GearFlogger

Suunto T6c heart rate monitor

Normally I rely on the SheFlogger to tell me how out of shape I am. No longer. I unpacked the Suunto t6c heart rate monitor, a scary, glossy malevolent presence in my cardio-free home. I stared at it, and it stared back. "You fat fuck," I heard it say. After an hour of affirmational self-talk I fired it up and entered my vital stats. I had solid base data from a waterboarding session at Seattle Performance Medicine and I entered it in.

The chest belt is soft, not like some HRM straps that feel like a giant watch band around your nipples. It synced with the wrist unit seamlessly and I was off the couch. I won't bore you with all the spec details; the t6c does everything any other HRM does, and a whole lotta more. You can get a feel for it by downloading some of the training guides, the quantity and quality of which set Suunto head and shoulders above the competition. This document goes into the t6c's specialty, how it measures EPOC - excess post exercise oxygen consumption - and how to maximize training effect. The t6c utilizes your VO2max and lactate threshold numbers as well, so it's a party.

The t6c also has a built-in altimeter, something most other HRMs lack. Mountaineers, ski randoneers and tri-freaks will appreciate the ability to track vert until the cows come home. You can even strap it on and let it run all day to give you a baseline caloric burn guide, it's got the memory to hold it. And there's a women's version. Suunto has "pods" for every conceivable use, including a chest strap that can record data without the wrist unit for events where watches are not allowed. For teams there is all kind of functionality that lets a coach track multiple athletes simultaneously, seriously kick-ass. The software is a bit geekish, but with manual in hand you'll get it wired. Bottom line: the t6c is hands-down the best HRM for backcountry athletes serious about taking their game to the next level.

$399.00 at Backcountry

Julbo Explorer glacier glasses

Eye protection is one of those critical items that need redundancy in your packing list. It's also a very personal piece of gear, much like boots. It has to fit well or you'll notice it every minute. The Julbo Explorer glacier glasses are definitly worth a look if you're traveling into thin air.

The Explorers are a stout piece of eyewear, weighing in at 1.7oz with their side shields and leash. They don't come with a nose protector, but that's easily solved with a NozKon, and there's even a little slot on the bridge for it (note the production models don't have the little vertical piece in the middle of the slot). The lenses are very dark and perfect for high-glare snow travel. There are actually three different lenses; I tried the Camel photochromic, polarized anti-fog lens and it's a winner: for such full coverage they don't fog too quickly.

The side shields add just a little bit extra coverage, and they snap in and out easily. They also have a matching vent hole so they don't obstruct the hole on the frame, and the holes are angled so you won't get a little laser sunburn. The arms are beefy; don't expect a lot of peripheral vision, but that just goes with the format. The temples are adjustable, which is good because the leash attachment points might poke your brain if you don't give them a little twist outward. The Explorers nail the feature list nicely.

From $120.00 at REI

Sierra Designs Wicked Hot 45 sleeping bag

It's Earth Day, time to remember that green is not just a color for seasick puppies, St. Patrick's Day beer or that stuff in the back of your fridge. It's how companies like Sierra Designs are approaching gear design, and if you're sleeping with Mother Earth you darn well ought to be looking at an eco-sensitive bag like the Wicked Hot 45.

The ultralight 23oz Wicked Hot is, as you might suspect, rated to 45F, perfect for summer outings or a safety bag. It gets there using a bouncy 10oz of PrimaLoft Eco, which combines 50% recycled fibers with the virgin stuff. It stuff down to smaller than a quart bottle, so there's no excuse to leave it at home.

There's no hood on the Wicked Hot, which is fine for the temp rating. It's got straps on the back to keep you on your pad, and a cinch cord around the neck. The best thing is the fully separating zipper that goes all the way around the foot box, so you can use the semi-rectangular Wicked Hot as a comforter. That's no small thing, and makes it even handier to keep around say in the back of your car. Available in regular and long.

$179.99 at Moosejaw

Mountain Hardwear Epic women's rain jacket

Epics make great stories but the thrill is usually lost in the middle of the experience when you're soaking wet and full of pain. Twelve ounces of prevention can prevent the wet part at least, with Mountain Hardwear's back-to-basics Epic rain jacket. The Epic is an inexpensive way to keep the hitch out of your giddyup in wet climes.

We tested the women's version in retina-burning Green Flash and as advertised, it is fully waterproof courtesy of Mountain Hardwear's Conduit Silk shell material and taped seams. The material has its ups - it's lightweight and tougher than dinosaur crap - and its downs - it gets pretty clammy if you're planning on firing up the boiler, so wear a base layer. The Epic has pit zips and venting mesh pockets to compensate, but if you're looking for serious breathability you'll need to move up to one of MH's more technical materials.

