Gear Reviews

Gear Review Update: La Sportiva Ultra Raptor Shoes

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La Sportiva Ultra Raptor
La Sportiva Ultra Raptor

Hiking/Trail Running Shoes
La Sportiva Ultra Raptor
$130, 1 lb. 10 oz. (men’s 9)
Sizes: Euro men’s 38-47.5, women’s 36-43
sportiva.com

For a recent 28-mile dayhike through Idaho’s spectacular White Clouds Mountains—partly off-trail, with a cumulative elevation gain and loss of nearly 8,000 feet, including a steep, very loose scramble of several hundred vertical feet over a pass—I wanted the lightest shoes possible, yet ones with plenty of support, comfort, and traction. It didn’t take me long to decide on the Ultra Raptor, which I had worn a lot and reviewed previously. Not only did they perform as I’d hoped they would throughout this long and rugged hike, but afterward, my feet felt fatigued but otherwise not like I’d just hiked 28 miles.

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Gear Review: Salomon XT Wings 3 Shoes

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Salomon XT Wings 3
Salomon XT Wings 3

Hiking/Trail Running Shoes
Salomon XT Wings 3
$140, 1 lb. 9 oz. (men’s 9)
Sizes: men’s 7-14, women’s 5-12
salomon.com

For my regular trail runs, I like a shoe with plenty of stability and cushion, so that my feet don’t get beat up (and because I sometimes start and finish a trail run on pavement). If the shoe is surprisingly lightweight for the amount of support it delivers, that’s a bonus. So I got a bonus with the XT Wings 3, which I’ve worn on numerous, hilly trail runs of up to 12 miles, mostly in the Boise Foothills but also in Massachusetts. While not in the category of super-light, minimalist trail-running shoes, the XT Wings 3 have enough support to cross over nicely as light dayhiking or ultralight backpacking shoes.

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Jotunheimen National Park, Norway.

Ask Me: How ‘Waterproof’ Are Waterproof-Breathable Apparel and Boots?

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Can I sound off for a moment about Gore-Tex and other supposedly waterproof/breathable membranes? I’ve owned four pairs of boots, a running suit and a pair of gloves that have been Gore-Tex lined, and got wet in all of them. Not wet from sweat or water going over the boots, but wet from rain (soaking through) and in the case of the boots, even wet grass. I think Gore-Tex should change its slogan to Guaranteed to Keep You Dry—If It Doesn’t Rain. How can manufacturers make these waterproof claims? People’s lives can depend on their gear.

Thanks,

Dave
Worcester, Mass.

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Gear Review: Black Diamond Vapor Climbing Helmet

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Black Diamond Vapor
Black Diamond Vapor

Climbing Helmet
Black Diamond Vapor Helmet
$140, 7.5 oz. (M/L)
Sizes: S/M (21-23 ins./53-59 cm), M/L (23-25 ins./58-63 cm)
blackdiamondequipment.com

I’m afraid to put this new helmet down somewhere and take my eyes of it: My climbing partners unabashedly confess how covetous they are of it. After wearing the Vapor for several days of rock climbing at Idaho’s City of Rocks National Reserve, Castle Rocks State Park, and Mores Mountain, I’m quite loathe to lose it. Those included a couple of hot days baking under the desert sun, one of them on the five-pitch route Sinocranium on Steinfell’s Dome at the City. The Vapor is hands-down the coolest, lightest, and most comfortable climbing helmet I’ve ever worn—by comparison, much more comfortable than BD’s older Half Dome helmet, which I’ve worn for years.

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Gear Review: Osprey Manta 28 Daypack

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Osprey Manta 28
Osprey Manta 28

Daypack
Osprey Manta 28
$140, 2 lbs. 4 oz. (S/M, 2 lbs. 15 oz. including the Osprey Hydraulics 3L/100 oz. reservoir that comes with the pack)
Sizes: S/M (26L/1,587 c.i.), M/L (28L/1,709 c.i.)
ospreypacks.com

For multi-hour dayhikes, when you need to carry a fair bit of extra clothing, food, and water, I like a pack with at least 20 liters of capacity, good organization, easy access, and that carries a load efficiently. It’s just a bonus if your back stays cool, too. With those two sentences, I’ve just summed up the Manta 28.

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