Cascades Climbing Trip Gear List (updated 2019)

Those who know me know I can be a little obsessive about gear. I enjoy making detailed gear lists for trips sometimes weighing everything down to the ounce. I shared my first gear list for ski touring in Iceland this past April and most recently in a trip report for climbing Mount Shuksan in the Cascades. I’ve decided to give the gear list its own post that can be easily linked too without taking up so much space in the trip reports located at these links:

Part 1: Fisher Chimney’s, Mount Shuksan

Part 2: The West Ridge, Forbidden Peak

Part 3: Disappointment Cleaver, Mount Rainier

(Note: Originally posted from summer 2017 trip I am currently updating some links to newer or more preferred models)

Having over 20 years in outdoor retail I love chatting about gear so if you have any questions about any of my recommendations, or suggestions for better products, please comment below!

Cascades Gear List

Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Ice Pack

Hyperlight Mountain Gear 3400 Ice Pack

At just over 2 pounds this pack has enough space for 3-4 day alpine endeavor’s, rides comfortably, and is made of materials that will last for over a decade of adventure! Also made in Maine!

Buy from Hyperlite Mountain Gear

Black Diamond FirstLight Tent

First Light Tent.jpg

A super lightweight and pack-able 2 person single wall tent. I spent 12 nights in this from car camping between climbs to dug in at 11,000 feet at Ingraham Flats on Rainier and the tent performed perfectly through-out!

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Western Mountaineering TerraLite 25 Degree Sleeping Bag

This was the best gear purchase I’ve made in over a decade. I have a few sleeping bags from a great heritage -30 EMS down bag to a fairly light 35 degree synthetic sleeping bag but I decided to upgrade for this trip and I could not have been happier for my first Western Mountaineering sleeping bag! I’ll go into greater detail in a review later but for now I’ll just say I slept GREAT in this compressible lightweight sleeping bag!

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Sea to Summit Reactor Thermolite Sleeping Bag Liner

This goes with me everywhere. It’s super comfy on airplanes as a blanket and in hostels around the world. I also like that it keeps my expensive down sleeping bag clean (extending its life) even after weeks of griming sleeping!

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Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite Mattress

I upgraded from my older, heavier, bulkier Therm-a-Rest Prolite sleeping pad with this in “short” and doubled it up with the closed cell foam pad listed below. It was a great combo for both warmth and comfort!

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Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest SOLite Mattress

Therm-a-Rest RidgeREst SOLite Mattress

Affordable added warmth and comfort, I used a full length model to pair with the short model mentioned above for a very comfortable and adaptable combo.

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MSR WindBoiler 1.0 L Stove System

This stove was amazing on this trip! Super fast and efficient for melting snow I could easily budget just 2 ounces of fuel per person per day assuming we had water sources at Lake Ann and below Winnie’s Slide bivy site.

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Food

For dinner and breakfast I went with Mountain House meals. The egg scrambles were one of my favorite. For a dinner appetizer I carried a Lipton noodle soup packet and combined it with a Miso soup packet, great for replacing lost sodium and electrolytes! The Mountain House Pad Thai and Chicken Fajita Bowl both tasted great!

Sea To Summit Delta Spork With Knife

Sea to Summit Delta Spork

Simple lightweight option to make meal time easy!

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Arcteryx Acrux Mountaineering Boots

Arc'teryx Acrux AR Mountaineering Boots

My mountaineering boots of choice, full review of them here. While I LOVE these boots for my cold New England ice climbing and mountaineering adventures they turned out to be a little too warm for Shuksan and Forbidden (but perfect for Rainier, more on that later). My co-guide Jordan who has been having a banner season in the Cascades was rocking the Salomon S-Lab X Alpine Carbon 2 GTX Boots… these things look AWESOME! Basically comfy enough for long warmish approaches, crampon compatible, and climb rock really well… I will be getting a pair of these before my next summer Cascade adventure!

Buy Acrux AR Mountaineering Boots on Backcountry Buy on Amazon

Buy Salomon S-Lab X Alpine Carbon 2 GTX Boots on Backcountry Buy on Amazon

Petzl Vasak Leverlock Crampons

Petzl Vasak Crampons

Make sure you select the Leverlock or FL option! Great all around mountaineering crampon in my book! I have led grade 5 ice in them and walked hundreds of miles in them from Washington to Katahdin over the last decade and they are still going strong! I do plan to shave a little weight for these longer glaciated non-water ice routes by picking up a pair of Petzl Leopard Crampons soon!

