Gearzilla » Mountaineering

Petzl Meteor III + Helmet

nborchelt — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 12:00:17 +0000

www.petzl.com, eight ounces
Light is right when it comes to most backcountry gear, and light is even righter if it’s an item you carry as often as you use, like helmets. Petzl’s Meteor has long been a standard for climbers and alpinists seeking an ultralight bucket, and like most collapsible foam and shell climbing helmets (think beefed up bike helmet design) it’s rated as a CE-certified helmet for cycling, inline skating, light kayaking, canyoneering, and adventure racing.

The Meteor III+, a modest upgrade, tipped our digital scale at exactly 8 ounces. That makes it lighter than every climbing helmet aside from the equal-weight, but less comfortable, Camp Speed. Black Diamond’s (cheaper) Tracer and the (pricier, less ventilated) Kong Scarab are a bit heavier. The weight differences aren’t much, but we found them obvious during wear – and glaring in relation to hard shell helmets.

“The Meteor III+ also felt cooler during bike rides and hot weather canyoneering than my other helmets,” our tester reported. “It’s a tad hotter than most bike helmets weighing two to three ounces more, but I really like the best-in-show upward vision, which is critical for route-finding and rock-fall avoidance.” Four outside clips hold headlamps very securely, better than any other climbing helmet we’ve tried.

Size range is another strong point. The Meteor III+ adjusts from 20- to 25-inch head circumferences—a huge range. Our 23-inch melon-headed tester was at the limit of his Kong, but easily had room for sweatbands or balaclavas under the Meteor III+. The only drawback was that the ultralight rachet sizing mechanism made back-and-forth layering adjustments fussy. Forward-backward, and lower-higher chin harness adjustments were easy.

The main downside to using a helmet like the Meteor? It’s fragile, so you need to baby it a bit during knock-around use. This isn’t some hard shell bucket you can sit on around camp. Like all helmets, it should be retired after taking a significant hit. Fittings like the head circumference adjustment could be broken if you get impatient, but spare parts are available.
-Steve Howe

Outdoor Retailer: Mammut Preview

nborchelt — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 17:00:53 +0000

One of the smaller items found on the floors of the Salt Palace Convention Center earlier this month may make the difference between life and death in your next alpine adventure. Dubbed The RescYou, Mammut‘s new mountain rescue device is one of the simplest ones we’ve seen. Attach the D-ring to your climbing harness (or to an anchor point to rescue your partner), then clip on the two clamps to the main rope and pull the handle. Each yank on the handle engaged a six-fold pulley, moving the device (and whatever it’s attached to) about two feet up the rope. It weighs in at a feathery 14 ounces and can easily be clipped onto your climbing harness or pack. It will retail for $125.

Mammut has also revamped their trail running collection with both new apparel and footwear. The Micro Jacket is an ultralight shell for cool/wet weather conditions that packs down into its chest pocket. Pair that with the new running shorts, which has a pouch at the small of the back that’s perfectly sized for the Micro Jacket. Their new trail runners, meanwhile, will have Dyneema webbing uppers for breathablility, strength, and abrasion resistance.

And in addition to the RescYou, Mammut continues to strive forward in their alpine and climbing lines. The Sensor rope adds a change in the rope’s color and texture at the midpoint and five meters from either end to offer both a visual and tactile indication that you’re reached a critical part in the line. They’ve also got the Realization Shorts, which has a climbing harness that’s integrated into the shorts themselves.

We’ll be testing these out over the coming season.

Outdoor Retailer: The North Face Preview

nborchelt — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 17:00:48 +0000

The Verto Micro Hoodie, Pro Jacket, and the Satellite Pants, Part of the Verto Climbing Kit

Deciding what to wear in (and what to buy for) the mountainous backcountry will get a lot easier in spring 2013 thanks to the new Verto Climbing Kit from The North Face. This four-piece apparel set up delivers pretty much all the clothes you need for an alpine adventure in a ridiculously lightweight package. Start with the Litho t-shirt ($80), an all-merino base layer with a mid-rib zipper pocket. From there, toss on the Verto Micro Hoodie ($249), a featherweight down jacket with 800-fill goose down, strategic use of stretch, and Flashdry water protection. Then don the Verto Pro Jacket ($199) for Gore Windstopper protection against the elements and a pair of the soft shell Satellite Pants ($130), and you’ve got a go-to kit that collectively weighs in at less than two pounds.TNF athletes have been putting this combo to the test and we anticipate this to be one of the best-dialed alpine solutions on the market.

