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I pick up a 10X10 silnylon Bear paw flat tarp. I ordered it with a tie under the center of the tarp for a trekking pole. To use I make it like a A frame tent with the front open. A trekking pole at the front and a trekking pole at the center under the tarp. Bear paw put in a really good tie in point made for up in the under center of the tarp. I ordered the lightest guy line I could find from Z packs. I pre tied in a hundred feet of guy line on the tarp and added in 5 titanium stakes. Total weight is 1lb 5oz. This for me is a fairer weather shelter for the alpine. Monster room for two, can set up most anywhere, best cost and weight deal on a tarp I have found to date. No field testing yet but expect good times. This should give good shelter for most anything except high winds while using a light bivy sack. The SOL Pro Breathable bivvy sack at 8oz is the best I found to date for performance and weight, for a normal sized to small person it is great. There are two other less expensive SOL breathable bivy sacks that are also good at less cost. Look for the breathable SOL breathable bivy sacks for intentional use for camping. The SOL bivy sacks run a good size for summer weight sleeping bags, the Pro version has a bit more room than the mid priced SOL breathable bivy sack. The lightest SOL breathable bivy sack is 5.5oz, but open on top. I have no relation to any companies. Good set up for not so high good weather alpine camping, can carry a light bivy sack while climbing up from camp if wanted, that is the main advantage over a tent, also tarping usually has much more internal room than tents- luxury of covered space. Main disadvantage with tarping over tenting in good weather is less bug protection, however bug net clothing works fairly well. As a minim I always carry a bug net head cover, some bug juice. I would use a tent instead if any chance of really bad weather or wind, or winter like conditions (check weather forecast, consider how high you go or if going to very windy areas, mountain passes etc). May use a tent if bugs are super duper bad... Tarps are good to about up to 30mph or so, then big trouble, but you can clamp down all the sides or make a closed in teepee type shelter if caught out with a big enough flat tarp. Good to study some different tarp set ups and have a plan if caught out in a storm. Dan

Reasonably inexpensive source for eva foam: https://www.foambymail.com/minicel-type-t-foam.html I just received a sheet of T200. It appears identical to the yellow hardman pad of yore.

What is the deal with Suunto customer service? I ordered a ” in-stock watch” paid for it and was told that it would ship immediately. 3 weeks later still no watch. At first, days later still didn't ship, called, emailed, messaged customer svs promised it would ship the following Monday. Nope, repeat, ditto will ship in two days, NOPE - LIES. Repeat everything and now two weeks later no answers. What kind of company is this? The worst is it's part of Wilson who is a great customer service company. ”In stock” and still hasn't shipped but their site still says it is and is still taking orders! Ridiculous! 3/4 days to get a order out was ok ten years ago. Over 21and counting in 2020 you just suck. Whoever is responsible and thinks that is acceptable at Suunto needs to find a new job! Pissed before I even get my watch. Great start.

I recently bought this. It was on sale on Backcountry.com and I needed a new belay jacket. I had heard some good things about Norrona in general being a high quality brand from the Euros I climbed with in Canada last winter. It's one we don't see much of here so its kind of an unknown and I figured I'd give a run down as it is a very nice piece, well suited to Cascades winter climbing and a resonable price too. Pros: light weight, warm (relative to other 100g primaloft jackets I've tried this feels very warm), lower cost than some other high quality options like Patagonia or Arcteryx ($260), has several large pockets (2x chest outside of insulation, 2x hands inside insulation, 1x mesh inside jacket), double zipper, and MY FAVORITE... the hood is awesome (best single draw cinch i've seen, has a brim to shelter from spindrift, zips up to the nose, really seals in the warmth). Cons: I would prefer a second mesh pocket inside the jacket, the giant uninsulated chest pockets don't seem very useful to me at this point. Overall: I think this is a really well designed and quality belay parka.

