Double boots are funny, really. No-one actually likes them and everyone would rather be in single boots if they could be. Doubles are heavy, clunky, complicated and uncomfortable. Right?

Having just lived in them for 5 days straight, including four open-air bivvies in sub-zero temperatures and lots of cascade ice and mixed climbing, I believe the Spantiks go some way towards addressing these issues.

Firstly, let's just get the obvious out of the way: they're warm. They're really warm. Fit them right so that your circulation isn't compromised and I have no doubts you could take these up to 7000m or so. That's something for another person to cover - not my area - but you will not get cold feet in these if you know their limits.

Doubles, for me here in Japan, are all about moisture management. No, temperatures don't reach -50 C, but being able to bivvy for days on end and not worry about cold or frozen boots is a huge deal. Just take off the outers and leave them next to your bag and then either wear your inners in your bag or keep them in there with you. No worries.

I had trouble fitting these initially. Wearing a thin Coolmax liner and a midweight hiking sock it took hours of playing with lacing and insole combinations to get the fit right. Even so, I was still getting a fair bit of heel lift. Pushed for time and with a lack of options (thanks, Japan) I took the plunge anyway and relied on thermoforming the liners to solve my problems. Let me just say this: if you take the time to follow La Sportiva's instructions (see their US website) and thermoform the liners properly, these boots will fit like a dream. It's essential to get the most out of the boot as far as I'm concerned.

So, with the fit sorted, how do they perform? In a word: brilliantly. The lacing system makes it dead easy to get a solid, secure fit on both the inners and the outers with a little bit of practice. You can even do it with gloves - important in cold weather and often overlooked. It's easy to dial in the fit for climbing and walking without wasting too much time, too. The inners are toasty warm on their own and have a slightly grippy foam 'sole' so they can be used as camp slippers - I'd usually not bother with the outers for late-night toilet outings, etc.

Despite the rigidity, the flexibility around the ankle and the massive rocker on the sole make them surprisingly comfortable to walk in. That rocker can make it tricky to fit some crampons, but more modern designs (like the BD Stingers I used on this trip) are no problem.

When climbing they're pretty awesome. Obviously they're not as nimble as a single boot but they're arguably not far off - they're not THAT heavy, not THAT big and definitely a world away from classic plastics. Monopoints on doubles seems like a weird combo but with Spantiks I actually found it worked really well.

So in short? I would highly recommend them! Relatively nimble, comfortable and they climb well... what's not to like? Maybe the price...

I primarily climb water ice and use dual front point crampons, but with an upcoming trip promising the potential for mixed climbing as well I decided to see what all the fuss was about and try monopoints. After searching around, I settled on the new Black Diamond Stingers (I would also have considered the Grivel G20s if I could get them!) and basically got the last pair for sale in Japan. They were immediately thrown onto my Spantiks and taken into the Japan Alps for 5 days of remote ice lines. So how were they?

In a word, perfect. Firstly, climbing in monos generally is just so much better - you get far more precision and it's much easier to make placements. Monos shatter hard water ice less, too. Brilliant.

As for the Stingers, well... I can't really fault them. With the standard bar they fit perfectly on my size EU44 Spantiks on the second-last hole with front and back bails in the 'smallest' position. The Spantiks have a really pronounced rocker on the sole and the Stingers are the first crampons I've seen to match this, making for a superb fit. They fit great on my Phantom Guides (also EU44), too.

They fit really solidly onto the boots. The front bail is good - better than most others I've seen, even on the notoriously narrow Phantom Guide sole - and has a securing loop. You either love or hate these - the competing Petzl Darts and Grivel G20s don't even have them - but after seeing a friend's crampon pop off during the trip, I think they're a reasonable idea. The heel clip is really narrow, adjusts easily and fits great - a big improvement over the ones on my Dartwins (which are hatefully bad). The strap is LONG but can easily be trimmed down to length and it does secure very well.

In a move to better the Darts and G20s, the Stingers come with full anti-balling plates. I think this is great, although my Dartwins never really balled up (I only have a rear plate on them). I did a lot of walking over varied terrain in the Stingers - not exactly considered ideal - and had no issues at all.

But of course, being a pure climbing crampon, the big question is how they climb. In a word, they climb beautifully. The hooded monopoint gave great traction on both blank granite slabs and ice of various consistencies (from loose sugar to hard water ice) and was precise and easy to place. The small secondary front points helped to stabilise things nicely. The secondary front points gave a good tripod feel in the heels-down position and the other side and back points have good traction during smearing, descending, French technique and abseiling down ice and rock. The small points under the inside give a nice stick when you stand on lumps of ice, too.

Overall, if you are in the market for a new pair of techie climbing 'pons then I would highly recommend the Stinger. They climb brilliantly, fit modern boots perfectly and have a full anti-balling system. The usual caveats apply - check fit on YOUR boots BEFORE buying - but if they fit you will love them.

These used to be called the Gandalf in the US, but I can only assume JRR Tolkien's lawyers had something to say about that. Bizarrely they still have that name here in Japan. With such a name they promise big things - an approach shoe tough enough to take on a Balrog and good enough to make sure that thou most certainly shall pass.

Do they live up to that hyoe? In a word, yes. In more words...

The construction is insane. I don't think I've seen ANY shoe made this well before, including my Spantiks. They're hand-made with love and care in Italy and it shoes - these things ooze quality.The materials are all seriously robust, the stitching and glue work is perfect. Very impressive.

Externally they are like a very refined Boulder X. Lacing extends RIGHT down to the toes and allows you to make them very snug indeed. The sole is a Vibram rubber dot sole on a reasonably thin midsole. The tongue is nicely padded, but not overly so. The collar is low to allow for good foot movement, but these are still pretty supportive. Inside, the rear of the shoe has a lightly padded 'sock' liner but the front is unlined. There is a removable insole - more on this soon.

The design is superb. The rear half of the shoe is board lasted, like most boots. This makes it supportive and quite rigid. The front half is slip lasted, like a true climbing shoe, and is therefore extremely sensitive and precise, fitting your foot much tighter. The combination of these two lasting techniques really gives the shoe a unique feel and is what makes it so damn good.

Walking in them in nice. The Vibram sole is really grippy - although, as with all dot soles, performance on wet mud and grass is 'dangerous' at best! I'm following La Sportiva's idea and hiking with the insole removed. The inner is still lightly padded and they are still comfortable. It is easy to lace them comfortably.

Upon reaching the climb, the shoes come off and the insole goes in to reduce internal volume a little. This gives a snugger fit. Put them back on, relace them a little tighter (again, super easy) and you're ready to go. And boy do they go! They climb noticeably much better than either my Boulder Xs or Guide Tennies - less 'gooshy', more precise. The sole is super-grippy and they both edge and smear pretty well. They feel like a sloppy climbing shoe (the sort you'd wear for long multipitch trad routes) rather than a neatly-cut sneaker. I don't have much time climbing in these yet but the difference is already very apparently.

I will have these shoes a long time. La Sportiva say they are designed to be good for up to 10 resoles(!) due to the way the insole/sole is constructed and I have no doubt they will last that long due to their robust construction. They climb like a dream and will be my only footwear when I hopefully head to the Tetons for some alpine routes this summer. I love them!

One note: please get the fit right! I would highly recommend trying them on if possible...

Rigid Friends were the first cams available - Ray Jardine's own design. They were revolutionized when flexible stem came along, opening up much greater flexibility in cam postitioning, especially in horizontal placements. Wild Country seem to be promoting the new Helium Friends as the next big revolution. Are they really as big a leap as flexible stems or dual axles?

Well, honestly, they're not revolutionary at all. They are, however, bloody great cams and anyone looking to fill out their rack should definitely take a look.

My rack consists of DMM Dragons (honestly I think these are nigh-on perfect), a single WC Tech Friend and from this summer a single WC Helium Friend, bought mostly on impulse just to see what they were like. I've used BD Camalot C4s and DMM 4CUs before, so I have a reasonable base to judge these against (and on a variety of rock).

Turning the Heliums over in your hand, you're struck by how bombproof they feel. They're really, really solid. And pretty darn beautiful to boot - all rounded edges, perfect casting and not even any mold lines on the plastic parts. Phenominal. I know it's something of a moot point to obsess over the appearance of something that's going to get stuffed into cracks and dragged up chimneys, but they're tiny works of art. It's all rather confidence inspiring.

Design-wise WC seem to have borrowed the best bits from various other cams. The thumb-loop is clearly borrowed from BD's Camalot C4 design and is honestly a pretty huge improvement over the old Tech Friends. Very easy to use even with gloves and allows the sling to pivot nicely. The sling itself is a really beefy job and is just about the right length (although I do prefer DMM's extendible slings). The stem is really long - much longer than the Tech Friends or Dragons. I don't have a Camalot C4 or a 4CU to compare it to but I'm confident it's longer than them too. The stem is somewhat flexible, similar to the Dragons, although not to the extend of the Metolius Mastercams. The trigger bar is nice and wide and again handles well with gloves on.

The business end is really solid. Big burly lobes which are nicely cast to reduce weight. A big fat axle that inspires confidence. Quality wire. The lobes are anodized in a logical sizing scheme. All very good.

In use they are fantastic. I've not taken a fall onto one yet, but they place really solidly and make you want to push yourself above them. The spring are really strong and they really don't seem to walk much - the freely-moving sling helps as well, I think, even if you don't extend them quite enough. Additionally they're not too heavy (much lighter than the Tech Friends) and they rack nicely, so they're not a burden to climb with.

Overall I would highly recommend them. They're lovely to place thanks to their strong springs, good ergonomics and long stem. They are however bloody expensive! Are they worth more than a DMM Dragon? Perhaps not. If you can get a deal, though, definitely consider them.

I received a Suunto Observer Tt (titanium case, 'titanium' strap) as a birthday gift back in mid-2008. Early 2012 and I still find myself with the watch on my wrist, only ever leaving it when I take a shower (yeah, I sleep in my watch too). I'm awful when it comes to gear, never being truly happy and always searching for something better, but I never really felt the need with the Observer.

I recently purchased a Suunto Core for pure mountaineering use. The bigger screen, easier menu navigation and added features such as proper elevation profiles and storm alarm have proved themselves of benefit in the mountains, but the Observer is still no slouch and when I'm not in the hills I much prefer the sleek Observer to the dinner-plate styling of the Core!

