Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009: Day 1 and 2

Tuesday morning feels like eons ago — it’s been a long two days of hiking around the Salt Palace here in Salt Lake City, full of meetings, events, hugs in the hallways, and spending time with friends. Here are the very, very best of what I’ve seen in the first two days. I have a long list of “honorable mentions,” which I’ll write about down the road. This is just the cream of the crop.

Most of these products are previews — products in development for release in Spring 2010. When a product is available now, I’ll say so… I’m seeing some items at the show that I haven’t seen before, even though they’re on the market.

Before I get to the gear, let’s talk dogs.

Rockclimbergirl.com Dog of the Day: Torrent, with Joshua Tree Products, LLC

OR is QUITE the dog-friendly event. There are dogs all over the place. Canine exhibitors have badges, and they work hard keeping us all snuggled and licked, and demonstrating the panoply of dog toys and gear on the show floor. I didn’t pick a Day 1 dog of the day, but the clear winner for Day 2 was Torrent. I happened upon him doing some tricks in front of the Joshua Tree Products booth, and kneeled down to snap some pictures — he would have none of that, and came right over to give me kisses and snuggle in for a little bit of love. His boothmates, David and Laurel, provided some delightful anti-anxiety tea, and showed off their line of tinted lip balms — a perpetual climbergirl fave since if they’re tinted and sparkly, the boys won’t want to use ‘em. Congratulations, Torrent — you inspired my Dog of the Day award, and you deserve it.

Petzl Elia Climbing Helmet (available March 2010)

This helmet is one of the items I’m most excited about (despite already having a stable of helmet options at home). This is a hard shell helmet, kind of like a lower profile Elios. The helmet is adjustable on the sides instead of at the back of the helmet, so that the dials don’t catch and pull hair like the Elios adjustment can; and, the helmet has a cutout in the back to accommodate a ponytail. The internal padding is higher in the helmet — it looked to me like you could wear it with a french braid without discomfort — and the lower profile means fewer head-whacks since it’s less likely to actually smack into stuff when you move your head. It’s available in Stone Grey, Sky Blue and White, and is available in one size (which I hope, hope, hope fits my unusually large head). Retail on it is anticipated to be less than $70, and I expect this to be a serious contender in the helmet market for women, and, men who it fits who want a nice, low-profile, hard shelled helmet. The guys who’ve seen it that I’ve overheard have been incredibly jealous of the adjustment on the side. In other Petzl news, they’ve got new headlamps coming out in September, including an updated Tikka Plus with red light options, helpful at night (imagine, sitting around a campfire being able to see by red light, without shining your headlamp in your camping buddies’ eyes. Sweetness.

Petzl is online at http://www.petzl.com.

Sea to Summit Bug Jacket and Pants (Spring, 2010)

As you know, I’ve spent a lot of time — especially this year — in mosquito and tick infested places. Eew. While cruising through the Sea to Summit booth I saw the packages for a new bug layer. There’s a “jacket” and “pants,” and I didn’t see the product itself yet, but I’m already excited. They’re little travel packs, just a few inches each. I’m excited to see the actual product — but I’m a big fan of Sea to Summit generally, and I’d expect this to be a great product. I’d love to have a “bug layer” to throw on over my apres-climb clothes for the evening, to help stay less bitten.

Sea to Summit is online at http://www.seatosummit.com.

Ahnu Wedge Ladies Shoes (Spring, 2010)

These are one of the cutest lifestyle shoe models, getting lots of attention among the ladies who visit the Ahnu booth. Like the rest of the line, these have removable insoles, and unlike a lot of shoes in this type of style, these don’t look too narrow for climbergirl feet. They’re just super cute.

Ahnu Footwear is online at http://www.ahnufootwear.com.

Julbo Monterosa 401 and Whoops 400 (Fall, 2009)

I’m not shy about my love for my Julbos, but the last few years they’ve been light on the performance models for smaller faces (aka, us girls). Luckily, that changes in the Fall. Julbo’s planning a mountaineering product for women (the Monterosa 401), which I got to check out an early model of, and they’re the best I’ve seen. They don’t look like mountaineering glasses — they’re a nice size, with the wide temples and tapering earpieces of many fashion glasses — but they feature snap-in and snap-out shades for the sides to provide extra coverage. They’ll be available two lens options and three colors.

I’m in LOVE with the Julbo Whoops 400, a “Freeride style” for smaller faces. The demo model was white with the Zebra lenses, Julbo’s photochromatic (light adjusting) lens. Technical features aside, these glasses are just SUPER cute. I like the tint of the photochromatic lens in the “lower light” base color, and they tint down to Category 4 when exposed to sunlight (aka, really dark – suitable even for mountaineering and snow conditions). They have a close fit, so would be great for biking, running, and climbing, and a very fashionable frame.

Julbo is online at http://www.julbousa.com.

Scarpa Vapor (Spring, 2010)

I’m stoked about what I saw today at Scarpa. Despite being widely adopted among climbing brands and resolers, I’m not a huge fan of Vibram for rock shoes. That may change with two new rubber formulations going on the Scarpa Vapor line for Spring of 2010. There’s XS Edge, reported to be just as sticky as other rubbers but more durable (read, good for those of us who really like edging); and XS Grip 2, designed to be more sticky than the original XS Grip.

I can’t wait to get my hands on a pair of Scarpa Vapor Lace-ups. Billed as a “performance edging shoe” (exactly what I like best, despite being hard to find), this is a relatively straight (only slightly asymmetrical) last, with the XS Edge Vibram. If they fit me, these may just be my dream shoe.

The Vapor line also includes a velcro version and a slipper, featuring XS Grip 2. I expect this line to get a lot of attention — they were, literally, the models that caught my eye right away when I walked up to the wall ‘o Scarpa. Scarpa rock shoes are still, according to my meeting, built by hand in Italy, and the quality shows. I’ve got my fingers seriously crossed that the Vapor line fits me. They’re a unisex model, which looked like they’d be a good fit for medium volume feet.

Scarpa is online at http://www.scarpa.com.

GoGirl Female Urination Device (Available Now)

You read that right. I’m talking about an FUD, or, a pee funnel. I almost didn’t take this meeting, but thought I should learn something about such things, since I’ve got some trips in the works where upright urination without removal of clothing might be a real asset. When I arrived at the GoGirl booth, they whipped out a ziplock full of competing products for me to compare the GoGirl to, and the benefits of the GoGirl were clear. Medical-grade silicone, which folds down to fit in a small tube for storage, with a large “capture” reservoir that looks like it would function as promised. Sarah Dillon, the Girl behind GoGirl, is a hoot. Her advice to those of us new to FUDs is to practice in the shower first, and instead of holding it at the sides which seems instinctive to some, hold it at the front and back for a better “seal.”

Dillon offered up that she’d put the device to the “Four Beer Test.” Some devices “overflow” if the volume gets too high; the GoGirl is designed to pass the “Four Beer Test,” and Dillon says it passed in her testing. This is my kind of woman.

More information: http://www.go-girl.com

There you go. There’s a long list of honorable mentions, but I’ll do those write-ups when I’m a bit better rested. Right now, it’s time for some foot maintenance, and some food, and a bunch of water, and maybe some sleep. I’m not managing much nightlife here… bad climbergirl!

Filed under: Gear, Shameless commercialism

Stand up paddling 101: Rock climbing cross training edition

The Outdoor Retailer Summer Market is home to a one-day Open Air Demo, where participants can choose from a variety of disciplines to test out gear in the field. Rather than go with what I know (climbing), I decided to take an opportunity to try something completely new, and headed Pineview Reservoir, outside of Ogden, for the Paddle Sports demo.

