![Chris Kalman enjoying the comfort of the D4 Octapod portaledge at the top of the third pitch of Moonlight Buttress (V 5.12+), Zion National Park. [Photo] Nelson Klein](https://dev.alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/d4-octapod-1-2-930x620.jpg)
Chris Kalman details his experience with the D4 Octapod, a unique portaledge designed by the legendary big-wall gear inventor John Middendorf. Kalman tells the story of his early frustrations with the D4 ledge and how he ultimately came to love it, awarding it five stars.
![Mike Gimli Able puts the Cnoc Vecto and Versa Flow Gravity Water Filtering System to the test in the low lands of Aconcagua Provincial Park, Argentina. [Photo] Tad Mccrea](https://dev.alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/vecto-versa-flow-filter-1-2-930x620.jpg)
Tad McCrea used the Cnoc Vecto and Versa Flow Gravity Water Filtering System on an expedition to Aconcagua where the rivers ran thick and brown with sediment. The simple, lightweight Vecto-Versa system worked well and kept Tad healthy. He awards it four stars.
![Chip Powell relishing the clean wide hand crack that marked the start of the headwall. [Photo] Chris Kalman](https://dev.alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/maxim-personal-escape-rope-1-2-930x620.jpg)
Chris Kalman recently took the 7mm Maxim Personal Escape Rope to the big wall jungle of Cochamo, Chile, where he used the tag line to haul gear and rappel while exploring new routes. The Maxim PER is designed to be strong, light, water-resistant and its stiffness makes it less prone to getting snagged. Kalman reports that the rope is a great tool for alpinists, though they should be careful hauling with it to avoid core shots. Four stars.
![Arne wearing his crack gloves in Yosemite, 2008. [Photo] Derek Franz](https://dev.alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/ocun-crack-gloves-1-3.jpg)
Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz used to make fun of people who used rubber gloves to protect their hands while crack climbing, but now he’s become a convert with the Ocun Crack Gloves. He likes that he can easily take them on or off, as opposed to wearing a pair of tape gloves all day, and no time or materials are wasted by making tape gloves that often expire after a day. Four Stars.
![The Allak 3 tent on a windy day near Jones Pass, Colorado. With the guy-lines taut and the canopy affixed, this tent is ready for any storm. [Photo] Drew Thayer](https://dev.alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/hilleberg-allak-3-1-2-930x620.jpg)
Drew Thayer did some winter camping in the Hilleberg Allak 3 and awarded it five stars. He writes, “My overall impression of the Allak 3 is that it’s the best combination of storm-proofness, comfort, and weight among three-person, four-season expedition tents. Its ease of setup, durability, and livability in harsh conditions are all superb. The question is, is it worth the weight for your needs?”
![Clint Helander wearing the La Sportiva Trango Tower Extreme boots on an ice climb. [Photo] John Giraldo](https://dev.alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/la-sportiva-trango-tower-extremes-1-2-930x620.jpg)
Clint Helander tested the La Sportiva Trango Tower Extreme GTX boots on some Alaskan ice climbs and cannot think of a single con. He reports that the Trango Towers are the “new iteration” of the discontinued “silver bullet” EVO Extremes and that these boots are “ideal for ice/mixed climbing and single-day mountaineering.” Five stars.
![The author on Washington Column wearing the Patagonia Mirco Puff Storm Jacket. [Photo] Andy Hoeckel](https://dev.alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/patagonia-micro-puff-storm-jacket-1-2-930x620.jpeg)
Chris Van Leuven has been weathering the winter in Yosemite and Colorado with the Patagonia Micro Puff Storm Jacket. He found it to be a bit too warm to wear while climbing, but he enjoyed it for cold belays and camp life. Four stars.
![Derek Franz wears the Mountain Equipment Tupilak 30+ on Hidden Falls (WI4, 3 pitches) in Glenwood Canyon on New Years Eve, 2018. [Photo] Craig Helm](https://dev.alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/mountain-equipment-tupilak-30-1-2-930x620.jpeg)
Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz writes of the Mountain Equipment 30+ backpack, “This is the most hardcore rucksack I’ve ever used…. No frills. All utilitarian grit.” Franz reports that the pack is designed for the hardest mountain routes and leaves some convenience to be desired for more casual outings, but the Tupilak is well made for its intended purpose. Five stars.
![The author places a Black Diamond Ultralight Express screw in Hyalite Canyon, Montana. [Photo] Jim Menkol](https://dev.alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/bd-ultralight-express-screw-1-2-930x620.jpg)
Hyalite Canyon local Todd Preston tested out the new Black Diamond Ultralight Express screws on some of Montana’s classic ice climbs. He concluded, “For…pursuits where weight savings can be critical, the Ultralights are clearly the new gold standard and I would rate them 5 stars. However, several days of climbing frozen waterfalls using both Ultralights and traditional Express screws revealed some design limitations….” Four stars.
![Todd Preston leads Alpha (WI5) with the Black Diamond Reactor ice tools in Hyalite Canyon, Montana. [Photo] Jim Menkol](https://dev.alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/black-diamond-reactor-1-2-930x620.jpg)
Todd Preston is a geologist for the US Geological Survey who has been ice climbing for 20 years. He tested the Black Diamond Reactor ice tools and concluded that the Reactors are ideal for steep ice and cragging, awarding them a solid four stars.