The North Face will also continue to refine their line of trail running products, including the Better Than Naked line of high-performance apparel for men and women, and new shoes like the Hyper-Track Guide ($120), a highly responsive runner designed to perform equally well on both the trail and the pavement.

They will also introduce a new Optifit harnessing system in their backpack line, said to greatly enhance both ventilation and load control. The Matthes Crest and Conness pack series will both boast this new technology, with a variety of custom-fit options in various sizes. We’ve got one of these new packs in the field right now, and we’ll report back on how well it performs shortly. Stay tuned for additional The North Face product reviews over the coming months.

Outdoor Retailer: Petzl Sirocco Helmet

nborchelt — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 12:00:00 +0000

The all-foam, ultrabright Sirocco helmet is made from expanded polypropylene—the same material used for your car’s bumper—to create the lightest climbing/mountaineering helmet on the market. It weighs in at 5.8 ounces…and it was durable enough to barely display a wrinkle after we stood on it while at the Petzl booth; it boasts the same safety ratings found in helmets that weigh twice as much.
Available Spring 2013

Mammut Zephir and Zephira Climbing Harness

nprichard — Fri, 11 May 2012 08:00:42 +0000

www.mammut.ch; 9.2 ounces
A climbing harness is safety equipment—something you trust with your life, but reliability is where the characteristics of a harness should start. Our testers loved this light, easy-to-use harness, from its always-secure aluminum buckle (you tighten the webbing and it locks on its own) to the comfortable, gently padded hip belt. The light harness is made even lighter, and less sweaty, thanks to a mesh and foam construction with large cutouts to save weight and increase ventilation. Four gear loops hold a dozen quick-draws and slings, but you’ll need a gear sling for long, traditional routes. Although the harness only has minimal padding, it’s enough for you to endure resting on the rope or a hanging belay. You can’t remove the leg loops, or adjust their size, but they are attached to the rear of the harness with ingenious bungy-type cords that can be released when nature calls.
Sizes XS to L, men’s and women’s models

EZ-Fit Insoles

nprichard — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:00:38 +0000

ezfitinsoles.com; 2 ounces
Custom insoles can make the difference between performance and pain. They can also be incredibly expensive. Masterfit’s EZ-Fit Insoles are a solution that provides miles and miles of comfort at an affordable price. Cheap shoes have sewn-in footbeds, but performance footwear generally comes with a removable insole; shoe manufacturers realize that runners, skiers, hikers, and other athletes immediately pull out these cheap, flimsy factory insoles and replace with ones that provide real support and cushioning. One Bend, Oregon-based tester wears insoles 90 days a year in ski boots, and twice that in hiking and running shoes. Her top choice for support and all-day comfort? Masterfit’s EZ-Fit insoles. Rather than requiring you to go to a boot fitter (which we still heartily recommend, especially when you buy new ski or hiking boots), the EZ-Fit insoles can be trimmed at home for a perfect fit. The insoles then quickly adapt to your individual arch and heel shape to provide maximum comfort, stability, and performance. The insoles have “Contour Domes” that ring the heel pocket base—they automatically adjust to the volume of your heel for a snug fit—whether you’re foot is super thin or ultra-wide. The body of the insole is a multi-layered EVA, with a contoured arch that automatically adapts to provide just the right amount of support. Underneath the heel and forefoot are shock pads and a forefoot cushion for a smooth, pain-free stride.
EZ-Fit Terra is designed for running and hiking footwear; EZ-Fit Snow is designed for ski, snowboard and mountaineering boots

