I know I found a good pair of shoes, when pitch after pitch I keep reaching back and grabbing the same pair. Vertical to overhanging, sport, trad, bouldering, I find that the slight bump/arch of the toes in these shoes are really appropriate for almost any angle of climbing. When you put on a traditional, flat soled shoe after wearing these, you really feel like you can't grab the rock any more! It is amazing how well you can grab holds with your toes in these shoes, and they aren't at an uncomfortable angle to wear for a bit like some really aggressive down turned shoes. The triple velcro and deep heel cup really combine to makes these shoes fit like gloves. The durability of these has also been extremely impressive. Try some!

A really great option for lightweight and easy clipping biner. The self cleaning gate/nose is awesome for ice and alpine climbing. Notchless style nose is also amazing for cleaning on steep sport routes. Also the style of gate means no mystery unclipping as it is hooded/protected. Overall I think this is one of the safest, slickest biners out there that you can buy.

A very versatile cord. The thickness is just right to take it into the alpine; not too skinny and frail to not take a beating, but burly enough to last. It will not stand up to repeated whippers and abuse like a 9.8 will, but that is inherent in choosing a rope this size. No skinny cord will last to long life abuse like a fatter cord no matter what. I do like the feel of this rope as well, handles very nicely. Overall I would say this rope has treated me quite nicely, in both the 60m and 70m lengths, you can not go wrong choosing this cord.

What an awesome package. It is so nice to be able to recharge my headlamp with the same plug in as my android smart phone! I have saved so many batteries already. And if your rechargeable core runs out, just pop in some back up batteries. This unit is a great headlamp too, awesome varieties in brightness settings, and focused and dispersed beams. This is my one go to headlamp for everything. Say good bye to batteries!!!!

I have lived in this coat for 1.5 years now, having had a prototype to test for a winter, and now the production coat. All I can say is if you need waterproof/breathable performance like I do (ski touring in the super stormy Selkirks of British Columbia!) then you need this piece. Quiet and supple, stretchy and pretty durable considering how light this piece is. You won't be disappointed if you want and active performance waterproof piece of clothing!

Talk about a piece that is always with me. So light, so packable and small, so useful, every single day I go out in the hills...ski touring, multipitch rock climbing, alpine climbing...I feel like this jacket is in my pack! Very functional, will keep you dry in a pinch, and works amazing as a wind shirt too. No extra BS functions, simple and gets the job done, and doesn't lack anything that I need in a piece like this.

Warm, waterproof, easy to use, fits under or over sleeves. Always in my pack.

If you want light, fast and performance, then these might be one of the best ski touring pants in the world. Great vents, awesome marriage of fabrics, super cool functionality, durable. I love these pants. They fit under a harness great and can double as a summer alpine pant too.

Think of this as a hybrid fleece/wind shell. Does a little of both, so obviously this marriage results in a great piece for high octane pursuits like mtn biking or ski touring. I just layer up at the top, wear a long sleeve thin poly pro underneath. It works for this because it is not too warm. Fun piece, it takes a beating too.

Gore wind stopper is a great shell surface for keeping the weather out and bumping up the warmth. It also takes a beating. It is a trim fit, and sleeves are a touch short for long armed individuals. One of those pieces that is always in my pack. Skiing, alpine climbing, rock, you name it, it works!

Sticky rubber is nice, and the style is cool for an 'approach' shoe. But no clip in point for carrying them on a multi pitch. And the worst was the insoles slipped all the time, bunching up under my heel and leaving a gap under my toes.

Performance for a climbing helmet comes down to a few key points. Is it light? In this case, unbelievably so. Does it stay put on your head? Like its glued on. Will it protect your brain from climbing falls or falling rock? Without fail. I guess I have gone through the ranks of helmets from lots of the major manufacturers, but I have never, repeat NEVER put on a helmet that barely feels like its there and still does its job. Bottom line is I love this helmet, and will use it religiously.

The k2 skin system is pretty slick, light, clean and simple for use with their skis. I highly recommend them, great grip, good glide, pack small, I have used these for a few seasons and am super psyched, and we are talking 100 days a season of use!