I didn’t have a plan — I just vaguely figured I’d try out a kayak or two since paddle sports aren’t something I’m experienced with. When I arrived at the demo, among a throng of swimsuit-clad, sunblock-whitened Outdoor Retailer attendees, my first thought was that I was in way over my head. My second thought, upon looking out over the water at the large numbers of stand up paddleboards (SUP) was, “I want to try that.”

After a second coat of sunscreen, I hit the water and next thing I knew, I was kneeling on a Surftech Stand-up Paddleboard with the following coaching:

“Look toward the horizon, and paddle.”

I got the basics quickly (especially after travel buddy Pete from Pemba Serves corrected the direction of my paddle), and went from kneeling on the board, to standing, without too much drama. It took me awhile to get the rhythm, and to really gain my balance on the board, but after a few minutes, I was starting to get the hang of it, and could feel a huge grin creep onto my face.

I tried out a few different boards, including two from C4 Waterman. Ted from C4 Waterman took the time to find me properly-sized paddles (whoa, what a difference) and I thoroughly enjoyed my time on their Pohaku board.

It felt stable, fast, and glided through the water very easily; I could feel my balance dialing in, and I really relaxed and had fun on that one. I had so much fun that I started to whip around a turn a little too ambitiously, kicking the board right out from under myself and into the drink I went.

My paddleboard experiment cost me one pair of sunglasses, but it was worth that price of admission, for sure.

With a board and paddle that fit me, I could relax and enjoy myself. Plus, I was already soaked, so didn’t have to worry about falling in. Makes me think there might be something to that “take warm-up falls” advice.

I could feel the movement working my core, my shoulders, and my balance — all great cross-training for climbing. For climbers who can’t cross train with swimming because of injury, this might be a great way to get on the water and get a workout that will translate to climbing.

“It’s like yoga on water,” said Debbie Keys-Thomas of Surfing Sports in Santa Barbara, CA. Debbie and her two chocolate Labs (Annie and Molly) were chilling at the Starboard booth. “About 50% of our stand-up paddle related sales are to women, mostly doing it for fitness.” Debbie supports a triathlon team on her board, and is encouraging of women getting into the activity. “Would you rather stand on a half rubber ball in a gym to work your core and balance, or stand up on a stand up board out on the water?”

That’s an easy one for me.

The universal advice I received about getting started in SUP is to seek out knowledgeable sales people and mentors. “Paddling correctly is important; get someone who knows how to paddle correctly to teach you. If you’ve got rotator cuff issues, a shorter paddle may help; and, form is really important for anyone with elbow injuries,” shared Debbie.

“Start on your knees on the board, then stand up from there,” advises Darren Bush, Paddling Evangelist and owner of Rutabaga Paddlesports in Monona, Wisconsin. “It’s counter-intuitive, but the closer your feet are together, the easier it is.”

SUP has been more broadly adopted on the coasts, with distribution starting to pick up across the country. It sounds a lot like getting started in climbing — Darren suggested that those getting started ask around to see who’s into SUP, and to find mentors. Most of whom, just like in climbing, are excited to help get you into the sport.

Additional advice from Darren: “Don’t buy a crappy paddle, and be sure it’s sized properly. You might consider a variable length paddle when you’re starting out,” so that if you paddle with friends, you can share a paddle.

The web’s a good place to read and learn about SUP, but if you can, find a knowledgeable SUP shop to help you select and fit a board and paddle. As I learned today, there are many shapes, sizes, materials and characteristics of SUP boards and paddles — I definitely noticed differences between the boards and paddles I tried.

Whether for climbing cross training, or just to play on the water, take a look at SUP. I am still grinning from ear to ear, and look forward to the next time I get a chance to hop on a board and paddle. I wound up that great kind of tired and hungry that only comes with playing outside in the sun on the water, and I didn’t see anyone in the crowd trying SUP that didn’t look like the were having fun — dripping wet swim trunks and all.

For more information, take a peek at the sites linked to above. I’m curious to hear your experiences with SUP, too — are there other climber / SUP fans out there?

Filed under: Cross Training, Gear

Good morning, Salt Lake City

I had a splendid drive down to Salt Lake… took the scenic route through Montana, and south through Yellowstone and the Tetons, Jackson, and then into Salt Lake via Logan Canyon. I’m here for the Outdoor Retailer show, so will be blogging as I’m able to in the evenings, and Tweeting throughout the day. I’ll also update this post tonight with some links to other friends / colleagues who are providing coverage during the show.

But, right now, I’m off! Have a great start to your week, and please — if you’re here at OR, let me know so that we can meet up!

Filed under: Gear, The Biz

Gear I’m reviewing right now…

I’ve been doing a bunch of product reviewing lately… mostly for gear that I’ve purchased for myself for this season’s outdoor adventures. For those of you who couldn’t care less what I wear or use, I’ll refrain from repeating my reviews here on the blog. But, in case you’re interested in what I’m reviewing this season, here are links to the various reviews in other places on the interwebs:

Ibex Wool

I have been an Ibex fan for years, since their wool doesn’t make me itch, it smells and stays cleaner than synthetics, and their products are exceptionally durable given the abuse I subject them too. I just did a big Ibex order, and have submitted reviews of the Ibex women’s Balance Sport Top, Rue skirt and Jacy capri. I love and am wearing the crap out of each piece. If I could live in nothing but Ibex, with a piece here and there from my other apparel favorites, I would. As we speak, I’m in my Jacy capris… and have been off and on since last Wednesday. Even after several days of wear and air travel and sleeping in them, they still look great. I’ve found the Rue skirt to be a very pleasant surprise — it’s great for camping (stays super cool and is easy to change clothes with a bit more modesty, and … um … well … I’ll just say it. It makes peeing in the woods really easy and a bit more discrete than pants).

I know Ibex is higher priced than apparel made with other, less expensive fabrics, but I’d rather have a few pieces I adore that I can wear over and over between washes, and that will last even with hard wear than a closet full of cheaper, less durable clothes. I’ve recommended Ibex to many friends, and have chatted Ibex with other gear heads, and so far I have yet to hear anything other than thumbs up. Look forward to more Ibex reviews, in an upcoming mountain bike gear special post.

Lole Swimwear and Victoria Tank

Lole is one of my favorite apparel lines, so I was stoked when they came out with swimwear. The pieces I ordered — two tops and a bottom — have exceeded my expectations both for swimming and, the tops, for climbing wear. I reviewed the Regatta top and the Coral Triangle Top at Backcountry.com.

For a bonus, I got to review my favorite tank of the year, the Lole Victoria tank. It’s a tank I fell in love with trying it on at REI, then it has exceeded my expectations for climbing, bouldering, and for casual wear. I’m thinking I should have titled this post, apparel that’s WAY cuter in real life than in the picture, since it doesn’t look like anything special in that picture… but on, it looks great. I like the way it shows off my climbergirl back and my shoulders, but it skims the middle nicely so it isn’t snug around the waist. It’s got an effective built-in shelf bra, but because the outer fabric is a bit looser, you don’t get that smooshed look that some sportsbra / tank combos give. All in all, I really like this tank.

Jetboil PCS

My buddies at PembaServes have been advocating the Jetboil line to me since I started shopping stoves, but I was really drawn to the big, old, liquid fuel Coleman stoves. After trying a Coleman liquid fuel, which is a great stove for its purpose, but which is more complication to light than I care for before my morning coffee, I saw a Jetboil PCS on sale and thought about giving it a try. After a quick call to the good folks at Pemba Serves to arm me with comebacks for my liquid-fuel-fan friends criticism of a canister stove, I plunked down the change for my Jetboil PCS, and we’ve been living in bliss together ever since. Here’s the full review at campsaver.com.