So, features. It's pretty much everything you'd expect of an ABC (alti-baro-compass) watch. The watch will function as either an altimeter or a barometer (it uses barometric readings for both) and you have to tell it which you want. If the weather is stable it will generally give very accurate elevation readings, even dropping by a metre when I crouch down! In barometer mode it is again accurate and when I compared it to a laboratory-standard barometer it was spot-on! Very impressive. The watch will show a 6-hour barometric trend in the form of two arrows, showing an increase, level or decrease for the preceding three hours and the three hours before that. There is also logging capability, although I never really use it so I can't go into much detail.

The compass is generally accurate (as long as you hold it level!) and has a host of features such as bearing tracking, etc. It will automatically power down after a period to save battery but can easily be woken up again with a button press. Make sure you recalibrate the compass before an adventure, though, as it does get thrown out over time.

Time features are bang-on. Dual time zones, calendar clock, stopwatch with splits and three alarms. The alarms are rather quiet, though, and I wouldn't rely on it to get you up for alpine starts! A shame. Navigation between all of these features is generally easy once you figure it out.

The watch is gorgeous. It's quite small and sleek for an ABC watch, with a really solid-feeling case and very resistant glass. I've already scratched my Core multiple times in less than a year of use, but my Observer has only one small scratch! I love the negative face and it can be viewed from very oblique angles while still remaining visible.

The biggest issue for me is the straps. Frankly, they're rubbish! I don't think I've ever had one last longer than a year, which is woeful, and they're not cheap! You can't even replace them with a nylon one - you're stuck with Suunto's Observer range. On a high-end watch this is almost unforgivable. This is a wide-spread problem and Suunto just don't seem to care at all...

Overall, though, I love my Observer. Climbing, hiking, around town or at parties, the Observer Tt always works.

I bought these when looking for a lightweight summer climbing and walking pant. I initially tried on the Montane Terras, which have an excellent reputation, but I found the fit a bit weird (I'm quite short). The Alpine Treks fit better, so I went for them.

They're a well-designed pair of pants. Lightweight material that still feels pretty beefy, with reinforcements on the knee, seat and inside ankle (to protect against boot abrasion and crampons). The reinforced patches are a different colour, meaning the pants look very 'mountainy' - not a problem if you're wearing them in the hills, but maybe not so suitable for the pub afterwards!

There are 4 pockets - two handwarmer waist pockets, one rear seat pocket and one thigh pocket. The high pockets are mesh-lined to aid with ventilation. The thigh pocket is stitched onto the outside of the pant and should be a little more hard-wearing.

The cut is relatively slim in the leg, making them good for climbing - you can still see your feet when you look down. They don't cinch at all at the cuff. They allow good mobility, although the fabric is not stretchy. They're light and breathe quite well in hotter months. The cuffs roll well and stay put, which is nice for summer climbing.

Up top they have a plastic press-stud fastening, a one-way zipper fly, belt loops and an included narrow webbing belt with a plastic buckle. The fastening isn't great - I find it's quite weak (the one on my Mammut pants is far better) and the zipper is fiddly and really needs a cord pull if you're even considering using it with any kind of glove. It's only one-way, too, so it can be a pain to operate with a climbing harness on.

Personally I found them to run a little small - you might want to size up. I bought my usual Medium (32" waist, apparently) and I sometimes find them a little tight (especially in winter - curse you, belly timber!). The elasticated waist helps a little, although the belt is quite short and with my 32" waist I'm nearly maxing it out! A bit weird.

The material is nice and light but I do have worries about its durability, along with the stitching. I used them for a few weeks' climbing in the Peak District, Snowdonia, Cornwall and Lake District last summer, plus the occasional walk here and there, and there is some abrasion damage to the fabric in some places. Additionally there is some damage around the seam on one knee panel - I can't tell if the stitching or fabric is wearing through, but it's not great. Maybe they're not so good for 'classic' full-body climbs! Regardless, I don't want to have to baby my climbing gear and I'm not sure I trust these to hold up much longer...

So, in summary? A well-cut, feature-rich and very lightweight pant that possibly runs a size small and might need treating gently. Would I recommend them? For walking, absolutely - just check the fit first! For climbing, maybe not so much. I think I'll be trying a pair of Patagonia's much-loved Rock Guide Pants in the coming summer...

A good gilet (vest) is something everyone should have in their wardrobe. They're an excellent way of boosting core warmth without restricting movement - especially important in climbing (and even more so in winter climbing). I love Patagonia's R1 stuff (I think the R1 Hoody is literally the greatest garment ever) so it didn't take much thought for me to pick up an R1 Vest.

I wear this thing everywhere. This winter I've been using it over my R1 Hoody as part of my standard baselayer system - I didn't take it off once during my last 5 day trip. It layers nicely under everything else but on warmer days I was climbing cascade ice in just this and my Hoody. The combination gave the perfect warmth. When it begins to warm up it makes an excellent layer over a wicking T-shirt for those chilly multipitch climbs or alpine routes where you want just a little more warmth without sweating your tits off. And in the summer it makes a good pack-away layer to keep in your pack.

Of course, being a fleece it has very little windproofing. I find it is excellent in combination with a windshirt (in particularly the Marmot DriClime) - throw them both over a wicking shirt and you'll be good for the vast majority of summer alpine climbing you'll do (bring a hardshell just in case, plus a belay jacket of course). It is also a good layer to put under a less breathable outer shell - Goretex or Windstopper, say - because it breathes so well. It prevents you getting clammy while still adding warmth just where you need it.

Design-wise it's a very simple piece. It's cut nicely, just snug enough under the arms and the perfect length to go under a harness without being too long. It doesn't often stick out of the bottom of outer layers. There is a full-length central zipper (very smooth and easy to operate) and mesh-lined two zippered handwarmer pockets. These usually sit under a harness but they're not bulky and since it's generally a midlayer the placement makes decent sense (you could arguably do without them in fact). The collar is nice and high and seals in warmth well. When fully zipped up, the upper zip is covered by R1 material which makes it very soft against the chin.

The R1 fabric is excellent as ever, breathing brilliantly and wicking well. As long as the wind isn't ripping through it, it always seems to keep you at a good temperature. It's not an enormously warm piece but it's just enough in most cases without being overkill - it's certainly very versatile. The outer is nice and smooth so it won't bind to lined shells if you layer it under them.

I can't really fault the R1 Vest, other than perhaps the usual Patagonia price premium. It is, however, well worth it in my opinion. By far the best-cut vest I tried, made of certainly the best fabric. You put it on and just get on with it - you never notice you're wearing it. Everyone should own one of these. Anyone who does will find themselves using it almost all the time. Superb,

I picked these up after hunting for the perfect winter climbing pant. I had lofty expectations, but I believe the Aenergy Pants do a good job of meeting most of them.

The cut is slim. Almost form-fitting, at least up top. The material is generally really stretchy and so they're very comfortable. The lower leg is slightly baggier to allow for high boots, but not overly so. They're attractive, with a minimalist look and the black looks good with the green contrasting stitching. Might be hot for the Alps in summer, though!

The waist is very simple. No belt loops or suspender loops, but I've not found these lacking in use. The waist is elasticated which gives a nice snug fit and keeps them in place.The closure is genius - a sturdy popper and a button with a loop of cord around it. Doubly redundant and the button is field-replaceable. They're not going to pop open in a hurry! The zipper fly is a little small and fiddly and is only one-way - adding a cord pull fixes the first problem but not the second. Taking a piss is a little tricky with a harness, which is a shame.

There are only two pocket. I don't really use pants pockets much so I don't miss any extras. They are simple zipped handwarmer pockets with tie-down loops inside (a nice touch), They are mesh-lined to aid with venting.

Talking of venting, the pants have long thigh zips down the sides. These are mesh-backed to stop snow or dirt from getting in. They're well-placed and well-designed. The only issue is that they start a little high and the zipper starts at the top, meaning it can sit under harness leg loops. Not a huge issue, but slightly annoying.

Further down the legs there is a gusseted zipper for ankle expansion to fit over large ski boots. They fit fine over my Scarpa Phantom Guides as-is so I've never used the zips, but they're nice to have. Inside the cuff is a burly integrated snow gaiter with dual popper closure and elastic cinching. I never really use these, finding they seal in moisture around your boots, but if you do then you will find them a good design.

The material design is superb, and where these really shine. At the upper front and inside lower leg they are made of a reasonably burly stretch fabric with excellent water resistance. On the lower inside leg and up to the knee at the front they are made of thicker Keprotech fabric for crampon and abrasion resistance. The back of the calf, upper inside leg, crotch and small of back is made of a very stretchy, highly-breathable Powerstretch-like fabric. Coupled with the thin brushed lining, the pants provide superb range of motion, protection, breathability and moderate warmth - perfect for high-output activities. They're really brilliant.

Dislikes? The tiny, one-way zipper fly is a pain. The vents are one-way only and sit under leg loops. Under-boot cord tie points would be nice but most pants don't have them (a shame!).

Overall I think these are superb winter climbing softshell pants and I wouldn't want anything else!

I have only had this jacket in my possession a matter of days so far, so this will initially be a 'first impressions' review. I will update it later on as I use the jacket in various conditions.

The jacket is made of GORE Windstopper. This is somewhere in the middle between hard and softshell - technically it's labelled as a softshell fabric but it is effectively waterproof due to its membrane. The jacket's seams are not taped, so eventually water will find a way in, but it should potentially stand up to more water than something like Schoeller or PowerShield. On the flip side, Windstopper has the unenviable reputation of breathing worse than probably any other softshell fabric. However, Mammut have deftly tackled this - more on this later!

The design of the jacket is very simple. Outside it is a robust-feeling fabric and inside there is no lining, save for mesh for the pockets. It's very much a shell garment. There are two handwarmer pockets placed quite low - rather too low for compatibility with a harness or pack waistbelt. Why manufacturers still do this, I have no idea. Please stop! There is a small internal mesh pocket also. The pockets have some kind of rubbery reinforcement along the edges - I'm not entirely sure why but it certainly adds to the general feeling of solidity. There is more of this reinforcement on the elbows - a nice touch.

