RafalA

The biggest difference I find is how prominent the front points are beyond the toe of your boot. With a wire bail, there is usually a two or three hole adjustment range so you can fine-tune the binding to your boots. This allows you to locate the front and secondary points closer to the front of the boot, where as with semi-automatic binding the distance is pretty much fixed (and, imo, too far behind the toe of the boot). For reference, I only have experience with my crampons: auto: Grivel G14 & Petzl M10, semi: BD Sabretooth SS

While not helping you exactly, I would recommend you try the Scarpa Freney XT. I tried the Nepals but their heel doesn't fit my foot, so went with Scarpa. The Cumbre is similar to the new Mont Blanc, so I can hopefully help with this comparison: Size 43.5 Scarpa Freney XT - long and narrow fit - quite well insulated (been in -30 no problems) Size 44 Scarpa Mont Blanc GTX - wide and short fit - less insulated than the Freney The long and the short of it, is that with the same socks, same feet (mine), I needed different size boots from one company to fit me properly. Both are fantastically comfortable and climb exceptionally. If the Cumbre / Mont Blanc didn't fit you well, try the Freney. It's a much tighter fit.

Sign me up for five... Thoughts: - bright, neon yellow or green or pink would stand out against a lot of clothing, harnesses, gear, etc. - a hook on top would be nice, but it would have to be bigger than the Petzl ones as I find it too small and awkward to use - fitting two Nomics on one biner and having both hang down vertically would be amazing For harness attachment, I'd like it to attach in a way such that it's flexible if pressed on (i.e. will twist to either side under pressure) and also have more options to attach to rather than just the clipper slots.

Yeah, stashing them under the lid, inside the pack or just otherwise attaching them in a way that Arcteryx did not provide for seems to be best. Not to mention that the little gold-toggle attachment thingy doesn't play well with Nomics either... gotta say, first piece of their gear that I'm finding under-designed. Nice little pack otherwise, though.

if you can find it on sale.... Check out the Arcteryx Factory Store in North Vancouver. They occasionally have those jackets, and often for a great price. And I've yet to find an Arcteryx 'second' that has issues major enough not to be used... The jacket was borrowed: kind of wishing I had bought one when they last had them in the outlet. (I think they were around the 250-300 mark).

I wore the Dually for a couple of hours during a cold hanging belay a few weeks back, and have to say it was like a personal furnace. Arcteryx costs a lot, but I have yet to be disappointed in any of their pieces. The fit, features, design and materials are exceptional, and usually way above anyone else's. Just buy it on sale.

Instead of the slot, how about one thin pocket across the bottom of the pack that the whole head of the tool would slide into? Think of the side-pockets on big expedition backpacks, although not with so much volume, and on the back of the pack instead of the side. A simple cinch strap above this, and the usual velcro or cinch-strap for the shaft, should keep the tools secure. I've been struggling to attach Nomics to an Arcteryx Khazri 35 pack, and this is the idea I came up with. Now I just need to sew it on...

Thanks for the updates, Dane. As always, some good info!