Oboz Valhalla

I recently reviewed the Oboz Valhalla (and Bridgedale Ventum Light Hikers) for RockClimbing.com. They look like an approach shoe, and I found them to be a great replacement for my old approach shoes, despite the lack of truly sticky rubber. The full review is here at rockclimbing.com.

KT Tape

The big surprise out of my review pile recently has been KT Tape. It may not be glamorous, but this stuff is awesome. I have a history of patellar tendinitis, so I go through a cycle with my knees of training, injury, rehab, training, injury, rehab. One thing that’s really helped is McConnell Taping, but McConnell Taping has distinct downsides. For one, it means packing bandage scissors for cutting the tape required. Two, the tape has a limited “life span,” especially in hot weather. Three, the McConnell technique is really “strong” … it holds the kneecap pretty firmly in place, which is good for healing tendinitis, but it doesn’t feel to me like it’s good for all the surrounding muscles and tendons, because it’s a pretty firm hold.

I first learned about Kinesio taping during my first big round of elbow tendinitis a few years back. My Physical Therapist used Kinesio taping to help with my elbow rehab, and it helped in a HUGE way. The theories are explained on that website, but my experience was that it provided incredibly gentle support, while allowing a more regular range of motion — it was less of a “hard stop” than the McConnell Taping, and more of a light support. The downside of Kinesio taping is that the tape had to be applied by the physical therapist, and it only stayed on for a day or two before the adhesive lost its stick.

When KT Tape asked me to review their new at-home, consumer-oriented product I was stoked. I’m increasing my hiking and biking, which means I need to have a strategy for managing my knees. I was optimistic that KT Tape could be part of that solution and it has.

The tape is easy to apply, without scissors. The strips are pre-cut, and instructions are included for a number of typical injuries. The KT Tape website has videos demonstrating proper application and so far, the KT Tape has been performing great for my knees. I’m curious to try it on my bicep tendons, since there’s a “front of shoulder” application video, but I haven’t yet. I’ll keep you posted, as I continue to use it, on how it performs over time.

That’s about it for now… I have a bunch of other reviews in the pipeline, but nothing ready for prime time just yet. If you have a product that you’d like to see reviewed on retail sites or on my blog, please email me!

Filed under: Gear, Shameless commercialism

Girl Tested, Girl Approved: Black Diamond Camalot C3 Purple / 00

Climbing Partner, renamed, GR (short for Gear Rescuer) and I just got back from a fantastic trip to Index, WA, and on the way home, conceived of a new feature for RockClimberGirl.com…

Girl Tested, Girl Approved.

This goes beyond gear reviews, and cool new stuff. An item doesn’t qualify for Girl Tested, Girl Approved until I’ve used and loved it in the field, and it’s exceeded my expectations in some big way. The very first Girl Tested, Girl Approved item is the Black Diamond Camalot C3 Purple / size 00.

I still consider myself a beginner with small cams, since I’ve only been placing them off friends’ racks for about two years. I don’t personally own C3s yet, but I have a few climbing partners who have the set, so I’ve climbed on them a handful of times and cleaned them quite a bit. I’ve seen C3s catch falls in serious situations, and I’ve read up on them while trying to decide which small cams to go with to round out my own rack, but I just couldn’t pull the trigger (tee hee) on a commitment to one line of small cams. I have three Metolius Master Cams (orange, yellow, and blue) and am very happy with them, but for my smallest cams I’ve been undecided between the various choices. Until now. I’ll be picking up a set of the Black Diamond Camalot C3s, thank you very much.

My first C3 placement was on a mixed 10a at Red Rock. The piece — the purple / 00 — was marginal to my eye but not tested; it was easy to place and clean, and I found it easier than with some other small cams I’ve used to judge the placement.

On day two of our most recent fantastic weekend at Index, the first pitch (10a) of Thin Fingers (11a) caught my eye. The pitch is a lovely 5.9-ish crack system ranging from small nut/cam sizes (fingers) to hands (Red / #1 Camalot C4), leading to a 10a crux with very delicate footwork off a large ledge protected by small nuts to the chains.

I was inspired to climb it, despite the grade being a bit above my proven capability, and despite being bruised, battered and tired from Day 1. GR was encouraging, and willing to rescue my gear if I couldn’t finish the route, so I racked up and set off.

My first attempt was a no go; I climbed higher than my instincts told me prior to placing my first piece, got scared, and downclimbed off to avoid shaking myself off the wall with fear.

After a solid pep talk from GR, a chat through of the route so that I could see it better in pieces, a few minutes of attitude adjustment by me, I tied back in and set off with a much better attitude and outlook, put on a huge smile, and started climbing. And sure enough, the climbing was stellar.

I cruised up the start confidently, placing a lot of pro from pretty decent stances, which was great practice. After getting in about six closely spaced pieces, I was flummoxed by a section below the crux that would involve climbing above my pro to pull about three or four difficult, delicate and precarious moves, without an obvious stance for putting in additional gear. My last two pieces were bomber nuts, I was at a decent stance, and saw a possible placement for the purple Black Diamond C3 a couple of feet above my last piece. It was a marginal placement to my eye, without textbook lobe contact and the head was behind a tiny flake (which would have ruled out placing any gear without a flexible stem).

Other reviews on some of the gear sites have commented on the stiffness of the trigger on the C3s. I have relatively weak hands, and I’m relatively prone to pumping out while gear leading, and I have absolutely no problem with the trigger on these little puppies.

I placed the purple / 00, and climbed on, a few feet above the piece, then realized…

I was just about to take my first lead fall on gear. And, my high piece was a marginally placed, teeny tiny cam.

I couldn’t go up, so called out “I think I’m falling” to GR, and he reminded me to downclimb as far as I could. I made it a few steps down, then let out a blood curdling scream as my feet lost their smears and I dropped a couple of feet onto the marginal C3.

Which held.

Like a champ.

I attempted the moves several more times, each time, falling* on the C3, and each time letting out a blood curdling scream. To the other climbers, and the entire town of Index, and perhaps, most of the Highway 2 corridor, I apologize sincerely for the commotion.

I felt that taking that fall* was an acceptable risk because even if the C3 hadn’t held, I would have had two bomber nuts right below it, and I was well off the deck with a good belayer so didn’t risk a ground fall.

I realized after the fact that we’d had a fantastic “tolerance test” of the C3 as a result. I always aim for the best possible placement I can make, but, now I know that the C3s may hold under conditions I consider “marginal,” which is a useful bit of knowledge for my gear arsenal. The flexible stem allowed me to place the piece despite the little flake that stuck out, and the cam held (without budging) with the rear and middle lobe were on with good contact; the front lobe was slightly less retracted than I’d like. I was pleased that the cam held, and impressed that it held under non-ideal conditions, especially since it’s the smallest C3 rated for free climbing.

The grey / 000 C3 is only rated for direct aid. I’ve seen the grey used as a free climbing piece by partners, but the strength rating on that piece is 4 kN, as opposed to 6 kN on the purple, and — for folks less acquainted with small cams — 14 kN for the Black Diamond C4 Camalots green (.75) and up.

Even after multiple falls, the purple C3 cleaned easily, and on inspection, appears flawless.

I’m extremely happy with the purple C3, given the relative ease of judging placement quality, the flexible stem which allows placements a rigid stem unit would not, and its relatively wide range for such a small unit.

