Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody Review

The Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody protects against wind and light rain and is so ultra-light and pack-able that there are few reasons why you should not pack this little piece of insurance on every outing.

Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody Review- photo from blackdiamondequipment.com

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Last summer my long time friend and climbing partner Tom turned me onto this piece which coincidentally shares its namesake with my own website. We were exploring a back-country cliff during the peak of black-fly season and despite it being a rather warm & humid early summer day he donned this jacket to provide some protection from the onslaught of blood-suckers.

I remarked that he must be sweating like crazy wearing a hoody like this in such warm weather and he re-assured me the piece was so light & breathable that he was actually quite comfortable. He took the majority of the leads that day while I donated a pint or two of blood to the insect world.

With that history in mind I was quite enthusiastic when Black Diamond provided a sample for review.

At home impressions were quite positive. For starters this jacket is ridiculously light-weight weighing in at 7 3/4 ounces on my home scale!

Black Diamond lists 7.1 ounces (202 grams) in their Technical Specs.

In addition to being one of the lightest soft shell hoodies on the market the Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody is also super pack-able and easily stuffs inside its reversible zippered chest pocket!

When crushed into a ball its the size of a youth softball. It also has a convenient sewn loop to allow attaching it to the back of your harness just in case the clouds get a little darker.

My first real test of the jacket this July on an ascent of that classic east coast alpine climb, The Whitney Gilman Ridge. Dry cool air and a 15-20mph breeze led to quite comfortable climbing conditions, until we got held up by a slow moving party on the notorious “pipe pitch”. We weren’t going anywhere for awhile so out came the hoody’s while we waited for the traffic to clear.

So what is this thing made of? Well technically it is “Schoeller® stretch-woven with NanoSphere® Technology (80 g/m2, 93% nylon, 7% elastane)”.

Since most people probably don’t know what exactly that means let me break it down. First off, this Schoeller® fabric is super thin. The 7% elastane gives the fabric a noticeable stretchy feel.

Second, the NanoSphere® Technology is a high end Durable Water Repellent (DWR) treatment that also boasts a “self-cleaning” property. You can read more on this technology here. This jacket is clearly not intended to be water-proof but it certainly has shed light rain and mist on a few blustery days while climbing in Huntington Ravine and on Cathedral Ledge. At 7 ounces I consider this a fair trade off and when the forecast calls for a significant chance of rain I will pack a more substantial shell like the waterproof Eastern Mountain Sports Storm Front Jacket.

But the breath-ability! This is the most breath-able wind shell I have tested. So breath-able that it is wearable on hot & humid days as a bug protection layer! This feature makes it ideal for high output activity in blustery conditions. Trail running, fast-hiking, XC skiing, peak-bagging, or any time you want to go fast & light! And the weight! Even if the forecast looks like this:

When it only weighs 7 ounces, and packs into the size of a softball, there’s really no question in my mind like “should I bring this?” It’s been living in my summer climbing pack all season and I’ve been surprised at the amount of times I’ve actually dug it out to be more comfortable, rain or shine!

Ok, let’s finish looking at some of the smaller but important features and move on to our summary shall we?

The Hood

It fits over a helmet as shown in the photo above, but also thanks to a one-hand-adjustable shock cord & cord lock on the back it can be cinched down to conform to your melon without a helmet on as well. This tightening option also helps the hood turn with your gaze so you don’t get blind-sided by a wild moose on the loose.

The only pocket on this ultralight piece is the reversible chest pocket that doubles as a stuff sack when turned inside out. A reversible zipper and sewn nylon loop add utility and convenience.

My first concern with this jacket was the lack of an adjustable cuff at the wrist. I’m sure this saved a small amount of weight but when climbing I really like a snug wrist cuff.

I have a pretty small to medium sized wrist and I found this cuff to be a bit too loose. My solution is to just slide it up my forearm until it feels snug. It’s definitely a utilitarian type look, and I’d prefer a traditional velcro adjuster in future models.

I measured the back length at 28 inches, and given the stretchy characteristic of the Schoeller® fabric it is sufficiently long enough to stay tucked into my harness even when making long over the head reaches.

Summary

Tom was right. This is an ingenious piece and it will be a part of my kit for as long as it’s produced. It’s not waterproof, but that’s ok, it’s not meant to be. Think of it as a highly breathable wind shirt with a hood. Able to shed light precipitation. Able to cut cold breezes when you thought August on Cannon would be t-shirt weather. Able to pack up into a a neat little package and live on the back of your harness for those “just in case” type days. From cool weather running & cycling to fast & light alpine climbing this is a well designed piece of gear. You should check it out for yourself!

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this review please like, share, subscribe, comment, or just send me some positive karma.

See you in the mountains,

-Northeast Alpine Start

Disclosure: Black Diamond provided this sample for the purposes of this review and this post contains affiliate links which support the content created here.

Patagonia Cragsmith Pack 35L Review

July 29, 2016September 20, 2016 David Lottmann Backpack Reviews, Gear Reviews climbing packs, crag packs, patagonia, patagonia cragsmith, patagonia gear, rock climbing packs, sport climbing packs

The Patagonia Cragsmith Pack 35L is a thoughtfully designed gear hauler well suited for “cragging”. Cragging simply means rock climbing on smaller cliffs, usually single pitch in nature. Compared to multi-pitch climbing cragging implies less commitment, frequent returns back to the ground, social environments, and well… fun. To that end it can be nice to use a more voluminous backpack than one that you might wish to take up a long multi-pitch route.

Let’s start with the features that are the most noticeable.

Capacity

The “35L” in the model name stands for 35 liters (volume). Patagonia also lists this as 2,130 cubic inches on their product page. There is no industry standard for determining pack volume, so it can sometimes be difficult to compare volume across brands. To me this pack feels to have a significantly greater amount of volume than listed. It absolutely swallows a 60 meter rope, full traditional rack, clothing, water, first aid, harness, helmet, shoes, and lunch with plenty of room to spare!

