance: ****

Quality: ****

Style: ****

Pete Chadwick testing his Millet Peuterey 35+10 Pack on the Matterhorn’s Lion Ridge. The Millet Peuterey 35+10 is a technical mountaineering backpack. When it first arrived it was clear that it was well constructed with good materials and had many technical features. But to really appreciate design and function one has to test them in the field so I headed to the French Alps for my summer holidays. Meeting up with CGRUK’s Kev Avery in Chamonix I discovered what a great sack the Millet Peuterey 35+10 is.

The Millet Peuterey 35+10 Pack is a perfect pack for Alpine missions and can hold everything you need for multi-day trips in the mountains. Here Pete heads up to the Carrel Hut on the Italian side of the Matterhorn. The fit was excellent for my 6’1″ frame and the adjusting system worked well, carrying a heavy load on steep descents proved stable as did the sack barely packed and compressed to minimise bulk. The materials that it is constructed from, Nylon and Cordura, with a double layer on the base mean that it is incredibly robust a welcome change from many modern sacks. Millet uses The Free Flex Frame System which allows the pack to provide rigidity and improve the pack’s load-carrying capacity when you add heavy gear or skis.

The Millet Peuterey 35+10 Pack almost at the shoulder before the Carrel hut on the Matterhorn’s Lion Ridge. Some of the other features proved invaluable in the mountains; the larger than normal zipper tabs allow pockets to be opened and closed with cold or gloved hands. There is an excellent crampon compartment with a double layer of nylon and Cordura which keeps the sharp bits out of the way of ropes and hands. The side zip allows an alternative way in to the one large main compartment and worked well. The good sized two lid pockets allowed for enough storage without being so bulky as to prevent looking up when climbing. There are side stirrups and straps for skis and front ice axe loops with stitched in elastic ties that once again proved bombproof.

In use the sack has been the best I’ve ever had. I used it tradding and managed to fit a full rack of gear, two ropes, foot ware, drink and clothing in with room to spare. When sport climbing the wide top allowed all gear and 70m rope in its rope bag to be fitted in thus allowing safe and stable passage on via ferrata approaches to continental sport crags. For alpine cragging and mountaineering the bag proved excellent when carrying heavy loads down the worrying Midi Arête and worked extremely well as a technical sack when both ice climbing and multi pitch rock climbing. There are very few features dangling on the outside of the pack to snag on protrusions and those that are there are essential and designed with this problem in mind. The waist and chest straps provided great stability, comfort and load distribution when walking and climbing.

The Millet Peuterey 35+10 Pack is a perfect cragging pack too, effortlessly swallowing all your kit. and rope In conclusion, I would recommend the Pueterey 35+10 to anyone looking for a robust technical mountaineering sack or an excellent cragging sack with excellent build quality and no nonsense practical features.

Price: 35+10 £120, 45+10 £140

• For more information visit the Millet website.

Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Blurr Method Pants – Climbing Gear Review
11 September 2013, 5:23 pm





Blurr say that the Method Pants are:

“Created with climbing specific attributes in mind, the Method will satiate those that require a lightweight pant that will go un-noticed during the most gymnastic of sequences. This is a versatile and popular summer weight pant.”

Performance: *****

Style:*****

Value For Money:****

When I first received the Blurr Method PantsI actually thought they were a bit too nice for climbing! They’re a simple, lightweight pant produced from a mixture of organic cotton, nylon and spandex. They look just as happy on the street as they do at a crag and I’ve worn them for both. I really like the simple subtle styling of the Method Pants. And as Blurr say, they are a “versatile” trouser.

The Blurr Method pants are great for bouldering. So what are they like for climbing in? Well, the simplicity and subtlety are an ally. The pant that doesn’t look out of place in the pub, having a post-climb beer, doesn’t feel out of place when you’re wearing them to climb either. Why? Firstly the cut is loose, but not too loose; no bad MC Hammer style baggy going on here! The hem sits neatly over trainers and approach shoes and for the size I tested (30 inch waist) the regular length was perfect for climbing once I’d turned them up a couple of times. I usually do this with all climbing trousers just to make sure my feet are not obscured by my trousers. I liked the light, stretchy fabric too. The stretch is only slight but mixed with the cut and the diamond crotch, freedom of movement was superb. They do go unnoticed when you climb, and personally that’s what I want!

The Blurr Method pants are well featured for climbing in. I’ve only worn the Method Pants for about 6 weeks but because I like them so much, I’ve worn them a lot. I’ve bouldered on rough gritstone, cranked out limestone sport projects involving knee bars and rough tufa rock, and took them into the demands of mountain trad. They’re not showing any premature signs of wear and build quality seems excellent. This is good to see as whilst they’re not the most expensive trouser on the market, they’re not the cheapest either.

Other features I like are the subtle internal belt which allows the wearer to adjust the size of the pants but does not interfere with a climbing harness. The pockets too, are also well positioned and don’t get in the way when wearing a harness. I particularly like the internal zipper pocket for keeping valuable safe and stopping them falling out.

The Method Pants are available in 3 colours: Charcoal, Coffee Liquer and Grease Monkey, and a range of waist sizes from 26 to 36 inches (leg sizes are regular only).

To conclude, I would have to say that the Blurr Method Pants are my current favourite cragging pants. I like the combination of subtle styling and functionality. They are also quick drying, easy to care for and well made. It’s not a trouser I’d use for technical mountain routes where I need a bit more weather protection, but that’s not what they’re designed for. A great all round pant for cragging and post-climb socialising!

SRP: £60.00

For more details visit the Blurr Website.

Stockists



Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Gear News: The new adidas TERREX autumn / winter 2013 range
13 September 2013, 3:22 pm



CGR looks at the new Autumn/Winter collection from adidas adidas continue to produce mountain specific clothing that is functional and stylish. A trip across to the mainland shows just how popular this brand is in all mountain sports. It’s only a matter of time before the brand expands throughout the UK.  We’ve picked the best items for climbers this autumn and winter.