As a result, I’m putting the C3s on my wishlist, and I’m proud to award the Black Diamond Camalot C3 my very first Girl Tested, Girl Approved seal of approval.**

For more information:
For full information on the Black Diamond C3s (read and understand before buying and/or using) visit the Black Diamond C3 detail page, including the Tech Tips and Instructions.

Where to buy:

• Rock / Creek
• Oregon Mountain Community
• Backcountry.com
• Moosejaw
• REI

Footnotes:

* GR quibbles with my use of the word “fall,” since he felt that what I did was more like a “take” since each time I was in the process of downclimbing, having backed off the moves rather than committing to the moves and trying upward. We agreed on the language, as opposed to my first gear “falls,” that these were my first “weighting of gear with some force” instead. But, that’s just too long to type over and over, and, seriously – these were falls, whether I was going up or down immediately before they happened. I was above my pro, I slipped off each time, and gravity kicked in. I’m going to call ‘em falls. So there.

** Climbing is dangerous. Read the instructions (a lot of folks don’t) and climb and use any piece of gear, under any conditions, at your own risk. I’d rather write fun stuff than disclaimers, so I’ll just keep it simple and ask that you don’t sue me, please, if your experience with the C3s is different than my own.

Filed under: Gear, Girl Tested Girl Approved

Gear Review: Mountain Hardwear Clouds Rest Women’s Sleeping Bag

I’ve been putting some new gear through its paces lately, some of which deserve more attention than a brief blurb. The first “winner” in my new stash is my Mountain Hardwear Clouds Rest Women’s Sleeping Bag. I had this bag on my wishlist and planned to purchase it out of my exceptionally small spring gear budget, so was very thankful when Mountain Hardwear was able to provide a sample for review. My first impression after camping in it for a weekend is that I would buy the bag at retail, in a heartbeat. This bag is my vision of heaven.

My Mountain Hardwear Clouds Rest Women’s sleeping bag arrived a couple of weeks ago, and it was all I could do to not sleep in it every night at home leading up to the trip. Out of the box, it is lofty, and oh so comfy and warm. The fit and comfort exceeded my expectations — it’s much wider than my old North Face bag, and even in the Regular length, I have plenty of room (at 5 foot 6 inches, I have had trouble in the past finding a Regular length bag that gave me enough length, since my height is on the cusp between Regular and Long for most brands). The bag stuffs easily into its small stuff sack for packing, and fluffs up quickly once pulled out for sleeping.

Features I chose the bag based on: This is my first down bag, and my pacific northwest friends mock me for choosing down when we live in such a wet climate, but my plan is to always pack my bivy so that if conditions are wet I have a waterproof layer (even inside a tent). I chose down because in my unofficial testing the down bags just feel warmer to me than synthetic (I know that sounds crazy and non-technical, but what can I say, I’m being honest about my criteria) and most of my really cold trips are really cold, dry trips during the winter. In addition, I chose this bag because of its temperature rating (5 degrees Fahrenheit) which will cover my camping needs year-round; its women-specific design with extra warmth in the torso and footbox; and because I’d heard great things about Mountain Hardwear bags from my girlfriends who’ve had good luck with both their down and synthetic bags.

Features I didn’t know I’d love when I chose it: the bag features an extra baffle inside, that lays comfortably without constricting around my neck and shoulders, allowing me to keep my head out of the bag without any drafts. I was extremely comfortable in the bag both nights; I was so warm the second night that I kicked off my socks (which I never, ever do in sleeping bags!).

When it came time to tick check the gear post-trip, I appreciated the bag’s light colored exterior. I understand why gear manufacturers gravitate toward dark colors because, hey, we’re filthy dirtbags. But, examining the exterior of the bag took only a second, because of its light color. I don’t care if it gets dirty over time, and even though my personal tastes tend toward dark colors and away from pastels, after spending a couple of hours yesterday doing a tick inspection of my gear, I have a new appreciation for light-colored gear.

One of my climbing partners, Susie, has a synthetic Mountain Hardwear bag that she loves and raved about this weekend; when I included the Cloud’s Rest in my gear guide, Lizzie T commented that it’s working out well for her except that it feels less warm than a five degree difference from her last zero degree bag. The bag feels substantially warmer than a 15 degree difference from my old 20 degree synthetic (in which I pretty much ranged from cold to freezing, year round), so it may be just a matter of what we’re used to, and the conditions we’re camping in. Based on my experiences with sleeping bags in the past, I expect a bag to keep me alive down to its temperature rating, but not necessarily to feel warm down to that rating. I’ll look forward to posting an update after I take the bag on a few winter trips, to let you know how it does for me in really cold conditions.

When friends have asked me about the bag so far, I just get all wistful, and daydreamy, and can only manage to say… “it’s like… heaven.” I can see why they named it “Clouds Rest” for sure!

Filed under: Gear

Get Outside Gear Guide from Rockclimbergirl.com, Spring 2009

.nobrtable br { display: none }OK, ladies… here’s the first annual Spring Gear Guide from yours truly. I’ve scoured catalogs, stores, and websites to bring you my picks for this season. Some items aren’t new, but they’re new to me, and these goodies are from all across my climbing life, including crag, camp and miscellany. Instead of just providing the manufacturer specs like some of the other gear guides, I’m featuring each item of gear here because I either have it and love it; or, because I have it on my real life wish list and am lusting after it.

About Me
I’m an avid climber, in it since the winter of 2004. I balance my climbing life with a professional life (private solo practice attorney, environmental policy work for the Puget Sound Partnership, and freelance writing and editing in the outdoor industry). I climb as often as possible — usually, twice a week or so in the local climbing gym, two or three weekends per month outside around the Pacific Northwest, and I take a few travel trips each year, mostly around the Western United States. I don’t discriminate when it comes to climbing — I like it all. Bouldering, sport, trad, long, short… if it’s rock, I love it.

All of this means that I use a LOT of gear. Camping, climbing, travel, and lifestyle — my apartment looks more like an REI garage sale than a dwelling.

TheClimberGirl’s Love It Enough to Marry It List: Helmets: Petzl Passive Pro: DMM Active Pro: Black Diamond Equipment and Metolius Ropes and Slings: Bluewater Ropes First Aid: Adventure Medical Kits Apparel: Mountain Hardwear and Lole

Have It, Love It, Spring 2009 Arc’Teryx R280 Harness Ibex Balance Underwear and Tanks End Footwear Trail Thong Julbo USA Angel Sunglasses Arc’Teryx Miura 50 Crag Pack Adventure Medical Kits Women’s Edition Outdoor Kit Sea to Summit X-Mug Sierra Summits Adventure Tube Sunscreen and, some additional Honorable Mentions from LEKI, Voodoo Climbing and Petzl on gear you’ll hear more about in upcoming posts.

Am Lusting After It, Spring 2009 Mountain Hardwear Women’s Cloud Rest Sleeping Bag Omega Pacific Link Cams Red Chili Matador BlueWater Ropes Titan Loop Chain Lole Swimwear Kelty Kitchen Sink Naturally Bamboo Ethical Apparel MSR Dragonfly or Coleman Exponent Feather Camp Stove

Keep reading, for the detailed reviews of the items on my “Have It, Love It,” and “Am Lusting After It” lists!

Have It, Love It
Arc’Teryx R280 Harness
I know I’m late to the ultralight harness party, but I didn’t just want to jump on the hype bandwagon. My harness saga has been ongoing, and I just can’t find a fit in a conventional harness, though, so recently I started looking at the ultralights. The Arc’Teryx R280 is working out fantastically for me, and it’s the harness I turn to first at this point whether I’m inside or out.