Patagonia Cragsmith 35L Review — Monster capacity for 35 liters!

You can see how much more space is unused by looking at the top of the pack in the above photo. I would easily say this pack is closer to what other companies might list as 40L or even 45L.

Convenience

Compared to lightweight alpine climbing packs this style of pack is not “streamlined” to wear while climbing like the Ortovox Trad 25. It’s designed to be super convenient moving about from route to route, whether it be clipping bolts at Rumney Rocks or working on your crack skills at the North End of Cathedral Ledge this pack will make life easy.

First, there’s the two loading options, top-loading, and back-panel. Both have merits. The top-loading access is what I use to pack the bag before heading out to the cliff. I love how I can open it up like a giant trash can and just drop a rope & all associated climbing gear inside without having to micro manage my available space. Then, when I get to the base of our objective, I open up the full size back panel and can easily grab the gear I need in the order I need it.

Harness on, rack up, flake the rope, shoes on… it’s definitely better than dumping everything in the dirt and sorting it there. Finally, when the climbing is over, it’s back to top-load mode so I can rip off my harness (probably with a less than perfectly organized rack hanging off it) and just shove it in back in the back. Forget minute organization when everyone is thinking of post climb beers. This pack certainly helps with being first ready to start the hike back to the car!

Features

There’s quite a bit to mention here. I like the side zippered compartment that easily holds a full size guidebook.

Roomy top pocket easily fits my lunch, snacks, headlamp, and car keys.

There’s a rope attachment system on the top of the pack:

While this is a nice thought I’m unlikely to use it. First, there is plenty of room to store a rope inside this pack with a full double rack. Second, without side compression straps you’ll need to carry some extra bungies or something to really secure the rope. Better to carry the rope inside this pack, there’s plenty of room! If you are carrying a heavier load and need to carry the rope externally you’re going to want to consider the only real criticism I have for the pack:

Comfort

There’s no easy way around this so I’ll just come out and say it. This pack is not super comfortable. While personal comfort is quite subjective, and the hard climbers of the day can schlep 70lb loads in Black Diamond Haul Bags with virtually no “comfort” features this pack fell short in my book in the comfort category, and here’s why;

Support. There really isn’t any. The back panel access design that worked so well in the Patagonia Snow Drifter lacks any significant support for carrying heavier loads. The real difference here is the Snow Drifter is optimized for back-country ski loads (15-20lbs maybe). A more rigid internal frame is not needed because the carrying loads are so light. This pack however is designed to swallow a lot of heavy climbing gear. A rope and double rack can quickly approach and exceed 30 pounds. The back panel is just too flimsy to be able to transfer any of this weight to the wide padded waist belt. The “load lifters” are attached directly at the end of the shoulder straps, eliminating any chance of actually “lifting” the load when properly used.

Patagonia Cragsmith 35L — Load lifters that can’t lift

And finally, the “Airflow Mesh” used in the back panel and shoulder straps, which I found excellent for winter use with the SnowDrifter pack, felt too insulating and warm for hot sweaty climbing days. I prefer closed cell foam back panels that don’t seem to absorb a gallon of sweat when I am working hard.

That being said this pack was very well designed for cragging! Not multi-pitch rock climbing, not alpine climbing, not hiking or backpacking. When judged on that specific use alone this pack really shows some promise. A quick summary of my pros/cons:

Pros:

Space galore!

Amazing accessibility!

Features designed for convenience!

Durable!

Cons:

Doesn’t carry heavy loads well

A bit “warm” on the back

What I would like to see:

If there is another incarnation of this pack I think it would be a good idea to add some support to that back panel. A removable aluminum stay or two that could direct some of the load to the padded waist-belt would be nice. A light-weight compression strap system would greatly increase the versatility of this pack. While acknowledging this is designed for cragging it would carry better if we could cinch it down a bit when it isn’t fully loaded.

Summary:

When looked at objectively for the intended use “cragging” this is a fantastic pack despite a couple short comings. If you find yourself schlepping gear from parking lot to cliff in less than a mile on a regular basis this is a contender to make your life easier. Check it out at your local Patagonia store or online here.

Did you like this review? Have you tried this pack? What’s your favorite climbing pack? Let me know in the comments below and you’ll be entered to win a “Tat Cutter Neck Knife” from Colonial Knives. Drawing 8/28/16 Winner notified via email 8/29/16 and announced here.

Disclosure: Patagonia provided the author with a sample of this pack for review. This post contains affiliate links which help to fund this website.

LaSportiva TX2 Approach Shoes Review

July 6, 2016August 2, 2019 David Lottmann Footwear Reviews lasportiva approach shoes, lasportiva climbing shoes, lasportiva TX2

UPDATE August 2019: It’s now been THREE years since my original post and I still have and use my first pair of TX2’s! They are nearing the end of their use but I only use them while guiding waterfall rappelling trips (they are insane grippy on wet rock). I’ve purchased two more pairs since this original review… one that I actively hike, approach, and rock climb in while guiding mellow moderates all summer, and a third pair I bought in reserve in case LaSportiva ever stops making these. They are that good!

La Sportiva TX2 Review — My current inventory of TX2’s!

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Original review from July 2016:

Over the last two months I have hiked a few dozen miles and climbed over 4000 feet of technical rock climbing in the new LaSportiva TX2 Approach Shoes and I’m ready to share my opinion on them. For those who aren’t familiar with what an “approach” shoe is I’ll explain. While approach shoes might look like cross training or running shoes the main difference in this category is the use of a climbing shoe type rubber for the out-sole (soft & grippy on smooth rock) and a fit that can be snug enough for technical rock climbing. They differ from climbing shoes by the addition of a mid-sole and foot-bed along with enough support throughout the shoe to allow one to hike (or approach) a technical rock climb in comfort.