Footwear is the most important of gear, no question. I've taken some time to think about all kinds of different footwear in the Cascades, from trail running to ice climbing and skiing. Here are my thoughts and strategies. I welcome diverse opinions! https://climberkyle.com/2020/09/15/footwear-in-the-cascades/

Break Testing Climbing Cams video worth checking out

Came across this Youtube channel and found some really interesting stuff. This one in particular caught my attention as I have some older dyneema slings. Surprising how much more quickly the strength degrades compared to nylon (he tests some 30 year old nylon slings in other videos). I know 10kN is still pretty strong but slings are cheap.

Has anybody used the new BD forged picks? Are they as tough as Grivel/Petzl?

Does anybody know a sewer who could work on packs and clothes? I have some repairs and modifications and I don't want to pay Rainy Pass $75.00 an hour because they have F'd up every project I have brought them.

I wanted to get this out to the climbing community. I am working on producing rock climbing themed playing cards where I have replaced all of the traditional suits of Clubs, Diamonds, Spades, and Hearts with trad gear Pitons, Cams, Nuts, and Hexes. I also have re-illustrated all of the face cards. Also, $1.00 from each deck sold is going to Access Fund. My personal favorite is replacing the Joker with The Free soloist. Would love any input. Here is my website: www.mtncards.cc Here is the pre-order link for the first run of decks. As of posting I have 58 decks sold and need to sell 365 decks to fund the first run. Any support is greatly appreciated. I am happy to answer any questions. www.mtncards.cc/backdoor

Hello, I plan to climb Denali this June, we are bringing skis to 14camp, still undecided if we'll bring them higer and ski the Orient. I've been seeing recommendations of buying a full shell size larger in the ski boots to allow for feet to swell at altitude. Would anyone recommend this? Seems like a waste as they won't fit here in Colorado and I will not be able to use them after this trip. Same problem with the overboots. With a full shell size larger, do people get the Intuition liners a full size larger too? I am normally a size 26 in ski boots. Any specific recommendations on ski boots? La Sportiva has a sale right now so I'm looking at the Spectre thanks!

Looking to get Mons, I understand that Mons without the "red" stripe are an older model, something no longer produced. Do you feel that both are the same and are there any concerns with getting Mons without the red stripe?

Well, I think my 25 year old north face bag is finally on its last leg. Looking for something suitable for spring, summer, and fall in the cascades. I generally run kinda warm and don't mind sleeping in a jacket and what not. That being said, I'd be bummed to spend 4-500 on a sleeping bag and find out there was a better option. Thus far, I've been looking at the Feathered Friends Merlin UL 30, western mountaineering Summerlite, and the Nunatuk quilts, but I'm wondering if I want something that is rated to 20 degrees. I'm also considering the FF Vireo because there is a lightly used one available, but I'm worried it's not enough for spring and fall. What are y'all using or what do you recommend? I also get 50% off of any Eddie Bauer product, but there isn't any sleeping bag that seems like the right fit in their lineup. Thanks, Anthony

from here: https://www.adventure-journal.com/2019/04/might-it-be-time-to-replace-your-old-avy-beacon/ How long have you had your cell phone? Probably less three years, statistically speaking. Tech changes so you change your phone. Simple enough. But if you’re a backcountry skier or snowshoer, or otherwise venture into avalanche zones—what about your avalanche beacon? How often do you replace that? Technology changes quickly in those units too. Dual-antennae beacons were widely used in for years, but now three-antennae are the standard. Take it from the Canadian Avalanche Association: “Dual antenna digital transceivers aren’t obsolete, but they’re dated. The current crop of three antenna digital transceivers supersedes them and provides clear advantages over previous generations… Through May 1, if you want to trade up to the most modern avy beacons on the market, at least those made by Ortovox, any Ortovox dealer will accept an old beacon, no matter who made it, for $75 credit toward their new Ortovox 3+ beacon. Unsure if your beacon is starting to be outdated? The Canadian Avalanche Association has a checklist of reasons to update here.

What would be a good 3 season tent that I can use for the cascades? Im not a super tight budget but I'm not looking to spend a fortune either. Id mostly be using this tent on rainier, adams shasta and hood. Thanks!