Terrex Active Shell Jacket

The Terrex Active Shell Jacket employs revolutionary Gore-Tex® Active Shell fabric to give the wearer maximum breathability and weather protection. Its minimalist design includes essential features, such as an adjustable, helmet-compatible hood and two zippered hand pockets, but employs an elasticised bottom hem in place of traditional tightening cords to reduce bulk and save on weight. Furthermore, thanks to a tailored FORMOTION® fit, the jacket moves with the body and does not bunch up, even during the most dynamic movements.

Details:

3L Gore-Tex® Active Shell

Adjustable, helmet-compatible hood

FORMOTION®

Reflective elements for good visibility

Two zippered ventilation pockets

Sizes: 42 – 62 (Men)

Weight: 360 g (Male, M), Women’s 338 g (size S)

Colours: black, hero ink (Men)

SRP £220 Terrex Advanced Jacket

For fast-and-light alpine missions where complete protection is a necessity, the Terrex Advanced Jacket offers a combination of cutting-edge fabric technology with an innovative face protection system. An updated 3L Gore-Tex® Pro Shell fabric – now 26% more breathable – and an integrated merino wool-lined face mask keep mountain athletes 100% dry and protected. High-performance VISLON® zippers and special FORMOTION®cut-lines provide best-in-class range of motion and eliminate bunching and riding up.

Details:

3L Gore-Tex® Pro Shell

Integrated merino-wool lined face mask

FORMOTION®

Adjustable, helmet-compatible hood

Reflective elements

Waterproof VISLON® zippers

Two zippered hand pockets

Sizes: 42-62

Weight: 445g (Male)

Colour: black (Men)

SRP: £450 Terrex Cocona 2.5-Layer Jacket

Lightweight and highly breathable, the Terrex Cocona 2.5-Layer Jacket employs an interior Cocona® print to maximise fabric surface and provide superior moisture management. Two ventilation pockets can be unzipped during high-pulse activities to keep the wearer comfortable and dry. FORMOTION® technology ensures a three-dimensional fit with no bunching or riding up. A fully adjustable, helmet-compatible hood allows for excellent peripheral visibility and comfort.

Details:

2.5-layer waterproof fabric with Cocona® laminate

Ventilation pockets

FORMOTION®

Adjustable, helmet-compatible hood

Two zippered hand pockets

Sizes: 42-62 (Men)

Weight: 425g (Male, M), Women’s 370g (size S)

Colours: blue beauty, black, ray green (Men)

SRP: £185 Terrex IceFeather Jacket

With the world’s leading waterproof breathable fabric and a removable snow skirt, the Terrex IceFeather Jacket is the go-to shell for terrain with spindrifts, snowfields and steep ice climbing. Alongside improved-breathability 3L Gore-Tex® Pro Shell fabric, this fully equipped mountain sports jacket features side zippers for ventilation, a helmet-compatible hood and reflective elements. FORMOTION® technology lends the IceFeather an optimised fit and keeps the jacket from bunching or riding up.

Details:

Updated 3L Gore-Tex® Pro Shell

FORMOTION®

Adjustable, helmet-compatible hood

Side ventilation

Two hand warmer pockets, two chest pockets, two inside pocket

Removable snow skirt

Reflective elements

Two-way zipper

Sizes: 42-62 (Men)

Weight: 575g (Male, M), Women’s 520g (size S)

Colours: blue beauty (Men)

SRP: £425 Terrex Ndosphere Jacket

The Terrex Ndosphere Jacket, the highlight of this season’s collection, brings an innovative approach to the problem of providing full freedom of motion without compromising on warmth. With specially designed, fully insulated yet stretchy panels across the back and sides, the Ndosphere never inhibits the wearer’s movements. A partial Cocona® lining gives excellent climate management – no clammy feeling from perspiration.

Details:

PrimaLoft® Synergy 80g/m2 insulation

Partial Cocona® lining

FORMOTION®

Adjustable hood

Two hand pockets, one napoleon pocket

100% polyester

Sizes: 42-62

Weight: 495g (size M), Women’s 430 g (Size S)

Colours: real green, black, blue beauty

SRP: £145 The Terrex Korum Jacket

Constructed with 700+ fill power goose down and a lightweight-yet-durable outer fabric, the Terrex Korum is the ideal layering piece for fast-paced alpine climbs or cold-weather ski tours. Highly packable, it can be stored in an integrated Pack-It-Pocket when not needed. FORMOTION® technology guarantees an active performance fit that will not restrict the wearer’s movement, even when making reachy swings with ice tools or digging a snow shelter. It is available with or without a fitted hood.

Details:

90/10 goose down, 700+ fill power

FORMOTION®

Pack-It-Pocket

Optional: fitted hood

Two zippered hand pockets, one napoleon pocket

Sizes: 42-62

345g (size M); 375g (size M; hooded version), Women’s 340g (size S)

Colours: ray green, black, vivid yellow (without hood); blue beauty,

black, high-res orange (hooded version)

SRP: £175 Terrex PrimaLoft Jacket

As winter mountain sports most often revolve around snow or ice, athletes need insulation that performs in all conditions. To build the Terrex PrimaLoft Jacket, the adidas Outdoor product team turned to high-performance PrimaLoft® Sport with an eye towards creating a product that would keep the wearer comfortable, even in damp or wet conditions. Highly compressible, the jacket features two zippered hand pockets and a security chest  pocket, as well as FORMOTION® technology for a dynamic, tailored  fit. It is also available as a vest.

Details:

PrimaLoft® Sport 60g/m2 insulation

Compressible

Two zippered hand pockets, one chest security pocket

FORMOTION®

Sizes: 42-62

Weight: 365g (size M), Women’s 310 (size S)

Colours: vivid yellow, black

SRP: £90 Terrex Skyclimb Insulated Jacket

The Terrex Skyclimb Insulated Jacket was designed especially for winter sports that are too high output for a traditional insulation piece. The carefully hybridised construction places PrimaLoft® insulation over the core and neck, where it is needed most, and a moisture-wicking, four-way stretch, softshell fabric over areas where perspiration is likely. The result is a mid- or outer layer perfect for strenuous ski touring or winter climbing.