Black Diamond Speed 40 Backpack

nprichard — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 08:00:42 +0000

www.blackdiamondequipment.com
Dubbed the perfect climbing pack by our tester, an A-list alpinist who used it on a successful ascent of Denali’s West Buttress, the Speed 40 boasts a cavernous main compartment, removable lid, and sleek, inverted teardrop design. The padded hip belt is also removable, as is the simple but effective plastic framesheet (with a V shaped stay for load transfer). The reACTIVE hip belt uses a passive pivot mechanism that allows the pack to move with your body, a feature that’s accentuated by floating shoulder straps that lets the pack weight to naturally adjust to your every move. This floating system takes a few miles to get used to, but results in a natural, comfortable carry with a load that tracks perfectly and is amazingly stable. While the 40-liter top-loader has the capacity for long weekends or ultra-light longer trips, its true calling is in the mountains. On the front there are two cleverly designed ice axe loops, a reinforced crampon patch (an oxymoron, we know), and sturdy haul loops. We like the uncluttered, no-nonsense exterior that won’t get snagged on trees when you’re bushwacking through scrub oak or skiing the trees.

L.L. Bean 100 Year Anniversary Swiss Army Knife

nprichard — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 08:00:31 +0000

www.llbean.com
A hundred years ago, a pocketknife was an essential piece of everyday equipment. From cutting twine to peeling an apple, everyone carried one (and every young boy aspired to own one). In celebration of 100 years of supplying outdoor adventurers, L.L. Bean has brought back some of their own time-honored classics. The two-inch anniversary pocket knife is hewn from sustainably-harvested Swiss walnut, so each knife has a unique, beautiful grain. The walnut case is contoured to fit snug into your hand, with a groove exactly where your thumb wants to rest. Despite its pocket-friendly size, inside are 11 stainless-steel tools, including a Philips head and standard screwdriver, cork screw, bottle and can opener, file, hole punch, and a sharp, nearly 2-inch blade. Both the blade and case have L.L. Bean’s 100-year commemorative logo—making it a special present. Trouble is, you’ll want to buy one for yourself, too.

Crescent Moon Gold 13 Trail Woman’s Snowshoe

nprichard — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 08:00:22 +0000

www.crescentmoonsnowshoes.com
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep.” The poems of Robert Frost evoke snow-blanked meadows and intriguing thickets—but sometimes it’s difficult to figure out how to access them. If your promises include getting out and exercising more frequently, then snowshoes might be the answer. While skiing and snowboarding can be gear-intensive, expensive, and intimidating, snowshoeing is the opposite. The sport is inexpensive (once you buy the shoes, you are good for years of fun), with a very brief learning curve. We love the Crescent Moon Gold 13 snowshoes for many reasons (let us count the ways….). The tapered teardrop shape accommodates most women’s stride, with none of the pesky rubbing or catching that often accompanies bigger, more unwieldy models. The binding system is easy to figure out (it took one directions-challenged tester 1.5 minutes) and fits shoes from about size 5 to 11. We tried them with running shoes (on a warm spring day with packed show) and big, insulated winter boots—both fit securely with minimal adjustment fuss. The lightweight frame (made from 6063 aircraft-grade aluminum) and PVC-free polyurethane decking make for a highly maneuverable package. Add the trio of crampons (teeth that provide traction on slick surfaces) underneath, and the Gold 13’s are ideal for a quick fitness hike, a long slog into a back-country yurt, or tromping across a local park with your dog. The shoes are designed for women up to 165 pounds (and are great for kids from about 65 pounds up), and with their no-nonsense, non-girly red hue, there’s really no reason that men in that weight range couldn’t use them as well. Try these snowshoes—we guarantee that you’ll be poetry in motion.
New colors include Teton Teal and Surreptitious Sapphire.

ColdAvenger Pro Soft Shell Face Mask

nborchelt — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:00:30 +0000

www.coldavenger.com
Some days seem too cold (or hot) to venture outdoors. Neck warmers work to a point, but if you pull them up over your mouth and nose, they inevitably inhibit breathing and steam out whatever eye protection you’re wearing. One option is the ColdAvenger Pro Soft Shell Face Mask. Made of lightweight Polartec Wind Pro the fleecy material regulates temperature and wicks sweat. A built-in ventilator gives you room to breathe, and humidifies cold, dry air. While skiing in 45-mile winds, zero degrees, and blizzard conditions, one tester reported that he was the last person left on the slopes; everyone else had headed for the lodge. While our testers loved the ability to keep their faces warm and comfortable, without compromising their ability to inhale and exhale, female testers wished for a color other than “Darth Vader” black or the adventurous-only-by-comparison gray.