Greg G

I use these for primarily alpine and ice climbing, but they also double as a great all around hiking pant. Layer them up with some long underwear and you have an affordable pair of softshell pants. Unfortunately they aren't lined or seam sealed so they do tend to soak through which could make for unpleasant days in the mountains. On the bright side they do dry extremely fast, and even on days for the ice is running with water these things dry out pretty quick.

For the longest time I've been looking for a button up shirt to hike/climb/havefunin. Most of them are either super expensive or just plain dumb looking. Luckily I saw a fellow co-worker here in the office sporting this fine garment the other day, and decided then and there 'this must be mine'. Definitely not bummed out I made an impulse buy! This thing is great and is PERFECT for on the trail. When you're in the outdoors you wanna look good right?!

This pad is awesome. Inflates easily, and is pretty darn comfy too.

@Matt

The TC is a great shoe for 'low angle' face or crack climbing. Living in SLC I'm mainly climbing the granite in Little Cottonwood or going down to the desert, and these shoes really shine in both arenas. Going from the Muira for granite, and Moccasyms for the desert I couldn't be more stoked to have a shoe that I can take everywhere.

One important caveat is that if you take the shoes everywhere and climb a lot of crack I would seriously recommend Seam Seal on the rand of the shoe from the toes on back to the arch and equivalent on the outside of the shoe. This is for real and you should do it as soon as you buy the shoe or break it in after a few TR runs or easy days (essentially before you get a chance to delam the rand). It's simply the weird design of the rand where it overlaps itself near the ball of the foot where the delam begins, but then it will propagate in front and behind the initial delam spot. In short Seam Seal = longevity.

As far as fit and sizing I wear a 42 in Muiras, and sized up to a 42.5 for the TC's. This sizing definitely favors slabbing and crack climbing. I lose sensitivity on techy edging and steeper terrain, but that's why I still own a pair of Muiras.

All in all the TC is a amazing shoe that I could see myself wearing for a few more years or until they make something better. It's definitely the best "granite" shoe I've ever worn, and I thought the Muira would hold that title forever.

I bought these crampons with the intent to use them all over the mountains. Whether it be roadside water ice climbing or booting up a steep ridge to gain some more vertical on my next pow run these crampons do it all. I wear mine using the La Sportiva Trango Extreme Evo Light for ice, and my Black Diamond Prime alpine touring boot for skiing. All in all a great crampon!

The classic big cam is back, and unchanged! A cam (or two) of this size is a must on every trad climbers rack.

These little guys are the perfect compliment to any set of stoppers. They lock perfectly into pin scars where other standard stoppers might otherwise shift or not feel secure. I highly recommend these stoppers to any climber looking for an advantage when it comes to protecting thin cracks.

I really love this thing. Like really... I bought it for a camping trip late in the summer, and have been using it religiously ever since. It is very easy to clean, very easy to use, and makes a very tasty cup of brew. This lovely contraption has seen at least 5 lbs of coffee, and that is probably a low ball guesstimate. For the price and quality you get it would be a bad decision not to get this percolator. Sure there are espresso makers that are awesome, but this is a COFFEE maker and it kills it!!!

These boots are great! They're warm, light, and provide a great feel while climbing. Ankle articulation is awesome allowing backstepping, stemming, and other tomfoolery while climbing. I would recommend these to any alpinist whether they be a weekend warrior climbing waterfalls to a serious peak bagger.

Never having owned a pair of mountaineering boots I didn't know what to expect. I picked up a pair of La Sportiva Trango S Evo GTX boots this past summer, but unfortunately they were a size to small so I never got to utilize them in their element. After some more research I decided on the 'Silver Bullets', and couldn't be more excited. They have a tad bit more rocker than the red Trango S Evo, and a full shank which makes them an ice climbing monster. I sized up a half size from my traditional street shoe size of 10 (42) to a 42.5 euro. I'm glad I did as these run a little narrow so my fit is perfect now. The break in period on these babies is about 4-5 days worth of hiking, climbing, and hanging out. Overall I'm very impressed with their warmth, water proofness, and fit.

For my first dynafit compatible boot I had no idea what to choose. I tried on a few companies boots to get a good comparison for sizing, and price. I eventually settled on these, and haven't been disappointed. After a full season touring in these I don't feel they're to heavy for big tours. They ski really well, and also tour exceptionally well. Very Impressed.

I recently purchased this harness for use during Big Wall climbing. Reading reviews about wall harnesses can be a little daunting especially when you don't have much experience aid climbing. I waited until I had about 20 aid pitches, and one major aid route (2 nights on the wall) under my belt before I purchased my first aid specific harness. After my first wall I had terrible "wall hips" that were bruised for day's after the climb, and I promised myself I would take strides to reduce this uncomfortable pain. So I practiced better hauling, and jugging techniques so that I wouldn't be constantly hanging in my crappy old harness until I had perfected my own systems. I believe that even if you have the biggest most plush wall harness out there (Yates Shield Harness) you will still experience "wall hips" if you're technique is bad.