Details:

PrimaLoft® insulation

Body-mapped hybrid construction

Four-way stretch softshell

Thumb loops

FORMOTION®

Sizes: 42-62

Weight: 340g (size M), Women’s 305 g (size S)

Colours: blue beauty, ray green, black

SRP: £95 For stockists go to: http://www.adidas.co.uk/outdoor



Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Haglöfs Skarn Pants – Climbing Gear Review
16 September 2013, 8:00 am





CGR reviewer James Parkinson looks at the very jazzy Haglöfs Skarn Pants on his Alps trip this season.

Extremely functional lightweight, bi-stretch nylon pant with reinforcement for tough environments

Performance – *****

Quality – ****

Style – **** (go for orange!)

“Wow – those trousers are orange!” was one of the more repeatable comments made when I first wore the Haglöfs Skarn pants in public. And yes, they were – very much so. Sold by Haglöfs as Dynamite, this colour way may not be to everyone’s taste but the pants themselves should be.

I took the Skarn pants to the Alps for a week of classic alpinism and they performed admirably. The FlexAble™ softshell fabric provided enough protection for the beau temps conditions we encountered and I would think that the DWR treated fabric would be ideal for the slightly more unsettled conditions of the UK. The stretch of the fabric allowed for unrestricted freedom of movement (despite the relatively close fit – the crotch gusset helps as well) and meant that I was able to stab the lower legs repeatedly with my crampons without actually ripping them. Maybe I should work on my technique! There are reinforced patches of Keprotech® on the insides of the ankles to further protect them.

Haglofs Skarn Pants – a great all round Alpine pant. The lower legs have zips up to the knees with internal gussets to allow the pants to be put on or removed more easily. In addition, I found this to be useful when wearing different types of footwear; opened slightly to allow for a B3 boot or zipped up tight for precision in rock shoes.

As well as wearing the Haglöfs Skarn pants for climbing, I wore them for two nights of bivvying on our traverse of the Matterhorn. The waist has a lining of brushed polyester and the seams on the side and inner leg are offset, all of which makes the pants very comfortable. I definitely can’t blame my lack of sleep on them!

The knees are articulated and reinforced with a thicker version of the FlexAble™ fabric (205g/m² compared with 182g/m² in the rest of the pants) and this works well. I would maybe have liked to see this reinforcement on the seat as well to add a little more toughness.

Articulated knees and the FlexAble fabric gave great freedom. Two zipped hand warmer pockets are supplemented by a zipped pocket on the seat and one on the right thigh. I found the thigh pocket particularly useful for little items such as lip balm and lift tickets as it is easily accessible while wearing a harness.

A couple more little features that are worth a mention are the integrated belt and a rear hanging loop. I’m not sure when you’d really use the latter but it’s there in case you want to!

You too can look a bobby dazzler if you’re brave enough! If the Dynamite colour way isn’t your thing then the Skarn pants are also available in Granite, True Black and Firefly (a rather jazzy yellow!). There is also a women’s Q version in Magnetite

So whether you’re heading for some summer alpinism or climbing or walking in the UK year round, the Haglöfs Skarn pants would be a great choice of trousers and they look cool too!

SRP: £130

Stockists

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Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Blurr Rogue Pants – Climbing Gear Review
20 September 2013, 11:06 am

 CGR continues it’s look at the new range of climbing pants from Blurr

Designed to be an alternative to training in tights, the Rogue uses a light Nylon fabric with stretch and clean styling to accomplish the same thing. Articulated legs with a gusseted crotch combine with the stretch to ensure flexibility. Patterned for feats of outdoor athleticism!

Performance *****

Style****

Value ****

Lately CGR Gear Editor Kev tested out the summer Blurr Method pants, Kev concluded that they had become his favoured cragging pants and I can confirm that he has been wearing them throughout the summer.

I’ve been testing the more rugged Rogue pants – these are designed for the cooler months as they are made from a more robust material and are thicker than the Blurr Method Pants. I have been using them throughout the summer and into the cooler autumn for a variety of climbing activities but mostly sport climbing and bouldering. I’ve worn them for trad too – it’s just that I’ve been mostly sport climbing this season. They’ve been fine for all but the hottest days – but then I’m wearing shorts anyway.

The fabric is 93% Nylon and 7% Spandex. This gave a very rugged ‘canvas’ type feel to them, they felt definitely more robust than the Method pant and had a great natural feel to them.

I tested a 32” waist, I’ve lost some weight this year so was very pleased to see that there was some room left. I could fine tune the fit with the integral waist cord. This means that there are no belt loops but the pants were very comfortable with a harness on – which is often an issue when having to wear  a belt. The regular length gave an inside leg of 32” and I am a medium build and height so there was a little extra length on the leg. It is worth noting that whole Blurr range come in a regular leg length only.

I could cinch the leg hem together with the internal drawcord. This cinched and tightened with a small toggle  and was fully hidden within the leg, you wouldn’t know it was there from looking at the pants in general. Although I’m not a fan of this type of fastening – as I like to roll the leg up for footwork intensive routes- I never had any issue with the hem getting in the way of my footwork once it was cinched . So you can have the choice as I know some people like to have the hem cinched and it worked very well in this way.

Blurr Rogue pants – great for bouldering. I preferred to roll the legs up. The Blurr Rogue pants were very stylish to wear casually, I could easily wear these to work or to the pub and only those in the know would realise they were a pair of specialist climbing pants. They had a ‘demin trouser’ type appearance and the straight legs gave them an excellent casual look.  They front pockets were tucked out of the way and the back pockets were integrated and not the sewn patch type. They had neat flaps covering them and a reflective Blurr logo on the pocket. They were plenty big enough for wallets and I thought  the back pockets are very neatly designed and unobtrusive.