Buy Petzl Vasak Crampons on Backcountry On Amazon

Buy Petzl Leopard on Backcountry On Amazon

Leki Micro Vario Carbon Trekking Poles

The lightest most compatible trekking poles I have ever seen! I’ve been loving these! I’ve used them all over the White Mountains including a 2 hour car-to-car ascent of the Northeast Ridge of the Pinnacle! You can see them during one attempt in this video.

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Black Diamond Raven Pro Ice Axe

This has been my mountaineering axe for almost 15 years and is the right balance of weight and durability.

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Petzl Sirocco Helmet

Finally got the latest version of this iconic helmet and went into a ton of detail in a long form review last month here!

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Petzl Sitta Harness

I brought this harness for the more technical climbing on Shuksan and Forbidden and my full review of it is here.

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Petzl Altitude Harness

I brought this harness for the less technical Disappointment Cleaver route on Mount Rainier. Super lightweight, pack-able, and able to put on while wearing skis. It is everything I want in a mountaineering harness. Detailed review coming soon.

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Petzl CORDEX Lightweight Belay Gloves

If ropes are involved these come with me. They were perfect for the warmer daytime glacier temps and offer great protection for rappelling, short-roping, etc.

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Sterling Evolution Duetto Dry Rope, 30m 8.4mm

Sterling Rope Evolution Duetto Dry Rope

A solid choice for glacier and ski mountaineering trips.

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MSR Snow Picket 60 cm

MSR Snow Picket

Two per rope team is ideal! I also pre-rigged this with a double length Dyneema sling and Petzl Ange S carabiner.

Buy on Amazon

AMK .7 First Aid Kit

I customize mine a little but this is a great base kit at the price!

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Suunto MC-2 Compass

My favorite and trusted compass/clinometer for the last two decades!

Buy on Amazon

Nalgene Tritan 32 oz water bottle

Nalgene Tritan 32oz Wide Mouth Bottle

A staple of every outdoor adventure, I carry two of these for my hydration needs!

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SOL Emergency Bivy Sack

Super affordable and weighs less than 4 ounces means there is never a reason not to bring this!

Buy on Amazon

Revo Cusp S Sunglasses

I have the Solar Orange lens on this pair for lower light conditions

Buy on Amazon

SPOT Satelite GPS Messenger

SPOT 3 Satelitte GPS Messenger

Cell phone service is very spotty on Mount Shuksan. I was able to find a bar or two of service (Verizon) at Lake Ann (southwest side) and send and receive a few text messages. We had no service at the bivy site at the top of Fisher Chimney’s however I was able to FaceTime my wife from the summit! For the times with no service the SPOT GPS Messenger easily allowed me to send “check-in” messages home and in my opinion is an important piece of rescue gear should an incident occur.

Buy on Amazon

Petzl Reactik+ Headlamp

Reactik+.jpg

The new Reactik+ is awesome! Up to 15 hours of burn time from an easy to recharge via USB battery with 300 lumens and able to throw light 360 feet! If you’re due for a headlamp upgrade I highly suggest you check out this model!

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Petzl Zipka Headlamp

I always carry a spare headlamp on multi-day adventures and this is my choice back-up model. It’s small enough to fit in my first aid kit but still bright enough to function as a real headlamp.

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Quality Survival Lighter

UST Floating Lighter

Fire-starter is on every gear list, and this one is a good value!

Buy on Amazon

Garmin Fenix 5X GPS watch

Garmin Fenix 3 HR Watch

My current favorite GPS navigation capable smart-watch with optical heart-rate! This is the watch I used to create the GPS tracks linked in the trip report. It also allows one-button waypoint saving and the built in barometer/altimeter was a nice plus to our navigation plans. (Updated this to the newest model which is high on my wish list!)

