Petzl Corax Climbing Harness

Both Petzl and Black Diamond make climbing equipment of incredible quality. Arc'teryx also makes some really incredible lightweight harnesses - ideal for gym climbers or dedicated lightweight sport climbers. Don't let this review influence your personal preferences too much - there are many comparable harnesses from many different climbing manufacturers, and comfort and usability should be priorities when choosing a sit-harness.

I found the Petzl Corax to be one of the best climbing harnesses I've used, both in terms of comfort and load-bearing ability. I've climbed in the Metolius Safetech, Black Diamond's Momentum and Bod, Petzl's Sama and Adjama - the Corax is amazingly comfy, not too expensive, and it can handle as much gear as you want to carry.

Pros: Padded, incredibly comfortable to hang in. Can handle more gear than you need, comfortably. Has a double-adjustable waist, with two auto-locking buckles (allows you to really fine tune the fit). The Size 1 Corax fits an incredible range of waists (28-35ish) Durability, durability, durability - This thing is bomber, from the design of the leg loops and wasitbelt to the belay loop, it won't let you down one bit.

Cons: Not as lightweight or low-profile as Petzl's lighter trad and sport harnesses, such as the Sama or the Hirundos. If looking to wear under a pack for alpine climbing or ski mountaineering, consider something less bulky. The Corax is not as breathable as these more mesh-constructed harnesses either, though the difference is fairly minimal in my opinion.





This harness is comfy for pitch after pitch of sport, trad, and as many hanging belays as you can handle! four gear loops, padded legs and waist, auto-locking buckles, and a brilliant green belay loop. Nice job, Petzl.

Check out our full selection of harnesses and climbing equipment on our website!

Sea-To-Summit Pocket Shower

Pros: Super lightweight and packable. Has a large water capacity for how small it packs. Nozzle allows for adjustable flow, and is easy to use.

Cons: Doesn't heat as fast as some similar 'solar' shower models. However, if left all day in the sun, the Pocket Shower provides lukewarm-warm water at the end of a long day of hiking and adventuring!

I think that Sea to Summit did a good job designing this camp shower. The real advantage is the weight - super light, and it packs very small. I don't know about the rest of you, but I hate carrying extra stuff that doesn't get used. It's hard for me to justify even the small amount of extra space it takes to pack a 'shower' on a backcountry trip. That's like... three Clif bars. Extra fuel. Extra coffee.

Anyways. Sea to Summit has designed a small, packable camp shower that also happens to work well! I had to back the nozzle off a little bit at first, as the flow was sort of funky - sort of uneven. After that I got used to how the shower worked, and it was actually quite enjoyable - the flow was adjustable all the way from a tiny trickle to an adequate shower! I left it hanging all day, collecting heat. After a long day, the air-temperature (maybe a bit warmer) water felt really nice. I have to admit that showering outside is much more fun than showering inside. I had forgotten this, since the last time I used an outdoor shower I was somewhere between the age of six and ten.

I'd give this product a good to great review, but my own personal preference is bathing in rivers and lakes! Nothing beats that, in my opinion. However, the shower does exactly what it is designed to do, and it does it well! I can see how this would be very useful on a desert trip especially - areas where running water or larger bodies are scarce, and bathing can be tougher. If given a choice between bringing or not bringing the Pocket Shower on backpacking trips this summer, i'm going to have to go with the latter - as I described though, this is a matter of my own personal preference - no extra nonessential stuff!

If you're looking for a lighter-weight shower that still has great water capacity, then the Sea to Summit Pocket Shower is a great choice. If you really need a shower that gets hot quickly, get a more dedicated solar shower. Otherwise, the combo of price, weight, and simplicity is hard to beat! Props to STS.

Black Diamond Venom Ice Axe

Pros: Fairly lightweight, with a very well-balanced swing. It plunges and self-arrests very well. The slightly bent shaft provides additional clearance over snow/ice. The tech pick provides good balance between technical performance on ice/hard snow and self-arrest capability, but can be switched out if a less-aggressive pick is preferred.

Cons: Not as lightweight as Black Diamond's Raven Pro, which is better suited for lightweight ounce-counters engaging in moderate climbing. Not as effective - in terms of technical ability on harder ice and mixed climbs - as some of the other tools on the market.

This ice axe fills a very interesting niche. It is technical enough to be used on almost anything but the hardest pure ice and mixed routes. However, the Venom's shaft and spike still plunges for boot-axe belays and moderate slopes, and either pick (comes with two interchangeable) self-arrests with just as much purchase as any classic mountaineer's piolet.

I used this axe on my latest climb on Shasta, and was very impressed by how well it performed. The 64cm was not too short, not too long. I had the adze (not the hammer), and switched out the regular pick for the tech pick. The swing of the tool was perfect for steeper, consolidated slopes, and Black Diamond's tech pick has excellent bite in hard snow and ice. However, using the ice axe as a walking-aid while climbing the moderate slopes of Shasta was a total breeze, and the shaft plunges easily and securely for a boot-axe belay, self-belay, etc. The leash that comes with the Venom is easy to cinch on the wrist with one hand, and can be easily loosened the same way. While swinging overhead, the leash actually does a great job of supporting the wrist and hand comfortably.

If you're going to be primarily climbing nothing but moderate snow, and need a classic mountaineering axe without any crossover capability into the technical world, I would choose something a little bit lighter (why not?). Otherwise, it would seem to me that the Venom is the perfect hybrid ice axe/technical tool for moderate and intermediate routes in our Cascades. A good combo of tools to consider would be the Venom (adze) with a regular pick, and a Venom (hammer) with the tech pick!

Props to Black Diamond - I almost never fail to be impressed by the scope of their R & D, and all of their gear's functional simplicity.

View our selection of Ice Axes and Mountaineering Equipment here!

Montrail Mountain Masochist

Well. Beside being a fan of alliteration, and the color orange, this shoe really did it for me in a couple other ways as well.


Pros: Incredibly lightweight. Very, very breathable. Outsole has incredible traction on slippery surfaces and rough rock with ease.

Cons: Has a very high-posted heel. Also has a fairly short and narrow heel counter. This could potentially cause problems for certain foot structures. Personally, I like the way the shoe feels. It fits my foot great for running, and even hiking with a cragging pack. I usually wear a 10.5, but sized down to a 10.

I use these shoes as my every day shoe. I found that they provided the right balance of support and weight - with outstanding traction on all types of surfaces. I've used them on approach to the crag, on light hiking trips, on day hikes, during several creek crossings, and for trail running. They get wet at the drop of a hat, but they dry in no time. They even work great while carrying a 35-40 lb pack. I hiked for about six or seven miles with that amount of weight, on a fairly un-maintained trail, and my feet felt perfectly fine. I plan on using them for a 12 day backpacking trip in the Sierra this August.

I also use the Mountain Masochist as my every-day running shoe. I try to run on trail as much as possible with them, but their sole and even flex made them just as comfortable on the pavement. I haven't had any issues with durability or wear and tear - and the more dirt you get on them, the better they look. I did add a pair of the blue Superfeet insoles to them, as the stock insole is fairly flimsy EVA foam. This made them fit even better.

I am very impressed with this shoe.

Personally, I don't care very much for the rest of Montrail's line of footwear. I don't really like the style or the fit of the pairs i've tried. The Mountain Masochist really made an impression on me however - a really solid balance of affordability, weight, support, and traction. I'm convinced that the Mountain Masochist is the most well-designed and lightest trail runner/thru-hiker shoe on the market this season.


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