Reviews by User: James Stewart (18)

without a doubt the best-designed and most durable glove i have ever used. the gore-tex is (as always) dependable even in a downpour and 40 mph winds. extra long gauntlets keep out spindrift and the grippy and durable leather palm is tough enough for seasons of rappelling and alpine rock climbing. unbelievably warm but still thin and sensitive enough for technical alpine climbing...i've found my glove of choice!!!

yeah, these are expensive, but the little features (especially the full length side zippers) make these bibs worth spending the extra cash. i have worn these things on waterfall ice and scraped them up worming through rock chimneys on alpine routes, and they appear to be indestructible. add that to the fact that they're backed by the ironclad arcteryx warranty and reputation and there's no reason to buy anything else.

but then, i'd expect nothing less from arcteryx. the khazri is exactly what they advertise: a fast and light minimalist's alpine pack. however, arcteryx still managed to squeeze in a few essentials like a removable back/bivy pad, a 4-buckle completely detachable top with two center oriented zippered pockets (one top, one bottom), loops for attaching 4 ice tools, and a crampon (or other gear) holding elastic strap system on the front of the pack. the straps have minimal padding (with the option of a simple webbing waistbelt) but still carry 35 pounds quite comfortably. also the gear loops on the waistbelt are a nice touch for racking screws while leading with a pack. altogether, definitely the nicest pack i've ever worn. oh yeah, if you are 5'10" or over, go with the tall.

Holy sh*t, this thing is amazing. The ultimate ice climbing helmet camera - waterproof, rugged, and good quality video. After my first trip to Hyalite Canyon ice climbing with the POV1, I hooked up the A/V cables to the TV and the picture looked GOOD. Just a couple of notes - the sound sucks. To be expected with a waterproof mic, but they'd be better off just not putting it on there at all. Also, and I know this has been mentioned, but there should be a little flashing light or some other indicator on the remote when the unit is actively recording. Otherwise a sick piece of gear that is really nice for showing just how sick that sketchy ice line really was.

since everyone else has already listed all the technical advantages of these mitts, i'll just say they're THE mitten for those long, cold, windy, hanging belays when its 0 degrees F and your partner is taking forever to lead the crux pitch.

So Black Diamond laser picks suck. Period. For weekend-warrior ice climbers who never abuse their gear, they work fine. But for those of us who like to take our tools and hang it out on big alpine routes, something a little more sturdy comes in handy (I broke 4 laser picks last year, no titans). The titan pick brilliant on mixed routes and, contrary to popular belief, does NOT trash thin ice or displace dinner plates with every swing if you know how to swing a tool. I won't use anything else.

I tore some gear loops off my old BD harness in a ledge dive last month, so I finally had an excuse to splurge and get this baby. Sweetest harness ever - if she could cook, I would marry her. Amazingly comfortable for hanging belays, compresses to the size of a baseball for packing, easy-buckle system for fast adjustment...pretty much just the best alpine big-wall (or all-around) harness out there. Yeah, you pay for it, but I guarantee you won't regret it. Just a side note - as is typical of Arcteryx, the sizing is a little big (I'm size 32 waist and the medium is just barely SMALL enough for me) so make sure you try it on before you buy it or are able to return it for a different size if it doesn't fit.

Technically speaking, it's a good harness. Easy to take on and off with boots/crampons/skis, and bomber foolproof protection. Lightweight and cheap too, but anyone who says it's comfortable has never whipped on lead or sat through a 2 hour hanging belay in this thing. No matter how well fitted it is, it doesn't do an effective job of distributing load. And if you are male and you take a 20 footer in this thing, your balls are going to be up in your throat.

a warm enough glove when they're dry, but in any kind of damp conditions that doesn't last long. the "BD dry insert" is a japanese gore-tex ripoff that is not even remotely waterproof. spend the extra 30 or so dollars and get the Black Diamond sensei glove which is genuine gore-tex and always completely dry - even in a downpour.

I really can't believe no one has written a review of these babies yet. Honestly the best tool I've ever used. They make my BD Vipers feel clumsy and heavy, and I used to think they were the best tools out there. Carbon shafts do a great job of absorbing the shock and allowing the weight to stay in the head. Swing momentum is great and with curvy shaft clears ice 'shrooms like nothing else. Add in the points for sexiest set of tools award, and this is one sweeeet ice sticker. Oh yeah, BD is going to start making hot-forged picks so the laser picks hopefully won't break all the time! In the meantime, I'd recommend switching the picks on here to Fusions or Titans.

Petzl did a really nice job with these. Replaceable and movable frontpoints make these beasts both long-lasting and versatile. Bolt in both points for alpine routes where you're frontpointing in hard snow/rotten ice, or go to a single off-set point for the waterfall/mixed routes. The step-in system is very secure, never have to worry about your heel breaking loose. And the flexible rubber anti-bot plates are a nice touch - much more durable than the old rigid plastic plates that broke after too much stress on pointy rocks.

I have 2 R1's and now the R1 hoody, and I honestly rarely where anything else. Whether worn alone or with an ultra-light layer underneath, I can usually wear them for 3 or 4 days before they even start to smell like they need to be washed, and that includes morning runs in these babies. I've abused all these things rock-climbing and ice-climbing, and so far no signs of wear or pilling. My only complaint is that since they don't transfer large amounts of moisture as efficiently as wool, if you overload the wicking capabilities of the fabric, you get that clammy feeling. But since they dry about 100x faster than my icebreaker wool, it's not really a big deal. I found that they fit true to size (if a bit more of a slim, performance-fit than the original R1 - the "alpine cut" effect). I'm 6 ft, 148 lbs and I fit perfectly into a medium. So yeah, buy 1 of these...or 5...and I can promise you'll end up disregarding the rest of your wardrobe.

A really sticky, uninsulated glove for climbing mixed/steep ice lines. I start the day off in these and go with a warmer glove later during the day after these get soaked or my hands start to go numb. The seams do eventually split, obviously, but these things hold together great with a little bit of Seam-Seal. In fact, my palms are more Seam-Seal now than original glove, and they still work great. Lightly padded knuckles are a nice tough - keeps the bleeding to a minimum.

Mark Twight has been using these things forever, and I'm surprised more alpinists don't. They're heavier than an 8mm, yes, but they don't cluster around your neck, you can pull one off without lowering your arms, and each 1 is either a single length or double length sling, depending on what you need for each piece.

I used this helmet ice and alpine climbing in Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, and the Beartooths in MT and I love it. It's taken a few hits and has some small dents in the top, but it's all cosmetic. The core of the helmet is lined with a soft outer foam that nicks and dents easily, but it doesn't compromise the structural integrity of the helmet.

i started climbing waterfalls leashless - much better for matching and techy moves on hard ice and mixed routes. however, when i started doing alpine routes, a dropped tool became a serious risk. i hated the idea of having long strips of webbing tied around my wrist when i climbed, but these short, easily-removed androids are barely noticeably and can hardly be called an obstruction. its like climbing leashless with the security of leashes. another well-designed system by BD.

flimsy lacing system that breaks at the slightest snag, sloppy toebox for a medium volume foot, and too damn heavy.