GearFlogger

Black Diamond ATC Guide belay device

New and improved, the Black Diamond ATC Guide is back and better than ever. Every rack should have a tube-style belay device that can be rigged off the belay anchor in auto-blocking mode, and the 3.1oz ATC Guide is a perfect example of how to do it right.

Improvements to the Guide are minor but appreciated. The cutouts on the sides reduce weight slightly, and the larger hole for releasing the autoblock will take a small carabiner. Still present are the two friction modes, the higher of which is much appreciated when Mr. Fatty Pants is on the other end of the cord.

The ATC Guide accepts ropes from 7.7 to 11mm and feeds them smoothly. Pair it up with a dedicated belay carabiner like BD's own Gridlock or Petzl's Freino, and you've got yourself a party.

$27.95 at REI

SOG Flash II Rescue knife

SOG, purveyors of all things sharp and shiny, offer a design for those folks who need to cut cord, webbing, seat belts, and other stuff, often off of people in difficult situations.

The SOG Flash II Rescue knife features a safety blade design with no tip, the better to work next to skin you don't want to cut. The blunt tip can also be used for prying and scraping, and the broad spine allows you to put a little ass into it with two hands if you're desperate. The thumb wheel is backed up by an assisted release mechanism that snaps the blade into position securely.

The blade is 2/3 serrated and will go through textiles like a laser. The Zytel handle is high traction for slippery situations, and the pocket clip is designed for low and inconspicuous carry. There's even a blade lock to prevent accidental deployment. A nice tool at a great price, and if they would add a glass breaker on the pommel and maybe a rescue hook...

$43.32 at Amazon

The Total Outdoorsman Manual by T. Edward Nickens

Did you know the best time to drink your own urine is later in the day? Yeah, evidently morning urine tastes... worse... This is just one nugget of wisdom from a great new read edited by T. Edward Nickens and other Field & Stream editors, The Total Outdoorsman Manual: 374 Skills You Need.

F&S has been a staple of bathrooms, doctor's offices and other places where time goes to die for eons. Maybe for aeons. I don't know, I'm not a scientist, dammit. Anyway, something that lasts as long as Keith Richards must have some value. In TTOM you have the condensed outdoor wisdom of the ages in four categories: camping, fishing, hunting and survival.

You're guaranteed to find out something you don't know paging through TTOM. For example, I learned that you can skin a deer with a golf ball and a trailer hitch. Overall it's just a fun read, and you'll find yourself wanting to try some of the more inventive tricks. OK, maybe not the evening piss toddy, but the other stuff.

$15.85 at Amazon

Swiss Tech Micro-Tech 6-in-1 mini tool

Small things please small minds, as they say. The Swiss Tech Micro-Tech 6-in-1 mini tool is proof of that. It's not much, just a teeny tiny little tool measuring about one inch by two inches by a quarter inch thick when folded. What it does is disappear into the watch pocket on your jeans until you need it.

The three useful tools are the flat and Phillips head screwdriver and the pliers. The wire cutter works, the wire stripper not so well, and the sheet shear... well, let's just say that if you're using that function something has gone horribly wrong.

It's well-built, useful, and inexpensive, and it's TSA compliant. File this under stocking stuffer.

$5.88 at Amazon

Black Diamond Z-Pole trekking poles

This is getting ridiculous. The Black Diamond Ultra Distance trekking poles weigh in at 4.7 ounces each for the 120cm length. They just disappear into your pack or into your hand. You don't swing them so much as point them.

BD's new Z-Pole technology is used in three of their poles: the Distance, Distance FL and Ultra Distance. All are three section poles that use a Kevlar cord to quickly snap into place, just like an avalanche probe. The Ultra Distance poles are carbon fiber and the other two aluminum. The FL features the FlickLock system for about 20cm of adjustability, the other two are fixed length.