Anyways like I was saying...after some practice I jumped in, and bought this harness. Once I received it I immediately loaded up every single gear loop with every last bit of gear I owned (which is wayyyyyyy to much) to see how this baby would sag once full loaded with a 3x rack + hauling gear. As with any harness you need to cinch it down tight to avoid having to 're-cinch' it a few pitches up, but you don't need to over tighten it to avoid harness sag. As for the multitude of gear loops I figured out a good system for myself.

We decided to climb Touchstone wall 5.8 C2 in a day without fixing, and my lead was the first few aid pitches. Immediately this harness began to show me why it stands apart from others. The 'Upper Tier' gear loop can be used to carry extra gear, but I feel like slings, and cams with snag to become a huge cluster. Instead I used these as my dedicated ladder/daisey clip in points...'Genius!' I thought to myself as I easily cruised up the first few pitches in an hour or 2. When waiting at the hanging belay's for my partner the harness felt like I was sitting in a Bosun chair (well not really, but it was real comfy), and I really new I was on the right track with this harness. The last thing the harness did to prove itself worthy was the upper free climbing pitches. All rated 5.8 to 5.10 (depending on your willingness, and level of psyche) the harness never felt clunky or bulky while free climbing.

All in all I would recommend this piece of equipment to any climber looking for a comfortable, versatile, and light weight aid/wall/multipitch harness. SEND IT!!

Just got these sandals last week, and had to give them a week to impress me. These are a very comfortable sandal made with good materials. The main material is a synthetic leather, but don't worry because it feels and acts like the real thing. The sole is also pretty well thought out with a more dense rubber patch on the heal for all you heal draggers out there. The biggest thing though is their looks. I feel as if I could wear a suit with these on my feet, and still be well respected in the office!

I've been wearing the Mythos for about 4 years now, and will continue to use them years from now. Although they don't climb steep terrain extremely well they slab, and crack climb exceptionally well. If you are looking to upgrade from a beginner shoe to a more intermediate shoe this one will fit the bill. At the same time if you climb a lot of crack, slab this shoe can definitely bring your game up a notch or two.

Small backpack does the job great! Highly recommended by a College student who is on the move.

Sweet approach shoes! Probably the best on the market as far as rubber, and technical scrambling ability are concerned. My only gripe is i wish they had some more cushioning for those really long days on the trail.

Love this carabiner! Normally an ultralight biner' is difficult to clip in the clutch, and a nuisance at the belay. But this carabiner is easy to clovehitch, and manipulate. Definitely a must on your rack for alpine climbs or traditional onsightes.

I used this axe for some steep snow, and very very easy mixed climbing up some coulior's. nice and light!

These sandals are awesome, but be aware that they take about a week to really break in to your foot shape.

I just recently purchased these shades in the matte smoke/gray green frame/lense combo, and am super stoked on them. The color is darker than shown on the website so take that into consideration before buying. These fit people with medium/large heads, and seeing as how my head is about a 7 3/4 i'm stoked to find a pair of shades that fit well, but don't look huge at the same time. smith optics!

I had these in the stretch Zion pant, and loved them. Upgraded to to the shorts last week, and am loving it! highly recommend these shorts as they are light, stretchy, and dry super fast. get them while they're hot!

You can't go wrong with this carabiner. Tried and true!

Upgraded to these bad boys this spring to replace my old wildcountry wild-wire's. I am really impressed with the thicker dogbone. It adds to the handling of the draw, but doesn't add much extra weight. These draws are perfect if you are a multi-faceted climber who is climbing trad one day, and sport the next. I definitely recommend these draws!

I was looking for a harness to fit my skier thighs, and was getting skunked on every harness with fixed leg loops. When I tried this harness on it not only fit like a glove, but after adjusting the leg loops I now have the perfect fitting harness. Another plus of this awesome harness is that it can easily fit over ski layers for some technical descents, and also has carryall loops in between the gear loops for ice climbing compatibility.

This man fears no hanging belay now!

This haul bag definitely does its job. While it may not be as good as the competing Metolius or older A5 bags, this bag is great. The main differences are narrower haulstraps, and the top enclosure system. These differences do not detract from the quality of the bag. This is a great Grave IV bag or like Cedar says below, "If you are someone who has trouble fitting their rack rope and say drill or pitons for first ascent cragging this could be a good choice."

Another note is this bag carries extremely well. Comfortable!

Awesome belay device for anything! I've used it belaying arm burning sport climbs, and have also used it as a backup for jugging fixed lines. The Cinch glides up the rope as a superb big wall backup, and also locks up mighty quick if your buddy doesn't let you know he's going to whip. Great piece of gear.