The jacket features a large, helmet-compatible hood. This lacks the rear drawcord of most jackets - a good move in my book. Worn with a helmet the rear drawcord usually has little to no function and the Ultimate Hoody's hood fits fine both with and without. It does have side drawcords to cinch it in around the face. The peak is rather floppier than I would like, with no rigidity at all really, but this is only a slight issue when wearing it without a helmet - over a lid it's rather moot. The hood zips up well to give good facial coverage when worn with a helmet, too. When not worn up, it zips up to form a snug, high collar.

The hem is elasticated with no drawcord. The cuffs are also elasticated, but are wide enough to be pushed up your forearm for ventilation. The cuffs also feature thumb holes which are generous enough to even fit over some thinner gloves. I really like this feature, in theory at least.

The zippers are excellent. The pockets are smooth, as is the main zipper, and will open and close without being tensioned with your other hand. The main attraction however is the ENORMOUS pit zips - these run almost from the elbow all the way to the bottom hem. They are even two-way so you can unzip from the hem upwards. As poor as Windstopper may be in terms of breatheability, there is going to be NO issue at all in dumping heat from this jacket! They also allow access to pockets on inner layers - a nice idea. The pit zips also work truly one-handed, which bodes well for use when properly on the move.

So, there you have it. Overall I really like the design so far, with some minor reservations...

When you first try on the Black Diamond Mercury Mitts, you might find yourself slightly confused. Your hands will be so toasty warm that you'll swear the gloves are generating their own heat. You'll pull them off again, separating the liner from the outer, turning them inside out, looking for chemical handwarmers stuck in there by crafty salesmen or for electronic heating elements. Then you'll come up empty-handed (no pun intended) and come to the only possible conclusion: the Mercury Mitts are made using some kind of arcane witchcraft. And you wouldn't be far wrong.

These things are LUDICROUSLY warm. That's the overriding impression they will leave with you. But there's a lot more to them than that.

The Mercury Mitts are a two-part system and that warmth is mainly due to the generously insulated inners. They feature a thick wad of Primaloft One insulation across the back of the hand and a full wrap of Primaloft Thermal Pro Hi-Loft fleece wrapping all the way around. This keeps your entire hand toasty without impeding dexterity too much (within reason - these are mitts!). Dexterity is further improved by the inner's design - they have a 'lobster' design with a separate index finger. Even used inside the outer shell, this helps to make things a little easier to manipulate. The inner also features a BDry insert, which is fully waterproof. It seems to breathe pretty well - I've never had particularly clammy hands, even in relatively mild temperatures.

The inners fit nicely inside the outers and are held in place by a thin strip of velcro around the cuff. This works just by putting the inner inside the outer - no messing around trying to seal things up!

The outers themselves can best be described as 'beefy'. They're made of a very robust-feeling nylon shell with a thick yet supple leather palm. There is an extra layer of leather in the crotch of the thumb and index finger to help stand up to the rigours of ropework and abseiling. They feature a one-handed cinch tape around the wrist plus elastic on the bottom, meaning you can whip them on and off without having to loosen them off each time. Around the cuff is an elastic drawcord, again one-handed in operation. Also attached within the cuff is a decent wrist loop with cordlocks. Also of note is the hang loop on the top of the outer, above the fingertips, which allows you to hang the gloves from your pack/harness without them filling with snow.

I love these things as belay mitts. They're toasty warm, they'll keep you dry and they offer good grip and surprisingly good dexterity. I sometimes use the outers on their own over my ME Randonee gloves at belays and keep the inners as emergency gloves or for around camp at night. The gloves are so well designed that you can comfortably climb in them - there is little slip between inner and outer, meaning even leashless tools handle quite well.

If you are looking for a pair of big, beefy mitts for cold conditions, look no further than the Mercury Mitts!

Despite the name 'Lip Tube' sounding a little like a basement-dwelling bachelor's sex toy, I can whole-heartedly recommend it for anyone who spends any time in the outdoors (even if they spend no time in basements).

Lip Tube is really just regular Climb On! with added peppermint extract to make it smell and taste a bit better, packaged in a lip balm tube. Nothing special about that. But Climb On! itself really is special and since it's the lip balm that finds its way into my pocket at the start of every single day, climbing or not, I figured I'd review this version.

Climb On! is all-natural. Beeswax, a variety of natural oils, tocopherol (whatever that is) and peppermint extract in the lip balm. That's all. Looking at the ingredients it would be easy to dismiss it as a hippy organic health product and the price seems to back that up at first. However, unlike most such products I have found Climb On! to have a very marked effect and this, coupled with it being quite long-lasting, means it's actually quite a reasonable price.

Skin complaints are common while climbing. Cuts, grazes, split tips, chapped lips and dry skin (especially on long winter trips) are not uncommon. Personally I routinely get terrible chapped lips and dry 'tissue nose' in the winter. Climb On! claims to counter these complaints and in my experience it is bang-on.

Chapped lips? Apply the balm regularly and that problem will be gone overnight, no matter how bad.

Tissue nose? Likewise - rub it on there (the lip balm smells nice, as long as you're not grossed out by rubbing it alternately on your lips and nose!) and it'll sort it right out, no fuss.

Cuts, flappers and split tips? Break off a little chunk with your nail, pack it over the wound and dress it with something. You'll be able to climb on it the next day. It's really amazing.

I honestly don't see any reason why Climb On! should be so good. There's nothing that special in there. But it really does work and I've not found anything remotely as good elsewhere, even within the realm of proper medicated products (Savlon, eat your heart out). For anything short of broken bones, twisted joints of gaping head wounds, Climb On! is my go-to product and it should be yours too. Week-long winter expedition, single-pitch trad cragging, indoor bouldering or just walking around town, it never leaves my side. Get some!

This jacket is burly. REALLY burly. The main fabric is tough enough, but it's backed up with thick Lofoten reinforcements in high-wear areas - the shoulders, top of the hood, down the outside of the arms and along the hem where a harness will rub (or you sit down!). Between the red base fabric, black reinforced areas and 3M reflective detailing, you WILL look like a member of your local MRT, though!

The cut of the jacket is pure 'British mountaineering'. It's very long in the torso, giving good protection and good overlap with pants or salopettes. The arms are long, giving good reach without them riding up. The cut is roomy, allowing for a LOT of layering underneath and good freedom of movement. I bought a Medium, as with most jackets, but I could easily get into a Small (and even that was much roomier than my Asgard Smock!).

Despite being large the jacket never feels too big. Hem adjustments (split to prevent snagging) pull it in and stop stuff from blowing up into the bottom and a waist cord cinches it in around the midriff. Cuff adjusters are big, beefy rubber tabs which allow you to cinch them right down to seal out the elements, or open them up to let out all that moisture. Cuffs are wide enough to roll up, too. The hood is a superb helmet-compatible affair which features a superb peak. It fits well both with and without a helmet. Adjustment is easy and the front cord-locks are hidden inside the collar material. When not in use, the hood zips up to form a lovely high collar.

The design is pretty full-on. There are 4 torso pockets - two huge ones with entry on the sides (these will easily take an OS map plus much more) and two slightly smaller ones with zippers near the main zip. The left chest pocket features a whistle on sewn-in cord, which is neat. All of these pockets feature 'waterproof' zips with a storm flap on the outside for redundancy. The jacket also features long, waterproof pit zips - much needed for a jacket with so much overlapping material. The main zipper is bombproof - a non-waterproof design for easy use, but with both internal and external storm flaps held down with poppers AND velcro.

In use I can't really fault it. It's not light, it's not small, but you pull it on and you immediately feel protected. It's really comforting. The hood is excellent and the jacket really climbs well considering the generous cut. Waterproofing is great and it's holding up flawlessly despite being dragged up a variety of abrasive rock types. Breathability is acceptable but this isn't an ultralight garment anyway!

Go and grab the nearest dictionary and look up the word 'bomber'. If it doesn't have a photo of the Kongur MRT, I suggest you write to the publisher and let them know the error of their ways. If you are looking for a jacket that will take absolutely everything and anything you can throw at it, then look no further. If you are looking for something for light and fast climbing in the Alps then maybe this isn't the jacket for you..

I love my R1 Hoody. I'm just gonna say it. I think it is an utterly perfect piece of design, refined over many seasons of hard use and abuse by many of the world's top mountain athletes. But that's not to say it's only for the hardcore - it has a place in every mountain man or woman's wardrobe.

Note that I wear mine one size down as a winter baselayer. Worn in your normal size it will also work as a snug midlayer over a base of your choice.

The design is one of simple brilliance. The fit is snug without being overly so. The torso is long enough to tuck under a harness and/or into your pants and STAY THERE. The shoulders are clean, leading to decently long arms with thumb loops on the cuffs to keep your wrists warm. The lowest part of the torso and the arms are made of a thinner fabric to reduce bulk. There is a snug hood which fits like a balaclava, enclosing almost your entire face including your nose if you need it to. When not used as a hood it will form a cosy, high collar and a deep chest zip offers superb venting and is offset at the face to reduce abrasion and discomfort. A small zippered chest pocket offers storage for small essentials like lip balm or a watch.

The main fabric is a gridded midweight fleece. It is very breathable, quick drying and warm when wet - all important attributes for a baselayer, especially in winter. The thinner parts are just a thinner gridded fleece.

The whole garment is unashamedly technical. You will look a clown if you wear this around town, but you'll be the cosiest person on your chosen route if you wear it for winter alpinism. Every single aspect has been tailored for perfect function, even at the expense of form - refreshing for outdoor gear in general.

So, like I said, I love my R1 Hoody. It forms the basis of all of my winter layering systems. On a recent 5 day trip I lived in it, never taking it off. Layered under an R1 Vest it was enough for cascade climbs in the sun and long, sweaty walks in. Under a softshell or Nano Puff it provided a comfortable base for climbing in cooler conditions. Under a whole host of insulating layers it kept me warm at night. I woke up with a cold nose a few times, being the one part my fat down bag couldn't protect, but the R1's cosy hood soon sorted that out without restricting my breathing. At no point did the Hoody interfere with any other piece of gear, be it gloves, other layers or climbing hardware. The hood was cosy under a helmet or even stretched over it on breezy belays.

If you want me to find problems... then I'll struggle! It smells rank after 5 days of constant wear, but what won't (aside from Merino maybe)? The thumb holes can sometimes rub the skin between my thumb and index finger slightly, but not much. And uh, that's it.

R1 Hoody, I love you. Patagonia: if you ever stop making this again I will permanently boycott your entire business, and I probably won't be alone!

