GearFlogger

Black Diamond Couloir Harness

There are a few pieces of gear that embody near-absolute perfection of design, and the Black Diamond Couloir harness is one of them. What do you want in a mountaineering harness, assuming of course that it's reliably safe to begin with?

First and second would be light weight and low profile, since you'll be wearing it every day and moving across technical terrain in a variety of conditions. The Couloir has you covered, with wide, flat webbing that provides support while hanging and fits underneath a pack hip belt with a minimum of fuss. Third would be adjustable quick release leg loops, for correct sizing and donning/doffing the harness over crampons, skis and monster big-mountain boots. Check.

After that it's all gravy: two lie-flat gear loops, four ice clipper slots, offset buckle, haul and belay loops, and a reasonable price. All check. Oh, and one more thing: it only weighs freaking eight ounces! There are lighter harnesses out there - we've used most of them, and for race day or single day outings on vertical ice or rock we'll grab a specialty harness - but we only have eyes for the Couloir when it comes to expedition use. It really is that good. This holiday season do the mountaineer in your life a favor. If they don't have a Couloir in their closet, hook them up.

$59.95 at REI

Wiley-X Peak Sunglasses

You gotta love a tagline like "protective spectacles," and in the case of Wiley-X that's a mission statement as well. Wiley-X has always been focused on function first, but that doesn't mean they ignore form. Their new Peak sunglasses combine both in a lightweight and bulletproof design that is optimized for harsh conditions.

The Peak is available in two polarized color schemes: brown lenses for everyday applications in sunny to partly cloudy weather, and blue lenses for hazy days and snowsports. The Peak qualifies as ballistic eyewear, as the polycarbonate lenses are ANSI Z87.1-2010 certified for impact protection. If you look on the frame in various places you can see "Z87-2+" molded in. This means the frames are certified for prescription lenses and high impact protection. Serious eyewear for serious situations.

The Peak has a wide lens that provides great face coverage, without seeming like movie-star glasses. The nose has sticky zones that prevent them from sliding even when sweaty, and if you really need loss protection the Peak comes with a nifty little leash. The case is highly crush-resistant, and includes a cleaning cloth so you're good to go right out of the gate. We've never been disappointed in Wiley-X products, having used them to parachute out of helicopters and climb Denali, among other uses. Highly recommended.

$130.00 at Cabela's

Marmot Pipeline Relaxed-Fit Jeans

Let's face it, blue jeans are the de facto uniform of the Western World. That doesn't mean they're perfect - or at least they weren't until Marmot, masters of all things pants, decided to add a little boing-boing into the blue jean.

Marmot's Pipeline jeans have a little Coolmax woven into the mostly cotton construction, a 74/26 percent split to be exactly exact. The result is absolutely the best jeans ever. They give in the waistline to accomodate holiday-induced expansion, and they give in the seat and thighs to accomodate actual muscles. You skinnies can opt for the regular fit version, but you really ought to suck it up and hit the weights.

I've always been between a 30 and 32 length (if only there were a number for that...) but the 30 in the Pipeline was plenty long enough. There are the standard five pockets, and if there is one thing that could be improved on the Pipeline it would be the addition of a suspended cell phone inner pocket in place of the otherwise useless coin/pocketwatch/wtf small pocket.

The Pipeline is a tough pant too; I managed to gouge my upper leg while splitting logs (look ma, I'm a lumbersexual!) but even though I broke the skin the pants didn't have a blemish on them. Like I said, tough. So what's not to love? They're a little on the pricey side, less so if you're used to buying $100 jeans (shame on you, you metrosexual you!) but definitely if you're the Kirkland $9.99 jeans type. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Still, for the quality I consider it a fair price. I've been wearing a single pair almost daily for a month and they just rock. The Sheflogger finally gagged and lo and behold I now have a second pair. Score!

$85.00 at REI

Black Diamond Icon headlamp

This just in from the go-big-or-go-home-in-the-dark school of lighting: Black Diamond's new newer and improved improved-er Icon headlamp, sporting 200 320 lumens of good news on your forehead. Like a bright shiny unicorn, but black, and without all the phallic baggage.

The four AA batteries (included) insert quickly with a single twist of an oversize bail, and with them the Icon tips the scales at a modest 8.1oz. It feels even lighter on your head thanks to perfect weight distribution, with none of that annoying sliding-off-your-head feeling. The helmet compatible adjustable straps and coiled power cord resize quickly, and the battery pack is surprisingly comfortable against bare skin thanks to a nifty vented rubberized pad. The lamp housing adjusts vertically and is sticky enough to stay true while walking.

Pay attention now, because the big, sausage-finger-friendly button on top is smarter than your average honor student: push once and you get the monster QuadPower LED, throwing 320 lumens out to about 100 meters and good for 75 hours. Push off and on again for the two SinglePower LEDs, 4 lumens for 14 meters for 175 hours. If that doesn't get you through your epic, you're probably calling for rescue, so triple-tap to get the SinglePower LEDs to strobe. Need to go tactical? No problemo, hold for 3 seconds to get to the night-vision-saving red LEDs, and you can strobe them puppies too. Wanna get all custom? Hold the button down to dim either white mode.

But wait, that's not all! Hold the button down 6 seconds to lock the lamp to prevent premature discharge. That's still not all: it's crazy smart! A small green-orange-red color lamp on the bottom front tells you how much battery life you have left. Brilliant light, brilliant design. Did we mention it's IPX-7 waterproof? That's one meter submersion for 30 minutes, but you knew that. We never used the first generation Icon so but we're big fans of second, and now the third. Biking, climbing, whatever, if you're in the market for a superbright lamp with features out the wazoo, and at a great price to boot, you're looking for the Icon.

$89.95 at REI