Lockjaw mechanism is flawless, inclinometer is accurate, weight is low, baskets are great for touring, depth gauge to track new snow, everything you could want in a touring pole really.

I skied these boards for most of 2011...on everything! They are a great balance between big tip rocker for the deep pow float, flat camber under foot to ski the groomers and corn with ease, and metal top sheets to dampen the ride for super high speed shredding. Holds big turns and whips short ones around no problem. Flat notched tail holds skins super well, and tip rocker breaks trail with ease. I might have a quiver of boards, but I end up skiing these 95% of the time! That says alot in my books...

For what it is it is brilliant. However, super light axes have their limit. If you really need to swing this tool in to get some climbing done, it is just too light weight to make steeper climbing efficient and safe. For snowy ski mountaineering and alpine rock emergencies this is my go to tool. The spike at the bottom tends to plug and ball up with snow. Otherwise awesome tool.

I am a mountain guide, so I own alot of crampons, and each one has a use...these are the ones I bring along for neve (hard/firm snow) or when I don't think I will really need some. Great for this as they are so light and with the steel tips, you can actually get them to bite in when you really need to climb. If you are doing some all day walking in firm to icey conditions, go with a real crampon!

Got one of these after being sick of the over-hyped arc'teryx harnesses, that have always 'roped' out and rolled up on me. So far I have used this harness on 20 pitch alpine rock climbs, single pitch trad and super steep sport and I love it. Super comfy, you barely notice it is there. Despite the thin nature and slight padding, comfort is not an issue. I am a slim 6'2" tall, 180lbs, and wear a medium. 33" waist but the medium is cranked down pretty far, however it is tight on my legs, but slowly stretching. The only other slight dislike is the second set of gear loops are a bit too far back, and the front ones just a tad small - for sport climbing this is not an issue, but trad multi-pitch I find it a little hard to see the back gear loops. Not disappointed in this harness at all, super psyched on it!

I climb alot and need a standard go to shoe that performs well on a variety of things, and this is that shoe for me. Good value, great fit, a bit of sprucing up with this new generation. Rubber is great, fit is nice, I size to .5 size below my street shoe for performance, and same as my street shoe for long routes and comfort. They soften as they break in and get more sensitive. Nothing too fancy, but they perform where you need them too, in an era of specialized shoes, I find I can do alot with these.

What a shoe. 1 pitch of pain, and then they just settled right on to my foot so nicely for a snug, sensitive steep rock shoe. At first the love bump/concave sole didn't look steep and aggressive with no foot in them, and when you put them on it is time to grab with your toes! This is just my first impression from a handful of days, but so far so good. A heads up on sizing from evolv...I wear a 13 for sport performance in the Evo's and pontas, and I went with a 13.5 in this shoe and the predator G2 and that is a similar fit. By the way, GESHIDO stands for GEtSHItDOne.

I have had 3 other of the older WARP harnesses from Arcteryx and have enjoyed them, but was hoping the rolling and pinching would be solved...but alas, it is worse! I tested mine out doing tons of hanging in it for cleaning new routes in Squamish, and all I can say is PAIN! Not comfy, the excess straps from the leg and waist belts don't stay in and dangle everywhere, I have not complained about a harness this much ever I don't think. BUMMER!

This is my standard base layer/activity t-shirt for EVERYTHING. Winter ski touring, summer climbing and biking. The wool/poly blend is great, as I find pure wool too warm and wet, but this mix is the right formula for comfort, odor control, and wicking. You can't go wrong really!

Everyone else has great reviews here...here's another one! I typically use it for mountain bike rides in Squamish, BC, so lots of technical jarring single track. This pack fits so close and tight, it doesn't bounce around, and keeps the contents in place as well. Perfect amount of room for tools, tubes, layers, food and the water reservoir. I typically ride for 2 to 4 hours, so everything I need is in there. Water bladder is great, easy to take out and fill, great hose/magnetic system, it also stays pretty clean, and tasteless. Enjoy!