We tested the 120cm Ultra Distance model, and it is a marvel of technology. The cord is covered in some kind of alien plastic that forms a cone so that guides the sections together when you pull the handle. You can literally deploy the pole in one second, no muss, no fuss. The EVA foam grips have two levels so you can shorten your grip on the uphill if you need to, and the broad pommel lets you palm it on the steep descent. The poles come with non-marking rubber tips installed, and the included storage bag contains a set of carbide tips that you can swap out for serious traction.

Thank god the strap system is not the buckle style, just a rip and stick design that is fast and stable. We consider poles a backcountry necessity, not just because they let you go farther, faster, with less effort, and not because they let your upper body get into the game, but because they let you gimp out if you twist an ankle. It's 4.7 ounces of prevention that stows in under 16 inches. What's not to like? Oh yeah, the price. Well, just cut back on your meds for a month. Or use your REI 20% off through 5/30.

$149.99 at REI

Brooks-Range Finger Pulse Oximeter

So you want to get high. Join the club. If you're one of those who thinks life only really starts to get interesting above 12,000 feet, you've probably read up on acclimatization strategies to prevent and treat AMS, HAPE and HACE.

A pulse oximeter is a handy companion to measure oxygen saturation as an indicator of acclimatization. In Altitude Illness: Prevention and Treatment from Mountaineers Books, author Dr. Stephen Bezruchka states (p. 130): "At sea level the normal reading is 96 percent or above, while at 15,000 feet (4570 meters) it is around 86 percent, dropping to about 76 percent around 20,000 feet (6100 meters). At the summit of Everest 29,029 feet (8850 meters) it drops to approximately 58 percent."

The good doctor points out that you don't want to rely solely on a pulse oximeter for prevention, because you should be following a predetermined strategy (e.g. scheduled climb high/sleep low plan) and some things, like cold fingers or high levels of exercise, can prompt inaccurate readings. He does admit the device is useful for monitoring recovery after the onset of altitude illness, for example while descending, after administering oxygen or drugs such as nifedipine, or while in a hyperbaric (a.k.a. Gamov) bag. Likewise it's useful if you've got a pre-existing lung condition such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis.

The Brooks-Range Finger Pulse Oximeter is a nifty little one ounce design that operates on two AAA batteries. It displays SpO2, and also heart rate both numerically and with a little real-time meter, and readings compared to other methods seemed quite accurate. There is a low battery indicator, and the unit shuts off automatically after 8 seconds of non-use. The unit also has a secondary display mode that kicks in if you press the power button after you're already using it. Unfortunately the documentation doesn't explain what the display actually shows. The stats indicate you can adjust the brightness, and that there are audible and visible alarms, but again the documentation is missing any information on these functions. If you can deal with the scant instructions the unit is a handy addition to your medical kit.

$90.00 at Brooks-Range

Southern Nevada Bouldering by Tom Moulin

Here at GearFlogger we remember the good ole days of adventure sports. Our bikes had square tires, mountains were uphill both ways, and climbing guides were in black and white as god intended the world to be seen. Now we can only sit and nurse our metamucil milkshakes as we watch the parade of new climbing guides being published in full color. Color! It's the devil, we say.

Southern Nevada Bouldering by Tom Moulin is hot off the press, and if you're even thinking of climbing near Las Vegas (speaking of the devil...) you need to look at this book: inside the imposing black cover with gold lettering are over 400 pages of absolutely gorgeous color photography depicting over 2,000 mouth-watering problems at all difficulty levels.

The book sets the standard for clear maps, and the introductory chapters have detailed natural, cultural and climbing histories of the area. There's even a picture of red spotted toads copulating in the sun. Righteous! Every section has a brief overview with notes on when to climb in the area, cell phone coverage (cool!), and how to get there. There's a "best of" list in the back, and indices for all problems by name and by ratings, which range from zero to three stars.

Whether you're looking for just the facts or you just need some climbing porn to get through the work week, Southern Nevada Bouldering is your go-to guide. It's a big, colorful book for climbers with big, colorful ambitions, and it will undoubtedly remain the standard bouldering guide for Southern Nevada for many years to come. If there's such a thing as coffee table climbing guides, Southern Nevada Bouldering is at the top of the list.

