![The Nepal Cubes worked well as an all-day boot in the mountains, transitioning smoothly between rock and snow. [Photo] Andrew Councell](https://dev.alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/sportiva-nepal-cube-boots-1.jpg)
La Sportiva Nepal Cube GTX Boots: Lighter and more versatile than ever
Andrew Councell awards the La Sportiva Nepal Cube GTX boots four out of five stars for their lightness, warmth and versatility on rock and snow.
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Andrew Councell
Ternua’s Loughor Puff Jacket: Recycled Warmth
Instead of collecting new feathers, Neokdun recycles down that has been sterilized from old duvets in its special processing plant. The Spanish company Ternua works with Neokdun to process the down in their 800-fill power Loughor jacket.
CAMP Speed 2.0 Helmet: One of the Best All-Arounders Available
Maybe Jerry Seinfeld said it best in one of his stand-up bits when he said that the helmet is designed “to preserve a brain whose judgment is so poor, it does not even try to avoid the cracking of the head it’s in.” As climbers and skiers, we embrace some risks while seeking to minimize others, and wearing a helmet seems like the obvious way to continue doing both.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dyneema 2400 Ice Pack: Strong, Tough and Ultralight
We packed up camp high on the Roosevelt Glacier and began climbing towards Mt. Baker’s North Ridge (WI2-3, 3,000′, Beckey-Widrig, 1948), in Washington’s North Cascades, at 6 a.m. Challenging weather conditions required creative route finding. At noon, six hours later, we climbed into a storm below the summit.
Backcountry Dining Made Easy with Kung Foon
I’m a wilderness camping minimalist, bringing just enough food and not bothering with extras or luxury items. I eat freeze-dried meals out of a bag, eliminating cooking, cleaning pots and other annoying dish duties. My no-cook system is not perfect, since I usually eat tasteless freeze-dried meals, but it’s difficult to reach food deep inside a bag without spilling it.
Apex 22: Reaching the Apogee of Alpine Design
The Apex 22 compact-climbing pack has a tapered shape, minimal compression straps and zero extras. I tested it on single and multi-day trips and during a nine-day AMGA Alpine Guide course in the Cascades this summer.
“Jul” of the Wild–A Review of Edelrid’s Mega Jul Belay Device
These days, it feels like everyone is coming out with a “new” belay device that’s touted as somehow better than its predecessors. But, at least to me, it feels like many of the so-called improvements are superfluous and clumsy. I’ve sampled nearly all of the variations out there, but keep coming back to my trusty favorites for both recreational and guiding use.
Black Diamond Gloves Round Up
Andrew Councell reviews five gloves from Black Diamond that bridge the gap between skiing and mountaineering. “The average ski glove emphasizes warmth and is subsequently bulky, but Black Diamond has been producing ski gloves that can actually climb as well,” he writes.
Tools for Climbing in Avalanche Terrain
Andrew Councell reviews Ortovox’s trifecta of avalanche-rescue equipment: transceiver, probe and shovel. “In the States last year alone, avalanches claimed the lives of seven climbers. It’s clear that we are not immune,” he writes.
Black Diamond Xenos: A Strange Fit
The Black Diamond Xenos mixed/ice climbing harness is aptly named since it enables you to visit some of the most unique and uninhabitable places known to humankind, places where we truly are the aliens.