Gear Review - Osprey Aether 85 Intro: When it comes to packs, you want something comfortable. It needs to be well made, rugged and have useful features. I’ve owned the Osprey Aether 85 for some time now and wouldn’t change it for anything else. Here is my break down review of the pack: Comfort: - I find it to be extremely comfortable even when its full to the brim tipping 60lbs. At 40lb I can hardly tell I have it on, it does an extremely good job of distributing the weight on my hips and shoulders. At the end of a long day I don’t get that soreness on my shoulders that I’ve gotten with other packs. It has plenty of adjustments to make sure you get the perfect fit. Quality: - The quality of the pack is great. Overall the stitching on the seams is good and the zippers function flawlessly even when the pack is stuffed, it is easy to open and close. Where you can really tell the quality is on the shoulder straps, waist straps and back padding. The straps are well padded and thick as to not dig into your skin while carrying heavy loads. Also the back padding has webbing and allows for great breathability so you’re not building up a ton of sweat in your back. Features: - Mountaineering packs shouldn’t have too many pockets or compartments but it should have the right ones. The Osprey Aether, has very convenient features that make for a very practical pack. (1) The zippered pockets on the waist straps allow for storing any thing from lip balm to sunscreen or a Go Pro camera. It allows for quick reach of items that you may need frequently with out having to take of the pack. (2) It also has secure loops on each side of the pack to store 2 ice axes or tools in a safe way where it wont poke you or anyone around you. (3) The straps at the bottom of the pack let you strap in your sleeping pad nice and tight. (4) It has a water bottle holder on each side for quick access. (5) The top is a removable 15L summit pack, once you remove it from the main body it has two straps that allow you to throw it over your shoulder or even wear it like a fanny pack! (6) Lastly the front of the pack has a mesh layer that can be used to store anything you wouldn’t want to get mixed in with the rest of your gear…like…poop bags. (There are more features to the pack but for me these are the most important.) Ruggedness: - If this pack lacks in anything, its in the fact that its not waterproof. If you are typically climbing in snow, you have to be careful how you lay it down or your gear will end up damp. Other than that, it is build like a tank in every other aspect. Mines has been thrown on rocks, dirt, gravel, snow and glacier and its still good as new. No rips or tears anywhere. Final thoughts: - This pack earns 5 stars in my book. I consider its built very solid and useful for anything from back packing to mountaineering. Its large enough to hold enough gear for multiday expeditions and very compactable for short trips. Its adjustability makes it suitable for heavy loads and comfort that last for hours on end. Whether its scrambling up rocks or slogging up a snow field this pack will perform great. Its worth every penny! You can't read more articles on my blog www.brandonclimbs.com

Check them out when they are in Costco, they are made of nylon and spandex, super thin and light and fairly tough. They are a great lightweight hiking or climbing pant for uphill cold weather approaches and for in general cooler weather, in hot weather I prefer shorts or zip offs. They shed light rain and dry very fast, the material they are made of seems like magic to me, (but I have not experienced much of the higher end pants from climbing companies). They are almost like long underwear for your legs in function, but are in pants form with pockets. They do not have lower leg zippers but are stretchy enough to pull over boots. I had leg zippers installed on a pair. If you tend to run warm to hot while moving give them a try, around 20 bucks at Costco when in stock, they should be back in this spring sometime. Dan

Damn it it. I knew I was doing something wrong. I'd been using Trader Joe's bags!!!! No wonder I can't send the gnar like Colin! Gotta upgrade to those lighter bags ASAP... https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/News/2017-6-5/Colin-Haley-s-Begguya-Kit

I pulled my Asolo AFS 103's off the shelf, doing a gear check for the upcoming season like we do, and, well, just look at them. [img:center]http://people.omnigroup.com/tom/images/BootsForSale.jpg[/img] I can't believe it! They're barely even 25 years old! Do you think Dave Page can do anything? Would you like to buy them, cheap? Ok, I guess it's time to check out that new Gear Deals section we have. I think I'm looking for a good boot for slogging up volcanoes that can make the crossover to moderate ice if you'd care to nominate one.