In a pack this size for me to have a quiver of 1, it needs to do a few things right, which the variant does. It serves as an overnight alpine pack, and multiday ski traverse/ski mountaineering pack, and flip flops between these two functions quite well. For skiing, the dedicated shovel blade pocket and ski slid ins on the side are perfect, and do not add too much weight and bulk. You don't want a front carry system for skis on a pack this size anyway, as the weight is way too far back with a big load, so A-frame carry is perfect. Lid is big enough, and you can load the pack really high to make it all fit in. Narrower profile and small simple climbing features work great as well. Padding and straps are just the variety I like, not overkill. Enough support to carry a big load well too. Overall it is just what I want in a pack this size. I have the 37 too and love it.

Some basic stuff: I wear a 13.5 street shoe, and wear a 13 for performance in my pontas, evo's. I can not get a 13 on my foot, but the 13.5 was perfect. Easy to get on and quite comfy for such an aggressive shoe, which is awesome. If you haven't gone to a downturn shoe for steep climbing, wait no longer. I find evolv rubber works just as well as any on the market. I love these shoes.

But, a huge change in a great direction. I never use ropes bigger than 10mm anymore so this was a needed upgrade. The smaller size and lighter weight not only make hauling it around better, but I think the size is easier to fit in your hand and belay with the proper gri-gri technique versus the old gri-gri. Lowering with the progressive descent engineering is definitely an improvement as well. One of the biggest improvements related to lowering is the rappelling smoothness as well. I often rap fixed lines to get into new routes or projects, or on walls, and the rappelling action is 100% better than on the old 'open or closed' system. Meaning you can easily get to a controlled rate of descent with this unit. The only drawback to the smaller size is the shorter handle, which for my big hands is a bit harder to deal with, but I will take it! If your old one is getting worn, upgrade for sure!

If you need to charge big and hard while touring, this might be the boot for you. I got them to replace the Skookum and it is a huge step up in burliness. Way stiffer, but also way less flex while touring. I have to have the buckles fully open in order to walk up hill comfortably but I am used to walking in the super flexible Maestrales. If you want a boot for serious descents that is dynafit compatible, because really there is no other touring binding, then this is the boot for you. I would say its ideal for slack country and shorter distance touring. I love how they ski, but don't often choose the weight/walking flex comprimises of this boot.

I have seen a fair number of clients and guides in training this winter and last using these skis. The weight and very light tip rocker make them quite a good ski for the fast and far touring days for sure, but I have also seen 2 broken pairs this winter, and also have noticed lots of bigger, stronger skiers over power these skis, or get tossed around in anything but fresh pow. If you want to ski endless fields of powder, this is probably a great choice, but expect to be bounced around in other conditions. But really, who wants to ski anything but deep pow?

I have had quite a few clients on these skis this winter, but have seen at least 3 pair where the inserts have failed resulting in loose bindings not staying on in the field. Be warned about the inserts! Seems like this is a good touring ski for light people with light boots, I have noticed good strong skiers, with heavier boots easily over powering this ski, but if you have some light TLT 5s to match up, and want to slay endless pow and nothing else, this could be a good option.

I just got one of these, and although it is not the biggest, brightest and fanciest unit, it fully meets my needs as a guide. Often I need to use a GPS in full stormy/whiteout conditions and a touch screen unit just won't cut it, so the toggle is great for that. I put an 8gb memory card in and could download every map I will every need on the unit, which is AWESOME. It is fast to power up, quick to get a signal lock and easy to use. The only thing I was it had was a bigger, better screen. Otherwise, it is always in my pack.

You don't get these shoes to redpoint your hardest pitch, but rather to stand on edges and in cracks for 15 moderate to hard pitches to gain a summit or the top of the wall! Speedy lacing system, easy on and off, sticky rubber, and all day comfort. Get a pair, because you need an all day trad shoe in your quiver!

Hooded, packs small, water resistant shell fabric in places. Inferno warmth! This is my go to jacket for cold dry days in the hills, packs up small and tight for its warmth/weight/size.

This pant is the ultimate ski touring pant for light and fast and not too cold adventures. If you don't stop moving for more than 10 minutes of your day, you will love these pants. Layer with long underwear for the cold days and vent super easily. Great pockets, easy cuffs to get over boots.