The waist did up with an aluminium stud button,th is was a button and not press stud; again in keeping with the demin styling of the pants. The fly was of reasonable length and was OK to access with a harness on. It is a YKK coil zipper and this had a tendency to slip down a little after time, a minor fault really but it’s something to explore.

A superb cut for full freedom of movement. Bouldering in The Gower. There is a zipped thigh pocket on the right leg, it wasn’t big enough for guidebooks but it was big enough for phones. I used it mostly for keeping hold brushes in and it worked great for this as the pocket went to the back of the thigh and not the front – a neat feature designed to not get in the way of climbing.  Again you wouldn’t know it was they unless you looked for it as it was skilfully hidden in the leg seam. The pockets were lined with fine mesh which helped with breathability for those mountain approaches.

The Blurr Rogue pants have been great to climb in, the relaxed style gave plenty of room for climbing movement and the diamond gusset has meant I can’t blame tight trousers for not completing those high rockovers (I’ll just have to blame my lack of flexibility then).  They look great on and off the crag and they have become a staple wardrobe feature for the autumn. They come in 4 colours (Grease Monkey, Clay, Coffee Liqueur and Charcoal) and six waist sizes (26” to 36”), they are very robust, durable and most importantly are great to climb in.

SRP: £67.00

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, we never keep a email list (too much hassle – we’re out climbing) and we would never, ever pass your email address on (no, no no that would be very unethical).



Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Five Ten climbing shoes Autumn 13 collection – Climbing Gear News
23 September 2013, 7:14 am



CGR takes a quick look at the new range of climbing shoes from Five Ten – available any time now. Legendary American climbing shoe company Five Ten have been busy lately, just in case you thought they’d dropped off the scene. A new range for the Autumn; a revamped Anasazi together with a new Anasazi Guide shoe and a great looking Guide Tennie approach shoe due out in the Spring of 2014, we’re sure there will be something for everyone. CGR takes a quick look at what’s coming to a climbing shop near you this autumn. We’re definitely looking forward to testing the new Mi6 rubber!

Team VXi

The new STEALTH Mi6 Rubber establishes highest friction available with lowest possible forces, on rough rock or polished surfaces. We’ve paired MI6 with our new Team VXi design providing 360 degrees of friction and giving climbers all options to use their feet. The soft compound clings to the foot like a sock, providing unprecedented sensitivity. Our Active Arch Support System cradles the foot for perfect support and reduces spinning. Comfort is complete with our premium Clarino upper that stretches slightly while maintaining its characteristic s and form pitch after pitch. With only 5.10 ounces per shoe the Team VXi is the lightest-weight climbing shoe available built on our high-performance downturned Dragon last.

SRP: £130.00

CGR: We’re liking the look of that heel cup! Check this video of Carlo Traversi sending Reflecting Pool in Red Rocks to see them in action.

Rogue VCS



Our easy-on – easy-off heel loops seem to be made for indoor climbing and bouldering. And of course it´s nice to have for all climbers as it makes the dress-undress procedure way easier. The closure based on two velcros allows for individual, precise and quick adjustments and ensures the powerful but yet comfortable fit of the Rogue.

CGR: a good looking comfort shoe based on the Anasazi LV last. SRP: £75.00

Rogue Lace-Up

Of course our easy-on – easy-off heel loop system is not missing with the Rogue Lace-Up either! When it comes to precision and force fit, laces are the ones to go with. The individual fit will convince you, especially when it comes to harder routes or boulders.

SRP: £75.00

CGR: we’re awaiting a pair of Rogues for a full test so watch out for a full review sometime soon!



Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Edelrid Meg Jul – Climbing Gear Review
25 September 2013, 4:45 pm

 

CGR takes a look at the top end belay device from German company Edelrid

 Our most versatile belay and abseil device made of solid stainless steel for durability.

Performance *****

Ease of use ***

Value for money ***

We’ve reviewed several belay devices here at CGR; just like your rope you’ll use one every time you go climbing and just like your rope they take a hammering. Probably more so, as they get scratched, banged (even dropped from heights – I’ve seen one dropped from the top of Idwal Slabs and off The Ben;  always an anxiety inducing episode!) It stands to reason, then, that they have to be durable.

Most belay devices are made from Aluminium, even my old Sticht Plate in the loft is made from aluminium. The reasons for this are weight and heat dissipation (when abseiling and lowering). The Edelrid Mega Jul, however, is made from stainless steel. Now stainless steel seems to making a comeback lately, I have a pair of stainless steel crampons and love them. The Mega Jul is a marvel of German engineering, very thin and elegant in design. At first glance it looks alarmingly thin for a belay device, we’re used to big and chunky. It is very solid in feel and is the green, injection moulded, thumb loop as an extra durable feel to it. This has the feel of a piece of equipment that will outlast you.

The Edelrid Mega Jul locked off solidly. The sidewall are thinner than the top and bottom walls – this makes sense as that is where the ropes runs through and you can often see the wear marks on aluminium belay devices. There is the hard plastic thumb loop and the retaining wire loop, which also has a plastic sheath. It is very light at 63g, but not as light as some of the newer aluminium belay devices.

The Mega Jul gave a smooth ride in abseils. The Edelrid Mega Jul is a ‘guide plate’ type of belay device. That is: it can be used for locking off your second with two screwgates. The top ring is well situated and you need to be careful to read the instructions on the side of the Jul in order to get it right. In fact I would say that the Mega Jul is more of an ‘expert’ belay device than one for beginners as it needs to be used in two different positions. The green thumb ring needs to be at the bottom for normal belaying and at the top for using in guide mode.

The device worked well as soon as I got used to it, it took me a couple of minutes to be able to pay the rope out freely. The idea is you pull down on the thumb loop as you are paying out, this gave a nice action and I was able to pay out slack easily. The rope locked into the cut out section, this locked absolutely rock solid and was satisfying to have. It meant that I didn’t have to pull so hard on the ‘dead rope’ to keep the rope tight. A quick tug on the thumb rope released it when the leader was back on the rope.