Mountaineering boots with integrated gaiters aren't a particularly new development but they are arguably now really getting into their stride (no pun intended), with materials catching up with design. Finally boots can begin to match claims of nearly double-boot warmth with single-boot size and weight. At the forefront of this new generation of '1.5 layer boots' are the La Sportiva Batura and Scarpa Phantom Guide. My choice fell down to fit - my feet felt happier in the Guides. Your luck may vary.

The first thing I did when fitting the boot was to remove the fancy yet bizarrely flimsy Primaloft insole and replace it with a heat-mouldable Superfeet type. Much more supportive although it does alter the volume, so fit the boots WITH your chosen insole. Also use your sock system - I use a thin Coolmax liner with a thick Smartwool 'Mountaineering' sock.

The boots feel REALLY solid. Space-age materials abound, with bright colours and tough fabrics prevalent on the very clean integrated gaiter with OutDry lining. The gaiter is topped with a beefy elastic strip and closes via a press-stud and a fat, reassuring, waterproof TIZIP. Nothing is getting through that barrier! Inside, the boot itself is a (very orange) leather affair. It is well padded and features Primaloft insulation. The laces are thin but exceptionally strong and do not slip. Coupled with the excellent locking device above the instep, the boots are easy to tighten exactly as you want them. The sole is a relatively thick Vibram affair providing good grip on a variety of surfaces, plus good ground insulation.

The fit is excellent and they do not need breaking in. Over five days of uphill snow slogging, cascade ice climbing and slippery descents on packed snow ice I had little problem aside from two small blisters on my pinkie toes at the very end, quite possibly due to old sweaty socks more than anything!

For climbing the boots are superb. The gaiter keeps out snow and water very effectively yet the OutDry lining breathes exceptionally well - far better than GoreTex. The boots feel nimble and precise, including when fitted with crampons. I found Petzl Dartwins to be an excellent fit and the combo is great for cascade ice. I never really got cold feet, even standing around in snow on belay or while wandering around camp at temperatures of -15 to -20 Celcius. Pretty impressive for a single boot.

After 5 days of constant abuse I do have a couple of small durability concerns, however. The toe rand is coming away a little on one foot. Also the lining of the gaiters is peeling around the zip on both boots - I don't know if this is serious or not. I have contacted Scarpa so we'll see!

Isolated durability issues aside, the Phantom Guides are superb boots for winter and alpine climbing where a double boot may be overkill but decent protection from the elements is required. I would highly recommend them - just keep an eye on them perhaps!

I've just climbed cascade ice for 5 days on the Dartwin and don't really have much bad to say about it. It's not totally flawless but any problems there are, are easily remedied. Most importantly, they climb well!

Design-wise the Dartwins are, well, obviously a dual-point version of the popular Darts. For climbing a lot of mixed, the mono Darts are probably better. For pure ice I like the stability offered by twin front points, so the Dartwins win it for me. They are quite simple and relatively lightweight. They are 'rigid' (more so than something like a G14) but not 'completely rigid' (like a Rambo 4). This means your calves will be working a little more than they would with a fully rigid crampon, but its more down to your boots really. I use mine with Scarpa Phantom Guides which are quite flexible for a 'rigid' boot - using these on double boots will probably be a slightly different experience.

The front section is removable. That means you can replace it (rather than being able to just replace the front points) or even swap it out for a mono Dart front end - two two are interchangeable. The two rearmost points on the front section are 'horizontal', giving better grip when walking downhill. For a climbing-specific crampon these actually walk relatively well. You can also fit antiballing plates to the rear section, which helps in this. You can't get one for the front but you can easily make one out of an ice-cream tub!

Attachment is via a wire bail on the front and a heel clip, as you'd expect. Petzl also make a version with a side attachment (no heel clip, so possibly better for hooking around things) but I've heard it's quite fiddly. They fit will with my Phantom Guides but of course you should always check crampon fit with your boots before purchase. The rear clip isn't great - the strap is fiddly to adjust and strangely placed at the bottom of the clip. I will likely switch this out for a Grivel one soon, which is of far superior design. Adjustment of the length is done by the central bar with holes in it, much like most other crampons (except the Grivel G20/22 and Rambo).

So how do they climb? Excellently. They get good grip in various different types of ice and snow, they hold that grip and getting them in there in the first place takes little effort. The points lasted 5 days of climbing without needing sharpening and are still in good condition, so longevity should be excellent. As I said before, walking is also fine so you shouldn't need a second pair of approach crampons.

All in all I really like my Dartwins. They are a good fit with my boots, they climb excellently and they do everything I need of them. There heel clip is a little weird and could do with being replaced, but other than that these are excellent crampons and will probably out-climb most owners on ice!

I picked up the new Speed 30 on a bit of a whim, being attracted to the idea of Black Diamond's new 'active' suspension systems and wanting to fill the size niche between my 25l and 45l packs. As it turns out, the Speed will probably all but replace both of those!

Size-wise, I think BD's '30 litre' tag is an underestimate. I reckon this is more like a 40 litre pack (at least compared to a Grivel 45l). There is a generous snow collar and the top lid is floating and can be extended some distance upwards to maximise capacity.

The design of the pack is spot-on. It's almost like the BD designers had real climbers come up with a list of what they wanted and what they didn't want, and then they went through that list and followed it almost to the letter. Outside the pack is very slick, with no extra pockets or zips. There are two good compression straps on each side, the top one being releasable to hold a foam mat or trekking poles securely. The bottom panel is made of a slightly more rugged material but the rest is beefy enough while still being light. The lid is easily removable and features a zipped external pocket big enough for quick-access gubbins.

There is a welded patch of thicker material on the front panel, coupled with hidden D-rings (metal!) for cord attachment - carrying crampons on the outside is not a problem with this pack. The ice tool attachments are fantastic and work well with leashless tools - you pass the shaft through the upper loops, thread the lower metal bar through the hole in the tool's head, then as you pull the upper strap it all tightens up and the tools are held right on the pack. Very secure and easy to attach/release with gloves on. There is a dedicated 3-point haul system, highlighted in red for easy visibility. There is a also a rope-carry strap which packs away when not needed - this passes over the main compartment and secures with a slightly fiddly small buckle. Aside from this, all buckles are easily used with gloves and will not freeze up when full of snow.

Under the lid is a roll-top closure. This is brilliant, making the pack truly functional without the lid - in this case they fasten to the straps that usually hold the lid down at the front. Otherwise it clips together like a traditional drybag. Inside the pack is a baffled hydration pocket, a hanging loop (for bladder) and a small zipper pocket at the top. Plus the generous snow collar with drawstring closure.

The suspension system is fantastic. The (removable) waistbelt bears weight well and moves with your hips. It also features two slightly flimsy gear loops and two hypalon ice clipper slots. The shoulder straps are fantastic, with the 'reACTIV' system making sure they move with you. As such the pack climbs exceptionally well, never hindering movement. Lifter straps and a sternum strap add to the load-carrying comfort.

In short this is the best climbing pack I have ever come across. The BD designers really hit the nail on the head with this one!

Gloves are fickle things to deal with, especially winter climbing gloves. They take a lot of abuse - climbing, abseiling, ropework - they have to keep your hands warm, they have to be comfortable so you want to keep them on, they have to be dextrous enough for you to be able to tie knots, use krabs and thread belay devices, they have to protect your hands from knocks against the ice, they have to deal with moisture both from inside and out...

In short, finding the perfect pair of gloves is impossible. However, having just use the ME Randonee gloves for several days of (gorgeous!) cascade ice climbing in constant sub-zero conditions, I struggle to believe there is a much better glove out there for that purpose.

The outer of the glove is a thick Shoeller softshell which feels like it will take a beating while also repelling water (but it is not waterproof!). The palm is a lovely supple leather, with well-placed seams that don't get in the way. There is a medium-length cuff with a good velcro closure (with non-snag velcro!). The liner is a fairly thick pile fleece, rather like you'd find in a traditional pile-pertex jacket. It is quick thick, resulting in a snug fit when you try them on. The pile does pack out a bit in the palm and fingers, resulting in almost a custom fit. I highly recommend wearing them for a day or two before climbing in cold temperatures, otherwise you may find they are too tight and restrict bloodflow a little, giving you cold hands.

The compressible liner, stretchy outer, sticky leather, pre-curved fingers and well-placed seams all come together to make a surprisingly dextrous glove. You can tie in with a figure 8, tie clove hitches and set up belays without too much difficulty. This is surprising when you consider the warmth of the glove - these things are warm! Climbing in temperatures of -5 to -10 Celcius I often found my hands getting a little sweaty and on occasion I had to switch to a thinner glove.

Climbing with them is a joy. Using leashless tools (2011 Quarks) they climb like a dream, offering excellent grip and dexterity for matching, swapping tools, etc. The thick pile provides good padding for the back of the hand and knuckles from bumps against the ice. They are also quite insulating, keeping hands warm even when touching the ice or daggering in soft snow.

The softshell is not waterproof. The gloves well get wet inside eventually - possibly due to your own sweat, too - but the pile lining keeps things warm. You can literally wring the water out of them, throw them back on and you won't be suffering. That's pretty exceptional.

So, any issues? A seam has busted inside one of my gloves, opening up a gap between the lining and shell, but it's not a big deal. Also they can be a fiddle to get on, especially with already cold hands, due to the snug fit and slightly clingy liner.

All things considered, these are top-shelf winter climbing gloves and I am confident they will last me many years with the proper care.

Touted as the ultimate portable cooking system, the Jetboil has been around for years and still holds a firm grip on its market segment despite there being many competing designs. Is it really that good?

So, the good. The stove is very neat and compact. A small canister and the burner unit will fit inside the 'cup' section to give a self-contained unit for transport. The cover that protects the bottom of the cup can be used to measure things. The lid has a drinking hole which works reasonably well, although if you're going to pour liquid I highly recommend removing the lid first! The cooking pot is insulated with a neoprene cosy, complete with a beefy stitched-on nylon handle (beware that the newer Hypalon handles appear to be weaker - not due to the material, which is bombproof, but likely due to over-stitching!).

The burner unit attaches to the cup with a solid set of lugs. It sort of clips together and then twists to lock. The canister screws onto the bottom of this. When the whole unit is attached together you can pick it up as one - I've walked around, holding it by the handle, while brewing coffee before! This also means it can be hung - more on this in a bit.