$38.00 at Snell Press

Sierra Designs men's Revival and women's Jubilee packs

It's a pack-a-palooza! Sierra Designs, absent from the pack market lo these many years, storms back onto the scene with two of the most livable general purpose packs we've humped. Humped as in hiked with, not... you know.

The men's Revival and women's Jubilee have identical features for both the men's and women's 65 and 50 liter models: floating top lid with two compartments; spacious main compartment with six inch drawstring collar and hydration pouch and dual hook hangers; front pocket with two mesh open pockets; shove-it pocket; dual water bottle pockets (quart bottle sized on the 65 and slightly smaller on the 50) and dual waist belt pockets suitable for camera, snacks, or a gerbil.

There are more lashing points than you can shake a forked stick at, including dual trekking pole and ice axe loops. The shoulder straps have a clip high on the right strap for a radio, GPS or whatever, and on the left is a bottle opener which is more useful as a carabiner clip-in for additional gear like bear spray or an LSD pez dispenser. Why don't they sell those anymore?

The organization overall is outstanding. From the inner zipped security pocket with key clip in the top lid, to having pouches on BOTH sides of the waist belt instead of just one (pet peeve here at GF), to the really cool secret stash feature: the inside of the front pocket has a hole at the top to reach into the main compartment, and the entire piece of fabric separating the two compartments zips open top to bottom to allow easy access almost to the bottom of the main compartment. You have to see it to realize how insanely useful it is.

Fit is very comfortable on both models, with a plastic framesheet and single aluminum stay providing plenty of backbone for loads up to 50 pounds in the Revival and 40 pounds in the Jubilee. The hip belt is a pull from both sides design - love it! - and there are load lifters, snuggers and two compression straps per side on the main compartment to really dial it in. The shoulder straps on the women's model are curved in all the right places, and the massive shoulder and hip pads make absorb trail shocks nicely. Bottom line: highly recommended.

Men's Revival 65, $239.95 at Altrec
Women's Jubilee 50 $199.95 at Altrec

Marmot PreCip baseball cap

Sometimes it's the little things, like keeping your brain housing group dry in the rain. Sometimes you don't want to put up your hood. Sometimes you don't even have a hood. For these situations you need a rain hat, but not something dorky. Marmot's PreCip baseball cap is waterproof and stylish for when you just need the rain out of your face and off your noggin.

PreCip is Marmot's proprietary waterproof, breathable fabric and it works as advertised, keeping everything it covers nice and dry. There are multiple seams to give it a fitted shape, but not to worry: they're all taped. A mesh liner means no next-to-skin clamminess, and the microfleece headband gives your crown a little love.

The brim is perfect, with a stiff insert that maintains the optimal curve so you don't have to constantly bend it back into shape. A velcro tab on the back adjusts to fit most heads. On a recent trek I wore my nylon runner's cap and the SheFlogger was sporting the PreCip. We got dumped on for the last three hours and at the end her head was dry and she just shook the water off her cap. My cap was soaked through and as a result so was my head. PreCip = warm and dry brain = good thing.

$25.00 at REI

Planet Bike Dial tire gauge

Stick this in your ear, genius. The Plant Bike dial tire gauge is one of those insanely useful little devices that at $15 is a no-brainer: just pick one up. You'll end up using it for all things inflatable: cue the imaginary playmate.

The gauge has a chrome tippy thing that fits over Presta valves, like on your bike. Just unscrew it and it works with Schraders, like on your car. I keep in my car's glove box since if I'm biking, I'm usually starting from my garage where my car is anyway and if I'm not I probably drove to the trailhead. It's handy these days since many gas stations don't have a pressure gauge on their air hoses.

Easily readable it measures up to 140psi or 10 wimpy European kg/cm2. The angled valve is just right to get a good reading, and even better the reading sticks until you press a little button. Pretty tough too. I like it a lot more than the fussy gauge built into my various pumps. Note to yourself: there's a little rubber thingy in the chrome housing that fits over the valve stem. It will fall out if you don't pay attention when removing it, so word to the wise.

$15.00 at REI