GearFlogger

CAMP USA Alp 95 harness

Sometimes when I'm alone at home I like to put on the SheFlogger's thong. It helps me feel special. Now I can get the same feeling on the mountain with the CAMP Alp 95, a butt-floss of a harness for low-angle alpine and adventure racing use.

The Alp 95 weighs in at 3.5oz, about as much as a locking carabiner. An upgraded version of CAMP's XLH 95, the Alp adds a tie-in point and an adjustable waist belt. There is a loop on each side if you want to add a 'biner to rack gear, but the Alp really shines underneath a pack. The Alp lived under my Mchale hip belt on Denali this year and was not even noticable, as long as you don't get the little pad behind the buckle underneath. And make sure the waist belt lies flat before putting your pack on.

I didn't spend much hang time in the Alp for obvious reasons, but properly adjusted it is comfortable enough. The leg loops run small, and that can present a sizing problem; measure your thighs first if you're ordering online, because you might have to move up a size. That will mean you'll have to crank the waist down all the way. I'd like to see the leg loops an inch or two bigger for each size. Other than that the Alp really cuts down on weight. You see a lot of climbers sporting pound-plus harnesses on routes like Denali's West Buttress and Rainier when the Alp would do just fine.

$39.95 at CAMP USA

Merrell Carbon jacket

True GearFloggers have the same reaction to the word carbon as they do to titanium; both must be zug-zugged on site, like Barbara Bach in Caveman. Merrell's Carbon jacket is not actually made from carbon, but it is a really nice little hard shell that I'm pleased to say fully removes the bad taste of their Morph from my mouth. Must be the mouthwash color, actually a very pleasant saturated green that looks much better live than in pictures.

The Carbon is 100% backcountry compliant, a handsome little 13.7oz piece of waterproof Gore-Tex Paclite that embodies true minimalist spirit: Three zippered pockets include two for hands and, for some reason contrary to some reviews I've seen, there is an interior mesh pocket as well, generously sized with an elastic sub-pocket for music players and a cord port. The hood stows away neatly for about-town use, but note that it's not helmet-compatible. The brim is nice and stiff so it'll stay out of your grill.

Adjustments include one-way down-to-open pit zips (you'll want to add zipper pulls), rip-and-stick cuffs, and drawcord hood and hem. Paclite is an excellent choice for light weight, compact storage and waterproof/breathable performance. Quibbles are minor: Paclite is less expensive but sacrifices some durability compared to Gore-Tex Pro Shell, the hand pockets ride under a pack hip belt and there's no zipper garage (there is a full length zipper flap). Those design choices and the non-helmet compatible hood make it not appropriate for hard alpine use, but for travel, light to medium duty fastpacking and high-output aerobic activity the Merrell Carbon is a great choice.

$228.95 at Backcountry

CAMP Warehouse Sale

If you live near Denver this is your lucky weekend. From the press release: CAMP USA Announces Spring Warehouse Sale in Broomfield, CO. The late season dumps are over, spring is in full effect and with it the climbing season. Launch into the season with new gear at great prices.

CAMP Technical Adventure Equipment (makers of all things climbing) will be holding its Spring Warehouse Sale in Broomfield, CO (directly between Boulder and Denver on Hwy 36) from Saturday, June 20 – Monday, June 22. Join us for the best prices on climbing gear you'll see this year. The sale will be in full effect from 8-5 each day.

Hundreds of closeouts, overstocks and samples on sale. Killer deals on harnesses, carabiners, protection, axes, crampons, helmets, packs, backcountry ski gear and other climbing and alpine equipment. CAMP USA - 580 Burbank Street, Ste 105 - Broomfield, CO 80020.

Energizer Trailfinder 1 Watt LED Headlight

I don't know if there's any truth to the rumor that the little pink Energizer bunny is the unholy offspring of Barney the purple dinosaur (of indeterminate sexual orientation) and a Hostess Sno-Ball, but it's my job to pass these things on. In any case the bunny now has a line of Trailfinder outdoor lights that are pretty decent.