Super light, and super functional. Some other small, and light carabiner's do not clip as well nor do they accept a clove hitch cleanly. The OZ offers all the benefits of a larger 'biner with the bonus of being light, and racking cleanly on your gear loops. They're a must for any serious trad climber.

I just purchased a set of these 0/1, 1/2, 2/3, and used them for a week in Zion NP. I can't say enough about how well these cams work in pin scarred placements. I had a full set of DMM offset stoppers to compliment these offset cams. We climbed the classic trade route 'Moonlight Buttress 5.8 C1' which is endless 1/4" to 1/2" cracks. These cams became the crutch of our aid rack. We would simply keep a few on each aider, and drop in stoppers for pro as we plugged and chugged our way up the endless crack system. Like I said before, Nothing better for the job!

These 'biners are a must when you own a Black Diamond C4 rack. They are a little small for sport climbing, but for trad, and alpine climbing they're great. I highly recommend a set even if you own a metolious rack as the colors overlap quite a bit.

Not only do these cams have a greater expansion range than any other cam on the market, but they are also the most user friendly. The color coded slings, thumb loop, trigger, and stupid easy handling make this cam THE most popular cam in the world for a good reason. Although your rack will not be complete without a set of Wildcountry Friends or Metolious Ultralights The Black Diamond C4 is the best investment you could make if you want to buy a full rack right off the bat.

After making my way up in the league of backcountry shredding I finally splurged, and upgraded to a dynafit setup. Couldn't be more stoked on my decision to go this lightweight! I ski on 181 Surface Livefree, and wear a 27.5 Black Diamond Prime AT boot. Absolutely love my new setup!

Ever wonder how the pizza boy keeps your pie hot, and fresh on the drive to your house? Well Columbia has figured out how to do that with your body inside a jacket. The technology sounds gimicky, and hard to believe but it really does work!

Great Skins! I've had 2 pairs, and with the new sts tip loop it makes these skins even better! Refer to the video link below for the best way to cut your skins. I followed it to the T, and my skins are the best I have ever cut!I gave these 4 out of 5 stars mainly because they can be a pain to pack away, and are not the lightest skins on the market. In my experience they definitely offer the best traction up hill compared to G3.

I bought this rope (60m bi-color) with the idea of taking it on long approaches into alpine environments, and it hasn't disappointed me yet. The thin diameter does take some getting used to, but once your up a pitch all thoughts of the rope being thin go out the window as you focus in on the main objective--getting to the top.

After 3 trips to the Lone Peak area in the Wasatch Front, and a week long trip on the long routes of Tuolumne Meadows, CA this rope has held up great with only 1 small sheath scuff. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a lightweight lead rope they can trust in the mountains.

When it comes to locking carabiners any climber knows they're your bread and butter when it comes to building anchors, and having a keylock nose 'biner really improves efficiency. Having a small Keylock nose for clipping pieces of webbing or sharper bolt hangers is the absolute best. This 'biner is a staple on my rack, and I'm trying to convert my friends.

ease of clipping + zero snags/light and strong = Awesome Locking Carabiner!

I've used the BD nForce ascenders for a few years, and thought they were ok. I had no idea what I was missing out on until I gave these ascenders a try this past fall. The ease of use is unparalleled. There is no extra moving parts or procedures I have to go through to unlock the tool or get it past a knot, which is cluth for fast ascents. I would highly recommend this piece of gear for any big wall climber or anyone looking to add an item as useful as this to their rack.

A thin wool layer that gets the job done. I own a few different Patagonia layers, and this is by far my favorite piece out of the group.

Have you ever had a poly-pro layer stink before you even got a 1/2 mile into your hike? Well I have, and this issue always bugged me. Why does this stuff smell so bad? Its not me is it? Am I really the stinky kid? Well thankfully I/O Bio has developed a way for you to smell great even after a long day of skiing/hiking/biking. The proof is in the pudding as they say, and when I'm hanging out in my under layers after skiing in the same clothes for 2 straight days with my girlfriend and she says, "wow, you smell great! weren't you skiing all day?" I know I made the right choice. :)

I've never owned a The North Face item until now, and I couldn't be happier. The chest/pit zips are in a prime spot for unzipping/zipping when your pack is on and your hiking fast, and the hood/collar design is very nice for storm days. The fully taped seams and sealed zippers also add to the long list of techy features this jacket sports. I couldn't be happier with my first TNF purchase and will definitely be back for more!

The reverso3 was my first autolocking belay device, and I haven't turned back ever since. I'm on my 2nd one in 2 years, but only because I dropped mine off the top of huge face. Good thing I had my spare hanging on my 'spare parts' biner. The reverso3 combines the best features of every atc I've ever owned. Smooth rope feed, high friction, autolocking, lightweight, and a flexible cable that lets the belay device move smoothly when your chimneying or otherwise getting uncomfortable on the climb.