Reviews by User: UTClimber (40)

I took the Absolute Zero jacket to Alaska for a recent trip on Denali. It is a great jacket to stay warm around camp while cooking. Most of the time, this jacket is too warm for wearing while moving. On days where I climbed in it, it has some nice features. There are two internal water bottle pockets, which kept my bottles from freezing (they would have froze in water bottle insulators). When it gets really cold, you can zip the jacket completely and use the cinch straps to protect most of your face. Excellent jacket, even in -20F temps.

Wear this shirt anytime, anywhere -- 30 degrees running, 60 degrees lounging. It looks great and feels great any way you use it.

I own three of these, the medium, large, and extra large. I bring one of them on most every car or plane trip I take. The medium works well for a weekend winter trip, and holds plenty of clothing, jackets, etc. I've used the large for several trips abroad where I need a durable bag that I can abuse. For the extra large, I've used it on trips to Denali and Aconcagua, and it has held up great while riding on mules or strapped to a sled. Even with plenty of sharp things inside (ice axe, crampons, poles) it shows minimal damage. Some times for airport travel I wish it had an easier way to carry it, but I girth hitch the side strap with a sling and pull it across the slippery airport floors. It has backpack straps, but I'm usually wearing a backpack too. I also like the construction. The top and sides are made of a durable water resistant material. This helps for leaving it outside in the snow or rain, when it can't fit in the tent. The bottom is a heavy duty cordura, which holds up well.

The XTC is a good base layer for skiing and mountaineering. It works well in warmer weather when I have to strip to my base layer, because it has a mesh-like fabric that breathes really well. The light grey color especially works well for this, since it doesn't absorb the sun as much as the black. I wore this thing for 16 days straight earlier this year, and it repelled the stink well.

This boat seems like a great deal for the money. It folds up to a fairly small size for easy transport. Inflating it my first time probably took me around 10 minutes with a hand pump, but it could be done faster. I didn't like the valve system much, but got used to it. It was difficult to remove the pump from the valve and replace it with the valve cap without losing a bunch of air. I floated this boat on a lake, which was fun although not what it was designed for. It required a lot of correction from the person in back to keep it tracking in a straight line. It was very easy to get back in after jumping out. At the end of the day, probably took less than 5 minutes to deflate and fold it.

This fleece pullover is very warm and soft. It does not have a technical cut, but I like it better than my capilene. I also have the TKA 100 pants, which both make great base layers in very cold weather. I've warn them on several peaks in the winter, as well as on Denali.

This fleece underlayer is very soft and warm. They're not cut for performance fit - instead they are a bitter looser fitting, with no elastic around the ankle area. I used them as part of a layering system in very cold weather, down to -20F. And most impressive was that even after 16 days of continual use, they kept the smell at bay.

The Neutrino is a lightweight biner, which is useful for shedding off the ounces from a heavy trad or aid rack. With the rack pack, the matching colors for the corresponding C4s is surprisingly useful when making a quick grab for a cam. It wouldn't seem like a big deal, but on a large rack where it is difficult to see which biner is hooked to what cam, it helps to identify the size you need quickly. The gray and green colors are pretty subtly different then the standard neutrino, especially after some abuse, so they aren't as easy to pick out.

The Phantom Jacket is one of my favorites pieces of gear I own. It is ultra lightweight at less than a pound. Since it is so light, I bring it if there is any question that it might be cold. It makes a great belay jacket or camping jacket. It also stuffs into a very small stuff sack for easy stowage.

The Torrent, like all the other Edelweiss ropes I've used, is a great rope. It's heavy duty, and is probably best suited for longer trad routes, aid climbing, and big walls. It also would be good for sport if weight isn't a factor since it will hold a ton of whippers. I particular like using this rope for towers and walls when I need to jug, since the sheath seems to hold up to the abuse better then most other ropes.

The rocklock is a good 'beiner. It has good action, a wide gate, and a keylock. This combination is great for a belay 'beiner, or for use in an anchor.

