Reviews by User: GeoJane42 (10)

I had looked at these booties a few times, but assumed that they would be too heavy with those serious looking soles. It turns out that I was wrong. These booties weigh only 5oz each more than my old, much less hardy booties. Just tried them out on a 3 day ski trip and I'm absolutely thrilled with them. They have fantastic traction. They don't slip around on my feet like my old ones did. They're very warm. My feet even stayed warm and dry after walking through thigh deep powder in them. Very comfy. I liked them so much that I put them back on when we got back to the car and wore them out for dinner :)

I LOVE this pack. This is the first women's pack I've ever owned and I'm never going back. YEARS of sore hips are a thing of the past as I now wrap my womanly hips in a decadent, curved waist belt. The shoulder straps are narrower and actually fit my shoulders. My Osprey hugs my back thanks to its curved suspension system which results in a much more stable, better distributed load. There is even a kind of 'pocket' right behind my head which enables me to look up without banging into my pack. The shoulder harness & waist belt are both detachable, interchangeable & come in several sizes so getting the perfect fit is easy no matter what your shape & size. The detachable daypack is a really nice feature which I use often. There is a separate sleeping back compartment & side zips so you don't have to pull everything out from the top of your pack in order to reach something in the middle or the bottom. The lid is also removable for use as a day pack and has two compartments, one for maps & small items and another for a hydration system. The construction of Osprey packs is absolutely bomber. The fabric can withstand the harshest lashing slide alder can dish out and the zippers are virtually indestructible. The buckles are high quality and never fail. I've packed 6 days worth of gear including climbing gear into this pack and it carries like a dream up to about 65lbs. At 70+ I could feel the suspension struggling but then so was I! No one who fits this pack should be carrying that much anyway. At around 6lbs, you can find a lighter pack but I find that this pack fits me so well the extra weight goes unnoticed. (apparently the 2006 models are lighter) My one and only complaint about the Luna is that there are no hook and loop closure ice axe holders. It does work well putting the ice axe in the compression straps but I would rather have a separate strap so it doesn't fall off every time I need to get in there. Fitting this pack is simple. They come in XS to L sizes for both the pack and the hip belt. The shoulder harness comes in XS - L so you can mix and match. If you have narrow shoulders and wide hips for example, you can get a small shoulder harness and a medium hip belt. The newer models come with heat moldable hip belts which should make it even more comfortable. For comfort, space, fit and practical use this pack really can't be beat. It's a bit pricey compared to other packs but worth every penny and then some.

This jacket has exceeded all expectations. It does a marvelous job of blocking the wind and wicking moisture away from my body. I expected to use it primarily as a layer under a shell but I have been pleasantly surprised to find that it works well on it's own even in very cold winter conditions. Even when wet, the inside felt dry. Felt a little small at first but it loosened up after the first wash. Very comfortable, practical, technical jacket. Nice cut too.

These things are absolutely fantastic. Made of sil-nylon they are lightweight, strong and squish your poofy stuff down to nothing. I can get my -20 down bag into a small and squish it down to less than half the full size. Glad I bought two so I can use one for my down jacket & clothes. Surprisingly durable.

The Black Diamond Diva is an excellent, women specific harness. I bought it to replace my old cragging harness but it is so light and comfortable that I think it will be my new alpine harness as well. At just 10 1/2oz, you'll be hard pressed to find a lighter harness. Even the stripped down, no padding, very utilitarian Alpine Bod is heavier. With the Diva you won't have to give up comfort however thanks to the padded waist and leg loops. The leg loops are not adjustable but have elastic so they should work with a range of sizes. My only complaint about this harness is that the leg loops don't drop when nature calls but to be honest I very rarely used that feature on my old harness anyway. I found the gear loops to be a little small but they are textured which is nice as it keeps your gear from bunching up on the loops. (That being said, I think I will cut them off anyway as they would be quite uncomfortable with a pack on so I think I'm just going to McGyver up some webbing loops so I can use it for alpine climbing and glacier travel too.) I've read in other reviews that it fits small but I didn't find that to be the case. Time will tell if this ultralight construction can hold up but it is reasonably priced and it's probably a good idea to replace your harness fairly regularly anyway. Two Thumbs up.... super comfy, functional harness!

I bought the Diva to replace my old cragging harness but it is so light and comfortable that I think it will be my new alpine harness as well. At just 10 1/2oz, you'll be hard pressed to find a lighter harness. Even the stripped down, no padding, very utilitarian Alpine Bod is heavier. With the Diva you won't have to give up comfort however thanks to the padded waist and leg loops. The leg loops are not adjustable but have elastic so they should work with a range of sizes. My only complaint about this harness is that the leg loops don't drop when nature calls but to be honest I very rarely used that feature on my old harness anyway. I found the gear loops to be a little small but they are textured which is nice as it keeps your gear from bunching up on the loops. (That being said, I think I will cut them off anyway as they would be quite uncomfortable with a pack on so I think I'm just going to McGyver up some webbing loops so I can use it for alpine climbing and glacier travel too.) I've read in other reviews that it fits small but I didn't find that to be the case. Best to try it on before you buy it anyway though. Time will tell if this ultralight construction can hold up but it is reasonably priced and it's probably a good idea to replace your harness fairly regularly anyway.

This is a remarkably comfortable harness. The breathable padding around the waist and legs were a pleasure and the soft gear loops in the back went unnoticed under 65lb pack. I wore this harness during a particularly long descent while 5 other climbers with full overnight packs rappelled off of me. Much to my surprise I had absolutely no soreness in my lower back the next day. Even after I’d been wearing it for 12 hours straight, with the full pack the only points that were sore were just where the ridged gear loops were caught under my waist belt. The harness is lightweight and comfortable and doesn’t restrict movement at all. It also packs small which is nice when trying to cram a week’s worth of gear into a pack. I did find that the gear loops were awkwardly positioned for trad climbing like a previous reviewer mentioned but that's my only criticism.

These were very warm and were comfy until I put my ski boots on. They have tight, rough bands of elastic around the ankles (and I don't have fat ankles) that will dig into you if you're wearing tight boots. Unfortunately you can't fold them back and wear the elastic above your ankle because it will cut off your circulation, so they really won't work in ski boots. They would be fine if used as the previous reviewer describes for example. They fit large. Buy a size smaller than you think you need.

While they aren't going to win any beauty contests, these shoes have far exceeded my expectations. Super lightweight but still sturdy & supportive.... comfortable with excellent technical performance. I've used them for hiking, mid-fifth rock climbing, scrambling and have even had crampons on them for glacier travel on approaches when I didn't want to have to carry my mountaineering boots all day while I was climbing. I'm thinking about buying another pair for when these ones wear out. My only complaint would be the lack of arch support but that would add weight and you can always throw insoles in them.

While not the brightest light in the world, for summer camping and/or emergency use it gets the job done. In the summer, the only time I ever need my headlamp is for late night calls of nature so this is perfect. Headlamp can be tilted up, down or straight ahead to illuminate whatever you need with its two super-bright LEDs. Extremely tiny and ultra lightweight, I keep it in my first aid kit with a safety pin so I don't lose it! I left it in my pocket and washed it in the washing machine and it still works perfectly.