LaSportiva TX2's Approach Shoe Review — LaSportiva TX2’s Approach Shoe Review

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LaSportiva TX2 Approach Shoes Review

July 6, 2016 Footwear Reviews lasportiva approach shoes, lasportiva climbing shoes, lasportiva TX2

UPDATE 2018: Since my original review in 2016 I’ve fallen even more in love with these, so much that I have ordered and just received the newest color. Here’s the original review:

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Petzl Bug Pack Review (and Colonial Knife Giveaway)

June 28, 2016March 26, 2019 David Lottmann Backpack Reviews, Gear Reviews climbing pack reviews, petzl bug review

The Petzl Bug pack is a solid choice for a small climbing pack designed for short to moderate length multi-pitch rock climbs. While a little on the heavier side (1lb 2.5oz) when compared to other styles in this category it’s clear Petzl has used the extra weight to build in some durability and well thought out features. Let’s break it down:

S71O-BUG_LowRes — Petzl Bug Review- photo from Petzl.com

Size:

At 18 liters (1,100 cubic inches) this pack falls in to the same category of small tech packs like the Black Diamond Bullet, 16 L (976 cu in), 1 lb 2 oz., and the super light Patagonia Linked Pack, 16 L (976 cu in), 16.5 oz. It is 2 liters larger than these comparable packs and I found this extra room enough to easily store this load out:

Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody (my review here)

Patagonia Technical Sunshade Hoody (my review here)

AMK Ultralight First Aid Kit .9 (modified a bit)

Five Ten Rogue Lace-up Climbing Shoes (my comfy moderate trad shoe, review coming)

Nalgene Everyday Wide-Mouth Water Bottle, 1L

Lunch, Petzl Zipka Headlamp, Colonial Ameba Knife, Ben’s DEET

My “Cathedral Rack” (Basically a set of nuts, smaller tri-cams, set of Black Diamond X4’s and C4’s from .3 to size 2). 8 alpine draws, 2 quick-draws, 2 cordelette’s, 2 double length slings, couple prussiks, 5 lockers, Gigi and belay device.

Petzl Bug Review — Using every inch of 1,100 cubic inches

The pack does appear and pack noticeably bigger than the narrower profiled Black Diamond Bullet, mainly due to the extra 2 liters & slightly wider shape.

Comfort/Fit:

With closed cell foam padding in the back and the contoured shoulder straps this pack carries the light loads it is intended for quite comfortably. By design it rides very high on the back to not interfere with the harness. The waist-belt can fold away though I usually opt for just clipping it around of the outside front of the pack when it’s time to harness up.

Features:

Rope attachment

Packs under 20L typically can not fit the climbing rope inside so an attachment system for carrying the rope on the outside is important. While some current reviewers and online retailers suggest attaching the rope to the bottom that is outdated info. The carrying system is designed to carry the rope more comfortably over the top of the pack with an adjustable top strap and two side compression straps to ensure a solid attachment. While different styles of coiling can work I’ve found the “single strand butterfly” coil sits best when attaching ropes to the top of packs.

Compartmentalization/Organization

There are some design choices here that while adding a couple ounces of weight have also added some nice convenience. The most noticeable (and questionable in my opinion), is the open wide external pocket on the back of the pack. This pack is intended to store a guidebook or route topo for quick access. It’s quite big, basically the full size of the padded back, and has no method to secure any contents in it. The thought of my guidebook slipping out on a steep Gunks route or a few pitches up Cannon has me questioning whether I would every find a use for this feature, and because the zippered pocket on the front of the pack is very generously sized I opted to keep my guidebook there.

There is an interior pocket that can accommodate my 100 ounce CamelBak Hydration Bladder with hydration port and a smaller mesh pocket with key clip.

Carrying a 70-100 oz. bladder costs quite a bit of storage space for my rack so if I was hitting up a bigger objective (Cannon) with this pack on a hot day I’d opt to rack up at the car and take the extra water. If my climb required a longer approach than Cannon (Huntington/Katahdin) I’d opt for a larger pack that could carry both 100oz. and my full rack with ease, like the Ortovox Trad 25 backpack that I reviewed last month here.

Rounding out the features (and another distinct difference between the other same-class packs I mentioned at the beginning of the review) is the addition of the daisy loops down the front of the pack giving the climber a convenient place to clip some gear that didn’t make it into the pack while “de-racking” after that epic send.

Suggestions:

A sternum strap buckle whistle has become a standard for me on all of my climbing and back-country skiing packs. This “10 Essential” may not be needed often but when it is I like having it within arms reach at all times, and this would be an easy thing to add in the the next Bug’s development. I’d also like more info on the pack material as details are a bit vague “very durable: bottom and sides lined with high-tenacity fabric”. While I’m not concerned with the lack of brand name recognition here (and during my 2 month test period the pack handled abrasive situations quite well) it makes it hard to objectively compare when this denier/technology is omitted)

Conclusion:

When it comes to backpacks Petzl’s line is mostly focused on packs designed for caving /canyoning (descending) rather than climbing (ascending) with this pack being the only pack they’ve designed with the climber in mind. Despite this being the only offering from Petzl in this niche the Bug holds up well against companies with a larger focus on producing climbing specific packs. With a competitive price point and unique features in this class of packs it is definitely worth your consideration!

If you’re thinking of picking one up you can order through Amazon here. Doing so helps support this blog!

Did you like this review? Have you tried this pack? What’s your favorite climbing pack? Interested in the coiling video mentioned above? Let me know in the comments below and you’ll be entered to win a “Tat Cutter Neck Knife” from Colonial Knives. Drawing 7/28/16 Winner notified 7/29/16 and announced here. CONGRATS TAYLOR FOR WINNING THE CONTEST!