Buy on Backcountry

GoPro Hero 7 Silver

A great little HD cam with advanced features beyond this post. You can see some of the footage about a minute into my Forbidden Peak video! (updated 2019 link to the amazing new GoPro 7 for the great onboard stabilization! <- currently reviewing)

Buy on Backcountry

Anker PowerCore 10000 Charger for iPhone, GoPro, etc

Anker PowerCore 10000

This thing was great! About the size of a deck of cards it packs 10,000mAh which easily provided 4 full re-charges for my iPhone 6s and still have 50% juice left!

Buy on Amazon

Clothing

Black Diamond Alpine Start Hooded Jacket

I absolutely love this piece and went into great detail about it in an in-depth review here.

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Black Diamond Alpine Light Pant

BD Alpine Light Pant.jpg

I’ve been wearing these back east for most of my Spring/Summer climbing season with multiple trips in Huntington Ravine and through-out the White Mountains so I felt confident taking them as my main climbing pant to the Cascades. Having essentially lived in them for two weeks of non-stop climbing I can whole heartedly endorse the comfort and performance of these soft-shell pants!

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Patagonia Technical Sunshade Hooded Shirt

This is in my opinion the most critical piece of glacier clothing you can own. I reviewed it in detail here but on a shade-less blazing glacier this one garment offers more protection and comfort than any other article of clothing I own. I’ve said it before and I will keep saying it… EVERY climber should own one of these! I do have a small cult following of “sunshade hoodies” who have “seen the light” or better yet “appreciate the shade” that these things bring… just get one and thank me later ok?

Buy on Backcountry

Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody

Feather-weight feels like down but isn’t down ultimate “Light Puffy” choice.

Clothing to be linked soon:

Patagonia Fitz Roy Belay Parka

EMS Powerstretch Climb Hoodie

EMS Powerstretch Long Underwear Pants

One synthetic T-shirt

One Ortovox Rock & Roll Boxers

One pair midweight socks

One pair heavyweight socks

One pair lightweight glove liners

One pair midweight Outdoor Research Project Gloves

Outdoor research sun ball cap

iPhone 6s+ with headphones & charger

Crevasse Rescue Kit- Petzl Micro Traxion, SL OK, Tibloc, Sm’D, Oscilla

Personal Climbing Gear- Kong GiGi with Black Diamond Magnetron and Gridlock, Magnetron and Petzl Reverso 4, Cordelette with Petzl Ange S, 2 prussiks, knife, Petzl Cordex Belay Gloves on Petzl Ange S, Petzl Attache anchor biner

Group climbing gear- Alpine Rack and Draws

Group climbing gear- Sterling Nano IX 60m rope

Group climbing gear- Sterling Nano IX 28m rope

Thanks for reading! Got a question or comment? Please comment below!

All trip reports done!

Part 1: Fisher Chimney’s, Mount Shuksan

Part 2: The West Ridge, Forbidden Peak

Part 3: Disappointment Cleaver, Mount Rainier

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Deal Alert- Arc’teryx 25% Off! My Top Ten Picks

May 20, 2019 David Lottmann Backpack Reviews, Climbing Gear Reviews, Clothing Reviews, Deals on gear!, Footwear Reviews, Gear Reviews, Glove Reviews Arc'teryx Sale, climbing gear, Deals on gear!, hiking gear, outdoor gear

I’ve been a huge fan of Arc’teryx for quite a few years now and Backcountry is running an awesome sale on all Arc’teryx including footwear and gear! Below you’ll find my top ten picks from the sale, some of which I have linked to my in-depth reviews.

Ski Boots

Arcteryx Procline Boots Review — Light and comfy enough for a steep volcano scree field in blue jeans- photo by Matt Baldelli

Arc’teryx Procline Carbon Lite Boots– Arguably the greatest savings during this sale Backcountry has them listed at 45% off!

Mountaineering Boots

Arc’teryx Acrux AR GTX Mountaineering Boots– My in-depth review is here.

Approach Shoes

Arc’teryx Konseal FL Approach Shoes– Just started reviewing them and so far so good!

Climbing Harness

Arc'Teryx FL-365 Climbing Harness Review

Arc’teryx FL-365 Harness– My in-depth review from this past winter is here.

Backpack

Arc’teryx Alpha FL 30L Backpack– While I haven’t personally tested this pack yet quite a few of my friends swear by this pack so I feel comfortable including it here!