Great coat for storm (and non storm) days on the hill. I take it touring lots on those days when it is puking outside and I will need to layer with a puffy and goretex. With this coat I take one less layer. Ventilation is amazing with the cross flow vents, fabric is tough, zippers are burly, features are great. It is a little on the heavy side for pure touring, but I just zipped out the balaclava hood, and cut out the powder skirt to save a little weight and bulk.

What more could you want? I have been hammering this coat for awhile, it is standing up to the test of time for sure. I like the pertex fabric, you don't always need goretex that is for sure. Great fit, awesome zipper locations and the right mix of features and light weight that you will always use it and never wish for something more/different. Plus the avocado color is AWESOME!!!!

Got a pair of the loose ones, because I couldn't find the lightweight tight ones. Except that there is no fly, which isn't that big of a deal, these things rock! I love the light weight for touring, and looseness. Really comfy for charging up hill. 3/4 is the way to go for so many reasons. No bunching up in your boot tops-with high ski socks you don't need full length long johns for skiing! If you have pants with side zips, all you need to do when overheating is reach in your vents and pull up your drawers to cool down...super simple. I like the fabric on these, but I will let you know how they stand up to a ton of use.

The full package: stiffer than my skookums with the soft tongue, lighter by a long shot, fully field serviceable buckles/bolts instead of rivets, amazing flex for the up. I thought I might only ski these boots on long days, but I use them every day they perform so well. The only thing to watch out for is the bolts loosening so pick up some extra lock-tite to solve that problem before it ever develops.

I got this ski as more of a spring ski mountaineering board that would be ready for all the conditions I might find on a typical 5,000' elevation change big mountain ski day. Frozen, breakable, chalky, recycled powder and end of the day slop after some corn are what I expect, and I must say that these skis deliver in all of these conditions. Add to the package the snowphobic top sheet, tip and tail holes, flat tails, and you have one of the best one quiver skis around...so much so that I find I used it more than I thought I would!

Well, a little lighter than the freerides and barons/dukes, great feel skiing downhill, but the up is not so great. Tough to sidehill/traverse in these, they feel a bit wobbly. Really hard to get them into ski mode from tour mode if they are loaded with snow from the uptrack. Personally I use a dynafit for all of my touring, but put these on some Darksides for the occasional ski hill/side country hit.

And that is to buy these skins. Pretrimmed to perfection, smooth as silk attachment system, supple and very packable. Great skin.

Now this is a fun ski. Huge and stable, yet really turny with the full rocker. Don't be too surprised though when they can still hold an edge with the flat camber under foot. Can go full speed ahead and float off of drops, or turn on a dime when your line doesn't really go thru. These are beasts for uphill travel, but pretty fun on the full on powder days, especially if it is coastal thickness, or wind hammered.

OR has nailed the side country pant genre with these pants. Just the right amount of insulation on the knees and ass, plenty of ventilation panels, tough fabric, gore-tex, cargo pockets...everything the side country tourer needs for a good day of secret powder stashes.

Weight, packability, fit, amount of warmth all add up to a stellar coat. From tooling around town on those cool fall evenings to an alpine bivy in dry conditions (like a long rock route in the Sierra) to a dry climate ski touring coat, I am super psyched with this piece. I have used it for all three of those things, and it is a great piece. It is fit for layering over the top of stuff which is nice, but will still fit under a rain coat if you really needed it to. Enjoy!

Don't get me wrong, I love these shoes ONLY for what they were made for...techy approaches and descents where you need to carry your shoes with you while you climb. For that purpose they get 5 stars...but delaming in the toe after 5 times worn, and the mesh wears out quick if you climb any pitches in them. These things climb really well and hike ok. Minimal cushioning, and no toe tread mean they are tough on the feet for long trail walks. Add a pair to your quiver for sure, but only take them out for the right occasions!

Smith is a sports sunglass company but these shades are good for driving and strutting around town, not fast paced action. They will slip off your head. That being said, they are really comfy with the spring loaded arms, the polarized lenses are crisp, and they are pretty trendy cool right now.