Colonial Knife Company Tat Cutter Neck Knife

See you in the mountains,

NEAlpineStart

Disclaimer: This pack was provided to demo for the purpose of this review and has been returned to Petzl. This post contains affiliate links.

How To Keep Mosquitoes Away from Tips Bulletin

Ortovox Trad 25 Backpack Review

May 27, 2016September 4, 2017 David Lottmann Backpack Reviews, Gear Reviews alpine climbing packs, ortovox packs, ortovox trad 25, rock climbing, trad climbing

I’ve been using Ortovox avalanche shovels, probes, and beacons for over 5 years now so I was pretty excited when I got the opportunity to try out the new Ortovox Trad 25 Backpack. Designed for multi-pitch rock climbing with some unique forward thinking features this is definitely a contender for best design in this category.

Ortovox Trad 25 Backpack Review — Ortovox Trad 25 Backpack- photo from http://www.ortovox.com

Let’s take an in-depth look at the different characteristics of this pack.

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Comfort

The dense molded foam used in the shoulder straps and back feel almost gel like. It is very comfortable. The shoulder straps are the appropriate width and contour to my 5’9″ frame perfectly. The length is perfect for my 19 inch torso and the pack rides at the right height when I’m wearing my harness. There is a shorter torso women’s version available as well.

Ortovox Trad 25 Review — Gel-like molded foam back panel and shoulder straps

Weight

For the amount of features this pack boosts it’s pretty impressive it only weighs one pound 12 ounces (750 grams). You can further lighten the pack by removing the aluminum frame but I found the pack rides so comfortably with the frame intact I left it in.

Capacity

I was a bit concerned 25 liters (1560 cubic inches) would not be enough for my multi-pitch rock climbing/guiding kit. Turned out I had plenty of room and I think this is a generous 25L pack. It is hydration compatible and even with my 100 ounce CamelBak I was able to get my entire kit inside

When packing everything in this photo I was able to still get my helmet inside. On a subsequent trip where my partner was packing the rack I fit a Sterling Nano 60m 9.1mm climbing rope inside and strapped my helmet on the outside. For those wanting a bit more room for longer more committing routes the pack does come in a 35L size.

Accessibility

One of my favorite features of this pack is the “circumferential zipper”. While I can still cram my gear in via the lid covered top opening (which features it’s own innovative tightening system) when it is time to rack up I can easily get to my rack, quickdraws, shell jacket, etc.

The roomy top pocket easily fits my headlamp, bug dope, and lunch.

Rope Attachment

Once the pack is loaded up it’s easy to strap a rope on the outside. The top compression straps unhook and expand to fit any size rope and the bungee ice axe attachments on the bottom quickly secure the coil from swinging on your hike in.

The fact that this ultralight pack can hold ice axes makes it a great choice for glaciated alpine terrain, though I would probably bump up to the 35L for longer routes.

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Durability

The main material seems to be a soft high count denier. I don’t have the exact specs but careful inspection of it reveals high quality stitching and no noticeable stress points. While I have only had the pack a few weeks I feel it will serve well for hundreds of climbs.

Forward Thinking Rescue

Here’s where Ortovox has really done something different. I’ve always known this company to be industry leading when it comes to safety, especially with their commitments to avalanche education. This guiding principle is evident in this pack in a few ways. First, is the simple color choice. As a search & rescue member I am a big fan of high visible orange. It’s one way to be “searchable”. “Be searchable”… that phrase was coined in conjunction with the Recco system that is included in this pack. While this technology is limited in the Northeast right now it’s gaining a lot of popularity in Europe and may gain more traction here. You can learn more about Recco here. Finally, on the inside of the circumferential zipper are imprinted images of alpine emergency signals. There’s also another concealed zippered pocket here that I just found while grabbing this image!

Conclusion

For multi-pitch rock climbing this pack is a great choice. It’s clear Ortovox focuses on design functionality and safety in every product I’ve ever used from them, and this pack is no exception. If you’re looking around for a solid multi-pitch pack option you can purchase this one right here. Doing so helps support this blog!

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Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this review please like, share, subscribe, comment, or just send me some positive karma.

See you in the mountains,

-NEAlpineStart

Disclosure: Ortovox provided this sample for the purposes of this review and this post contains affiliate links.

Petzl Connect Adjust Review

May 23, 2016September 20, 2016 David Lottmann Climbing Gear Reviews, Gear Reviews cathedral ledge, climbing, climbNH, petzl, Petzl Connect Adjust, rock climbing

The Petzl Connect Adjust has been out for a little over a year now but many climbers haven’t really had a chance to be exposed to it to determine whether or not it would be a helpful addition to their kit. In this review I’ll go in depth on what this item is, how it is different from other products in this category, and what purposes it might be best suited for.

Petzl Connect Adjust Review — Petzl Connect Adjust

So what is it? Simply put it is an adjustable lanyard for conveniently attaching to an anchor. There are a few applications where using a lanyard while climbing can be quite useful. To name just a few; cleaning an anchor at the top of a sport route in preparation for lower/rappel, multi-pitch rappelling where you want to stay anchored without using the main climbing rope, route development/maintenance. It’s probably best to see it in action before we dive into the details.

There are other options in the “tether” arena, and to fully understand the advantages of this piece of equipment it must be held up against what is already out there. So let’s take a very brief look at the two most common solutions climbers use a tether.

The single/double length sling. Cost effective multi-purpose item with the distinct disadvantages of not being adjustable or shock absorbing. Care must be taken to ensure there is no fall potential on generated slack within that attachment. Not redundant.
The Metolius Personal Anchor System (PAS). 93.5 grams. More expensive than the first option, some limited adjust-ability, options to make the situation redundant. It’s no surprise this item has gained a solid following over the last few years for both sport and traditional climbing climbing.