Light Insulated Puffy

Arc’teryx Atom LT Hooded Jacket– This is the perfect insulated light puffy and standard issue to the guides at Northeast Mountaineering where I work.

Sun Hoody

Arc’teryx Phasic Sun Hooded Shirt– Everyone needs to own a “sun hoody” for protection from both UV and biting insects. This one is an excellent choice!

Ice Climbing Pants

Arc’teryx Gamma MX Softshell Pants– Prime choice for a winter mountaineering/ice climbing pant!

Hiking/Climbing Pants

Arc’teryx Palisade Pant– Perfect for warm weather hiking and rock climbing!

Hiking/Climbing Shorts

Arc’teryx Gamma LT Shorts– Super comfy stretchy climbing/hiking shorts!

Lightweight Gloves

Arc’teryx Gothic Gloves– Just a nice light-weight stand-alone glove or liner, perfect for 4 season use!

This is definitely a good time to save some money on one of the best brands in the industry! The above models are just my top ten favorites. You can see everything in the sale at this link!

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

Affiliate links above support the content created on Northeast Alpine Start at no additional cost to you! Thank you.

Deal Alert! Happy Five Ten Day!

May 10, 2019 David Lottmann Climbing Gear Reviews, Deals on gear!, Footwear Reviews, Gear Reviews, Rock Climbing

Today is 5/10/19, or “Five Ten” day. To celebrate Adidas is running 20-30% off all Five Ten models for the next 24 hours. I’ve reviewed a couple models over the years including the ultra-popular Five Ten Guide Tennie Approach Shoe. You can read my detailed review here if you don’t already know about this classic.

Other models I’ve climbed in over the years include the casual Rogue VCS and the more performance minded Anasazi Pro. I’ve never been disappointed with a Five Ten which also carries a whole line of mountain bike shoes!

I feel fortunate to have gotten my first few days of rock climbing in for the season this week before I start my WEMT course next week and have my head in the books for a bit! A day at Cathedral Ledge, another at the recently re-opened to access Band M Ledge, and White Ledge in Albany all with great weather and even better friends was the perfect start to my season.

Finishing up a few pitches on Cathedral Ledge on the exposed last pitch of Goofer’s

Benny sending Bandit, old school 5.9, out at the recently re-opened to access Band M Ledge

Alex getting her first leads of the season in on “Trail of Tears”, 5.9 White Ledge, Albany NH

Upcoming Reviews: Super stoked to get my hands on the new Wild Country Revo Belay Device, the new Petzl Meteor Climbing Helmet, and the Arcteryx Koneal FL Approach Shoes. Stay tuned!

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

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Gear Review: Arc’teryx FL-365 Climbing Harness (and Giveaway!)

April 1, 2019April 2, 2019 David Lottmann Climbing Gear Reviews, Gear Reviews, Ice Climbing, Mountaineering, Rock Climbing

This winter I was able to extensively test the Arc’teryx FL-365 Climbing Harness while ice climbing and guiding all over the White Mountains. My first experience with an Arc’teryx harness was mostly positive… there is a lot to like about the FL-365. Designed to be used year-round (365) for sport, trad, alpine, mixed, and ice climbing is this really a “quiver-of-one” option? It’s quite possible, but before we break it down let’s look at how it was tested.

Buy on Moosejaw <- currently 20% off

Buy on Bent Gate <- old color on sale 30% off!

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How We Tested

Starting with the first 2018/19 season ascent of Standard Route at Frankenstein back in November I then climbed about 25 days all over the White Mountains including three trips up the iconic Black Dike in December and multiple alpine gullies in Huntington Ravine. Much of this testing was conducted while guiding and carrying a full ice rack, some rock gear, and a typical load-out for leading multi-pitch routes in a party of three. Let’s start our review with the most noticeable features and work our way down to minutia.

