Illimani94

One more thing. I still find it's easier for me to leave my mitt parked in the tool's leash, and place gear barehanded, than it is for me to try to get a mitted/gloved hand out and then into a leash.

re. clipping tools into a belay. A toughie. On one hand, very few leashes these days are runner-strength, though I believe the Wild Things leashes still are. On the other hand, spikes are not that strong either, and not just Black Diamond's. I hitch a runner around the head of a tool to string it into the belay, so the force, if any, comes onto the strongest part of the tool. Haven't tried the Android, but last winter I watched a guy using the C-M clip leash system drop a tool, and that was it for me. I like the newer version of the Lockdown, The Twist (though it never seems quite secure enough on really steep ice), and see promise in the BD Robo leash, which I used once this season. My wife has the CM Saf-T-Lok leash on one of her tools. Used a couple times, works OK, but have yet to try in cruddy conditions where icing would be a problem.

The idea of glove VBLs sounds appealing; even the most waterproof shells can't prevent inners gettin wet from your own sweat. However, I have yet to find gloves dextrous enough and sturdy enough for climbing. The THIN latex ones, exam or lab gloves, don't seem sturdy enough. Dishwashing gloves might be dextrous enough if I could get ones to fit closely. Thin neoprene gloves might be dextrous enough, but don't expect to get them off easily once you start perspiring in them. ONE POSSIBILITY that I have seen but never tried are a particular type of lab glove made from nitrile. These things are way more stretchy than latex, and have a reputation for being pretty sturdy for as thin as they are. I'm like goatboy. I wear mitts, I place gear barehanded (or if it's cold I weenie out and wear a thin liner glove - powerstretch or some such), leaving the mitts parked in my leash. So far my hands have stayed warm in most conditions. Even really damp, messy conditions are OK for good waterproof mitts. 'Course for multiday trips you need two sets of liners, and you need to be drying one all the time. Could be worse; you COULD be working.

I've used the same pair of Black Diamond VBLs for about 8 winters now. Just beginning to show wear in the heels. My only complaint is that they sometimes bunch up in the ankle, a potential blister problem. My wife uses a thin neoprene sock as VBL/insulation; has worked well for her. I don't find that VBLs necessarily keep my feet that much warmer. Especially at cold belays my feet will get cold; they are no substitute for adequate foot/body insulation. They do, however, keep your outer socks and liner boots dry. A VBL is lots easier to dry or de-ice than is a sock or inner boot, even a foam one. Considerations. As noted by several others you HAVE TO dry your feet every day. Trenchfoot sounds really ugly, and it makes your feet more prone to frostbite. Second, antiperspirant helps. Not only will your feet stay drier inside the VBLs, but they'll smell better too, which your tentmates will appreciate. Finally, if you go the neoprene route, don't size especially snug if you plan to go to altitude. The gas bubbles in the neoprene can expand, slowing circulation to your feet. That's about it. Hope this helps.