What does the Connect Adjust achieve that these other options don’t? In my opinion there are two distinct advantages of the Connect Adjust:

It’s CE certified for personal fall protection. Its design incorporates the use of the Petzl Arial 9.5 climbing rope. This adds considerable strength (over 15Kn) and durability, along with some dynamic elongation, to your tether. This option does weigh 32.5 grams more than the PAS and is a bit bulkier to rack.
It’s a fully adjustable tether. Other options simply don’t have the ability to fine tune your adjustment length like this device. Sure, there’s the Purcell Prusik, but that can have limitations based on what you build it with.

Before I dive into a couple drawbacks lets get this out of the way right now.

There is no piece of gear that is perfect in every single situation. So don’t look for that. But there is a great piece of gear for every application out there! In this case the Connect Adjust shines in a few arenas;

Cleaning a sport route. Yes, you can continue to link quick draws together with non-lockers to attach yourself at the top of that sick on-sight you just sent. But you know there are better ways. This could be one of them.
Multi-pitch descents/canyoneering. There are some great reasons to bring this along for these type of trips, mainly, the additional “fall protection”. Before I get into explaining “fall protection” here is a clever solution to be able to use this as a rappel extension while still maintaining the tether option (note you lose a bit of length with the girth-hitch and the resulting tether is about 10 inches shorter than a knotted double-length sling.

Fall Factor at its essence means how much force will be transmitted to the climber/anchor in the event of a fall. You could connect yourself to an anchor with a 4 foot nylon sling, climb up 4 feet, fall 8 feet, and be seriously injured or killed. That’s “Fall Factor”.

Ok, back to “fall protection”. This device is meant to protect against that in climbing situations in two ways.

First, it’s dynamic in nature. While not considered a “shock absorb-er” the technical specs allow for falls up to FF1. That means you could be futzing about trying to adjust something on the anchor with 2 feet of Petzl Arial between you and your anchor point. If you create two feet of slack but don’t go above the anchor point, and fall directly on the anchor (a fall of 2 feet or less), this attachment will dissipate the energy enough to not scramble your organs. The nylon sling/PAS options will not accommodate this type of mistake.

Second, it’s easily adjustable in both directions. You can shorten or lengthen this with consider-able ease increasing the chance of not having unnecessary slack in the system to worry about generating any high fall factor forces. Granted, adjusting it to be longer takes a little bit of practice, especially if you want to do it one handed, but with a little bit of practicing it becomes second nature, and is definitely easier than the Purcell Prusik which pretty much requires two hands for both tightening and loosening.

With that point addressed there is only one other consideration I want to bring up, and that is in redundancy. The materials throughout are more than enough strong for the application, but when confronted with a double bolt anchor without chains this device doesn’t allow you to be clipped into both without building a quick sling anchor (Magic X) or the like. In this regard the Metolius PAS starts to show some advantage. However, the Petzl Dual Connect Adjust solves this issue quickly, though picks up some more weight & bulk in the process.

L35ARM-Dual-Connect-Adjust_LowRes — Petzl Dual Connect Adjust

I’ll be testing the Dual Connect for the next month or so, and plan to update this post with more info related to that. Specifically I have some ideas for how I will rack/store these items on my harness in a more efficient way. While I admit I won’t pack these on trips where I am shaving ounces everywhere there are plenty of times I can see this making my day easier. Off the top of my head guiding 3 clients half-way up Whitehorse before rappelling, cleaning/bolting new routes in the outback, and as a personal tether for Mountain Rescue Service applications (especially as a litter attendant, this device has great potential due to its specifications).

In summary Petzl has created something unique and innovative here. It’s not the Holy Grail, but it’s functional and serves purpose. It does not replace the PAS, double length sling tethers, or clove hitches, but gives us another option of how we secure ourselves in the vertical world. It’s definitely worth checking out.

So what do you think of it? Have you tried it? What’s your personal tether system look like? Let me know in the comments below!

Disclaimer: Both the Connect Adjust and Dual Connect Adjust are being loaned to me from Petzl for this review and I’ll be returning them shortly. My opinions on the device(s) are solely my own.

Patagonia Men’s Sunshade Technical Hoodie Review

May 13, 2016May 6, 2017 David Lottmann Clothing Reviews, Gear Reviews gear that works, patagonia, patagonia sunshade hoody, patagoniagear

On a particularly hot & humid day last summer I came across a fellow guide sporting a long sleeve hoodie while guiding a couple of clients up the scorching Whitehorse Slabs. I thought he must be cooking in a long-sleeve hoodie (hood up) but he assured me he was quite comfortable. The garment in question? The Patagonia Men’s Sunshade Technical Hoodie.

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Buy on Patagonia.com

PATAGONIA MEN'S SUNSHADE TECHNICAL HOODY — PATAGONIA MEN’S SUNSHADE TECHNICAL HOODY

Interestingly this piece is marketed towards “flats fishing”. I’ll be honest and say I wasn’t sure what that was so I googled it. One of the first images was from http://www.flyfishingpatagonia.com:

cuba-flats-fishing — Image from http://www.flyfishingpatagonia.com/

So think tropic, hot, no shade, UV reflection from above & below. Got it?

Here’s Patagonia’s official description:

“On tropical Pacific atolls, the only thing more ferocious than a feeding GT is the sun. Fortunately, our Sunshade Technical Hoody, with its ultralight 3.54-oz polyester double-knit fabric and 25-UPF sun protection, offers full upper-body coverage and a cool, airy feel. Thumb holes pull the sleeves down to cover hands, built-in sun mask and hood fit easily over a baseball cap, reinforced stretch-woven inner forearms and side panels protect against abrasion and a convenient zippered pocket holds a few essentials. The Sunshade proudly flies a heat-transfer Fitz Roy Tarpon logo on the back. When the flats heat up, don’t wilt. Just throw on a Sunshade and keep fishing.”

So what is this piece doing on climbing guides in the White Mountains of New Hampshire at the 44th parallel north? It is the perfect hot weather piece with the added un-advertised benefit of being BLACK FLY PROOF!

