Dane

I am looking for a pair of Patagonia puff pants in size large to buy. Color doesn't matter.... Send me a PM

These days smart climbers use the lightest, high tech helmets on anything from El Cap to 5.14 or while on both. Wasn't long ago that wearing a helmet rock climbing signaled you out as a GEEK No more thankfully with everyone from the Huber Brothers to Ueli Steck trust up and pulling hard on rock or ice. We've all had the discussion before about the two basic styles of helmets, hard shell plastic and the lighter (and more impact protection) foam cored shelled helemts. There are places for both imo. I like the hard shell plastic helmets in the mountains and on routes I don't baby my gear. But they offer less over all impact protection. The foam cord helmets offer a big jump in impact protection....once... so we have disposable helmets. One big hit and you need a new one. The bike industry offers the same foam cored technology, expects their cutomers to break helmets on a regular basis (generally preventing serious tramatic injuries and saving a life) because of that, so all the better bike helmet companies offers a helmet trade in discount to replace a broken helmet. (Giro and Bell) They have recognized a healthy customer will buy even more helmets My generation generally only used helmets in the alpine and on water ice. But it wasn't a quick adoption. Even with a helmet head, eye and facial injuries are not uncommon now. This chuckle head's life was spared yesterday by a foam cored Giro snow board helmet. Helmet a total loss of course. But without one he'd be DEAD. Water ice can be partically vicious. I've been knocked out on lead and had several facial cuts that were serious enough it took stiches to put me back together. After catching a piece of ice in my right eye on a pillar last winter I am now using a visor on water ice. Not being able to see for longer than I wanted and wondering just how bad the injury really was is something I'd like to avoid in the future. Common stuff but you get the idea. Let's see your helmet or injury? Might remind a few of us to be careful out there! Jack and his geeky visor that I really wanted after a piece of ice popped me directly in the eye on this trip. I finally bought a visor yesterday! Same trip and a typical ice climbing "scratch". That can just as easily be really serious. With a visor I would have easily have avoided this. ZuZu wants to know if you are wearing a helmet?

Thanks Mike. But good question and it deserved an answer. Truth is I was never that good of climber on my best days so I have always searched out any edge in gear I could fine and take advantage of. Serious injuries in the last few years (tore off both biceps at one point among others) have really made me pay heed to any minute improvement I can identify these days and quickly adopt it

No industry connections. The reviews posted here at CC.com have simply come from my own purchases and the search for product knowledge that I try to pass along. Those purchases are the majority of time, but not always, done at full retail for those that have wondered.

XV is about the same as the WT...but I'll have more detailed info in a few days. No question the XV is worth the sale price and retail price for that matter imo. If you are looking for a jacket that is tiny in the pack this aint it. But it is also one of the warmest ( a step up over the WT BJ and most everything else) when it comes to real climbing jackets available....just no free lunch.

It is usually half hanger and half base. Top half falls off first every year sometimes more than once.

Ya cool Curt...not that they are bad tools but DMM also pays him a shite load of money to do so If "you" (not Curt 'cus I know he knows better) are judging tools by who chooses to climb on them you have missed a few things inbetween. Take a good look around Jon's web site (worth your time if you like alpine) and you'll see BD, Petzl and Grivel are well represented on some good climbing....and even a picture or two of Nick and his mate here and there on DMM.

Dave actually turned me on the photo of Ueli Steck from last week.. Thanks Dave! Then I did a little snooping around with a few buddies and got this Remember you saw it first on Alpineexposures.com. OR show in SLC next week should be fun. "new Quark Ergos... ridiculously aggressive though" Similar first impression that a Nomic makes. I'm way stoked to see them in person and get them out on some ice! http://www.alpineexposures.com/blogs/chamonix-conditions

Dave actually turned me on the photo of Ueli Steck from last week.. Thanks Dave! Then I did a little snooping around with a few buddies and got this Remember you saw it first on Alpineexposures.com OR show in SLC next week should be fun. "new Quark Ergos... ridiculously aggressive though" I'm way stoked to see them in person and get them out! http://www.alpineexposures.com/blogs/chamonix-conditions

In every major Chinese city there is a open market area where you can buy North Face, Patagonia or any legit western brand name with world wide brand name recognition out of open air stalls. All rip offs and all pennies on the dollar. Easy to "rip off" as most of the brand names they are selling are also manufactured in China. Local population loves the stuff and its generally worth what you pay for it. In person we bought some great designer clothing really cheap but no way I would do it over the Internet. Stuff is generally made only in sizes for the locals. That often means a XXL is a medium or worse. My wife's ankle length leather coat, while beautiful, is a XXXL which is just barely big enough. And she wears a 6!

Bronco's newest EB sale deserves a BIG bump....get it while it lasts....$188 for the XV is silly money.

Dave's coldthistle.com Nomic adze Dane's stock Quark grip Julian's modified Aztar grip Doug's chopped Fusion pommel

yes re: aermet, more production delays (back order on steel this time)...but they are coming and worth the wait if the field testing we did yesterday is any indication.

And I was only thinking about getting up real early to go do a little easy finshing

Nomic with a hammer not real common...but they have been around. And the new Fusion of course. Nomic with a usable adze. "Open your mind!"