The twist knob to begin gas flow is reasonably sized although not the easiest to use with gloves. You then press the built-in piezo ignitor button and the stove is lit. Or so the idea goes. In practice I found the ignitor unreliable and the ceramic covering cracked on mine, resulting in it becoming completely useless. I can't be bothered replacing it because I figure it'll just break again. So there's a warning: always take a lighter with you!

The stove boils water very quickly. It is also INCREDIBLY efficient - hanging the larger 2 man version (same burner but a 2 litre pot) in a basecamp tent we got a 250g canister to last for about 4 days of boiling water and melting snow for 3 meals a day enough for 2 people at constant sub-zero temperatures. All we had was a simple foam cover to keep the canister warm, and it was pre-warmed in sleeping bags or down jackets when possible. Pretty impressive!

So, the problems? Firstly, it's very fierce. That makes it awesome for melting snow and boiling water (hence the name), but terrible for cooking actual food. If you want to cook haute cuisine, use something else. The ignitor is useless, as I mentioned previously. I also found the pot often sticks in the slots on the burner, resulting in difficulty removing it and, on occasion, throwing hot water everywhere! This is a major issue, especially in tents or portaledges containing down bags. Finally the branded hanging kit is junk - expensive and needlessly fiddly, especially with gloves. Buy some split rings and wire and make your own (Google it).

So, is the Jetboil really all that? Well, as a light expedition-type gas stove it's the best around. It has flaws (don't rely on that ignitor, make sure you can detach the pot easily, make your own hanging kit) but I defy you to find anything better.

I've just returned from a 5 day pure ice climbing trip in the Japan Alps. I chose the Rab Microlight Alpine as my outermost layer - lightweight warmth for belays and bivvies - and it was an excellent choice. Here's why.

The jacket is light. VERY light. It compresses well and will actually stuff into its own chest pocket, although this is hard going - I never bothered. The Pertex Microlight outer provides a little water resistance (I got dripped on and it beaded off) without much bulk at all. The baffles are narrow to hold the down in place.

The cut is reasonably slim. It is really designed as a mid or outer climbing layer, but I think down midlayers are a moot point due to sweat and condensation issues. Outside in cold conditions is where they excel, so that's where I employ mine. My clothing system consists of a Patagonia R1 Hoody, R1 Vest, Rab Baltoro Alpine softshell (these three are the climbing 'action suit'), a Patagonia Nano Puff Pullover (climbing/belay sweater) and finally the Rab Microlight Alpine as a booster layer for super-cold belays or nights. A Medium MA will just about fit over those layers (all also in Medium) while still lofting decently, although in hindsight I would probably size up to a Large.

As a belay jacket it is good as long as you are willing to make a few sacrifices for the sake of weight and bulk. The zip is only one-way but the cut is high at the front so you can happily belay out from under the waist hem. The hood will fit over a helmet but it is a squeeze - it's not really designed to. I really wish this jacket had a bigger hood, especially being marketed towards alpine climbers! Cuffs are elastic so they just slide on over gloves with no faff, although I do wish they were a little wider. Also worth noting is that this probably won't be much of a belay jacket on its own - it's really a booster layer in a two-part system, such as over a Nano Puff.

In terms of moisture management, down is never ideal if it's going to get wet. However, I did wear this as my outer over my baselayer for an hour or so of chilly uphill walking. It was WARM. I soaked out the back panel under my pack, which worried me, but within a couple of hours it had dried and relofted perfectly! Maybe the narrow baffles help here.

So, anything else? The handwarmer pockets are great because they sit behind the down. They don't clear a pack waistbelt or harness but I consider this an over-jacket so it's not a problem. The hood has a good wired peak for use without a helmet. The hood adjustment is TERRIBLE - they've used neoprene strips as toggles which are light and soft against your skin but are a pain to use. I'm going to swap them out with regular squeezy plastic ones.

Otherwise, if you're willing to make a few concessions you will find the Rab Microlight Alpine a good booster layer as part of an alpine/winter belay/bivvy system. But please, Rab, make that hood bigger!

I initially started looking at approach shoes both for everyday wear and for, well, approach walks to crags. I find traditional boots clunky and often unnecessary so I wanted something lighter. After trying on a multitude of pairs I settled on either the 5.10 Guide Tennie or the La Sportiva Boulder X. I initially picked the Boulders but have since bought Guide Tennies after wearing the soles on the Boulders flat! They are actually rather different shoes. I will review both on their relevant pages.

The shoes look rather understated, especially compared to some other approach shoes. They can be passed as casual shoes! They feel solid but are quite supple. The sole is flexible - the shoe can easily be folded in half. The tread pattern is a flat plane with raised 'dots', made of 5.10's absurdly grippy Stealth rubber. Inside they are quite well padded, especially around the ankle and on the tongue. The stock insole is junk and needs to be replaced - I put the insole from my Boulder Xs in mine!

The lacing system runs down near the toe to hold your foot in place. The laces are quite soft and I find they do come undone sometimes - annoying when I cycle commute wearing them (a short enough commute to not bother with clipless pedals).

They are very comfortable to wear. Walking in them is nice - they flex well and don't offer that much support but they are light and nimble. The sole unit is excellent on rock and gravel, etc - for dry approaches with boulder-hopping they are utterly superb. On wet, muddy terrain they offer no grip and are useless - think walking on wet grass in rock shoes! They do not repel water but seem to dry fairly quickly inside - not so much outside though!

They climb well, albeit very differently to the Boulders. They are soft and smear very well, aided by the flat sole and very high-friction rubber. In cracks they feel a bit like a climbing slipper although the rand doesnt seem that beefy so I'm not sure how much crack abuse they'd take. The laces lock your foot in place well. If you are climbing in arid locations you will love these.

Personally I believe these are slightly inferior to the Boulder Xs for hard use, especially in the UK. The sole doesn't give enough grip in the wet, they dry slower and don't seem quite as hard-wearing. They are, however, arguably more comfortable all-round, the grip on pure rock is better and they smear brilliantly. They also look a little nicer and can be used in the pub (or even a nicer bar) after your days on the rock.

If I could only have one pair of approach shoes I'd probably pick the Boulder Xs, but it's a tough choice and which one you pick should probably depend on fit and your intended use.

I initially started looking at approach shoes both for everyday wear and for, well, approach walks to crags. I find traditional boots clunky and often unnecessary so I wanted something lighter. After trying on a multitude of pairs I settled on either the 5.10 Guide Tennie or the La Sportiva Boulder X. I picked the Boulders. They are actually rather different shoes - I have now owned both and can compare the two - but I think the Boulders are better as 'approach' shoes in most situations. I will review both on their relevant pages.

I should state that my first pair developed a fault within 2 weeks. The sole began to peel off at the front on my right shoe. They were replaced and I've seen no sign of it recurring.

The shoes feel very well-made. They feel robust in terms of materials. The sole is relatively stiff compared to many other approach shoes. The outsole is a sticky Vibram type with a reasonably deep tread. Inside they are lightly padded, but not too much. The insole is surprisingly good and I did not replace it. The insole can be removed for a closer fit when climbing in them.

The lacing system is neat. It runs far down near the toe to hold your foot in place when climbing. It also runs around the back to snug up the heel - this does seem to work, although subtly. The laces generally stayed tied well.

They are comfortable to wear. After long use I found the tongue would sometimes slip to the side a little but it can be moved back easily. They feel supportive for walking in and the tread offers good grip on most terrain. They have no membrane and are not waterproof at all but they do seem to dry incredibly quickly from the heat of your feet.

In terms of climbing they are good. The stiff sole means they edge well. They smear ok. The toebox is narrow and the rubber rand is robust, so they torque decently in cracks. They feel supportive and lock your foot in place. They are good for scrambling or low-grade routes. Guides or instructors will probably love them as a do-it-all shoe.

Personally I believe these are a more versatile shoe than the Guide Tennies and are overall probably slightly better, especially in the UK where approaches can be wet and muddy. They also seem better made although I only ever had a fault with the Boulders! The Guide Tennies look a little dressier but for outdoor use I would probably err on the side of the Boulder Xs.

I bought the Zelus 25 while looking for a smaller pack suitable for climbing with, including shorter winter/alpine climbs. I already had a Grivel Alpine 45+10 and so I wanted something around half the size.

The design is generally solid. The fabrics used are very robust feeling despite being pretty lightweight and the pack has stood up to a lot of abuse (including thrutchy chimney climbs and sharp, fresh volcanic rock) to no ill effect. The shoulder straps are padded (not too much) and are attached to the pack with Hypalon so they flex outwards as you move - a very neat idea. The shoulder straps feature lifter straps. There is a non-removable waistbelt with some token padding which stuffs away into the back - a nice feature although it does leave a bulge when packed away. The waistbelt doesn't bear much weight but it does stabilise the load.

The pack fits the back well. It is unobtrusive and tapers slightly towards the bottom. It will just about ride high enough to allow access to the back of your harness. The lid doesn't stick up much from the top so your helmet doesn't hit anything when you look up.

The pack is almost just one big compartment with a zippered lid. The zips have good cord pulls on them which function fine with large gloves on and give you something to stick your finger through when bare-handed. There is a snow collar at the top of the main compartment. Inside is a hydration pocket on the back panel and a small hanging pocket - nice for little essentials but hard to access when the pack is rammed full. On the inside of the lid is a surprisingly roomy mesh pocket with zip entry and a key clip.

The back has a removable plastic framesheet. Removing the sheet drops the weight considerably but I notice stuff poking me in the back. I prefer to leave it in - I think the added comfort more than counters the weight benefit of removing it - but your mileage may vary. Sometime I may try replacing it with a foam bivvy pad.

On the outside of the lid and front are loops for adding cord. There are the standard ice tool loops down the bottom plus very beefy velcro straps to hold the shafts in place. Also of note are the compression straps, which can be joined together at the centre to make two larger straps - you can then run a rope vertically under these. I find the rope flops around a bit at the top but it does work. More normally the pack compresses well.

Issues? I think it needs an outside lid pocket for snacks, etc. The snow collar seems too small and distorts the main zipper when cinched down - a weird design. And the main zip on my pack began snagging the seam tape and tearing it apart, getting almost catastrophically stuck at one point. Marmot FedEx'd me a brand new pack to Japan (I bought it in the UK), no questioned asked - faultless service! The new pack is fine and the old one is still doing good service too!

If you are in the market for a ~25l alpine climbing pack I think you could do much worse than the Zelus 25.