Buy on Backcountry.com

Buy on Patagonia.com

Today was my last test run before I wanted to post up about it. We hiked 2 miles to an outback cliff as the mercury rose to 80 degrees. Humidity was mild given early season but we still worked up a sweat reaching the cliff. As soon as we dropped packs at the base of the climb we were swarmed by the black flies Mt. Chocurua is known for. It reminded me of a particularly trying day on nearby White Ledge last June. Here’s a pic to show the ferocity of these beasts on this mountain:

Despite still being warm from the hike in just my EMS Techwick T-shirt I threw the Patagonia Sunshade Hoodie on while we flaked out the rope and racked up. Instant relief from the onslaught of insects was had as the super thin hood fits easily under my climbing helmet keeping these blood suckers out of my ears. I also felt like I was cooling down faster than if I had just stayed in my t-shirt on this south facing cliff.

I wore it while leading all 4 pitches of this moderate south facing slab route and for the whole hike out. At just under 7 ounces this hoodie will be a staple in my summer guiding kit from now to cooler Fall temps.

Patagonia has made a few small changes to this seasons model, namely;

The chest pocket now has a vertical zipper instead of horizontal.
The hood is a little more relaxed with a button that allows some adjust-ability. This is a great change as the older model that I tested is quite snug at the neck which can make you feel a bit “closed in” when working really hard. The new design looks like a definite improvement.
They dropped the MRSP $10! This piece retails for $79 which I think is a great value for a piece backed by Patagonia’s excellent Ironclad Guarantee.

If you are fair skinned, or just like to “stay cool” on hot sweltering days you should take a look at this piece! You can buy one directly from Patagonia here or from Backcountry.com below! Also available in womens (without the chest pocket)!

Buy on Backcountry.com

Buy on Patagonia.com

Disclaimer: I bought this item with my own money from Moosejaw since the new one wasn’t out yet and EVERYONE was sold out of the old one. So… I guess I don’t need a disclaimer. I liked it so much I couldn’t wait to review it! Affiliate links help support this blog.

Patagonia Baby Capilene Silkweight Sun Hooded Long-Sleeve Shirt – Infant Boys’

Patagonia Baby Capilene Silkweight Sun Hooded Long-Sleeve Shirt – Infant Girls’

Patagonia Baby Capilene Silkweight Sun Hooded Long-Sleeve Shirt – Toddler Girls’

Patagonia Baby Capilene Silkweight Sun Hooded Shirt – Toddler Boys’

Patagonia Graphic Technical Fish Tee – Men’s

Patagonia R0 Hooded Sun Shirt – Long-Sleeve – Men’s

Patagonia Sunshade Crew – Men’s

Patagonia Sunshade Hooded Shirt – Women’s

Patagonia Sunshade Technical Hooded Shirt – Men’s

Patagonia Tropic Comfort II Hooded Shirt – Men’s

La Sportiva Batura 2.0 GTX Mountaineering Boots Review (and Giveaway!)

April 4, 2016September 16, 2016 David Lottmann Footwear Reviews, Gear Reviews ice climbing, lasportiva batura's, mount washington, mountaineering

I have just finished my 2nd winter season climbing in the award winning La Sportiva Batura 2.0 GTX Mountaineering Boots and I should have shared my impressions of this boot long before now. As the saying goes, better late than never!

La Sportiva Batura Review- Photo by http://www.brentdoscher.com/

Shopping for a high end mountaineering boot is stressful. Climbers will pour over online reviews, solicit advice from guides, climbing partners, shop employees, and so on. No doubt about it pulling the trigger on a $500+ purchase while imagining black toes, blisters, or cold feet can feel as sketchy as running out 50 feet of verglas with no protection. While there is some truth to the saying “If the shoe fits” the unfortunate reality is few climbing shops will stock the high end models, and special orders may seem risky with various return policies and shipping costs. What is a prospective buyer to do? Read, read, then read some more. To that end I’ll add the following personal opinions to the plethora of positive reviews already out on the interwebs.

But first, context. It would be good to know what similar products the reviewer has experience with if in order to validate their opinion. These are the boots I have climbed in extensively over the last 16 years, both leading ice climbs up to Grade 5 in difficulty and countless mountaineering trips up Mount Washington.

Koflach Verticals (discontinued)

Koflach Degre’s

Asolo Cholotse’s

Scarpa Mont Blanc Mountaineering Boots

Of these the Cholatse’s have a special place in my gear room as I am on my 2nd pair and are worthy of their own review. Long story short they are a tad lighter than the Batura’s but can not compete with the warmth of the Batura’s. It’s not a fair comparison though as the Cholatse’s do not have the built in super gaiter. I’ll get into more detail on the Cholatse’s in another review. Let’s focus on the guest of honor.

La Sportiva Batura 2.0 Mountaineering Boots Review

Style:

Is it a single boot with a gaiter? A synthetic hybrid? A double boot? What exactly are we looking at here?

The President of La Sportiva NA, Jonathon Lantz, calls it a true “1.5 boot”. Half way between the best single boot and the best double boot for warmth. An accurate description would be a technologically advanced single leather/synthetic hybrid with a built in super gaiter. Quite a mouthful, but there really is quite a bit of technology put into this boot! Before we dive into that though let’s look at fit:

Fit:

I am a very standard US Men’s Size 9 with a noticeable “Morton’s Toe”. The European size 42 fits me perfectly, as it has in the Asolo’s & Koflachs I have also worn. When comparing them to the Asolo Cholatse’s there is a slightly noticeable narrower feel to them. While my feet are medium width they are definitely not to snug for me but wider feet might have an issue with these. Narrower feet will really like the lacing system I am about to mention but low volume feet should consider swapping the factory insole out for a thicker insole like my well loved Superfeet REDHots.