Thanks guys project is in the works. Hey Bill, I have several reviews but couldn't get what I wanted up on CC.com blog. Still working on it to learn the format. Your Smith guide is a hard act to follow

Just an observation and I may be way off so please stay with me for a moment. Just want to make sure we are discussing/feeling ankle flexibility, verses ankle support, verses sole flex. I'm in 45s across the board and in Sportiva and can flex the Batura a bit and none on the Trango Evo Extreme silver bullet or Nepal. But for ankle flex/support the Batura is super soft..makes a good hiking boot imo except for the damn stiff sole, just enough flex in the sole to make them work very good in that situation..long hikes to cold day climbs. The Silver Trango is only slightly better on ankle support but useable short term on steep stuff becasue it has a rigid sole but just not enough ankle support to my liking. The Nepal offers me decent ankle support and a rigid sole for longer sections of steep ice. But for modern mixed most like/reccomend a soft ankle...makes the boot climb more like a rock shoe than a decent mountain boot from the past. I would as well for what mixed I do. But for most ice I prefer good ankle support to ease calf strain. One reason I am a big fan of the support a dbl boot offers on long sections of moderate alpine ice. Even though the dbl is a harder to climb in on hard technical mixed ground. Never seems to bother the big boys

One of the bigger retailers just sent me a Arcteryx Dually @ 499, Norrøna Lyngen $378, the newest Patagonia DAS @ $300 and a Mtn Hardware Compressor Hoody @190. The idea is to make a direct comparison to the $265 Eddier Bauer XV and directly against one another. I am going to try to get Feathered Friends to loan me a Front Point @ $429, Wild Things to chip in a Belay Jacket @ $295 and Marmot to loan me a Mammut hooded Ambler @$300. Any other jacket that you think should be compared I am missing? Anyone interested in pictures and the details of my observations?

Nepals x 3. But forget the hype and buy what fits first. Trango Evos Ex do wear fast but on a pro deal who cares Trangos and Nepals are also built on different lasts and fit differently. As will Scarpa.

First question I would ask is which 3 pairs of Sportiva did you climb in exactly? And when? Sportiva has several lasts; Trango, Nuptse and Nepal. All are different and all have changed a bit in the last 10 years. One of the three fits my narrow feet. The others suck. No one mentioned that the Cholatse flexes in the sole in the larger sizes...a good bit. Totally bogus for climbing on steep, sustained ice for me. But something I'd want to check in smaller sizes. I would always suggest you try on any boot and see how it fits YOUR foot no matter the feedabck you have heard. Hopefull Bill will get his and add to the info data base. Troy found that the Kaylands fit him just as they did me..medium to narrow. The Apex is one of the best fitting boots around for my foot just not what I need for warmth or support. What you guys should be asking if you are really concerned about boot fit is what size the guy recommending them is on a Branock device. I'm a 11.5 B with a AA heel on the Brannock and off the Branock really skinny ankles. Opinions are like your mouth, everyone has one. Trust what comes out of your own.. Everyone else is suspect.

Be glad you didn't Eddie Bauer XV...$269 retail....best buy *anywhere* on a useable down jacket with intergal hood. I love mine. From this thread: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/930932/1 "I am a belay/bivy jacket fanatic and am really picky about what I use. The XV is the first down jacket I have seen in years that was actually designed as a bivy, really, realy cold weather climbing jacket. Retail is $269. Compare it directly to the FF Front Point @ $429, Wild Things @ $295 ($170 sale) and Arct. Dually @ 499, Norrøna Lyngen $378 when you can find them and the new lwt DAS @ $300. I made those comparisons in person today except for the Norrøna Lyngen. Mammut has the Stratus for $$219 which good lwt and the Ambler for a thicker jacket @ $300. and another best buy in down. I bought my last Swiss, Egge Delux for $150 in the '80s...and the XV is a better jacket imo. AND that is saying a LOT! In short...GOOD SHIT here for hard, really cold, alpine. Pick and choose though...some of the stuff is below par to other manufactures and price point I think; some way, way above. "Feathered Friends makes GREAT gear. We own a bunch of it and have for years. But IMO the EB XV stands inspection side by side to the FF Front Point parka and comes out equal if not the better of the two for actual climbing. Did just that last night. Even at the same price? I'd take the XV. But they aren't the same price, FF is $429 and the EB $269. I've looked at a number of really nice belay/Bivy style jackets over the last few days and few are as good. Only the Norrøna Lyngen ($378.,) looks to be as technical a piece as the XV. But I have not laid my hands on one to make a direct comparison. The Mammut hooded Ambler is another comparable down bivy/belay jacket. ($300)" I now have laid hands on all the jackets mentioned above and the Eddie Bauer XV is IMO the winner at ANY price just by quality, fit and down alone. YMMV obviously.

Simond's are awesome tools.

Depends on what you carry for bivy gear.... In August we did the CNR as a training climb for another project. Climbed in mtn boots intentionally and took only small day packs with water, some food and a goretex bivy bag for each of us. Weather was good and we had a warm night, fairly comfortable in comparison to some climbs and it made getting up real early and finshing the climb "easy"

The Primaloft website sez: "PrimaLoft® One is the ultimate microfiber insulation. Ultra fine fibers are specially treated in a patented process and then combined into an insulating core that is incredibly soft, lightweight and water resistant. PrimaLoft One absorbs 3 times less water, is 14% warmer when dry and is 24% warmer when wet than the competitive insulation. PrimaLoft® Eco is earth-friendly insulation created for performance and comfort. Eco insulation technology combines 50% recycled material with PrimaLoft virgin fibers to create a high loft, thermally efficient insulation. PrimaLoft Eco is lightweight and water resistant with superior softness to keep you dry and comfortable. It’s global warming the right way!" From the descriptions by Primaloft themselves I would bet it pays to read the label and compare products before you by.

Dude, that is a SCREAMING deal on the boots! They retail for $350 and sometimes can be found for around $250 on sale. But $125? Thank God I don't have room for them....but damn I am tempted. The Apex rocks as a alpine boot and is rock solid with 'pons. They are the shiiiitzz for ice cragging. Almost a fruit boot for weight and the rigid soles. Ton of rocker in the sole so they do walk very well. And one of the best fitting boots I have owned. You're killing me But hell it is a free bump right?