Early last winter I found myself in the market for a new boot. Warm enough for Lakes hiking, dexterous enough for scrambling and low-grade winter climbs and at least B1 for basic crampon compatibility. After trying on numerous boot I settled on the Mammut Mt Cliff GTX.

First thing I did was rip out the stock insole and replace it with a custom-mouldable 'Sole' brand insole. Insole replacement is pretty much par for the course with any boot - annoying but true. Playing around with the lacing it is easy to get a good fit, with tension retained where you need it. It is easy to lace them relatively loosely across the instep and crank them down more securely around the ankle.

Since I bought them the boots have been everywhere. They've done grade I/II winter climbs in the Lakes and Snowdonia, fitted with Grivel Monta Rosa crampons (G12s would probably have been better!) which fit easily and securely, inspiring confidence on even tricky ground. They've done icy early-Spring scrambles, wet summer ghyll scrambles, approach walks to mountain crags at all times of the year, general hikes year-round and they even stood up to a week crunching through razor-sharp basalt lava fields on Mt. Etna, Sicily.

They have always been comfortable when laced correctly. They have never leaked, even when immersed in water nearly to the ankle, the Goretex membrane proving its worth. They are very robust - scuffed and scraped but always protecting my feet. They are warm in the winter down to maybe -10 or -15 with the right socks (but don't stand around too long!) but not too bad in the summer heat. The sole provides excellent grip on even wet rock and is lasting well - it also climbs quite well, aided by the boots decent rigidity and a beefy rubber rand for use in cracks. They are relatively low but they provide decent ankle support - I always feel freer in a lower boot but you may prefer a higher model (I also run barefoot, so...).

So what's not to like? Well, the laces are way too long - I tie my boots with a reef knot followed by a bow to take up excess lace and there's still loads left. I should just cut them! The laces also seem a little slippery and the bow sometimes works its way undone on the hill. The rubber rand is also starting to peel a little at the front but this can easily be solved with superglue. Oh and the neoprene 'gaiter' doesn't really seal at all but it makes no real difference to me.

Overall these are excellent lightweight boots suitable for everything from low-grade winter scrambles through to summer scrambling, via ferrata (I would imagine), approach walks, general hiking and even geological fieldwork (with impromptu caving sessions!). As with any boot you should get them fitted, but if they fit you then I highly recommend them.

A few years ago I was in the market for a light tent for a three-month trip to Japan. I wanted something light and fast to pitch, without sacrificing protection from the elements and, perhaps more importantly, bugs. Nothing is worse than waking up amidst a cloud of midges... NOTHING!

Somehow I stumbled across Tarptent, run by the very awesome Henry Shires. The new (at the time) Contrail caught my eye, being the lightest one man shelter. I fired off some questions to Henry and he was nothing less than fantastic. He explained how the shelter worked and even sent across detailed blueprints to show exact space inside. I was sold and I placed my order for one Contrail along with the optional pole.

The 'tent' arrived and I pitched it in my garden. I was impressed. Since then I have used the shelter in festival fields in the UK, in extinct volcanic craters in Iceland and in subtropical paradises in Okinawa. I've ever failed to be impressed by how much such a light shelter can offer.

The fabric is a very thin ripstop nylon. The tent uses one pole at the head end - either a trekking pole (best) or an optional aluminum one (ok). At the foot end are two short, enclosed carbon fibre poles. These can be moved up and down to alter ventilation. A taut pitch is achieved with only 4 pegs, with 2 more giving the ability to guy out the sides in awful weather and one more for an optional guyline on the front (recommended without a trekking pole or for extra stability). I can set up and pitch the tent, with a good taut pitch, in around the one minute mark. Very impressive.

The shelter features a 'bathtub' floor which is waterproof (I have tested this in the field!). The sides are high enough to keep a good amount of water out as long as you adjust it to be tight (easy with two short pull lines inside). Between the walls and the floor is continuous bug netting with a zippered entrance and there is a Velcro flap across the front which will create a (mostly) sheltered porch area big enough for a large pack, boots, etc.

Sleeping in this thing is awesome. It's very airy, almost like bivvying except without the misery (arguably part of the charm, though!). Ventilation is excellent, especially with the front door open (but the bug netting closed). Protection is excellent - I had it in the remnants of an Atlantic hurricane in Iceland, which was miserable and I did not sleep, but when battened down it never failed to keep me dry or, frankly, comfortable. Noisy though! Bugs are kept firmly at bay as is standing water. I doubt it will cope well with snow loading but it is not designed to. Wind resistance is notably better with a trekking pole (more rigid) which is something to bear in mind.

While not without tiny issues (see below), if you are in the market for an ultralight shelter for use in good to moderately poor conditions then I would not hesitate to recommend the Tarptent Contrail. Bivvys have their place but for pure backpacking I think they've been surpassed!

Are you after a big, burly hardshell that you can wail on for season after season of gnarly Scottish winter climbs? Do you want a jacket festooned with pockets, zips, reinforced patches and adjustment cords? Honestly you're probably in the wrong place.

Are you looking for a pared-down, intelligently-designed pure climber's jacket, light enough for alpine emergency use without sacrificing ergonomics, robustness or protection? Then read on, because you're exactly who the Asgard Smock is aimed at.

Frankly the thing is tiny. In terms of pack size, that is. It comes with an almost comically small stuff sack (curiously made from Goretex Pro Shell...) and it's hard to believe you've not been sent a windshirt. But no, it's a full-on hardshell jacket and it's bloody brilliant.

The size and weight (290g for a Large is pretty stunning) is partly a function of materials - special Japanese Goretex Pro Shell - and partly intelligent design. The quality of design is apparent from the moment you first look at the thing, which is not entirely surprising given the fact that it was put together with a LOT of input from Leo Houlding. Beginning with the fit - well, it's second to none. It fits snugly but with enough room for a layer or two underneath in colder weather. There is literally zero hem lift when you raise your arms thanks to very neat gusseting in the armpits - surely the best climbing fit I've ever tried.

The details are all there too. The collar zips up nice and high to keep the wind out, the Velcro cuffs are easily useable with gloves thanks to big generous tabs and there's a single drawcord on the hem to pull it in without snagging on climbing hardware. This tucks away under a little elastic loop inside so it doesn't dangle. There's a twisted shock cord loop on the other side of the hem, for hanging to dry or clipping it in when taking it off or putting it on at stances. The smock opens with a half-zipper - waterproof of course - next to which is nestled a mesh chest pocket. The zips are right next to each other and feature fancy drainage to prevent leaks.

The hood is absolutely superb, fitting over any climbing helmet or your bare head with an equally snug fit. The peak is wired and laminated and the chin section gives excellent face coverage. Adjustment is by an ingenious one-handed system in which all cords are gathered at the front - just grab and pull to cinch the whole hood down.

And that's it for features. Everything you need, nothing you don't. One pocket for a topo and chapstick, half zip, climber's cut and hood. Pro Shell fabric is light, reasonably sturdy, properly water/waterproof and breathes ok (maybe not as well as eVent or the newer super fabrics like Active Shell, though). It's light, it's minimalist, it clips onto your harness and it climbs unbelievably well. If that sounds like your cup of tea then it is worth every penny of its admittedly quite high price!

'Softshell' is such a broad category that it's almost meaningless nowadays, covering everything from lined windshirts (DriClime) to stretchy hardshells (NeoShell). The Rab Baltoro Alpine is what most would consider a typical softshell, however - a thick, stretchy fabric with a thin liner, moderately protective, designed for active pursuits (in this case, climbing). I guess it's fairly middle of the road...

The fabric is Polartec Power Shield, which has a membrane albeit it one punctured a whole bunch of times to improve breathability. Across the majority of the garment this is lined with a thin fleece. In some areas it's backed with a thinner Polartec Power Dry backing, where better breathability or lower bulk is desired - on top of the head, down the sides and under the arms, the hem area under a harness. The Power Shield is a robust-feeling fabric and I've dragged the jacket up many pitches of rock and ice to no ill effect.

The cut is generally good. The jacket is long (I'm 5' 8" or so and a Medium is perhaps a just little longer than I'd like) and so offers good protection, with Rab's usual long arms for a good climbing fit - no cold wrists here! The hood is generous and fits over a climbing helmet with ease. The wired peak is excellent, as is the adjustment setup. The cuffs are generous and allow easy rolling of the sleeves but also feature Velcro tabs - nice and long, allowing for a good snug fit, but they could do with a non-Velcro tab on the end for easier use with gloves. The hem has a drawcord on each side to seal out the elements.

Pockets are simple, with two absolutely huge zippered chest pockets and a simple zippered mesh pocket on the inside left. The outer pockets are mesh-lined allowing for venting and temperature regulation. Just what you need really.

The jacket is very comfortable to wear. Surprisingly warm considering the lack of a thick liner, too, but versatile. Should be just about cool enough for summertime alpine climbing but is warm enough in winter with a thick baselayer. Room for a midlayer too. Cut and articulation and very good.

Problems? The cuffs need non-Velcro tabs, as mentioned before. The hood features a flimsy roll-away tab which is absolutely useless and was quickly removed with the help of scissors and a lighter. Occasionally seams rub on my collarbone under pack shoulder straps, although I believe the patterning of the newest models has changed so this may have been solved. The inside pocket needs a pull-tab but this is easily added with some 2mm cord.

Having used this jacket for trad rock and ice climbing and all-year scrambles in the Lake District and Snowdonia, I am very happy with it. The design is not perfect but it's very reasonably priced, it'll take a lot of abuse and it's good at keeping the elements out. If you're looking for a robust 3 season climbing-oriented softshell, check out the Baltoro Alpine. God knows I have too many softshells (six!) but I always seem to come back to this one..

I got my VC Pro II as my first belay device in a package with a Synergy HMS Screwgate. It was cheaper than the rest, especially in that deal, and I assumed belay devices were basically all the same. Well, they're not.

The device is well-made. No sharp edges, it feels solid and the paint is robust (more than can be said for my Reverso 3!). It's not too heavy and it racks well. It's cheap, it's easily available and it'll probably be many people's first belay device.

Belaying with it is generally ok. When using fatter singles I find it binds quite a lot. You can't accuse it of having a lack of friction, which is good for beginners I guess, but it doesn't play out rope particularly smoothly. It's a little better with skinnier doubles (I've never tried it with the new skinny singles).

