Jimmy

Mark Twight has been using these things forever, and I'm surprised more alpinists don't. They're heavier than an 8mm, yes, but they don't cluster around your neck, you can pull one off without lowering your arms, and each 1 is either a single length or double length sling, depending on what you need for each piece.

Technically speaking, it's a good harness. Easy to take on and off with boots/crampons/skis, and bomber foolproof protection. Lightweight and cheap too, but anyone who says it's comfortable has never whipped on lead or sat through a 2 hour hanging belay in this thing. No matter how well fitted it is, it doesn't do an effective job of distributing load. And if you are male and you take a 20 footer in this thing, your balls are going to be up in your throat.

I used this helmet ice and alpine climbing in Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, and the Beartooths in MT and I love it. It's taken a few hits and has some small dents in the top, but it's all cosmetic. The core of the helmet is lined with a soft outer foam that nicks and dents easily, but it doesn't compromise the structural integrity of the helmet.

flimsy lacing system that breaks at the slightest snag, sloppy toebox for a medium volume foot, and too damn heavy.

but then, i'd expect nothing less from arcteryx. the khazri is exactly what they advertise: a fast and light minimalist's alpine pack. however, arcteryx still managed to squeeze in a few essentials like a removable back/bivy pad, a 4-buckle completely detachable top with two center oriented zippered pockets (one top, one bottom), loops for attaching 4 ice tools, and a crampon (or other gear) holding elastic strap system on the front of the pack. the straps have minimal padding (with the option of a simple webbing waistbelt) but still carry 35 pounds quite comfortably. also the gear loops on the waistbelt are a nice touch for racking screws while leading with a pack. altogether, definitely the nicest pack i've ever worn. oh yeah, if you are 5'10" or over, go with the tall.

without a doubt the best-designed and most durable glove i have ever used. the gore-tex is (as always) dependable even in a downpour and 40 mph winds. extra long gauntlets keep out spindrift and the grippy and durable leather palm is tough enough for seasons of rappelling and alpine rock climbing. unbelievably warm but still thin and sensitive enough for technical alpine climbing...i've found my glove of choice!!!

since everyone else has already listed all the technical advantages of these mitts, i'll just say they're THE mitten for those long, cold, windy, hanging belays when its 0 degrees F and your partner is taking forever to lead the crux pitch.

yeah, these are expensive, but the little features (especially the full length side zippers) make these bibs worth spending the extra cash. i have worn these things on waterfall ice and scraped them up worming through rock chimneys on alpine routes, and they appear to be indestructible. add that to the fact that they're backed by the ironclad arcteryx warranty and reputation and there's no reason to buy anything else.

a warm enough glove when they're dry, but in any kind of damp conditions that doesn't last long. the "BD dry insert" is a japanese gore-tex ripoff that is not even remotely waterproof. spend the extra 30 or so dollars and get the Black Diamond sensei glove which is genuine gore-tex and always completely dry - even in a downpour.

i started climbing waterfalls leashless - much better for matching and techy moves on hard ice and mixed routes. however, when i started doing alpine routes, a dropped tool became a serious risk. i hated the idea of having long strips of webbing tied around my wrist when i climbed, but these short, easily-removed androids are barely noticeably and can hardly be called an obstruction. its like climbing leashless with the security of leashes. another well-designed system by BD.

i just broke my second PAIR of laser picks in 1 season and i'm done with them. picks break, yes, but for 4 picks, all less than 1 month old, to break on pure ice routes is ridiculous. they were not subjected to any undue or extreme stress, and they all broke along the same stress line - about 3/4 of an inch in from the tip. i would have to surmise that it is the result of a really, really faulty design...i have a friend who has had the same picks on his petzl tools for 2 years and he beats the crap out of them on mixed routes with no problems. don't buy these unless you either climb very occasionally or you can afford 70-odd dollars a month in new picks.