The Hardrock is a very comfortable shoe. I have relatively narrow feet, but also have a friend with wide feet who likes them. They have a thick comfortable sole, which has kept my feet feeling good on trail runs or hikes up to 30 miles. The sole isn't very grippy, and I've found they don't work all that well for scrambling and boulder hopping. But on the trail they are awesome. Also, I wish they had a pull tab for putting the shoes on.

This is a good simple pad. It is a bit bulky, but rolls up and clips easily to the outside of a pack. If space is a consideration, then check out an air pad. A foam pad is really useful for any terrain that has a lot of sharp objects like prickly plants or rocks. It also works well for camping on snow if combined with an air pad. The foam pad on the bottom keeps everything warmer, since air pads get really cold on snow.

This ascender is rock solid. It has a very comfortable ergonomic grip, which really matters on a long big wall. The thumb catch is easy to operate with one hand, to either release the teeth for sliding it up the rope, or for completely removing the ascender (important for being able to pass a piece). For anchoring this to yourself, there is either a hole big enough to clip a biner into, or a smaller hole which can take pre-tied cord. I've used this ascender on dry, wet, and icy ropes, and it held well in all 3 conditions. For traverses, I like to use these in combination with a grigri.

This is a great biner, especially for the price. It is a smaller sized locking biner, and weighs much less than most. However, I don't use it much in anchor systems because of the smaller gate opening. It works well for a personal anchoring biner, or for use with a grigri.

The Petzl Spirit is one of my favorite biners, and the best non-wire gate biner I've used. It has really smooth action, and a keylock gate. The keylock gate is good for racking stoppers, since the wire won't caught on the gate when selecting a nut. The spirit is a mid-sized biner, with a good sized gate opening and is fairly light weight.

I've owned a couple of these helmets over the years. They are bomb proof, and will keep your nogin safe. There are ample ventilation holes on the sides, combined with a light color like white will keep your head cool. The binding system is really easy, and adjusts for different sized heads or for wearing a hat within a few seconds.

I bought these pants for a recent trip to Denali, and they didn't disappoint. They are incredibly warm, and are great for hanging around camp and making your partners jealous. I don't use them much while climbing because I stay warm from all the heat generated from movement. When I have worn them though, they're easy to take on and off with the side zips. The suspenders make them bib-like, and combined with a jacket with a draw string waist it makes a pretty good seal from the elements.

I bought these for a recent trip to Denali, and was really pleased with them. They have a grippy palm, which is good for handling an ice axe or fiddling with climbing gear. They're surprisingly warm considering how thin they are. I wore them until about 16,000 feet before needing to switch into a shelled glove for more warmth. Also, they layer nicely under a heavy duty mitten for when you need to take the mitten off for dexterity. Another nice feature is that they clip together when not in use, which helps keep from losing them.

The lasagna is one of my 2 or 3 favorite dehydrated meals I've tried. It is lightweight, and only requires 2 cups of hot water to make. Cooks right in the pouch, with no extra steps. Tastes really great after a long day.

Mountain House makes the best dehydrated meals of any brand I've tried. They are consistently lightweight (around 5oz), and always are simple to make. This one is prepared as almost all are, with 2 cups of boiling water reconstituting the meal for around 10 minutes. After that, dinner is server, and tastes great after a long day.

These eggs are surprisingly good. They have a slightly odd consistency, but so do all eggs that have been dehydrated. They are a welcome change after oatmeal of cold cereal on an extended backpack.

I've tried a few different flavors of ProBars, and they are all a bit hard core for me. I feel good after eating one, since it is packed with lots of healthy raw ingredients, but I find it hard to eat. They are really high calorie for an energy bar, which I like on long days. Each bar has close to 400 calories, compared to around 300 for a Clif bar.