Abseiling is a bouncy, stop-start affair (again, on ~10mm singles) due to the high friction. Not particularly comfortable. Even using it in pouring rain doesn't help matters!

I eventually became tired of my VC Pro II (somewhat unfairly - and immaturely - dubbed the 'VC Poo' by a certain friend of mine!) and bought a Petzl Reverso 3. I've not used it to belay directly off the anchor yet, although the functionality is nice, but just for indirect belays and abseils it's much, much smoother and less frustrating to use. I still have my VC Pro II as a spare or to loan to friends but I never use it as my primary any more. I almost feel sad for it!

Honestly I would shell out the extra cash up front and just buy a Reverso or, if you really don't want the 'Guide Mode' functionality, a Verso. You'll probably end up with one (or an ATC) anyway.

Having spent 5 days climbing pure Japanese cascade ice with the Quarks I can now confidently give a solid opinion on them. I have not climbed mixed with them yet (soon!).

When I was in the market for my first pair of ice tools I ended up settling on either the BD Reactors, BD Vipers or Petzl Quarks. I decided that the Nomics and other such radically curved tools were probably just TOO radical for what I wanted from them, and not versatile enough to tackle everything from cascade ice to alpine ridges (although of course people do climb alpine with them!). After swinging them all, I settled on the Quarks. The Reactors didn't seem curved enough although the offset grip was extremely comfortable and the Vipers, although clearly phenomenal tools, just didn't feel so well balanced. Your mileage may vary so I suggest you try as many tools as you can before you buy.

The new Quark adopts the Nomic's head unit, allowing easy swapping of components. I got mine with one adze and one hammer, but you can change both to hammers or even remove both and replace them with a spacer for pure ice or weight reduction. The picks all accept pick weights, too (as standard on the Nomic). The shaft is relatively thin compared to the Viper and is a simpler shape - a continuous oval all the way down. At the bottom resides an excellent spike for plunging with a hole for umbilical attachment. If you want to climb with leashes then there is a hole on the back of the shaft to accept one. Picks are all T-rated.

The grip feels excellent in the hand. The bottom Griprest bottom supports the hand well. This is also removable if you really want to strip the tool down. The grip itself is rubberized. Above the grip lies the Trigrest - a upper rest which is moveable by virtue of the trigger. Flip it up, move it, flip it down and it's locked in place. This allows for support in a variety of positions when matching or daggering... in theory at least. This is also completely removable of course.

The tools climb very, very well. I actually preferred them to the old Nomics I recently tried side-by-side! Getting good solid placements is easy. Clearance over bulges is decent. The picks penetrate well but are not too hard to clear. The tools are supportive when climbing leashless and match well from the upper grip position.

They are not perfect, however. I found the Trigrest trigger got in the way, meaning I had to move it up, making for less stable matching. Resting my index finger on the trigger while climbing just didn't feel natural at all for me. Eventually I removed the trigger (easy) and fixed the rest in place at an ideal matching height. I also added grip tape (for tennis racket handles) to most of the shaft for insulation and grip when daggering and matching. Finally I added 6mm cord loops to the spikes for better umbilical attachment.

But they climb superbly. Take the time to set them up to your liking and I believe you'll get many years happy service from your loyal Quarks.

In a world of high-tech insulation and breathable membranes, sometimes we forget the simple stuff that has been used to great effect for decades before. Sometimes you don't really need all this new-dangled fabric gadgetry. Sometimes simple is better.

Enter the Marmot Basic Work Glove. The name says it all really - it's a simple glove, for work. And it works!

The outer is a lovely supple leather. I went for the tan-colourex version for that oh-so-desirable 'Chamonix guide' look (while climbing in the Lake District...) and it's really quite attractive. Outside features consist of... uh... well, there's some elastication on the wrist. And there's a clip to join the pair together. And there's the word 'Marmot' etched onto the cuff. And... that's about it.

Inside the gloves feature Marmot's fantastic DriClime microwicking liner - read my review of the DriClime Windshirt for more on this - and it works very well to keep your hands comfortable. It wicks away sweat nicely, helping to keep your hands relatively dry, and it adds a little warmth too. Not much mind you, but enough to take a chill off.

The patterning of the glove is simple but well thought-out. The glove is precurved so it fits the hand well. Seams are placed well so there's little to rub. The gloves climb well with leashless tools - if it's not too cold these make excellent climbing gloves. They are thin so fiddling with climbing hardware and tying knots isn't too hard. They make good gloves to throw on at multipitch belays when it's cool.

If there's me thing these gloves are not, it's waterproof. I've treated mine with Nikwax, which helps to add some water resistance as well as keeping the leather supple and healthy, but they are not gloves for overly poor conditions. For Scottish winter climbing I think I'd recommend a softshell or hardshell glove instead (or the ever-reliable Dachsteins). For continental ice and alpine stuff they are good, plus good-weather multipitch climbing and wherever else you might want to keep protected from wind, sun, abrasion and moderate cold.

So no, they're not for everybody. But I like them. They're more comfortable to me than similar softshell gloves (e.g. Extremities Velo Glove, made of Windstopper) and cheaper to boot. They're a little hard to find, but if you can track a pair down and you understand their uses and limitations, I doubt you'll be disappointed.

If Patagonia's R1 Hoody is the Cadillac of winter baselayers, then the Nano Puff is surely the Ferrari of synthetic midlayers. Actually, I take that back - it's the Volvo. It's kind of ugly, its design is rather workmanlike and yet it's still pretty expensive. But I'm not going to hold that against it...

The Nano Puff Pullover has been in Patagonia's range for a few years now. It's gathered rather a loyal following over that time. I had a tough time believing that such a simple garment could be so good, but when I found one (a slight cosmetic second) at a decent discount I decided to bite the bullet and see what all the fuss was about. In buying the Nano Puff I invested in a single garment that changed my layering system for every season.

The design is simple. It's cut is quite boxy, not athletic in the slightest really. It has no hood (although there is a hooded version). A half zip helps you to put it on and off and vent it and a chest pocket offers some space for lip balm or a topo. It also packs away into this pocket, which features a hang loop so you can clip it to a harness. Cuffs and hem are elasticated with no adjustments. This makes it lightweight with very little to break.

The outer fabric is a ripstop nylon - again, very lightweight. It's not enormously robust and I've managed to pinch a couple of little holes in it, but they're easily sewn up or patched over. Inside is a thin Primaloft One synthetic fill - a very high quality fill with a pretty incredible warmth to weight ratio. The inner is a thin nylon with a smooth face.

Putting on the Nano Puff is like returning to the womb. It's instant comfort, warm and cosy. The smooth inner makes it glide over whatever else you might be wearing, so you can pull it on quickly. Sometimes the inner fabric likes to peek out of the cuffs but it is easily stuffed back in - a minor issue. As a layering piece it is very versatile. I've worn it as a midlayer between my R1 Hoody and a softshell for sessions at the ice wall where it is constant intensity activity in constantly cold conditions. I've worn it as an outer layer for biking in colder weather, too.

But usually I use it as a belay piece. In the summer I often use it as my only belay sweater, adding just enough insulation at stops. In the winter it layers well over my softshell, boosting warmth, and if this isn't enough then a full-on belay jacket can go over the top of it all. It can even be climbed in for especially cold pitches (although I wouldn't abuse it too much!). And if it's really cold then use it as a midlayer, as mentioned before. The lack of a hood isn't really an issue for me in this capacity - I find too many hoods don't layer well with each other anyway.

You really will always find a use for the Nano Puff. Year-round it always finds a place in my pack. It's expensive, as with all Patagonia stuff, but it is worth it (especially if you find one in a sale!). A complex piece it ain't, but that's arguably it's strongest aspect...

As a career volcanologist a lot of my work is hard on gear. Bad weather, abrasive and sharp rock and exposure to ash take their toll on stuff. When I was looking for a new pair of rugged pants for mountain use, I searched long and hard and ended up at the aptly-named Rugged Mountain Pant.

The first thing I noticed was the price. Ouch! Then I tried them on and I noticed the fit - gorgeous. Coupled with their features I was persuaded and out I came with a pair. Since then I've used them for geological fieldwork in the UK and Mt. Etna, Sicily, for trad climbing, bouldering and winter mountaineering. I've even used them for flood rescue in Cornwall, UK. And they still look as good as new!

The base material is rugged, as promised. The knees and seat are a stretchy softshell, adding some water resistance when sitting or kneeling. The inside ankle has a Cordura crampon patch. The pants have a zippered fly, a beefy waist closure and slightly elastic sides. Big wide belt loops, too.

Pockets are in the form of deep waist handwarmer pockets, a zippered back seat pocket and two roomy thigh pockets also with zippers. The right thigh pocket has stretchy dividers which are perfectly sized for a notebook and a couple of fat pens. The pockets are pleated and expand generously to take a 500ml water bottle and a compact camera (together!) with room to spare...

On the outside rear of the knee there are downwards-opening zippered vents to cool your legs. These are awesome although they leave your legs open to dirt and insects. Mesh backing would be good here. The cuffs have beefy adjusters to cinch them down around boots, plus lace hooks recessed at the front edge to keep them from riding up (almost like gaiters).

Inside the waistband there is a curious hidden pocket. This would take emergency money, a small stash of illegal drugs, a handcuff key or a condom. Us your imagination! Honestly I've never used it but hey, it's there - thanks, Haglofs!

In conclusion I love these. They're a bit warm for summer use and the fabric, even with decent DWR, isn't particularly water resistant (although it does dry pretty quickly). But they are exactly what they say they are - Rugged (very!) Mountain (excellently designed for mountain use) Pants (you wear them on your legs usually!). If that's what you're after and you don't mind paying, I'm sure they'll give you many years of service. I certainly expect mine will.

The Marmot DriClime Windshirt - in this case, the 'Original' model - is a very old-school garment that still has many, many modern-day believers. Along with pile-pertex garments in the vein of Buffalo shirts and the Montane Extreme range, they could be considered to be the original 'softshells'. Indeed, many people will say it is the only softshell you ever need. Rubbish? Read on...

The DriClime system is essentially a very thin, fleecy lining loosely sewn inside a very thin nylon outer. The inner is designed to wick sweat, the outer to keep the wind out. The resulting garment is lightweight, packable and should be viable across a wide range of conditions. It's a classic system and the fact that it's still around says something to it's popularity.