Arc'Teryx FL-365 Climbing Harness Review — Starting season off with the first 2018/19 ascent of Standard Route, Frankenstein Cliffs- photo by Alexandra Roberts

Comfort

The most defining feature of this harness is the level of comfort it achieves while staying far under the weight of heavily padded “big-wall” style harnesses. Arc’teryx accomplishes this by using a patented “Warp Strength Technology™” construction. Essentially load bearing fibers are woven through a thin wide waist-belt and leg loops and offer excellent true load distribution. This waist belt measures 4 1/4 inches wide at its widest in the back, and the leg loops measure 3 inches wide across the back of the thigh. These measurements, on average, are about 30% wider than comparable harnesses in the category and are noticeable with just a casual look. It’s impressive this added coverage doesn’t add a lot of weight, though it definitely effects the packability (more on that later).

The leg loops, while not having buckles, are arguably “adjustable” in that Arc’teryx uses a stretchy elastic leg-loop that has about 3 inches of comfortable travel. This is my preferred style of leg-loop as I’m not a fan of non-stretchy adjustable buckle leg loops. Semi-hanging belays and steep rappelling revealed that this design strategy is more than marketing hype, it really is the most comfortable harness I’ve hung in. If you’d like to see more about this construction check out this video from Arc’teryx!

Racking Options

The Arc’teryx FL-365 Harness has more racking real estate than any other harness I’ve tested in this category. Each of the four main gear loops offer over 4 inches of racking space. The rubberized gear loop “stiffeners” are remove-able if you want to save a few ounces but I decided to set this harness up more for ice cragging than super-light alpinism. I also didn’t find removing them super intuitive and I could see how they would be tricky to get back on after removing. As it stands the design helps racked gear slide forward and the “stiffeners” make re-racking with gloves on quite convenient, definitely easier than lighter/softer gear loop styles.

A fifth soft gear loop is bar-tacked along the back of the harness. I found this a convenient place to clip my belay jacket, gloves, or a tag line. It’s important to note that all 5 of the gear loops are marked with “0kN” essentially being “not-rated”. The bar-tacking appears to be more than substantial for the heaviest of racks but the only “rated” part of the harness is the tie-in points and the belay loop.

Ice Clippers/Screw-Tool Holders

The Arc’teryx FL-365 Harness can accommodate 4 “ice clippers” for racking ice screws and securing your ice axes. I chose to only employ three of them, two on the right, and one on the left, as is my preference with my typical ice climbing load out. In sticking with the more ice cragging function I was using this harness for I opted to use two of the DMM Vaults on the left/right rear attachment points and a lighter Black Diamond Ice Clipper at the front/right attachment point. With this set-up I could easily carry my 8 13cm “running pro” screws on my right (dominant hand) side and my 22cm V-thread/anchor screw and stubbies on my left rear DMM Vault.

Fit

I requested a medium to review and quickly discovered Arc’teryx sizing is a little on the tight side. Based on the size chart I should have fit into a medium:

I am a 34 inch waist with a 23.5 inch thigh… which falls into a medium on the above size chart, and while I was able to get the three inches of tail past the buckle I could tell right away a large would fit me better. For reference I’m 180 lbs, 5’9″, with a 42 inch chest. This was over mid-weight long underwear and a soft-shell pant. Arc’teryx was kind enough to send out a large for me to review and is allowing me to raffle off the un-used medium to my readers! Details below!

Weight/Pack-ability

My size large weighs in at 365 grams (12.9 ounces). This is a couple ounces heavier than my other favorite ice climbing harnesses but I can see how those ounces buy some additional comfort. By adding the super secure and unbreakable DMM Vault clippers I’ve definitely taken on some additional weight. My home scale puts the harness with the clippers I have mentioned at 572 grams (20 ounces). The DMM Vaults also reduce the ability to pack the harness up tightly. For that reason I went all out and setting this up as an ultimate cragging/shorter approaches type rig. With all the clippers removed this harness does fold up quite efficiently and can be packed in small alpine packs without taking up to much space.

Summary/Giveaway

Arc’teryx has done well trying to make the perfect “quiver-of-one” style harness. If you partake in all the various disciplines of climbing this really could be a great choice for you. The reality is no one design will ever be the best for each facet of climbing with sacrifices to be made to achieve the best attributes for the intended design.

It may be helpful in the case of the Arc’teryx to rate the harness on a 1-10 scale based on end use. To that end I submit the following opinions:

Gym 5/10 <- Super comfy but a bit overkill for this use, route-setters might like this level comfort while setting routes.