This harness gets the highest praise I can imagine for a harness: I don’t even think about it when it’s on, whether I’m belaying or climbing. After years of ill-fitting harnesses, ranging from semi-uncomfortable to actually drawing blood around my hips, I’m used to my harness being a source of discomfort and annoyance during a climbing day. The Arc’Teryx, on the other hand, goes on and I could almost forget it’s there. Whether belaying or taking falls, the harness has exceeded my expectations. Most of all, though, this harness is a perfect example of the importance of fit.

I’ve never tried on a non-adjustable-leg-loop harness that actually fit me. Usually, even the womens’ models are either too small in the legs or too big in the waist. And, with other self-locking buckle harnesses I’ve tried, I’ve had to undo the self-locking buckle to get the harness over my hips, in order to have it fit properly around my waist. No bueno.

On the other hand, I was surprised when I consulted the Arc’Teryx size chart and tried the harness size my measurements indicated and it fit perfectly. I didn’t have to undo the self-locking buckle to get the harness over my hips, and the leg loops fit closely but are not tight (since I’m at my “winter weight,” the leg loop fit will only get more roomy as I get into “climbing shape”). We’re all different, but if you’re like me, and have had trouble fitting other brands, take a look at the Arc’Teryx line.

Even without the traditional padding, this harness is comfortable. I wore the harness to work my hardest ever redpoint attempt on a sport route last weekend, including hangs and lead falls, and had no discomfort or bruising (I literally don’t know the harness is there, except for the fact that it does its job).

Gear loops are adequate for sport or trad climbing, and the drop seat is easy to operate. I got to see a rundown of the technical, design and strength specs on this harness by my friends at Waypoint Outdoors, one highlight of which is that Arc’Teryx has repurposed scrap fabric from its outerwear line for the fabric cover for the webbing “guts” (a nice, “green” touch). My harness advice remains the same: shop for fit, fit, fit and fit. I’m just pleased to have finally found a harness that actually fits me.

More information about Arc’Teryx: http://www.arcteryx.com

Ibex Balance Underwear and Tanks
Boys, just go to the Ibex site and check out the men’s underwear. Now, skip to the next item in the review, kindly.

Girls, you’ve got to check out this underwear. So many of my reviews start with “I was really skeptical that…” and here’s another. Growing up, I never wore wool — my mom is sensitive to it, and I always found it itchy and uncomfortable — until I found my beloved and trusty Ibex Wool baselayer on clearance from Zappos.com (similar to this top). I have since worn that top on nearly every climbing trip I’ve been on (first recorded pictures of it are on route during my Joshua Tree trip back in 2006). It’s provided a warmth layer or sun layer, depending on conditions, and it’s practically a second skin. After wearing out my other synthetic next-to-skin items earlier this year, I decided to give the Ibex underwear and tanks a try.

I’ll make a long story a little shorter, and just say — the Ibex Balance tops and underwear are multiplying like bunnies in my underwear drawer. They’re comfortable for long days of travel, climbing, and life… I’ve lived in the Balance Briefs, Balance Thongs, and Balance Sports Top since the first order arrived. They’re the first items I pull out of the “clean clothes” pile after I do my laundry. They aren’t a bit itchy, the fit is ideal for active pursuits, and they really do stay fresher smelling than synthetic baselayers even during long, hygiene-challenged trips.

The Balance line hand or machine washes easily, and hangs dry overnight. I’ve already washed a few of my pieces a bunch of times, and they still look brand new. I know that wool underwear might sound crazy — but I even have to put in a thumbs up for the Balance Thong, and I’m not a thong girl. Where usually a thong-wearing attempt means coming home to change after a few hours because they’re so uncomfortable, my first day of trying the Ibex Balance Thong I actually forgot what I had on… did a whole work day, then a climbing session at the gym, then got home and started to change and was (seriously, don’t make fun) shocked that I’d completely forgotten about my underwear. I’m sold, and I’m slowly swapping out my synthetics and cotton underthings in favor of more Ibex items.

More information about Ibex Outdoor Clothing: http://www.ibexwear.com

END Footwear Trail Thong
END Footwear, based in Portland, Oregon, is in their second season of production with an emphasis on road and trail running, light hikers and water shoes. I’ve had a correspondence going with END since they joined Twitter and have been impressed from a distance with their emphasis on sustainability and environmental impact (and not just as marketing buzz words).

I haven’t tried their trail runners or light hikers yet, but I’m in love with my END Footwear Trail Thongs (Men’s version also available). I’ve been wearing cheap, old flip flops at the gym and around the crag for the last few years, but figured out that they seem to aggravate the foot cramps I sometimes get while climbing. When I tried on the END Trail Thong I was impressed… light, comfortable soles with a great fit on the upper. After wearing them almost nonstop around the gym and town, I knew I liked them. They made my “love” list after I wore them for a climbing day at Vantage. They stayed on my feet so well I wore them almost all day; never once did I almost lose a sandal. I even unintentionally hiked a steep, loose scree slope in them (something I usually reserve for my heavy duty approach shoes) and they held, stayed on, and did their job. They’ve got a nice soft sole, which makes my feet feel like they’re getting stronger, and they’re great for around the gym, crag, and casual wear.

More information about END Footwear: http://www.endfootwear.com

Julbo USA Angel Sunglasses
I’ve been wearing the same pair of Julbo Lights for, I think, ten plus years. I bought them from the REI Outlet way back in my first round of road cycling days, and they’ve been my “active glasses” ever since. They’re light, grippy, and sit close to the face, which makes them handy for climbing. When I saw the Julbo Angels, another close-fitting, suitable for small faces frame, I was excited to try them out. First impression was that they may pinch behind my ears, but I have found, in wearing them long stretches in the car and during a climbing trip, that they’re actually really comfortable (and unlike my Lights, they stay on, without the silicone pads behind my ears that sometimes catch and pull long hair). They give me a bit more coverage than my Lights, and they seriously don’t budge on my face. They feature a thicker, durable feeling frame but are still super light, and they fit nicely even with my helmets. I decided to buck my own convention and love the pink ones, but they come in black, too.

More information about Julbo USA: http://www.julbousa.com

Arc’Teryx Miura 50
I’m a pack connoisseur. My stable is extensive. And the newest addition is the Miura 50. This isn’t a backpacker-pack-turned-climbing-pack… this sucker is, ground up, a climb pack. Instead of a traditional drawstring top closure, creating a choke point for stuffing gear, this bag features a wide, roll-top closure that’s easy to open, easy to load, and easy to secure. In addition, the bag zips entirely open for easy access at the crag thanks to two full length, heavy duty zippers on the sides. There are two outer front pocket for first aid kit, lunch and miscellaneous other, and two big, reinforced gear loops inside for organization. The Miura also has a feature I’m noticing on the newer packs out this year — splendidly molded waist belts that are shaped to the curve of the wearer’s hip. For a full sized, no-suspension crag pack, this is my top choice and I’ve recommended it to a number of friends already. The “Short” fits me perfectly (this is a unisex pack, so fit accordingly).

