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My Gear List: Please critique it!


emperorMA

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I'm just getting into mountaineering and am assembling a kit (see this thread for background).

 

The gear will be for general mountaineering with a skills class and climbs of easier alpine peaks.

 

I'm pretty well-stocked for clothing except for soft shell pants and hard shell pants...any ideas?

 

Here's what I've decided on...let me know what you think, if I can improve on my selections and what else I might need. Thanks!

 

Note: If bolded in red type, the items are already purchased.

 

Boots: (still deciding based on fit and crampon compatibility)

 

La Sportiva Nepal EVO

Mammut Mamook

Lowa Mountain Expert

Kayland Apex XT

 

Ice Axe: BD Raven Pro ... really light but still works like an axe made of steel should.

 

Crampons: BD Sabretooth Clip ... made for glacier and snow walking but with nearly the ability of the Sabretooth for climbing ice, which may come in handy some day. (EDIT) Going with the Sabretooth per all your recommendations.

 

Harness: BD Couloir

 

Helmut: Mammut Skywalker 2

 

Pack: Mammut Heron Light 65

 

Sleeping Bags: Mont-Bell UL SS Down Hugger #2 (25 degrees), Western Mountaineering Kodiak MF (0 degrees)

 

Sleeping pads: Combo of Neoair and Ridge Rest

 

Belay device: Petzl Reverso (changed from BD ATC Guide)

 

Ascender: none (edit)

 

Locking Carabiners: BD RockLock and Quicksilver II

 

EDIT: Adding in insulation and base layers.

 

Insulation: Mont-Bell UL Tec Down Jacket (for down to 20 degrees or a bit less), Patagonia Fitz Roy Hooded Down Jacket (for lower temps).

 

Base layers: Patagonia Merino 1 T-shirt, I/O Bio Merino Contact Tight, I/O Bio Merino Contact Crib Shirt, I/O Bio Merino Contact 1/4 Zip Shirt, Arc'teryx Rho LTW Zip Top.

 

Gaiters: BD Front Point

 

 

Edited by emperorMA
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hard shell, get some with full, 7/8ths, or 3/4ths length zips, imo. I found it nice to be able to throw them on w/ relative ease compared to non-zip (ie you can't get a boot through most pants). i personally don't put $300-400 into these, nor worry as much about if it is 'gor pro, event 3 layer, precip, whatever (and instead try to find a deal on sierratradingpost, used, etc) as they will probably get damaged through wear second only to liner gloves, and i dont find my legs as strongly impacted by heat/breathability as my upper torso. Plus with full zips u can usually vent well. i personally go pretty minimalist on these (mine have no pockets and are full zip). thats just what ive found works for me since a lot of the time they stay folded in the bottom of my pack.

 

soft shell, consider backcountry.com/stoic overhang pant-im a big fan. waaay cheaper than arcy/mnt hrdw/etc. i think hard to go wrong though with most softshell--main thing i find is there is soft-shell that is light and stretchy, heavy-weight, and 'winter weight', it seems. for me, i've found the lighter-stretchy to work sufficient even for a lot of winter cascade stuff--tho i dont tend to climb in the middle of a winter storm. it can be supplemented w/ some merino long underwear or u can always throw the hardshell over the top.

 

ice ax and harness seem fine

 

gaiters?

 

i have lowa mnt expert--i love it, feet never get wet, extremely durable, yet use it in july at 80 degrees or december at 5 and my feet have been comfortable. at the end of the day get the boot that fits your feet and feels the absolute best, not which has a toe bail or eVent or Goretex lining, or mulaz or teton vibram sole, etc.

 

many people suggest the La Sportiva Nepal EVO it seems. it looks like a great boot. both it didn't feel the best on my foot, and the price is a lot to reckon with, esp for intro scrambling/alpine/snow/glacier summits, imho.

 

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Dang I had a reply all typed out and it failed so forgive the quick summary.

Nepal Evo's- perfect for winter, fall, spring depending on use.

Soft shell pants- First ascent guide lite.

Grivel G12- heavier but nice for ice

Your pad system is A OK.