They stay put on your head with the rubberized temples and nose pieces...lenses change with the brightness, and they are close fitting...but they still are a little light for long periods of time on the glacier, and if you where a hat, the lenses are shaded and tend not to darken as much. Folks are 50/50 on whether I am cool enough to rock white frames, but I like them! One day of doing some chainsaw/glading work with them though pretty much wrecked the lens coating, so I don't know if that is unique to chainsawing kickback or if a muddy mountain bike ride might do the same thing. Either way, I have been happy with them!

They stay put on your head with the rubberized temples and nose pieces...lenses change with the brightness, and they are close fitting...but they still are a little light for long periods of time on the glacier, and if you where a hat, the lenses are shaded and tend not to darken as much. Folks are 50/50 on whether I am cool enough to rock white frames, but I like them! One day of doing some chainsaw/glading work with them though pretty much wrecked the lens coating, so I don't know if that is unique to chainsawing kickback or if a muddy mountain bike ride might do the same thing. Either way, I have been happy with them!

For some reason I have been climbing in shoes with out stiff midsoles for a long time. And I predominantly trad climb on granite, which means standing on lots of micro holds. Why did I wait so long to get a performance pair of stiffer lace ups? These things are sick on the high end granite, it just made 5.12 trad climbing that much easier. Really. Not as good on the really steep stuff, as you can't really feel or grab the holds with your toes to keep your self from swinging off, but hey, don't the rest of you own like 10 pairs of climbing shoes for every different style of climbing and type of rock?

Now that this ski has a rocker profile, it is an amazing, light weight, powder ski, for those big vert days. Soft and light, but an even flex keeps it predictable and consistent. I would choose this ski over the Manaslu or equivalent BD ski any day. Add the flat tails and tip/tail holes and you have a very capable backcountry skiing tool as well.

This could be the best all around powder backcountry ski. With rocker profile, wide under foot, flat tails, holes in tips and tails, super smooth even and consistent skiing, easy turn initiation with the rocker tip...I could go on for ever. Forget about other brands that dabble in skis, this is what K2 does, they make skis! Did I mention the flat tails? That way you can actually use them for things that real back country skiers do, like cut off cornices, make anchors, etc...

These little things are perfect for SPECIFIC climbing applications I have found. Examples include - biners for bolts on an anchor set up, nut tool, pack biner, shoe biner, crevasse rescue kit for ski mountaineering, extra biners for alpine climbing. I would not recommend it as your workhorse clipping biner, but you can get by using them if you have to. Try not to set them up on the rope end of things, but on gear or bolt sides, and you won't have any trouble (and I have HUGE meaty hands). Enjoy the lightness and size reduction of your kit with these biners!

Then this is a great shoe. Where I live (Squamish, BC) the multi pitch routes all have really great trail walk offs and easy trail approaches, so this is the dream shoe for Squamish multi pitch climbing. It weighs nothing so you hardly notice it as you climb, and with the velcro closure you can make them tight enough for the easy walk offs. Add a dot tread/sticky rubber sole, and you are styling!

Hands down, this is by far the BEST ski touring/mountaineering pack I have ever used. No doubt. For years I have been using a BD avalung pack, and well basically those things carry/wear very poorly. This pack fits so snug and tight, rides really clean, I forget its there. The huge back panel opening is brilliant for ski touring, making gear organization a dream and the back panel never gets snowy when you put it down to get things out. The helmet carry system is simple and easy to use. The extra pockets are just enought for easy organization. The clip in points for easy ski carry also provide an easy way to carry a light half rope for ski mountaineering. Hip belt pockets are a really nice size - easily fit a camera or snacks. What else can I say? There is no better ski touring pack on the market as far as I am concerned.

This is a simple, clean, small amount of frills 'ALPINE CLIMBING PACK'. What does that mean? No frame, light and clean, tough, with some climbing perks to it.
The bonuses: Removable top lid, easily stows inside the skirt, and seals up. Simple shoulder and waist belt straps/padding - you can clip and stow the waist belt around the back which is super nice for climbing! a mesh pocket on the side for storing pickets- some alpine packs miss this and you must put them inside your packs. Easily removed light simple bivy pad...I more use this for sitting on in the snow or in camp so I save my sleeping pad from too much abuse. Tough fabrics-I drag this thing around and it is plenty bomber to rock, snow and ice.