Paying out was easy with the thumb look. In guide mode, quite handy to pull the underneath rope. In guide plate mode the Mega Jul was turned the other way with the green thumb loop at the top. The advantage of using the plate this way is the you are pulling the rope from the top of the plate and not from underneath as in other plate systems. If the plate locks because the second needs a breather or is getting out some fiddly gear then it can be released easily  but tilting the green thumb loop back. If this proves more difficult a carabiner loop is provided at the bottom, I never felt the need to use this as the thumb loop worked well. For abseiling the Mega Jul needed to be in a different position again with the thumb loop at the top and the retainer loop facing you. This then provided a smooth abseil ride. It’s for the confusing way it works I would not recommend this as your first Guide Plate, you may want to try the Kilo Jul instead. But if you are doing a lot of Alpine and other multi pitch climbing or you are a professional guide then the Edelrid Mega Jul works very well and will save you a lot of hassle. It does take about one climbing session to get to know how it works but if you use it regularly, it’s a masterpiece of design and engineering.

SRP: £30.00

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, we never keep a email list (too much hassle – we’re out climbing) and we would never, ever pass your email address on (no, no no that would be very unethical).



Source: CGR climbinggearreviews.com

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Millet Yalla rock shoes – Climbing Gear Review
1 October 2013, 2:21 pm

CGR editor Dave Sarkar sends his benchmark project in Millet’s high performance Yalla shoe’s.

 High-performance slipper for sport climbing on cliffs, boulders and indoor: unrivalled feel, precision and adherence

Performance ****

Quality *****

Value ****

2013 is proving to be a much better year for me personally. The family tragedy of 2012 is less painful every day, going part time in my day job and a new focus means I’m climbing a lot more and better. This autumn I’ve been improving my bouldering and sport climbing, with a little bit of trad thrown in to mix it up.

So it was great to have a pair of Millet Yalla shoes to help me on the journey (or the comeback trail!) and I’ve used them all season for every main project I’ve sent. We’ve been busy testing a variety of Millet products this year and a look at the website will reveal just how big the range of equipment on offer is. Millet make a huge range of kit from baselayer underwear to crash pads. The climbing shoe range varies form high performance to comfort and children’s shoes.

They looked tiny but the fit turned out to be great. Two shoes same size! Out of the box the Yalla shoes looked very small for the size, I generally ask manufacturers for a size UK7.5. This give me a benchmark for fit, these looked tiny and I was initially apprehensive and thought I might have to send them back for the next size up. However, I was astonished to find I didn’t need plastic bags to get them on and they went on with little effort. They were a tight ‘performance fit’ but I felt they might give so I decided to test this pair. It was the right choice because the shoe has given a little to provide a great fit in the toe area.

The Millet Yalla model comes in the ‘Expert fit’: an asymmetric and slightly downturned profile that loads the force onto the big toe. This technology is featured in most performance climbing shoes these days, I liked the fact that it wasn’t too radical and my big toe didn’t feel too bunched up. The toe profile would definitely suit a wide foot as it is a little more rounded than some of the more radical toe designs. This toe profile might be an issue for small pockets and I can think of my 7b+ project at Malham – Space Race that this might be an issue with. But for edging and smearing they have been great – and that’s the type of move I’m doing for 98% of my climbing anyway.

Millet Yalla shoes had good friction for Grit. The uppers are made from unlined synthetic ‘faux leather’, it felt soft to the touch and hasn’t developed that nauseating odour than can be common from this type of material. I have worn them through the hottest part of the summer and some sweaty redpoints and they still smell fine. The material felt soft against the skin and gave a good grip when tightened. The shoes have stretched a little, but a precision fit can be obtained throughout the lacing system. The lacing system worked very well and the shoes stayed tight on. Most of the shoe uses the ‘trainer type’ lacing and the inner is lined to improve the durability. The top is finished with more traditional eyelets, this helps gives a tight knot when tightening. I had no problems with the laces coming undone at any time.

The tongue was padded with material that felt similar to neoprene, but thinner and breathable. This added some cushioning to the foot and again helped with the comfort.

There is a full rand in the Millet own 4-Points Grip™ rubber. The rand covered the front toe and some of the heel. The toe rend worked very well for toe hooking, on my recent benchmark project Frankie comes to Kilnsey (F7b+ and a true 3 star Yorkshire experience), there is a very powerful boulder problem start. I rely on my footwork to overcome a shortfall in pure strength and after struggling with a few I found a great toe hook. This was eventually the key to success as I was less tired for the crux sequence. I often find toe hooking painful in performance shoes – but the Millet Yalla has proved a reliable and comfortable shoe in this aspect. The toe comfort was further enhanced with a lined toe area so there was no annoying stitching digging into my toes.

The toe profile was great for routes such as Frankie… at Kilnsey 7b+ I would have liked to have seen a full heel cup as although the shoe heel hooked well, I felt I needed more rubber for those important ‘heel scum’ type moves where you are not full on hooking but need to place the side of the heel on the rock to help supplement the core stomach muscles maintain position. I know this is getting a little technical, but these are a high performance shoe and I’m trying high performance routes (for me) in them. Interestingly a friend who had an Achilles Heel issue and had to cut up a pair of shoes to fit his heel stated he had no problems with the heel fit of the Millet Yalla’s, you wouldn’t believe the faff he’s had to go through in cutting older shoes to get around this problem. So a testament to the heel comfort from him.

The Millet Yalla heel was OK for hooking and very comfortable. Another feature of Frankie….is the variety of climbing it offers. Powerful, beefy moves with precise footwork sequences and bold runouts make it a perfect sport climb. The Yalla shoes took it all it their stride. The rubber worked really well on the smears, I never fell off with my feet slipping (in fact the rubber performed well on the notorious Kilnsey warm up The Directissima (F6c) – which as footholds that are actually like glass and has seen many a day ruined) and the toe profile performed allowed precision moves to be made with confidence.

