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Mountain Standards

Petzl Luna Harness: Everything a Woman Wants

In the midst of searching for the right lightweight alpine harness for this season, Alpinist’s call to review the Petzl Luna couldn’t have come at a better time. Out of the slick mesh bag it comes packed in, my first critical look quickly revealed that the harness had the features I desired: lightweight and compact; four gear loops that would be compatible with wearing a pack; adjustable leg loops; a full-strength loop in the back for a tag line; and mesh construction that offers enhanced breathability. I’ve had the harness for over a month and used it for typical guiding days in the Tetons, where its lightness and breathability is an asset.

Mountain Hardware Chockstone Jersey: The All-Rounder

Since I first put on the Mountain Hardwear Chockstone Jersey to guide in the Tetons five weeks ago, it hasn’t left my sight. I traveled to Chile last week to heli-ski guide and, amazingly–summer or winter–this jersey was always comfortable and left my core at just the right temperature. And at nine ounces, it’s so light and small that it easily fits into a quart-sized zip-lock bag for easy waterproof storage.

FiveTen VMile: A Truly Comfortable Enduro-shoe

I hate tight rock shoes. Don’t get me wrong–I realize the need for a precise, tight fit, though after nineteen pitches and almost eight hours, I will take comfort over anything else. My partner and I were nearing the top of Mt. Stuart’s classic north ridge when I realized something remarkable: my feet were totally comfortable. While this isn’t inconceivable in rock shoes, I wasn’t used to this kind of comfort in a shoe that climbed so well. I had cranked them down for the two crux gendarme pitches and was able to edge easily on small nubbins. When the climbing backed off again, a quick flick of the Velcro put me back into super-comfy mode.

Trango’s featherweight Superfly Wire Gate biners

Fast and light always took a backseat to cheap and available when it came to my rack. I justified this mentality by telling myself that the added weight translated into added durability. That attitude completely changed when I picked up a box of Trango’s Superfly Wire Gate biners.

Patagonia Chute To Thrill Pants are Thrillingly Perfect

I’ve been climbing and skiing in Schoeller autumn, winter and spring for six or seven years now, and have come to appreciate—OK, love—the quiet comfort of that miracle fabric for my pants and jackets. They breathe perfectly and wear like iron. There’s never a crinkly or rough moment, only a soft comfort you never notice on those long approaches,
thrutchy offwidths and swooshing descents.

Scarpa Vision V: One shoe for all types of crags

I admit it. I’m a shoe whore. When it comes to cragging, certain climbs require a very specific shoes. Currently my cragging quiver consists of about five shoes (that I can remember off the top of my head). Shoes range from super tight sporty edging shoes to finger-crack shoes to quick on-and-off bouldering shoes. I now have one shoe for just about everything. When I first tried out the Vision V at Blacktail Butte outside of Jackson I was a little skeptical. I felt a little weak but that is probably because I climbed too many moderates in the Bugaboos the two weeks before.

OR Zealot storm shell packs perfectly

This is an ultra light, incredibly compact and highly breathable storm shell that I found to be ideal for a variety of uses. Featuring Gore-Tex Paclite fabric with narrowly taped seams, one chest pocket and a hood perfectly cut to use with a helmet, it had everything I needed and nothing more.

Outdoor Research Exos Gaiters stand up to variable conditions in Pakistan

It was obvious as soon as I removed the OR Exos from their packaging and took one look at all the crucial features that I had never seen on gaiters before, that these were by far the most bomber gaiters imaginable. In the past, the instep strap on other gaiters has always been the first thing to go for me, rendering the gaiter useless, so I was particularly happy to see how reinforced these ones were.

Go Anywhere with Patagonia’s Stretch Element Jacket

We love this hardshell. This winter we wore the men’s and women’s Stretch Element in all conditions, from touring in Grand Teton National Park to competing in the Jackson Hole Freeskiing Open. It is one of the best all-around jackets out there, warm enough for cold days in the winter and light enough to wear during cool evenings in the spring and summer.