Lacing:

Tucked underneath the velcro protected waterproof zipper is the boots lacing system. What sets this apart for other lacing systems is the integrated ratchet system just over the top of your foot. This ratchet system lets you get a snug lace which really holds the foot in place in the boot, critical for preventing toe bash on long descents and while repeated kicking into hard waterfall ice.

Waterproofness:

La Sportiva has essentially matched the bombproof waterproofness of a plastic boot but kept the boot breathable and much lighter. How? Two layers of Goretex. One within the boot itself, and another within the attached “super gaiter”. This technology was tested on one particularly drenching descent off Mount Washington this winter with 8+ inches of slush on the trail. I was not expecting my feet to stay dry given the conditions and felt a bit guilty when back at the shop my clients were wringing out their socks (they all wore plastic boots, so I’m thinking they must have stepped in a deeper flow at one or three of the waterbars that cross the trail).

Warmth:

I’ll need to confess a bit before I start talking about warmth. I have very warm feet. Fellow search & rescue members have raised eyebrows in the past when I’ve turned out with my Asolo Cholatse’s on, and while they have kept me warm while staying on the move in -20f temps with wind chills around -50f I have become more cautious about what I select for these missions that may involve a overnight bivouac with a patient. To that end if the mercury is down I’ll be in my Batura’s. Here’s why. The boot uses “Gore-Tex Insulated Comfort Technology“. While La Sportiva/Goretex doesn’t go into much detail about this technology there is noticeably more insulation in the boot than my 200gr Thinsulate Cholatse’s. The doubling up on the Goretex linings undoubtedly adds warmth while maintaining a small amount of true breath-ablility. The super-gaiter definitely adds a lot of warmth and I’m really a fan of having laces that never freeze (because they are 100% enclosed in the super-gaiter).

Coldest temps I’ve tested these: -27f ambient air temps with wind chills -50f to -60f. Feet were toasty while moving but I wouldn’t want to stand around for a hour. My sock of choice is the Smartwool Mountaineer Socks.

Were they as warm as my experiences with double plastic boots? Quite close really. The real difference here is the lack of a removable lining. This has implications for multi-day expeditions. A 5 day trip to Katahdin? No problem. A month long trip in Alaska? I might miss having a remove-able liner and would probably take a very close look at the La Sportiva Spantiks. As for day trip convenience if you don’t have one already pick up a decent boot dryer. I’m able to dry mine out daily during the busiest part of the guiding season and the drier really cuts down on any potential foot odor.

Comfort/Performance:

So how do they feel? Over the last two winters I have worn them up & down Mount Washington about 12 times, and ice climbed 30+ days in them. My feet were quite happy at the end of every day, which is saying something considering our low snow year has not given us the smooth sailing trail conditions we are used to. Mile after mile of uneven rocky scrambling, often with micro-spikes on to contend with acres of water ice covering trails most the season, and never a sore foot. While ice climbing the stiff carbon insole provides a stable platform while front pointing and the flexible uppers make flat footing super casual.

Crampon compatibility:

For mountaineering days I paired them with my older style Petzl Vasak crampons. They fit perfectly and the combo made for a very light boot/crampon match. For ice climbing I spent this season in the Black Diamond Cyborg crampons, again, a perfect fit.

Summary:

If you’ve read all this, or read any of the other reviews around the web, you’ve probably heard enough by now. They are one of the best single boot for ice climbing/mountaineering in the lower 48! They score high across the board and if you can find a shop that stocks them take a few minutes to slip a pair on. You can also order them from Amazon here!

Contest/Giveaway: Edit 5/1/16 (CONGRATS TO WINNER TODD R!)

It’s been far to long since I’ve offered up some tasty shwag to my readers so today I’m offering up something that any outdoors person should be psyched to get. A VSSL Supplies Kit, worth $109.99! You can read my review of this clever product here. Simple to enter, just comment below on what your favorite boots are. Hiking, climbing, skiing, it doesn’t matter. Just keep it about footwear and you’re entered! All commentators will be entered into a climbing helmet and the winner will be drawn and announced on 5/1/2016. I think we’ll have a video clip of the drawing as Alex is pretty pumped about being the lottery official.

You can now follow North East Alpine Start on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well as signing up for email notifications at the “Follow” link at the very top tight of this page.

See you in the mountains,

NEAlpineStart

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which help to fund this website.

Give’r Four Season Gloves Review

March 15, 2016September 20, 2016 David Lottmann Gear Reviews, Glove Reviews Give'r Glove Review, Give'r Gloves, Kinco Ski Gloves

How much thought should one put into their choice of gloves for mountain adventures? If you are a hiker, climber, or skier, you probably spend a fair amount of time thinking about your glove choice. After all, our clothing is really “gear” that needs to perform well by keeping us warm and dry in a variety of adverse conditions under different levels of exertion. To that end most mountaineers head into the hills with 2 or 3 pairs of gloves meant to adapt to the situation. A common system, and one I’ve used for over a decade, is a 3 pair system.

An ultra thin wicking glove liner that I can use on sweaty approaches rather than going bare knuckle… one shouldn’t handle cold crampons with bare hands and one doesn’t have to if one uses glove liners…
A medium weight type glove for colder ascents. Still super breathable so a great choice for super cold but high exertion type climbing before you get above treeline. Coincidentally these Outdoor Research Alibi II gloves also rock at harder technical ice climbing.
A “full on” glove. Ski glove. Mountaineer’s glove. Warm, and waterproof, but a bit bulky (read less-dexterous), but able to keep our very important digits from going numb in the coldest conditions.

This where the newly released Give’r Four Season Gloves come in.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — The 4-Season Give’r Gloves Review

First, what does “Give’r” mean? From the Giver’r website it means “To give it your all, go for it”. This grassroots company started in Wyoming in 2011 first with hats then launched it’s website in March 2012 with a line of adventurous quality “lifestyle” clothing.