The sole has a laser cut pattern on it, Millet call this the Hook Effect™. The idea is that the surface area is slightly expanded and this helps the shoe by supply extra grip on overhanding routes. I do understand the theory behind this as this is a performance area I’ve been trying to work on in training drills. The idea is you use the toe area of the sole to help pull you into the move. I know this sounds counter intuitive as you logically and unconcuiosly push with your toes whilst climbing but this type of move can help with subtle body positions in the same way as heel scums do – it’s very difficult to train.

Anyway, back to the Hook Effect™ patterning on the sole. I feel the jury is still out on whether this is an innovation or gimmick. The patterning may have an advantage on Gritstone and Granite routes, and I’ll report further on this via the comments section so do look at the comments as the Grit season progresses. The patterning does not extend right into the toe area as this would definitely wear out this area quickly. I have had no trouble so far with the rubber performance and the friction has been great.

The laser cut micro grooves – is it a gimmick? I’ll let you know! There is composite stiffener in the sole but they felt soft when bent laterally, they were more stiff longitudinally but the overall feel is one of a shoe that moulds to the shape of your feet.

The fit has been exceptionally comfortable and precise and I’ve been amazed at how comfortable the shoe has been considering they looked so tiny out of the box. They have laced really well, stayed tight, been great for bouldering and helped me send my target route for the season so they get the thumbs up from me. I feel that further improvements to the Millet Yalla shoes could be made by sorting out the heel cup and maybe narrowing the toe profile a little.

SRP £100

Stockists

Why not receive our latest reviews and gear news via your inbox by following out 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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VOLUNTARY RECALL NOTICE – WILD COUNTRY
9 October 2013, 1:17 pm

VOLUNTARY RECALL NOTICE – WILD COUNTRY CLASSIC ROCKS AND ANODISED ROCKS – Issued 07/10/2013 For the safety of all of our customers Wild Country are issuing an immediate recall of certain batches of Wild Country Classic Rocks and Anodised Rocks.

If you own any Wild Country Classic Rocks and/or Anodised Rocks that were purchased any time from January 2010 onwards Wild Country would advise that you visit our website to check whether your product is from one of the affected batches.

You can go direct to our Rocks Recall page herehttp://bit.ly/GCt0sr  

Martin Atkinson, Managing Director of Wild Country, outlined the reasons for the recall:

 “Following a recent failure in use of a Classic Rock, in which fortunately no injury occurred, we conducted an in depth investigation and an extensive testing programme. Following the testing of over 17,000 Rocks we found some units that did not achieve their rated strength which varies, depending upon the size, from 4kN to 12kN.  In a very small number of cases the failure load was below the units rated strength and in some cases below 7kN;  a peak load that can be realistically achieved during a fall.”

Our first priority is always the safety of our climbing and mountaineering colleagues and customers, therefore we have taken the decision to recall the Rocks with the identified batch codes.

Wild Country apologise for the inconvenience this may cause, and thank you in advance for your cooperation in helping us to recover as many of the affected Rocks as possible.



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Marmot Nabu Jacket – Climbing Gear Review
10 October 2013, 9:41 am

CGR tests out the versatile softshell from Californian climbing company Marmot.

The peak of high performance innovation, the Nabu Jacket, utilizes new Polartec® Neo Shell® fabric to blend stretch, waterproof and breathable qualities together.

Perfomance ****

Style *****

Value *****

From a company that started out life making down clothing Marmot has come a long way and is an established name on the climbing scene.They were one of the first companies to make garments using Gore-Tex and are one of their oldest customers.  Their products are synonymous with quality and function so we were very pleased to receive the new Marmot Nabu Jacket at CGR HQ for test.

The Nabu Jacket isn’t made with Gore-Tex, it’s made using Polartec NeoShell a new fabric that is totally waterproof as well as offering the breathability of a softshell. The feel of the fabric was classic softshell, with a smooth outer face and a laminated, gridded wicking surface inside. It felt nice, soft and flexible to wear. Polartec market the NeoShell as one of the most breathable waterproof materials on the market.

The Marmot Nabu proved a ‘wear all day’ jacket. Very versatile for all mountain sports. The M category of Marmot softshells denote the protection it offers, with M1 offering the highest level of protection and M3 being the lightest. The Nabu jacket is an M1 softshell, so I could expect it to act in the same way as a hardshell in terms of weather protection, it didn’t disappoint.

The seams are mostly taped, the only area I could find with no seam tape was the brim of the hood and the cinch area on the neck. All the other seams in the jacket were fully taped. On all the days I wore the Marmot Nabu Jacket, I never even bothered to take a hardshell as I didn’t need one. The jacket acted as good as a hardshell and was warmer in winter. I used the jacket extensively for 6 out of 9 days on my MIA training this August, some of  that weather was truly hideous and I was dry enough most days. The jacket dried out in good time for the next day and was waterproof again.

The cut was excellent for climbing, it fitted nicely over a midlayer fleece and under a harness. I could use my ice tools very well with no impedance from the arms. The jacket had a minute amount of rise but only on very long reaches. The Nabu Jacket fabric felt robust enough to continually have the ice tools on my shoulder for crossover moves, the jacket performed really well for ice climbing and I loved it. I wore it during a Scottish trip last Easter; we might have been in the Alps to be honest it was that good. I used the jacket on several days with just a baselayer on and felt totally comfortable.  Extra insulation was provided in the microfleece lining in the pocket area which went up and around the chest area.  When the temperature got cold on the belays – I just whipped a belay jacket on and was very toasty.

The Marmot Nabu was the perfect ice climbing jacket – topping out on Point Five Gully, Ben Nevis Now there very few roadside ice venues in Scotland so the jacket’s breathability was tested on the walk-ins. Now, if I’m honest nothing is totally breathable even your skin as it sweats. OK, maybe a string vest is breathable but hey you’d be very cold as well. So, there is always a compromise between being comfortable in windy and rainy conditions and comfortable when walking uphill with a pack on. I often walk in a very thin baselayer and change at the base of the route, the Nabu Jacket compressed well in the pack when I used this system. Sometimes though, the weather is a little less accommodating and the shell had to be worn. There are no pit zips ( a plus for me as I find them pretty useless most of the time) so the only ventilation comes from the pockets and the front zip. So, I did sweat on the walk ins. The bonus was how quickly I dried out when I reached the route base.