Cytomax is a great sports drink. It is not overly sweet tasting, but is really tasty. I had this as a treat every few days on a multi-week backpack, and looked forward to it every time. I've only had the grape flavor, but I imagine other flavors are good too. It also full of electrolytes to prevent cramping.

This drink is good for keeping the electrolytes replenished and also some liquid energy. But I find the taste to be marginal at best, although I've only tried the orange flavor. It is not sweet enough for my palate, so I had to add sugar, which made it taste pretty good. The gels taste much better.

I've tried most of the energy gel brands, and GU is by far my favorite. It has a good consistency, and isn't overly sweet like some other brands. It is much easier to eat a GU every hour while on a trail run, hike, or climb then it is to try to stomach a bar. My favorite flavors are Vanilla Bean, Just Plain, and Lemon Sublime. Some of the others are palatable too. The chocolate flavor is a bit much unless you really like chocolate.

I've worn about a dozen pairs of Vasque shoes over the last decade, and I keep coming back. They have a good grippy sole for scrambling, and are comfortable even for very long hikes. I bought them in the spring and did a lot of hiking/running in them on wet trails, and my feet kept dry.

I took this on a 3 week trip to Denali, and was very pleased with it. It is versatile to use for a drink and a meal, or as an insulated cup. It weighs just a little more than a regular insulated cup would. The outside cup has measurement lines, but the inside cup doesn't.

I recently took this on a 16-day backpack, and was happy to shave every ounce I could. I was surprised by how much lighter it was then my MSR alpine pot, which is stainless steel. Probably half the weight or less. The lid has an insulated handle which makes it easy to use. Also, it's a tight squeeze, but an MSR XGK stove stores inside.

I've owned these shoes for about a month, and have been very pleased so far. They are excellent on class 3 scrambling through lower 5th class rock. The top of the shoe is a breathable mesh, which helps with comfort during summer. They do get wet easy in fairly shallow water, but they dry quickly with the mesh.

These are probably the most comfortable pair of sandals I have owned. Under the webbing straps, there is a layer of foam attached that is wider and distributes the pressure from the strap. The soles are also super grippy.

This pack is great for light and fast one day outings. I use it for trail running and climbing mountains. There is plenty of room for at least a gallon of water, a jacket or two, and food. The hydration pouch is a bit small, but a 2-liter bladder can be crammed into it. The hip belt pouches are handy for keys, sunscreen, and power snacks. The ice axe loops might be nice, but the pack is probably a bit too small for any outing requiring axes. The only improvements I would ask for is to lose the tow loop (seems useless), and have a more secure closure system for the back pouch, like a zipper. Overall, I'm very pleased with it, and it is holding up well even after squeezing through some chimneys.

I bought these booties for around camp use on a trip to Denali. In the end, I couldn't justify bringing them, since my pack already weighed far too much. They do make great use as ultra warm slippers for around the house, and even shoveling the driveway. I'm also planning on bringing them for any future winter camping trip where I stay close to the car.

These sunglasses are very comfortable. They have soft flexible plastic for the points that come into contact with your face - the nose guard, the upper rim (below your eyebrows), and the ear pieces. This definitely makes them feel great. They are a pretty large pair of sunglasses, so I would recommend them for someone with a bigger head.

These pants have a basic design, and look really good. The fabric is very soft, so they were comfortable from the first day I wore them.

I bought two of these, the Joshua and Braden colors. Both look great, and are good for business casual in warmer summer months.

If there is a piece of gear that comes with me for everything, this would be it. Lexan is very durable, surviving a few accidental falls off of cliffs on my trips. It also is good for holding boiling water, where some other water bottles become misshapen and even leak.

This is a good choice for backpacking, very lightweight. For packing, I fold it in half before rolling, and it takes up very little room in the pack.

Great baskets when you are in the deep powder. Easy design to change baskets.

These are good cheap runners. Nothing special about them, but they are solid and take abuse well. They work well in anchors systems, or to triple up to use as a runner in a quickdraw.