Why an ascender?

Harness- Camp Alp 95. super light.

Didn't see an insulating layer there. Is there one? Check out First Ascent. It was half off a couple weeks ago.

Have fun!

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Boots: (still deciding based on fit and crampon compatibility)

 

La Sportiva Nepal EVO

Mammut Mamook

Lowa Mountain Expert

Kayland Apex XT

 

 

All of the boots on your list are fine, go with the pair that fits the best, buy crampons that fit that pair of boots. If your boots don't fit well it won't matter how good they and crampons are - you will suffer!

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Ditch the ascender, pretty useless. Ditto heavy locking biners, find the lightest belay biner & belay device for the diameter of your rope. I use a DMM bugette & sentinel with a 9.4 and it is just fine.

 

Petzl Tibloc.

DMM Revolver or small Petzl pulley.

Long Prussik sling.

Short prussik sling.

6-8 Ultralight Wiregate biners (pick your brand)

1 or 2 Ice Screws (16 & 19cm?)

1 Deadman.

2 24" slings

 

You'll need those if you ever cross a glacier, or encounter a patch where some pro or a real anchor would be nice..

 

And just get the Sabretooth, Serac is NOT for steep ice.

Edited by Coldfinger
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i like the Petzl Reverso over the ATC, lighter.

 

for a harness, BD Momentum is a good all-arounder and quite light all for $50.

I agree on the Reverso, but I hate my BD Momentum harness... Maybe mine is defective, but the leg loops will never stay put and always get loose quickly (yes, I know how to double back the webbing). Last week, I get to the top of a climb and almost tripped over one leg loop that had come completely undone while I was climbing. Could have taken a looooong ride as I had run the whole easy pitch out. I also don't like how small the gear loops are. Just my two cents...
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OK. Sold on the Reverso.

 

Are the Sabretooths (Sabreteeth?) still a good walking crampon? That is mostly what they will be used for unless I run into trouble. The guys at BD said the Serac and the Sabertooth are esseentially the same thing except the Serac has shorter secondary points to enable easier walking.

Edited by emperorMA
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i like the Petzl Reverso over the ATC, lighter.

 

for a harness, BD Momentum is a good all-arounder and quite light all for $50.

I agree on the Reverso, but I hate my BD Momentum harness... Maybe mine is defective, but the leg loops will never stay put and always get loose quickly (yes, I know how to double back the webbing). Last week, I get to the top of a climb and almost tripped over one leg loop that had come completely undone while I was climbing. Could have taken a looooong ride as I had run the whole easy pitch out. I also don't like how small the gear loops are. Just my two cents...

 

My BD Momentum AL harness is going up for sale next week. They're made well and are good for beginners but lack a lot of features of higher end harnesses. Certainly good for the money.

 

 

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I have been fine using just a medium Neo on snow with my sit pad under my hips and pack under my feet. When it got really cold, down to 25 degrees I had my soft shell under the torso area of the pad and I was a little cold but ok. You might want to try just using the neo but bring a patch kit.

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@denalidave - bummer man. Momentum was my first harness and still have it as a loaner. all 4 of my reg partners use them and love them and i bought the Primrose (womens version) for the fiance. not one issue with any of them. i'm gonna say you got jipped! i only upgraded to one of the new fancy arcteryx ones because i'm a gear whore...

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@denalidave - bummer man. Momentum was my first harness and still have it as a loaner. all 4 of my reg partners use them and love them and i bought the Primrose (womens version) for the fiance. not one issue with any of them. i'm gonna say you got jipped! i only upgraded to one of the new fancy arcteryx ones because i'm a gear whore...
I should have returned it right away to REI but it seemed not that big a deal. However, over the past two years of use, the leg loops just get looser and looser. The final straw was when one of them was completely undone. I am going to take it back, only because that is REI's policy. I could have been seriously injured or killed if I had tripped over the dangling leg loop, so I am trying not to feel too guilty about returning it after so long. Then again, they are free to make whatever return policy they want, so I should not feel guilty anyway...
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