The Nabu jacket was breathable on warm approaches. Heading up to Crowberry Gully – Buachaille Etive Mor Another feature of NeoShell is the stretchy nature, now a stretch fabric that is waterproof isn’t anything new, but the marmot Nabu Jacket is really stretchy which was great for all technical climbing, whether it was rock, ice or mixed. I really felt I could reach up and the jacket moved with me. I never felt inhibited in climbing movement when wearing the jacket.  Although the jacket feels a little more bulky than a regular softshell you should be aware that it is a ‘wear all day’ piece, so is likely to be on rather than in your pack – which is where a hardshell usually lives.

The sleeves worked well with the stretchy fabric and the cuffs opened enough enough to get gloves on underneath and cinched tight enough to have gloves outside them. I really liked the no-frill cuff cinches. Nothing fancy and they worked – quite refreshing that Marmot didn’t see the need to play around in a vital, yet simple part of the jacket. I could operate the cuff cinches with gloves on. I could also operate all the zip tags with gloves on, although in keeping with most jacket manufacturers they could have been more glove friendly.

The stretch NeoShell fabric give the Marmot Nabu jacket great freedom of movement for climbing. All exterior zips were of the water resistant YKK Aqua Guard. They did a good job of keeping the rain out and worked well in all conditions. This is important as zips are opened and closed all the time when winter climbing in particular. The Marmot Nabu jacket has 5 pockets, 3 external – two hand and one chest. I don’t really use hand pockets that much but I do rely on a chest one. It was big enough for a camera, phone or an extra pair of gloves; but not big enough for a map. The  external one had a headphone slot to help feed the wire inside the jacket.

Finally, the all important hood: the hood worked well enough but the neck extension could have been a little higher as it didn’t work perfectly with a helmet on.  The hood fitted over a helmet but it felt just a little too tight and had a tendency to slip back. This is why the jacket has scored 4 stars for performance when it should have scored 5. Without a helmet it worked great, it has a stiffened brim and cinched up nicely around my face to provide protection in driving rain. Further adjustability is provided at the back, which was a little awkward to get at with gloves on. I could fine tune the adjustability and once set it stayed set.

The jacket scores very highly ***** for versatility as you could use it for all your winter climbing, alpine climbing, hiking and general climbing and in conclusion the Marmot Nabu Jacket is a great jacket for Ice Climbing and general winter mountaineering. It affords as good protection as any hardshell and is perfectly shower,snow and rain proof, much more so than a standard softshell. The fabric probably isn’t robust enough for gnarly winter thrutching, day after day, but has proved fine for UK winter climbing and mountaineering. It is very breathable and a highly versatile climbing jacket. For most UK winter conditions you’ll be fine with a base or midlayer, the Marmot Nabu jacket and a belay jacket.

SRP £260.00

Stockists

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Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Haglöfs Autumn/Winter Collection – Gear News
14 October 2013, 4:02 pm

CGR visits Haglöfs UK HQ for a preview of the new clothing collection for the 2013/14 winter season. We’ve been busy recently with most clothing manufacturers to see what’s new for the 2013/14 season. We paid a visit to Haglöfs UK headquarters to find out what’s new and we’ve cut to the chase and chosen what we think is the best selection for winter climbing and mountaineering. One of the bigger changes for the Haglöfs range is the naming of clothing, so climbing and mountaineering specific clothing now comes under the Roc range, this name was already being used for packs and we’ve reviewed both the excellent Roc Hard and Roc 35 packs. So the Roc label is the general climbing/mountaineering clothing range, Roc Speed is the lightweight kit and Roc High the premium range. On top of that the Ski specific range is the established Rando. So let’s have a look at what’s new:

Barrier Pro II Hood

A very packable, lightweight wind resistant hooded synthetic insulated jacket.  With the new Quad Fusion+ insulation material made from 100% recycled Polyester, which allows moisture to be drawn away from the body.  The hood has a reinforced peak, and is 3 way adjustable. 2 mid mounted torso pockets, and one chest pocket. Includes a stuff sac.

CGR says: this, fully featured and compressible jacket looked the business for chilly belays in the Northern Corries. We have one on test so look out for a full review, we’ll be looking at how warm that Quad Fusion+ material is and we like the 100% recycled element of it.

SRP: £180 Magi II Down Hood

No compromise mountain down jacket, outstanding warmth to weight ratio, and small packsize. Box wall construction, and synthetic patches on areas where the down may be squashed (forearms, shoulders). 2 zipped hand warmer pockets, full hood – packs into its own pocket.

CGR says: a jacket for those who prefer something warmer. There’s a trend developing for hybrid insulation jackets so keep your eye out for them. Looked awesomely warm and Bruce remarked that it was ‘…bloody amazing on top of a mountain when its -20deg’.

SRP: £325 Triton II Hood

3 season mid layer, great mix of polartec power stretch pro, stretch fleece and polartec thermal pro.  Tight hood for perfect under helmet use, brilliant warmth on the chest with the thermal pro. Laser cut vent holes to prevent fogging of goggles. Laminated chest pocket for small items and 2 mid torso hand warmer pockets.

CGR says: a great looking and functional midlayer fleece, this looks like it brings the fleece into the 21^st century with laser cutting and body heat mapping. We liked the thumb loops and the head hugging hood which should fit snugly under a helmet. We’ve got one on test and I’m looking forward to testing out the vent holes as it’s bad enough crawling off The Ben in a blizzard let alone crawling off in a foggy blizzard.

SRP: £140 Rando Hybrid Pant

Lightweight & versatile soft shell pant, offering mix of wind resistance and freedom of movement.  A great pant for ski touring, climbing and mountaineering.