Things to remember: This is a sack-no frame, so it won't carry as well as other bags if you don't pack it right! But that makes it light and with its narrow profile easy to climb with - perfect size for overnight alpine missions, especially since you can store a rope securely under the top lid.

If you are an aspiring alpine ninja, this is the pack for you! But don't forget, I have found it works quite well for cragging (ice and rock) and ski touring as well!

If you want a light weight gear duffle, that is easy to travel with, this is the bag for you. Simple number of compartments, great compression straps, good quality zippers. Really hand back pack straps clip and unclip and stow away for a clean travelling bag, that is easy to throw on your back for short hauls. A nice handle is on the top of the bag as well for easy quick tosses. Overall I have been really happy with this bag as a simple and clean duffle. Many times I choose to travel with a bag like this so I save the extra 6-8 lbs on a roller bag for all of my heavy climbing and skiing gear I usually travel with.

Love this axe, it is great almost always. It has enough weight to actually swing and stick and chop steps as needed, and the rubberized grip means you can change hand positions and grab up pretty high on it with out it slipping. The only draw back of course then is the added weight from the rubberized shaft, but I would say its worth it.

Well, what is not to like? Lighter, just as safe and really sexy looking. Performs identically to other locking biners, so why not lighten up your load and replace all of the lockers in your kit with these. One small downer is the locking mechanism is REALLY slick meaning it unscrews quite easily so just look for the red paint and rescrew it as you need to.

I put my Kode 30 to good use with a ski mountaineering ascent of Mt Matier in the coast range of BC in a whiteout...good times. First impressions go a long way, and I must say, that is one of the best carrying/best skiing packs I have worn. Tight and low to my body, and after a little bit of orientation all of the features made amazing sense to me. Ski carry was a dream and a quick transition on the 50 degree booting to the summit. Ice axe was secured great, snacks were quickly accessible, snow tools were in their own pouch. The Kode 30 is an amazing addition to my quiver, and easily held all of my gear for a glaciated ski tour in white out weather.

At under 7oz how can you not ALWAYS bring this piece? The ultimate light weight rain/snow shell. It even has a small pocket it folds into which has a bar tacked clip so you can stow and clip it on a climbing harness.

I can't believe how much I use this piece. Summer alpine climbing, both rock and snow, winter ski touring. It is light, a little breathable, and it blocks the light weather a bit. Layers really easily and is TOUGH as nails. It literally goes everywhere with me all year. Use it on the uptrack ski touring, spring descents, when you want a little more protection than a fleece, and not a full on hard/heavy soft shell.

What a great ski hill piece. Zip out powder skirt and hood, pit zips to vent, great pockets. Cool colors, great fit. The pertex shell is really, REALLY weather resistant, and the wind blocking adds warmth to the piece. The shell is tough too, so it will take some abuse. I bring it into the backcountry once in a while as well, just zip out the extras!

If you want bomber, small packing insulation, then this is your piece. If you live in a wet environment or beat up your gear, then leave the down behind and go with this lightweight and versatile piece. I use it on alpine rock climbs, cragging, ski touring, summer mountaineering, so versatile!

If you want to go "Wayback" - far into the backcountry, than this is the tool of choice. This light, durable and touring minded ski will get you to the far bowls that no one has skied yet, and they won't tax you getting back there. I pair them with Scarpa F3 boots and dynafit classics for an ultralight set up that still skis well. The wide tip helps float in the pow, but still have enough sidecut to carve on the hill. A durable, dependable and predictable ski for powder slaying and touring, not straight-lining and back flips.

I have the 181s, I am 6'2", 180lbs,mounted with dynafits. I mostly ski in the backcountry (99.99% of the time), and these things charge. Trail breaking is a dream with the tip rocker, and it also means you can swing these around faster in the tight trees. At the ski hill, the metal layers and sidewall construction mean that these things can plow through the chop like grandpa's Cadillac. So smooth and solid, even on the groomers. The 181s are a bit longer than my 184 Karhu's, but the running length is shorter with the tip rocker. ENJOY!!!!