More information about Arc’teryx: http://www.arcteryx.com

Adventure Medical Kits Women’s Edition Outdoor Medical Kit
AMK recently released a pack-sized Women’s Edition Outdoor Medical Kit, with all the basics from the kits we’ve used and loved for years, plus those few extras we all wind up stuffing into a ziplock or shoving into our already overstuffed medical kits. Not to mention, the “extras” AMK added to the Women’s Edition could come in handy for boys, too (I have more than one climbing partner who is prone to nosebleeds, for example). Tampons, waste disposal bags, and generic “Cramp Tabs” (Acetaminophen plus a diuretic) round out this impressively complete kit, which also includes hand sanitizer, a handbook on wilderness and travel medicine more complete than the kits I’ve used in the past, basic first aid medications, wound care items, dressings, an elastic bandage, blister gear, safety pins and a “splinter picker/tick remover.” AMK “didn’t make it pink, and didn’t pack it with lipstick & nail files,” according to the hang tag. Somehow, they managed to pack more into a smaller package than my current, now retired-to-the-medicine-cabinet kit.

More information about Adventure Medical Kits: http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com

Sea to Summit X-Mug
I’m a little embarrassed to admit the extent of my love for the Sea to Summit X line, but here goes. I eat my breakfast cereal out of my X-Bowl almost every day. When I saw the X-Mug I was a bit skeptical of whether the flexible, collapsible silicone would stay upright and secure enough for consuming hot beverages… in test runs at home and in the field, I haven’t had the mug collapse on me once. The X-Mug doubles as a two-cup measuring cup (score), it nests perfectly in my X-Bowl for packing, and the rigid plastic around the top both keeps the cup stable, and, gives you a non-hot place to hold the cup when in use. I also just played with an X-Plate while out shopping yesterday and it’s now on my wish list. The X-Plate makes an awesome cutting board, something my camp box has been lacking.

More information about Sea to Summit: http://www.seatosummit.com

Sierra Summits Adventure Tube Sunscreen
Sometimes I get an email from a PR company or rep that catches my attention and merits an immediate response… the inquiry I received a few months ago from Sierra Summits about their Adventure Tube Sunscreen was one of them. I am fair skinned and light-haired, and I was packing for a trip to Red Rock at the time, so was excited to get to try out a sunscreen designed for use at altitude. I was really impressed with this sunscreen. It isn’t exactly “disappearing” on your hands — it is a rub-on application, and it has a bit of slip to it, so I did have to spit-wash my hands and rub ‘em on my pants before climbing to get my grip back, but that’s acceptable (and I haven’t met a lotion yet that didn’t require that. I usually use the spray ons to avoid having to touch them, but they have obvious drawbacks too (environment, overspray, propellants + ropes = no bueno)).

I typically apply sunscreen in the morning when I’m getting dressed, then again when I get to the crag, then again mid-day. Because of the nature of this trip, I only had one chance per day to apply sunscreen. Even with one application per day, in tons of sun, I didn’t burn one bit (except my lips — the very first day, I assumed the lip product was sunscreen since the packaging matched the packaging on the sunblock… oops! my lips sizzle fried as a result, but I did use sunblock from another manufacturer on my lips the rest of the time, and found the Sierra Summits lip moisturizer to be very soothing and healing as a non-SPF lip option). My climbing partners, who weren’t using sunscreen, were fried after day one — so it wasn’t a matter of conditions.

As a side benefit — usually, I tend to have a skin reaction to chemical sunscreen. I use them anyway, because the skin irritation is not a long term risk, while sun exposure is. I just assumed that I’d have the same issue with this one given that it contained non-physical sunscreens … and very much to my surprise, I didn’t. My skin did great with it, despite not-terribly hygenic conditions. Once it stops raining here in the PNW, this may become my daily sunscreen.

More information about Sierra Summits: http://www.sierrasummits.com

Honorable Mentions:
The amazingly wonderful folks at Voodoo Climbing (welcome, Lisa Rands, to the family there!) are the U.S. distributor for the Moon Climbing Hangboard (when they can keep it in stock) I’d hang if I owned a place to hang it, they make climbing holds, bouldering pads (and sweet dog beds), and swanky chalk bags. Not currently available on the website, but in regular rotation in my wardrobe, are my beloved Voodoo schwag t-s and hoody.

I’m relying on trekking poles substantially less than I used to since my knees have gotten so much better over the years of climbing and hiking. As a result, I haven’t had an opportunity to really put these through their paces yet, but I have retired my old, frustrating trekking poles in favor of a pair of LEKI Wildflower Series Diva Aergon Antishock Trekking Poles. My old poles would come loose (as in, they’d go from compact/packed to expanded) when stowed on my pack while hiking, so I had to stop to tighten the adjustment on them every once in awhile. They were also a hassle to expand and close even though they replaced my first pair which were even more of a hassle to expand and close. The LEKI poles don’t budge while stowed, and they have a super comfortable grip, which fits my hands like a glove. They’re super light, they seem quieter than the poles I’ve used in the past, and I’m excited to get them out for more rigorous testing as the summer goes on.

I’ve also been breaking in a Petzl Altios helmet. I’ve been climbing in Petzl Elios helmets since I started, and have loved the Elios since going up to a size 2 last year, which is a much better fit for my fat head (and long hair) than the size 1. The Altios performed comfortably for me (and a climbing partner, who also tried it out) during my last trip out, both for belaying and while climbing. The mesh suspension on the interior does keep the helmet in position a tiny bit better than the Elios, and the helmet is lightweight and comfortable when on. The profile is a tiny bit higher than the Elios, so I anticipate I’ll crag in the Elios but will use the Altios whenever I’m at a location with a higher rockfall risk, and, for my North Cascade adventures this year. If you’ve been on the fence about buying or wearing a helmet, check out this year’s lineup.

Am Lusting After It (aka, the Wish List):

Mountain Hardwear Women’s Clouds Rest
I’ve been using the same twenty degree synthetic sleeping bag now for YEARS, and the last two seasons the insulation is really showing its age. I have cold spots where there’s absolutely no fill, and since I’m 5 foot 6 inches tall, I’m right on the cusp of a regular length or tall length womens’ sleeping bag. I tend to prefer regulars now that I’m used to them, so that I don’t have too much dead air in the bag, but finding a fit has historically been a challenge. I have yet to snuggle down inside the Mountain Hardwear Women’s Clouds Rest bag, but on paper, it’s the one I’ve been looking for in stores to take a closer look at, and I’ll post an update once I’ve gotten my hands on it.

More information about Mountain Hardwear: http://www.mountainhardwear.com

Omega Pacific Link Cams
For two years running, the Omega Pacific Link Cams have been on my wish list — I’ve been trying to accumulate micros, first, though, since the Link Cams will be doubling up on sizes I already at least have singles in. This might be the year, though, since I’m still undecided on the rest of my micro acquisitions, and the Link Cams just came out in two new sizes (Purple and Green). The Link Cams appeal to me for their ability to protect flaring cracks, which I run into with alarming regularity on trad routes, and, as “oh, I wish I hadn’t left my Yellow Camalot on the anchor” doubles for my Black Diamond Camalots.

More information about Omega Pacific: http://www.omegapac.com

Red Chili Matador
Now, these might be overkill for me. I mean, I’m not climbing 5.14 or bouldering v10. I adore my Red Chili Corona VCRs, and I just had my trad shoes resoled, so I don’t plan to rush out and buy any new shoes right away. I’m well stocked with those two pairs I’m happy with. My VCRs, after I can’t remember how many trips and gym sessions, are almost due for a resole, so when I started looking for a resoler who uses Red Chili’s RX1 rubber, I saw that this new show is coming out for 2009. While the toe down and “new designer upper” are lost on me, I like that these are a synthetic — while potentially smelly, it makes dialing in fit a bit easier for folks who aren’t as familiar with Red Chili’s sizing — and, I love that they’ve got three velcro straps instead of two. Someday, climbing shoe manufacturers will figure out why they shouldn’t make climbing shoes in the color black, but if I *were* in the market for shoes for my bouldering trips in the shade at Squamish, these are what I’d pick up.