Windstopper membrane pants to keep out the wind, and most of the water, 2 zipped hand pockets, 1 zipped rear pocket. Articulated knees, reinforced insteps, laminated internal lower leg gaiter with silicon grip.

CGR says: a good looking versatile winter pant. Suitable for most winter mountain sports from ice climbing to ski touring. It looked very suitable for UK winter conditions and would probably score highly for versality. Let’s just hope they’re not as tight fitting as the Skarn pants!

SRP: £200 Roc Pant

Highly versatile mountain pant made from new Gore-Tex® Pro Shell technology. Durable, 3-layer 40D Gore-Tex® Pro fabric with reinforcements in 70D quality at the knees and seat to protect you from the elements and equipment.

CGR says: a bombroof looking climbing hardshell pant. I liked the extra reinforcements in the seat and knee. Let’s hope the super reinforced crampon patches can stop you ripping into them on those high steps (… or that could just be my shoddy footwork). They felt light and flexible and should be great for climbing or mountaineering in.

SRP: £350



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Patagonia Launch First Technical Pack Range For Spring 2014 – Climbing Gear News
17 October 2013, 7:59 pm



Patagonia Ascensionist Pack 35L THIS SPRING 2014, PATAGONIA OFFERS ITS FIRST LINE OF TECHNICAL LIGHTWEIGHT CLIMBING PACKS FOR FAST AND LIGHT ALPINE ENDEAVORS. IT ALL STARTED WITH OUR CLIMBING AMBASSADORS’ REQUEST. THEY WANTED A LINE OF SUPER CLEAN PACKS STRIPPED OF EVERYTHING BUT THE FEATURES THAT MATTER MOST TO THE BEST ALPINISTS. PATAGONIA’S TECHNICAL TEAM WORKED WITH THEM TO CREATE A COLLECTION OF PACKS THAT FOCUS ON SIMPLE,

FUNCTION-DRIVEN DESIGNS. The design was guided from start to finish by Patagonia’s quest for simplicity, functionality and durability. Our Ascensionist Packs let a climber take everything they need without leaving anything behind. They are lightweight, streamlined and efficient – not overbuilt – just thoughtfully built for their intended use.

Technical details

• Integrated asymmetrical spindrift collar opens wide for easy packing and draws shut in one motion.
• The 35L and 45L packs have an additional spindrift collar that can deploy to protect your gear when you have overstuffed the pack and are compatible with A-frame ski carrying options.
• Adjustable ice axe loops offer a multitude of carrying options.
• Designed to carry a load efficiently and stay out of the way while climbing with a helmet and rack of gear.
• The 35L pack’s hip belt has adjustable pads that can be removed to create a simple webbing hip belt, or you can remove the entire hip belt for ultralight travel.
• The 45L pack’s padded hip belt can be removed to create a simple webbing hip belt.
• Fabric: Body: 6.25-oz 210-denier nylon semi-dull double-ripstop and 6.05-oz 400-denier nylon ripstop. Lining: 1.8-oz 40-denier nylon doubleripstop with a polyurethane coating and silicone finish and 200-denier polyester.
• These packs are offered in three sizes: 25L, 35L and 45L. The 35L and 45L come in different torso length.

PRICES

25L: £90 / 35L: £120 / 45L: £140

COLOURS AVAILABLE

Tailored Grey, Eclectic Orange.



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews

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Black Diamond Equipment Partners with Gore for Winter 2014 – Climbing Gear News
18 October 2013, 4:05 pm



Black Diamond Equipment®, a global innovator in climbing, skiing and technical mountain sports equipment, and W. L. Gore & Associates (“Gore”), inventor of GORE-TEX ® high performance fabric technologies, announce their partnership for Black Diamond Equipment’s Fall 2014 apparel line.

“We are pleased that Black Diamond Equipment has selected Gore to be the central component of their

new Fall 2014 technical outerwear collection,” states Tom Boyle, strategic marketing at Gore. “Gore’s

scientific and rigorous product development aligns perfectly with Black Diamond’s. It’s exciting to work

with a company that continually aims to bring the most advanced technologies and fabrics to market,

which provide the ultimate in performance and style.”

Black Diamond’s Gore collection will be the cornerstone of the Fall 2014 line with distinct technical

outerwear features, including the debut of a new embedded, concealed technology, Cohæsive, in all

jackets featuring GORE-TEX® fabric. Cohæsive is a patent-pending cord management system that

embeds and bonds 3D hardware components directly into the garment’s fabric. With the Cohaesive

hardware right on the fabric surface, the athlete gains intuitive ease-of-use even with gloves on in

adverse conditions.

“Black Diamond’s athlete-employees live by the company ethos: Use. Design. Engineer. Build. Repeat.

We are dedicated to relentless innovation and integrity, designing and engineering equipment that

pushes limits and challenges conventions for our global community of users,” explains Tim Bantle,

Director of Apparel at Black Diamond Equipment. “Our partnership with Gore manifests this philosophy

and will empower our customers.”

The F14 Black Diamond apparel line for men and women includes collection-defining pieces featuring

Gore technology. The Front Point Shell, Bibs and Pants feature three-layer GORE-TEX® Pro fabric

engineered with added durability to withstand abrasion, while protecting against long-lasting extreme

and variable weather. GORE-TEX® Active products in the minimalist Sharp End series is the ideal

solution for highly aerobic, done-in-a-day alpine activities, even in bad weather. Black Diamond is also

introducing a combination of taped-seam construction in garments featuring both Gore WINDSTOPPER

® Active and WINDSTOPPER ® Soft Shell materials. With their taped seams, the Convergent Down

Hoody and Shell (featuring WINDSTOPPER® Active fabric) and the Induction Shell and Pants (featuring

WINDSTOPPER® Soft Shell fabric) create a new standard in breathability and weather resistance.

With its Fall 2014 apparel line featuring Gore technologies, Black Diamond addresses the needs of

alpinists the same way it has for 25 years with equipment: by designing intuitive, thoughtfully engineered

and beautifully executed products that climbers and skiers can trust.



Source: Climbing Gear Reviews