climbing gear reviews

Scarpa Furia S climbing shoes.

Review: Scarpa Furia S Climbing Shoes

by

Climbing Shoes Scarpa Furia S $199, 15 oz. (men’s size 8.5) Sizes: men’s US 3.5-11.5, women’s US 4.5-12.5, Euro 35-45 backcountry.com Building on the successful Furia design, Scarpa’s newer Furia S climbing shoe claims to provide increased sensitivity and precision with its ultra-flexible design. Over several months of testing the Furia S on numerous challenging ascents, from Spanish limestone to …

Read on

The Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell in Spain's Picos de Europa Mountains.

Review: Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell

by

Ultralight Shell Jacket Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell $199, 3.5 oz./99.2g (men’s medium) Sizes: men’s S-XL, women’s XS-XL blackdiamondequipment.com Obvious first impression: The Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell passes the test of being so light that there’s no reason to not carry it. But a shell this packable becomes truly invaluable when you can use it in a variety of …

Read on

The Knog Bandicoot headlamp

Review: The Knog Bandicoot Headlamp

by

Rechargeable Headlamp Knog Bandicoot $35, 2 oz. Eartheasy.com My first reaction to the Knog Bandicoot was: a rechargeable headlamp that weighs and costs less than headlamps that require batteries?! My second thought was: Hey, this thing looks kind of… cool. After using it on late-summer (think: it’s dark by early evening) backpacking trips on the Teton Crest Trail and in …

Read on

Deuter Trail Pro 36 daypack.

Review: Deuter Trail Pro 36 and Trail Pro 34 SL Daypacks

by

Large Daypack
Deuter Trail Pro 36 and Trail Pro 34 SL
$185, 36L/2,197 c.i., 3 lbs. 7 oz. (men’s)
Sizes: one men’s and one women’s, not adjustable
Trail Pro 36: backcountry.com
Women’s Trail Pro 34 SL: backcountry.com

On the second day of a five-day hut trek through Spain’s Picos de Europa Mountains, the trail immediately grew steep and remained steep for most of the day. We hiked long stretches over snow-covered talus and scree—and concluded the day’s hiking with a descent of almost 3,000 feet through innumerable switchbacks. On top of that, the skies rained and snowed on us virtually all day. Sometimes, you just get lucky with conditions that put a pack through a testing gantlet. Throughout that Picos trek, the Trail Pro 36 demonstrated that it’s a high-quality, versatile, large daypack.

Read on

Black Diamond Spot325 headlamp.

Gear Review: Black Diamond Spot325 Headlamp

by

Headlamp
Black Diamond Spot325
$40, 3 oz. (with 3 AAA batteries, included)
backcountry.com

From rising before dawn for early starts to beat the heat on a 74-mile backpacking trip through the Grand Canyon in May, to predawn mornings and dark evenings in camp on a 94-mile traverse of the CDT in Glacier National Park in September, the Black Diamond Spot325 demonstrated the brightness and versatility that makes it arguably the best value in an ultralight headlamp today. Here’s why.

Read on