I was really excited to test this jacket from BlackYak. Based on my social media feed this season, they seemed like the hottest new thing in town. It turns out BlackYak has been making mountaineering gear since 1973 in South…
With winter finally coming into full swing, it’s time to break out the ice tools and join the mad rush to find the best ice. The hunt for backcountry ice often involves long and steep approaches. Typically those require a…
I got my first down jacket in 1994, and as an east coast ice climber immediately dismissed it as useless. Any sort of precipitation rendered it a clumpy, soggy mess; worse than nothing. The synthetic revolution was happening, and sacrificing…
The nucleus of the mountaineer’s world… the Himalayas. A remarkable residence of giants with arms reaching from the heavens to the world below. 14 peaks over 8000 meters, the highest point on earth and a culture ingrained into the fabric…
Never heard of BlackYak? You’re not alone. They are relatively new to the US market (starting in South Korea), and making waves in the outdoor industry with their high end (and awesome!) products. The Women’s Bakosi jacket is meant for…
The warm belay jacket that handles the worst that winter will throw at you. The Outdoor Research Alpine Down Hooded Jacket brings a balance between warmth and usability in alpine conditions. Reviewer: Aidan Goldie Gear: Outdoor Research Alpine Down Hooded…
From climbing around the Rocky Mountains and San Juans to hiking around local bouldering areas, Outdoor Research’s Women’s Optimizer Jacket kept me DRY this Spring. This jacket is so incredibly (and surprisingly) lightweight that it has replaced my other hardshells…
Airbag backpacks are becoming an increasingly standard part of peoples’ backcountry safety kit. It’s hard to argue with their effectiveness but it can be hard to bear the thought of carrying so much extra weight. Enter the BCA Float 27…
“Lite” is right when it comes to the SlingFin 2Lite Tent. Like all of my gear, it passed the kitchen scale weight test, making its way into my pack for a couple of summer adventures. But weight isn’t everything. As…
The Ortovox PALA alpine pants won’t snag on all of the sharp, pointy objects that come with winter mountaineering, but the fun colors and technical features are sure to snag you a ton of compliments on the mountain while being…