The Epic has a roll-away hood with one-pull adjustment and a reinforced brim, rip-and-stick cuffs, dual hem drawcords and two hand warmer pockets with zips and flaps. Instead of a chest pocket there's an zippered arm pocket on the upper left sleeve. It's just big enough for credit cards and an iPod. The front zipper is fully flapped with top and bottom snaps and a microfleece chin guard. A trim womanly fit rounds things out; although the jacket is a tad larger than the size would suggest the waist is definitely anatomically correct. If you're looking for a modern take on a classic hard-shell rain jacket at a reasonable price, check out the Epic.

$58.95 (on sale from $99.00) at Mountaingear

Black Diamond Carbon Fiber Flicklock probe

When Cartman got an anal probe do you think the aliens used crappy old aluminum technology? Hell no, they used carbon fiber. And if I know my anal probes, which I do, it was a Black Diamond QuickDraw Carbon Fiber Probe 230, the choice of anal-probing aliens across the galaxy.

Also useful for avalanche search the CF230 is a beauty: 7.5 feet of hi-tech glossy goodness weighing in at a meager 8.4oz. Probes don't get any faster to deploy: grab the plastic coated wire loop, whip it out and pull. The six sections snap into place with a cool auto-locking bushing thingy at the end and wah-lah, you're good to probe.

The sections are marked with 5cm rings for snow pack analysis. They are also shorter than normal, the longest (sharp end) being only 17.5in for easy packability. The handle section has a sandpaper-like grip, and the included bright safety yellow bag has a velcro lid instead of a drawstring for easy access. Performance is solid and reliable; the aluminum tip pierces nasty debris as good as any probe out there, and the no-slip strip will save your grip as you make your grid. And don't let a real emergency be your debut: go find a beacon park and practice.

$58.46 (on sales from $64.95) at Backcountry

Mountain Hardwear Advance Lightweight Zip T

Hands-down one of the most useful pieces of mountain wear is the long-sleeve zip-t. Mountain Hardwear's Advance Lightweight Zip T is state-of-the-art, unbelievably thin and light with excellent durability and serious wicking power, thanks to a channel weave construction.

The Zip T weighs in at 5.8oz, the lightest piece of this kind that we've seen. My first concern was durability, but the Zip T shrugs it all off. If you're truly ham-handed and like to rip your clothing off you might want something thicker, but for normal wear-and-tear and abrasion-resistance the Zip T has no worries.

One nice touch is no pocket; since base layers by definition go on under layers I've never understood why some vendors insist on putting pockets everywhere. The Advance Zip T has a few subtle but truly appreciated touches. A zipper garage at the neck protects your gullet from zipper bites, a longish hem will provide good overlap with your bottoms as well as not leave a seam under your harness and hipbelt, and an anti-microbial Chitosan finish made from crustacean shells keeps the reek at bay.

$44.95 at Backcountry

Black Diamond Transfer 3 shovel

Shovel: friend or enemy? Choose wisely, and it will be your boon backcountry companion. Choose poorly and your mouth will have the permanent taste of ass, even as your back pains you. Black Diamond's Transfer shovels come in peace. And pieces, for excellent packability.

The Transfer 3 scoops .3 gallons, the Transfer 7 scoops .7. The 3 is perfect for both big mountains and backcountry light. It's 23oz and it breaks down as shown. Note you can't push the handle all the way through the blade like you can on Black Diamond's other shovel, the Deploy. The shaft is trapezoidal (latin for "not round") so it doesn't rotate as you try to lock the pins. The T handle has an cutaway in back that makes it mitten-friendly much like a D. The anchor rigging holes are too small for a carabiner but will take webbing and cord just fine.

The handle extends to 33in on the 3 and 34in on the 7, saving your back. Last time up Denali I took a short-handled shovel and paid the price: I can still taste the ass, and everything I eat tastes like... well, you get the point. For avalanche work the flat bottom makes a clean cut, and the aluminum blade is tough enough for reliably chopping through debris. The smaller volume blade is your friend here: you're going to be moving a lot of snow fast and endurance is important. Do the math: 1 meter deep = 1 ton of snow. So grab a Transfer and a copy of Strategic Shoveling and go practice.

$44.95 at REI

NozKon nose protector

A little something for your schnoz, the NozKon is a better but still not perfect nose protector. I suppose these things work for most people most of the time, but mountaineering in general and glacier mountaineering specifically require a little more from a nose shield.

What's great about the NozKon, aside from the clever name: ability to cut down the size for smaller noses, soft material and natural curved shape. What could be better: a little more coverage where the nose meets the face a longer loop for technical sunglasses (you could always cut it down) would be a great start.

Ideally the bottom of the NozKon would bend inward to protect the tip and sides of the nostrils; that would be seriously cool if they could figure out how to make that work. Until the perfect nose protector comes along the NozKon is probably the best thing going, unless you make your own out of duct tape.

From $4.99 at NozKon