More information about Red Chili: http://redchili.de

BlueWater Titan Loop Chain
I never understood the benefits of a loop chain over a daisy until I had to aid the bolt ladder on Eagle Dance at Red Rock. Suddenly, what usually seems like child’s play — clipping the correct, safe, loop on my anchor daisy — because a completely complicated matter requiring way more attention than my tired and frustrated body had to spare. After two bolts, I made a mental note to pick up a loop chain. The BlueWater Titan Loop Chain is a super light, strong personal anchor option, when used according to the instructions. I typically use two slings as an anchor but more and more am using my daisy and a sling; the BlueWater Loop Chain is what I plan to pick up to retire my daisy.

More information about BlueWater Ropes: http://www.bluewaterropes.com

Lole Swimwear
OK, I know most people don’t think of swimwear as climbing gear, but hear me out. I spend most of the warm weather season climbing in swimsuit tops and shorts. Finally, one of my favorite apparel manufacturers is making swimwear for girls like me. I haven’t yet gotten to see the line in real life, but some of the tops look PERFECT for my might-be-seen-at-the-crag-when-it’s-too-hot-for-a-shirt-then-let’s-take-a-dip-in-the-lake days (see, e.g., the Regatta Sweetheart Top, pictured here). I’ve been a fan of Lole’s line for both activewear and work-appropriate wear as well, so am excited to see this line of swimwear for truly active women.

More information about Lole: http://www.lolewomen.com

Kelty Kitchen Sink
I came across this while browsing on a recent shopping trip, and it almost came home with me. I’ve been using a collapsible bucket for years, but the Kelty Kitchen Sink is a nifty step up. The center storage/sink is the perfect size for transporting my “camp kitchen” when not in use, and holds water for dishwashing. The sides pop out as dish drainers, even.

More information about Kelty: http://www.kelty.com

Naturally Bamboo Ethical Apparel
I haven’t yet met a Naturally Bamboo product in person, but I’ve been keeping an eye on them since getting connected on Twitter. They’re gearing up to release a baselayer line at the Summer Outdoor Retailer Show in July, and I’m looking forward to seeing the line up. More and more I’m finding myself looking at fabrics other than conventional cotton and synthetics for baselayers, and I love the feel of bamboo fabrics against the skin. I’m excited to see what they come up with in their baselayer line.

More information about Naturally Bamboo Ethical Apparel: http://www.naturallybambooclothing.com

MSR Dragonfly Camp Stove, or maybe the Coleman Exponent Feather. I can’t decide.
I’ve been bumming stove time from my buddies ever since last spring, but I think I’ve finally decided on the stove I’d like to live with, long term relationship style. I’d actually decided on the Coleman Exponent Feather Backpacking Stove after bonding with my climbing partner’s older version of that model … it boils water faster than any other stove I’ve tried, and I don’t know, there’s just something about it I like. It’s sturdy, the cooking surface is close to the flame so it’s good and efficient, and it’s more adjustable (simmer to boil) than some of the backpacking stoves I’ve tried. I just have a very soft spot for that stove after the time we spent together at Joshua Tree. But, while shopping stoves last weekend, I looked again at the MSR line and the MSR Dragonfly may be calling my name. I like that, unlike the Coleman, the fuel bottle is separate from the stove assembly, so when not in use the fuel bottle can be closed up snug. My climbing partner’s Coleman doesn’t leak; but my instinct is that I’d worry less about leakage with bottles to close, than with the stove assembly to worry about. We’ll see. I may change my mind again… the Coleman just has so much character, and it really does boil water FAST. I’ll let you know what I decide.

More information about MSR: http://www.msrgear.com
More information about Coleman: http://www.coleman.com

What’s Missing?
I still haven’t found climbing pants I adore, though I appreciate all of the great suggestions you’ve sent in over the last few months. I still climb in my $19 Calvin Klein cords from Costco about 90% of the time, and an ancient pair of no-butt-left GAP jeans the other 10%. I try on climbing pants a few times a year, so will keep you posted if I find the holy grail of fit, comfort, pockets and durability.

The other item I’ve got to retire this year but haven’t found a replacement for are my Five Ten Insight approach shoes. I’ve worn the traction nubbins down to almost nothing over the last three years, and as a result they no longer have the traction I’ve come to expect. I’ll likely wind up replacing them with another pair of… drumroll please… Five Ten Insights. But, I would like to see more variety in truly sticky, worthy-of-death-slab approach shoe options. Namely, a really well-built, light and fast, well-ventilated shoe with truly sticky rubber outsoles. I’ve talked to a couple of shoe manufacturers about this segment, and am excited by what I’m hearing in new product development… so will keep you posted!

Finally, I’m still undecided about a summit pack. Summit packs are an area that I’ve had the benefit and curse of using friends’ … it’s nice to get to try before you buy, but then when you really refine your criteria, it makes it harder to pull the trigger. I like a small pack that just barely fits a water bottle or two, two headlamps, two pair of approach shoes, and a couple of granola bars. Easily hookable arm-loops for cleaning gear to are also a key criteria. Nice, comfortable straps and a good fit are a bit harder to come by on these teeny packs, so I’m still shopping.

I’ve also decided to build-my-own when it comes to quickdraws, after climbing on friends’ for years. But, more on that in a separate post, after I actually choose my biners (I’m thinking Mammut, but will keep you posted).

Yawn…
Whew. That was a lot of work.

Thanks, as always, for reading and for sharing your own thoughts. Thanks also to Arc’Teryx, LEKI, Julbo, END Footwear, Petzl, Adventure Medical Kits and Sea to Summit for providing review samples in response to my inquiries; and special thanks to David, Dustin, Jessica, Gina, Larry, Dave, Brad and the Pemba crew, Bob and Jim and the Waypoint crew and (oh, I have to stop somewhere) … just ’cause you’re wonderful peeps who happen to work with way cool companies. Whether retail, pro deal or review sample, you’ll get my honest review here, of products I’ve hand picked — but the support and encouragement I’m receiving from manufacturers, reps and the industry at large is truly, truly appreciated.

Now it’s your turn…
Please chime in on your own favorites (new and old) in the comments, below.

Filed under: Gear

Clearing the air: the dirt clean on my product reviews

shill (slang) n.: One who poses as a satisfied customer to dupe bystanders into participating in a swindle.

Last week I got together with some friends to tape a Confab show podcast over in Seattle. The confabbers that night were heavy on the new media folks, so during pre-show noshing, Richard asked if I’d be willing to talk about the details and ethics of my gear reviews during the podcast. I thought about it for a minute, and I don’t see any reason not to — I do this for fun, and ethical dilemmas aren’t fun, so if someone asks me a question about what I do here at rockclimbergirl.com, they’re going to get a full answer.

It turned out my contribution to that particular show was a “liberal elitism” ninja chop attempt and a discussion of how home-grown potatoes are totally worth the work, so we didn’t tread into my product review ethics. But, I did just finish a guest post for my friends at PembaServes and that got me thinking that it’s probably time for a little update here at my own blog, especially since I’m working on a spring Gear Guide, set to go live in mid-April.

First, the promise I make to you, dear reader, is that I am not, nor will I ever be, a shill.

Here at Rockclimbergirl.com, and on my Twitter feed I only review products that I use, and love. Sometimes those products are purchased by me, and once in awhile they’re provided by someone in the industry. When I review products that were provided to me for the purpose of a review, I’ll mention that — it doesn’t affect my review, but some readers might want to know, so I will mention it — but they’re usually products that but for being provided to me I would have bought myself.