We tested the 1 Watt LED Headlight; other models are available with fewer, smaller light configurations and they are even less expensive. The Trailfinder is a working man's headlamp: i.e. a bit bulky and heavy at 4.6oz, but those are the only dings. What you get for not much money is a solid, dependable headlamp, and bonus: it comes with three Energizer batteries. The Trailfinder 1 Watt has three modes: two small LEDs (50 hours) for general flood illumination; two small red LEDs (75 hours) for low-light and night vision; and a honkin' big 1 watt LED (11 hours) to blind your enemies. We never maxed out the listed run times but they seem reasonable.

All lighting modes function well, and the red lights are particularly useful for saving battery life and not ruining your night vision. They also won't wake up your tent mates when you're trying to find something in the dark.The battery compartment is easily accessible, and there's a forward tilt feature that is solid enough to use on the trail. The wide headband is comfy and fully adjustable even over helmets. Other lights may be lighter, run longer or shine brighter, but if you're on a budget the Trailfinder lights provide excellent value.

$21.87 at Lowe's

Merrell Morph jacket

Merrell makes awesome footwear, so you'd think they could translate that expertise into apparel. You'd be disappointed. The Merrell Morph jacket is an abomination in the eyes of dog. Wait, that doesn't sound right...

Merrell makes a classic mistake in trying to produce an all-in-one device. The Morph has removable hood and sleeves, and everything is reversible, so technically it's an 18-in-1 piece. Seriously. Have a couple beers and do the math. What you really have is a jacket or vest, with a hood or without, and you can mix and match the facing. One face is a smooth nylon and the other a soft polyester with a jersey look and feel.

The overall look is 1980s Member's Only; it's not quite ugly, just outdated. With all the zippers and snaps required it's a heavy jacket at 1lb 11oz for a men's medium. Even the sizing falls short, literally: the sleeves will be too tight and short for most men who wear a medium. Performance is compromised pretty much across the board; it doesn't breathe or wick well, and will only shed a very light rain. Mabye a budget-crunched college student looking for something to wear to class might look twice at the Morph, but it should stay out of the backcountry. What can I say? Back to the drawing board, Merrell.

$129.00 at Merrell

Big Agnes Insulated Air Core sleeping pad

Sawing logs and counting sheep are two of my favorite things, and they're both a lot easier at altitude with my phat ass parked on top of a beefy sleeping pad. The Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Mummy Pad can take the thunder, especially for you side sleepers out there like me who hate having your bony hips bottom out whilst tossing and turning.

I'm a big believer in the two-pad system for extreme cold: an inflatable parked on top of a closed cell foam pad will usually do the trick, and then you're also protected against pad failure. The Big Agnes Insulated Air Core series has long been a GearFlogger favorite, and this time up the mountain we packed the mummy version, size regular; it's also available in short and long versions. It performed flawlessly. Comfort was excellent, although larger folk with floppy limb syndrome might want to consider a wide version, unfortunately not available in mummy format.

The mummy is the lightest in this series at 21oz for 20x72in. Although I was a little concerned about having two extra corners, there were absolutely no problems aside from getting my lungs to work to inflate the big bastard. The extra air is needed to inflate the mummy to its 2.5 inches of glorious butt-absorbing goodness. Despite the beefiness the mummy compacts down to smaller than a 32oz Nalgene for excellent packability. Whichever Air Core you choose you can't go wrong.

$79.95 at REI

Outdoor Research Gorilla Balaclava

One of the best things about mountaineering is being able to wear a balaclava without getting pulled over by the police or kicked in the head by Chuck Norris. When it's time to get your inner ninja on pull on a Gorilla 'clava from Outdoor Research.

The Gorilla goes normal clavas one better with a collection of features: it's Windstopper, it has a nose shield that directs your nasty booger spray away from your shades, a fine mesh covers your mouth, and the face shield is removable via velcro straps on either side.

The Gorilla fits very close because it's not a pull-over; instead it has Velcro on the side to open the face up for putting on and taking off. It's cut lower in front to cover your chin, and higher in back so you'll want a high collar to cover the gappage; if you've got a hood you're all set. The inside is supersoft fleece. All in all, very nice and suitable for extreme conditions where you want no square inch of skin uncovered. Be aware: like all Windstopper headwear it muffles sound a little, and when you rip off the Velcro closure it's pretty loud inside.

