In footwear every company uses the mold that they think represents the most perfect of feet.  And, of course, they are all wrong.  So the first disclaimer is that anyone who likes or dislikes a climbing shoe must to some degree fit that shoe.  I have flat medium width feet with short hairy toes and a bony narrow heel. 

These are simply the most comfortable, aggressive, excel-at-everything shoe I’ve ever used in 15 years of climbing.   They firmly turned my toes downward without torquing any knuckles.  They edge on nubbins due to shoe shape and a little disc of plastic in the toe, supportively toe into thin granite cracks, and, for me, avoid the end of day foot fatigue I’ve had in other shoes.   I’ll credit my last onsight to the Feroces and a soft grade

Ground Batu

After many years of researching for a roomy, lighter, affordable backpacking/car camping tent – with a huge vestibule- my adventure has come to a very happy ending. The BATU  3 season tent is my answer.  I just spent 5 nights in the Red Rocks Canyons of Nevada for a Rock Climbing vacation.  The wind was brutal but I was happily tucked inside; noisy of course, but not as loud as my neighbors’ tents.  Most important, in the morning, I was still standing whereas many of the other tents were whipped, torn, or just gone. The two vestibules make it very comfortable and you can actually sit under their cover for extra protection from Sun or Wind.  I was able to put the tent up alone without even reading the directions.  The weight (6.1 lbs) can be distributed between two backpackers.  It comes with its own compression bag and neatly stores in a small amount of space.  I would recommend this tent to anyone who is looking for more bang for your buck-  but the best part is the quality you get for under $200.00.  – Petey

RAB Latok Alpine Jacket

My first test was running during a rainy day winter day with just a wool t-shirt underneath.  It was noticeably cooler as I got warmer and even by the end of my run I could not feel any real moisture condensation on the inside of the jacket.  My next test was ski touring during a wet-snowy winter day keeping the jacket on during transitions from down to up.  Again, I stayed cool and comfortable during the hikes up - at least as cool as can be expected by a hothead like myself chugging along.  The real tell-tale came at the end of the day when I was changing back at the car and found that while I had been conscious of how dry my upperbody had stayed during the laps up and down, I hadn’t realized how wet my lower body had become in more of a typical non-eVent waterproof breathable Pant.  It was truly like night and day. . . or wet and dry.  My latest comparison came during a week long traverse in the Sierra, where out of seven guys, six wore predominantly softshell jackets for the days ups and downs, and I stayed in my eVent hardshell without feeling overdressed and enjoyed the extra protection from the dry wind that was chilling along ridgetops or passes. I thought it was saying something about the latok alpine jacket that it was standing up when compared to several softshells.

My conclusion along with several of the new proud owners of the Rab Latok Alpine Jacket is that it is the most breathable waterproof jacket I’ve ever worn.  No doubt about it, this is an extremely versatile shell.  And at 16 ounces even if it does sit in my pack it’s not adding significant weight.  If there is one other consideration for changing over to an eVent shell, I’d say be ready to adjust your layering system as without the moist warm air trapped in the shell you feel cooler. I find I bring an extra 1/2 layer – vest, or medium weight shirt - to play with along the way or as the day demands.