Philosophy: Give’r promotes a lifestyle fueled by passion, purpose, challenge and adventure. We aim to inspire the unrelenting pursuit of dreams, the confidence to take the road less traveled, and the desire to share the wonders of life with others. Give’r represents an inclusive lifestyle embodied by those who frequently ask the question, “Why not?”. – www.give-r.com

I heard about the company a few months ago via their social media campaign, specifically sponsored Facebook items in my news feed announcing a new “four season” glove that looked much like my beloved Kincos. I reached out to their Marketing Team and was sent a demo pair to test months before they would be available to the public. This new four season glove is built upon the successful Give’r Classic Gloves:

Give'r Classic Gloves — Give’r Classic Gloves- photo from http://www.give-r.com

Still insulated with an all leather exterior, they’ve added some beefiness, a leather skirt, elastic cuff, improved the design to be form fitting, and reinforced areas for durability. The biggest addition is the waterproof membrane which makes the 4-Season Gloves 100% waterproof and windproof without needing any maintenance (unlike Kincos).

As an avalanche course leader I spend quite a bit of time poking my hands into cold snow. While this winter may have seemed mild we did hit a record breaking -40f and I spent quite a few days above treeline in “crazy cold” conditions. The Give’r Four Season Gloves easily matched the warmth of my trusted Kinco Ski Gloves.

The 4-Season Give'r Gloves Review — Checking snowpack layering at 4000 feet with the 4-Season Give’r Gloves

So what sets them apart from Kincos? First, I’d say the fit. After a couple of days break-in these felt comfortable enough to lead moderate ice climbs (Grade 3 or lower in my opinion). I’d certainly opt for my more form fitting Outdoor Research Alibi 2’s for any grade 4 or harder, but for cold weather Grade 3 these worked great*! I even grabbed a bit of GoPro footage and dusted off the old iMovie skills for a quick clip of them in action. Please excuse my mention that Give’r was out of Utah. Give’r is a Wyoming based company!

So they were dexterous enough for Grade 3 ice climbing. If I was focused on just ice climbing with them I’d grade them a solid B. While that might seem low consider my ratings for some other uses:

Mountaineering A+

Ski Mountaineering A+

Back-country Skiing A+

Lift Service Skiing A+

Winter Hiking/Camping A+

Snowshoeing A+ (if it is really cold out)

Snow Blowing the Driveway A++

Shoveling the Driveway A+ (you should get a snowblower)

Sledding A++

Making a Snowman A+++

Extreme Snow Angel Making A+++

Obviously these gloves have a place in your quiver of gloves since most winter enthusiasts enjoy 4+ of the above activities. There’s a couple of other things that set this company’s gloves apart from anything you’ve probably ever purchased.

1. Customization. The Give’r Classic Gloves offer free** initial engraving on each pair. This is pretty cool as there is no way your climbing partner or significant other is going to try to booty your gloves when they’ve basically been branded. 3-initials is the limit, so I can think of a few acronyms I might opt for rather than my own initials.

Giver Gloves Review — Give’r Gloves customization- photo from http://www.giver-r.com

2. Hand applied wax coating. The company offers this personal service for hand treating the leather with SnoSeal to double the waterproofness and help preserve the leather. Personally, I enjoy this step to much to have someone else do it. It’s therapeutic. But maybe you are busy and want someone to treat them for you? $10 gets the job done!

Finally another big difference between this and similar style gloves is the use of a 100% waterproof Hipora lining. There are some advantages and disadvantages to this construction.

The Disadvantage:

Drying time. The combination of liner + leather exterior really limits feasible breath-ability. If moisture gets in the glove from either perspiration or bad habits (don’t drop your gloves in the snow while putting your crampons on) it will be hard for it to exit. I noticed after two hours on my electric boot/glove dryer I still had moisture in the finger tips after a long field day. Reaching out to the manufacturer I confirmed this is an issue, and the seal around the wrist that is so good at keeping snow and cold out of the glove is equally good at not letting the warm electric dryer air let that vapor out when trying to “hyper” dry.

The best option? Don’t use an electric dryer, prop them open with an empty paper towel tube, and sit them upright on my baseboard heaters. This solution allowed them to dry fully overnight after a rather damp day on the hill. The key here is airflow in & out of the glove.

The Advantage:

Greater warmth and bombproof water-proofness! With the Hipora lining & treated leather you’ve got essentially a vapor barrier type system. High altitude climbers know the benefits (and disadvantages) of using vapor barrier socks, pants, shirts, etc. There is no question that these gloves, while similar in appearance to my Kinco Ski Gloves, are indeed warmer given this property. This advantage diminishes with multi-day trips away from drying sources, but for day outings in arctic cold these are the bomb.

Summary:

A new comer to the true 4 season glove market I think this company is got a hit with this new model. I’m anxious to try their Classic model which is available to purchase directly from their website here. The 4 Season Model is currently in the Kickstarter phase and early supporters are able to secure some of the first shipments in June 2016 for $69/pair, 30% off the retail price of $99 by pledging here. There are a limited number of pre-orders available (as of the date and time of this post 444/735) so if you want to get in on a pair now is a great time!

Disclaimer: While the pair I tested was provided at no charge it was only a loaner and has been returned to the manufacturer. To that end I could not comment much on durability though the manufacturer has provided quite a bit of info regarding how well these hold up, and personal inspection indicates they would probably out live my Kinco Ski Gloves (901 model) which are showing some seam failure on the end of their 2nd full winter season (keep in mind that’s still a lot of field days!). All this aside, these opinions are my own and I’m happy to pinky swear.

Coming up: Avalanche course season is drawing to a close. For those participants waiting on photos/write ups I’ll be combing the Level 1 two weeks ago and the 2 Level 2’s ending this week all in one season recap later this week. Thanks for reading!

See you in the Mountains,

NEAlpineStart