Despite starting to build some really fun connections with real people at companies in the outdoor industry, this blog is still my totally beloved hobby. I do this because I love writing, climbing, gear, and the people I meet through my activities here and on other sites online.

It doesn’t matter how an item was obtained, if you read a product review here, it’s because I trusted my life to it and it performed and I decided the item was worth spending my free time writing up for you. Sometimes I feature “wish list” items, that I haven’t yet tried or used myself but that I’m lusting over — when an item falls into that category, the post content will be clear.

Second, while this time of year the blog is always a bit gear heavy because I’m doing my shopping for the season, this is a blog about rock climbing. Gear is a part of that, but not all of it. I trust that if you feel that I’m spending too much time talking about gear, and not enough time talking about climbing and my climbing life, you’ll speak up instead of unsubscribing from the RSS feed. Can I count on you for that, dear reader?

And third, you will, on occasion, see a brief mention of activities in the industry — for example, the link above to the guest post I wrote for PembaServes addressing questions I’m getting from folks in the biz. I hope that me engaging with the industry doesn’t make you see me differently. It’s no different than when someone asks me my advice on climbing shoes or for beta on a climbing area or route — when folks in the biz ask for my advice on a topic I’m interested in talking about or exploring, I’ll give it. I’ll try to do the long-winded part of that elsewhere, so that you don’t have to wade through it here at rockclimbergirl.com. But, I may make mentions here, just in case you’re interested in clicking through.

The questions I’m getting about my product review “ethics” are coming from outside the climbing community… but just in case any of you long-time readers or my newer industry folk readers have concerns or feedback, I wanted to clear the air.

Thank you for reading, commenting, complimenting and criticizing. I appreciate it all, and look forward to much more… now… for a post about climbing, up next…

Filed under: Gear, Shameless commercialism, The Biz

Gear Review: Bluewater Lightning Pro 9.7 dry rope

Thanks to the kindness of some friends in the biz (thanks, David, Jack and Larry), I was lucky enough to score a new Bluewater Lightning Pro rope for my most recent Red Rock trip. Here are some of my thoughts on rope shopping and selection, and a review of this particular rope, which gets two solid thumbs up from me after several hard days of use.

I’d been shopping ropes in the 9.7 – 9.9 range for awhile, and I’d considered ropes including the Bluewater Lightning Pro, Beal Booster, Petzl Nomad, Edelweiss Onsight Arc and the Sterling Evolution Velocity, but hadn’t decided which to buy.

The criteria I personally use when selecting ropes is the number of UIAA falls held in testing (see this Climbing Magazine post for more detail on skinny ropes and how UIAA falls aren’t just lead falls in the real world, at least, as of 2003); and, the weight per meter. For this rope, I knew I’d be getting a 70 meter, so weight was very important; and, since this will be my project rope, it had to be durable and have a higher than average UIAA fall rating so that I can take lead falls on it with less worry. I also prefer bicolor ropes, for ease of finding the midpoint when setting up rappels.

The Bluewater Lightning Pro 9.7 fit my bill perfectly. Only the Beal has a higher number of UIAA falls held in testing (9 to the Lightning Pro’s but the Beal is 2 grams per meter heavier, so the Lightning Pro won on weight. My workhorse rope right now is an Edelweiss 10.2 60 meter, weighing in at a little over nine pounds; on paper, the Lightning Pro 70 meter is about .2 pounds heavier, but I didn’t notice a difference packing it around; and, it packs down noticeably smaller in my rope bag than my 10.2, making it a great rope for traveling.

The bicolor pattern change is visible even in bright light (a complaint I’ve had about some of PMI’s bicolors, and even my Edelweiss). The rope comes with a narrow little tube-style rope bag which looks better equipped for carrying a rolled Thermarest than a rope, but maybe I’m just spoiled on my non-free rope bags.

Before leaving home, I flaked and reflaked the rope a few times to get the twisties out and to detangle it. The hand of the rope is quite nice; it felt really thin right out of the box, but at this point I’m getting used to the feel of 9.x single ropes, so it didn’t feel scary thin at all.

In real world use, the rope exceeded my expectations. We used it hard during the Red Rock trip — on everything from long easy multipitch to long hard multipitch to redpoint lead and toprope attempts. It caught falls comfortably, it feeds very nicely in a variety of belay devices including Petzl GriGris, ATCs, and ATC-XPs.

Edit: the Petzl Grigri technical specs show it rated for ropes sized 10-11mm. A number of online sources indicate that the range is “10-11mm (9.7 Accepted)” but I don’t have a test source or word from Petzl on that, so use at your own risk as always. Anecdotally, I caught one moderate lead fall on the rope with the Grigri without hesitation or any slip, but we didn’t take any huge whippers on the system.

The only catch we ran into was an unusually large amount of rope twist during our raps off of Eagle Dance — but that wasn’t the rope’s fault. I know that newer ropes are going to twist and curl more than older ropes on rappel; I also know that using a higher friction device (e.g., the ATC-XP in high friction mode) is going to aggravate the twist. After one epic-ly twisted rap and heroic rope rescue by Shawn after we had both rapped the lines on our ATC-XPs in high friction mode, we rapped in low friction mode and had almost no twisting on subsequent raps.

The rope (somehow) seems cleaner than my ropes usually do when I’ve put this kind of miles on ‘em at Red Rock… could be the dry treatment is just all spiffy and brand new, but the rope looks almost new even after several days of hard, dirty use.

All in all, I’m very happy with the Lightning Pro and look forward to pushing more limits on it on longer multipitch routes and hard sport climbs. I’m wishing I had the 60 meter version for everyday cragging, since it was noticeably smaller and lighter than my current 10.2 when the terrain got more challenging. The Lightning Pro also comes in an orange and turquoise “HERA” color scheme to raise funds for the HERA Womens’ Cancer Foundation, which is cool.

Bluewater will definitely be on my list to consider for future rope purchases after this. The relatively low weight, relatively high number of UIAA falls, the highly visible bicolor, and the rope’s performance in the field make this a solid choice for climbers looking for a dry rope in the 9.7 range.

For more information about the Lightning Pro and Bluewater’s other products, visit them online at http://www.bluewaterropes.com/ or connect on Facebook.

Filed under: Gear, Shameless commercialism

Outdoor gear roundup

Here are a few of the hot deals and gear tidbits that hit my inbox this week:

Much to the dismay of my credit card bill, Mountain Hardwear’s Women’s Nitrous Jacket has hit the market and is available from Altrec.com and REI.com among other retailers. I’ve been in lust with this puffy ever since seeing an early announcement from my buddies at Mountain Hardwear. Lovely quilting, 800-fill down, EcoSensor Ripstop body using recycled polyester… Mmmmmmm… beloved blue puffy is on its last legs, after all…

OMC’s winter stash sale has an enviable gear sale going at 35% off (including Black Dimond cams & Omega Pacific link cams and a bunch of climbing shoes)

Backcountry has Wild Country cams, Camp Tricams and other #climb goodies on sale, as well as up to 70% off premium outerwear.

Moosejaw has 20% off on select brands with coupon code 711 and new items on sale/clearance

Altrec has a 25% off coupon on all sale items, coupon code LUCKYYOU

The IBEX Womens’ outlet is stocked full of fantastic bargains…

and, last but not least, Patagonia just added a bunch of new stuff to their web specials.

Enjoy…

Filed under: Deals, Gear, Shameless commercialism