$49.95 at Backcountry

Marmot Fjell women's jacket

Holy sweetness and light. The Marmot Fjell women's jacket is a beautiful execution of Gore-Tex Pro Shell that hits all the right notes. Weighing in at a feathery 1lb 1oz for a size small the Fjell is equally at home frontcountry, backcountry and just about anywhere else.

The design has a sculpted fit, dropped hem and looks that kill, but don't be fooled: the Fjell is all bidness. It's waterproof and eminently breathable thanks to the Pro Shell. The hood slips over a helmet (or really big hair), and there's a removable powder skirt that reduces the weight another few ounces for serious go-fasters. The cuffs are rip-and-stick adjustable to slide under gloves easily, and the two zippered external chest hand pockets also function as vents. There's a zippered mesh interior pocket for your stash.

Hem and hood drawcords with nifty keepers inside will fit you up. A full length zipper flap with Velcro tabs will keep the bad out. For laying a skin track uphill, or just wearing in the rain on a warmish day, crank open the pit zips. Gore's Pro Shell is a sublime material, venting well, not nearly as crinkley when cold as early versions, and without the clammy feel of some waterproof/breathable materials. The Marmot Fjell is a perfect mating of form and function. On the outs with the SheFlogger? On a get-out-of-the-doghouse scale of 1 to 5, the Fjell rates a six.

$425.00 at Moosejaw

DMM Wallnuts passive pro

The name Wallnuts reminds me of a drinking game in college where you face a wall while holding a ping pong ball above your head. Upon dropping said ball you attempt to pin it to the wall with your forehead. If you miss you drink. Ah, good times.

DMM's Wallnuts are a considerably smarter investment, especially by the set. Every rack needs some good old-fashioned passive pro, and every climber should know how to place nuts and hexes. The Wallnuts are lightweight, inexpensive and work like champs. They have a concave taper on the sides and the front is convex with a little trough running top to bottom. This complex (for a nut) shape makes the Wallnuts work better than anything else in irregular slots.

The color coded heads make it easier to grab the right size with a little experience, and anything that helps with efficiency of placement on the sharp end is allright by me. At under a Benjamin for a full set #1 to 10 you just can't go wrong. As with all nuts, make sure you have a nut tool to extract after loading.

$89.96 (on sale from $99.95) at Backcountry

Arc'Teryx Dually belay parka

Aside from being named after a gas-guzzling redneck pickup truck, the Arc'Teryx scores mostly bullseyes with its new Dually belay parka. The lightweight pound and a half Dually uses their new ThermaTek insulation inside a high-gloss, slightly crinkley DWR shell.

ThermaTek is a new synthetic insulation that bills itself as being 100% hydrophobic due to each individual fiber being DWR treated. In practice it does a great job of maintaining warmth while wet, critical when your rope gun partner is raining hunks of ice on you while you're sitting in a wet and cold belay station. It also compresses at least as well as any other synthetic on the market and maybe just a tad better.

Nice touches include a snap at the hem so you can unzip the 2-way zipper a bit from the bottom and have a nice little hole for your belay device without any loose ends flapping around. Every alpine jacket should have this feature. The Dually has two extra-large stretchy pockets inside for water bottles, another big plus. There are two external zippered handwarmer pockets that for some reason have a microfleece lining that feels great until it gets wet. The hood is helmet compatible, the zipper flap is a nice stout design that flares at the top and there's a small but functional stretchy draft collar inside. Note: no chest pockets, which is fine because if you're wearing three layers chances are you've got chest pockets on every one of them already.

The Dually is a great synthetic parka no doubt. My guess is most people will find it comfortable down to about zero degrees Fahrenheit with a medium weight layer underneath. One minor but important piece of weirdness is the size: it's way bigger than you think, and that will throw a lot of people who are used to the tailored cut of Arc'Teryx clothing. Go at least a size down and you'll still have plenty of room for layers.

$498.95 at Backcountry