The Original Windshirt is very simple. It is comprised entirely of DriClime inner and a thin, ripstop nylon outer. It has a full one-way zip down the front and only one small zipped pocket on the chest. The collar stands high around the neck when fully zipped up. Cuffs are elastic. The bottom hem has no cinch cords and is split at the sides - the back is longer than the front. I believe this is to facilitate tucking of the garment like a regular shirt. The armpits have uncovered mesh patches to facilitate breathing and sweat release and these are gusseted to improve flexibility, reducing riding up of the jacket. The overall cut is a little boxy, not athletic and flashy - rather true of the whole jacket.

The jacket can be worn in any number of ways. Most people will probably wear it over some kind of base, ideally of a high-tech wicking fabric. But it can be worn as a base layer as well - the wicking liner does a good job and feels great next to the skin. In factbit does such a good job that the outer can get wet with removed perspiration! Other garments slide on easily over it due to the shiny outer shell. As an outer layer it certainly stops most wind. If it's raining you're gonna need something else as well!

Is the jacket warm? Yes, it is. I would say it's somewhere on a par with a medium-weight Merino wool base layer with a light, unlined windshirt over the top. But it's also very versatile. I've worn it at nearly 30 Celcius for high-intensity road cycling and it's kept me more comfortable than anything else when worn alone.

In short, I love this thing. No, it's not going to keep you dry in a downpour. No, it's not going to keep you warm down below freezing on it's own. But that's not what it's designed for. It will keep the wind off you, it will wick sweat like a mother, it will be usable in any number of roles, year-round, in any number of layering systems and it always seems to keep you at just the right temperature.

Despite it's limitations and despite the distinctly low-fi, sack-of-potatoes styling, this is the pinnacle of softshell as far as I'm concerned. Get one, use it every day for everything, abuse it and see for yourself why they're so popular. I promise you won't be disappointed.

I love the Boreas Pull-On. I love it so much I bought two - one in Beluga (grey) and some weeks later another in rather snazzy Burnt Umber (orange). If I had to pick a top product this year, this would be a front-runner. Here's why...

It's simple. It's lightweight. It offers UPF 50+ sun protection and some wind protection (it's not windproof though!) and is incredibly breathable. It adds just enough warmth while still being easily ventable.

The fabric is light, thin and stretchy. If used as a baselayer (as I often do) it wicks ok. It dries very quickly in a breeze. It can be stuffed in a small pack and brought out for multipitch belays to keep the wind and sun off you.

The design is simple (again). It's designed to go under, but you can stretch the (tight) hood OVER your helmet if need be, to keep the elements off your neck. The cuffs are easily rolled to cool your forearms with no velcro or elastic hassle. Seams are flat and comfortable - no rubbing.

I wear mine as a baselayer in the summer - often the only thing I wear all day - or over a baselayer as a mid or outer layer in cooler months. It's the perfect multipitch or alpine base or midlayer. You WILL find a use for it - I found so many uses for it that I bought two so I could rotate them in the wash. Saying that, given a couple of days' wear it doesn't smell THAT bad - but don't push it!

Incidentally it makes an excellent accompaniment to the Patagonia R1 Hoody on warmer days. Wearing the R1 as a baselayer this makes an excellent midlayer - not adding too much warmth but stopping the breeze from ripping your body heat out of the fleece. The cuts are similar and the hoods play nicely together.

At the price Rab set, you'd be crazy not to try the Boreas. I bought it on a whim to see if I'd use it and it quickly became the most worn thing in my wardrobe. I love it and I quite genuinely don't have a single bad thing to say about it. Awesome!

"You paid HOW MUCH for a harness?!"

Yeah, I know. The R320a is NOT cheap. To make it worse it was really an impulse buy for me. For shame! But was it worth it? I think so...

Looking at it in the shop, I couldn't believe this thing would be at all comfortable. It's so thin! Hanging in it, I started to come around - it certainly seemed to be comfy enough. Having a good day and wanting to treat myself, I said to hell with caution and out I came with a new harness. Since then I've used it for trad and ice climbing on numerous occasions and have almost only good things to say...

Taking it on its first trad multipitch route I was honestly dreading the day's first hanging belay. However, my worries were mostly unfounded - the harness proved pretty damn comfortable. No, it is not like floating on the wings of angels - even a £120 harness won't give you that. But for something so light and thin it is incredibly supportive and doesn't dig in anywhere unduly uncomfortable. The slightly bizarre-looking leg loops are especially impressive, reducing pressure on the undersides of your legs when you hang.

Leading with the harness was a joy and all my gear was where I needed it. I missed the central rear gear loop my old harness had, which I used to use for belay device, prussiks, etc but I think that was rather a luxury. The front two on the R320a are especially huge and you're not going to run out of space unless you're big-walling, perhaps. The loops slope in such a way that your gear stays within easy reach, and the direction of this slope is reversible if you want to change the way your gear hangs (which way do you dress?).

The tie-in points are burly and seem like they'll take plenty of use. They also feature a wear indication system. The belay loop is pretty much what you'd expect - no surprises. It's just a belay loop! There is a flimsy haul loop on the back. The leg loops and waist belt both tighten with an excellent and very smooth auto-locking buckle. Easy to use with gloves. I find the leg loops a little tight on my cyclist's thighs so I don't tighten them much but I can't blame the harness too much. There are loops to keep excess straps in place but I find them a little too far away from the buckles so I mostly just tuck the straps under themselves.

The waist belt itself is pretty awesome. It's thin and soft and supple and it does exactly what Arc'teryx claim - it moves with you. You never feel restricted by the harness. It never really digs in. It's really excellent and I think other companies are going to try to rip this off big time, because Arc'teryx just upped the game a whole lot here.

Problems? The ass seat elastic is thin and the buckles are TINY. A bit absurd really. The elastic is already furring badly from being dragged up chimneys. The softshell material elsewhere is looking perfect, however! The haul loop is also rather tiny and possibly of limited use. But...

Verdict? If you have the cash, give it a shot. You might just like it!

My first climbing helmet was a Grivel Salamander. Great helmet, very robust and not too heavy... but honestly it never quite fit right. Never had any real problems with it, but it never felt perfect. It was a little hot, too. Previous to this I had used a Petzl Elios and a Black Diamond Half Dome (circa 2009).

Eventually I decided a change was in order. After trying on numerous helmets it was an easy choice to settle on the Meteor III+. Turns out this was an excellent choice.

Firstly the helmet is amazingly lightweight. You can quite literally forget you're wearing it. I've kept the helmet on for days at a time without being bothered by it to any reasonable degree. Ventilation is also superb, so you're not fighting to get out of it on hot, humid days. This can make it a little cold in cooler conditions but that's what hats or hooded base/midlayers are for!

Protection seems good. It's kept me save from raining rock chips and ice, anyway. A couple of tiny dents but nothing too serious. I half expected to break it carrying it to the crag, such is the reputation of foam helmets, but this hasn't happened yet! In fact it's still in excellent condition. For ice climbing the Vizion visor can be fitted easily - something I may do soon.

Fit is excellent. I guess I have a funny shaped head, because I find most helmets just don't fit me well. This one does and it was dead easy to get it that way. The chinstrap is easy to tighten and do up with gloves on, too. The helmet even comes with a spare set of pads for the inside in case you lose or ruin the originals, which is nice. What's more, the helmet doesn't even look too goofy on me - result!

So what's the final word? It's light, airy, comfortable and protective. What's not to like? Well it's a little expensive, but the safety of your head is worth it and having a comfortable helmet means you're less likely to take it off when you need it. Plastic shell helmets are probably more robust but honestly I've never noticed a problem - if you're constantly dealing with heavy rock or ice fall, though, you might want to think twice.

If you're in the market for a new helmet I highly recommend trying the Meteor III+. I'm sure it won't fit everyone, but of it fits you then it should do you excellent service for many climbing trips to come. You won't be sorry you shelled out for a quality lid, I assure you!

Anyone familiar with Buffalo or Montane Extreme pile-Pertex type garments will be familiar with the basic principle of the Resolute Smock. The idea is that the thick pile lining keeps you dry and warm (even when it's wet). The outer fabric is not enormously weatherproof but it doesn't matter - the garment won't just give up when it's taking a beating. The Resolute takes this one step further, refining the Montane Extreme system for gnarly, hardcore mountaineering. But does it work? Absolutely it does!

Firstly they took the Extreme Smock as a base and beefed it up. The Extreme's hood was always a sore point - poorly attached and small. The hood on the Resolute is cavernous and permanently attached, forming an excellent high collar when not in use. Over a helmet it offers superb protection when cinched down with a quality wired peak to keep out rain, snow and spindrift. Used over your bare head the hood offers warmth with its pile lining, possibly negating the use of a hat. Shoulders and elbows have Cordura reinforcement to take more abuse - no problems thrutching your way up chimneys in this. The Resolute is also cut a little longer than the Extreme and has long arms - excellent for climbing in. Also present is a crotch strap - thankfully removable - which helps to keep the smock from riding up when you pull reachy moves or swing axes above your head. All zippers are waterproof and the fabric itself - EPIC Alcatraz - is much more weather-resistant than the Extreme's Pertex.

Inside the smock is lined with a thick pile fleece. Worn next to the skin as it is intended this can initially be a little itchy but you soon get used to this. This is absolutely the way you should wear it, too. The pile wicks away your sweat very efficiently, only feeling clammy on your back under a pack after heavy sweating. This moisture is then taken to the outer fabric where it evaporates, keeping you dry inside. Temperature management is achieved by opening and closing the numerous vents - the two full-length side vents, the front 1/4-length neck zip and the hand warmer pockets all allow options. It is possible to really blow this thing out when sweating uphill and then batten all the hatches to keep you snug and warm in a full-on whiteout - all without messing with layers! Brilliant!

So, problems? Well it's heavy. Nearly 1kg in fact, but the idea is that you're always wearing it, not carrying it in your pack. Therefore it also doesn't matter much that it packs down to be enormous - this is no Nano Puff! Also, if you're not careful you can overheat. Be careful and get used to venting on the move. Don't think about it unless it's at least below freezing.

However, at what it does, I love this thing. It's a whole winter layering system in one, without any of the hassle. Burly enough to stand up to climbing, too. Throw a belay jacket over it at stops and you're golden.

In short: if you are a winter mountaineer you owe it to yourself to at least consider this thing...