Sport 8/10 <- Working projects, scrubbing new routes, carrying 20 draws for full pitch routes, all good uses of this style of harness

Trad Cragging 9/10 <- Excellent choice for routes that require big racks or hanging belays

Aid Climbing 9/10 <- Again, excellent choice for larger racks and hanging in space

Alpine 7/10 <- A bit heavy and bulky for long approaches where pack space is at a premium

Ice Cragging 9/10 <- If the approach isn’t that long there are not many other harnesses that can compete here

Ski Mountaineering 4/10 <- Too much harness for this pursuit!

In conclusion the Arc’teryx FL-365 is the most comfortable harness I’ve tested with the greatest amount of convenient racking space. It excels when approaches are on the shorter side of things and you have a ton of gear to carry once you have dropped packs and racked up. There are lighter more pack-able options out there but they all sacrifice a bit of comfort to achieve those real ultra-light gram-counts… if you are looking for a harness that can do it all quite well than this would be a great model to try on!

Buy on Moosejaw <- currently 20% off

Buy on Bent Gate <- old color on sale 30% off!

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Buy on Mountain Gear

Giveaway!

As mentioned I have an un-used size medium up for grabs! There are multiple ways to enter, just click the Rafflecopter link below to start earning entries into the give-away! Unfortunately this is only for a size medium and it can not be exchanged with Arc’teryx or any Arc’teryx dealer for a different size. Prize is as-is non-returnable anywhere, so please if it doesn’t fit you perfect gift it to someone it does fit!

Contest ends April 30th at 9 PM EST!Winner will be contacted by email and announced here within 48 hours of the contest ending!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Arcteryx FL-365 Review — Arcteryx FL-365 Size Medium Giveaway!

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

Disclaimer: A media sample was provided for purpose of review and that did not effect my opinion on the model in any way. Affiliate links above help support the content created here at Northeast Alpine Start.

Gear Review- Petzl Nomic Ice Axes 2018

March 5, 2019April 1, 2019 David Lottmann Climbing Gear Reviews, Gear Reviews, Ice Climbing ice axes, ice climbing, petzl, petzl nomics

Petzl Nomic 2019 Review — Alexandra Roberts takes the new Nomics for an alpine spin up Pinnacle Gully- photo by Brent Doscher

The new Petzl Nomic has been refined in a way that makes it one of the most versatile ice axes available. I had only climbed a dozen or so days on the older version of the Nomic preferring the greater flexibility of the Petzl Quarks for my first ten years of ice climbing but the thoughtful changes in design have changed that and I’ve reached for the new Petzl Nomics more than any other tool this winter. Before I get into the details let’s look at how we tested them.

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How We Tested

The east coast ice climbing season started early this year and I started climbing on these in November at Frankenstein Cliffs. My first test runs were up Standard Route and Dracula. I loaned them to some friends to solicit their opinions and they took a multi-sport trip up the alpine classic Pinnacle Gully. By December I had them back in my hands for no less than three trips up an excellent early season Black Dike. A few more days of guiding ice on Mount Willard and Cathedral Ledge and I’m finally ready to share my review!

Petzl Nomic Review 2019 — Enjoying excellent early season conditions on the Black Dike- photo by Dave Dillon of Chase the Summit

Want to see them in action? Check out this amazing footage capture by my friend Dave Dillon!

Also some more amateur GoPro footage of some testing produced myself:

Balanced

The first thing that stands out to me with these tools is how incredibly well balanced they are. The addition of removable tapered pick weights, a “hydro-formed” shaft, and adjustable handles all work together to help this tool swing with amazing precision and efficiency. I chose to leave the pick weights on as I primarily climb pure ice routes and the added head weight assists with placement allowing me to save energy while swinging the tool and getting more one-swing-sticks. The taper of the weights is also designed to facilitate dry tooling in cracks.

Comfortable

While it might seem odd to describe an ice tool as “comfortable” it is an accurate description on these tools. By using a three size adjustable lower handle and over-molded and bi-material upper handle these tools can be adjusted to fit anyone’s hands. I found the medium setting on the lower handle to be perfect for my medium sized hands. An allen wrench is required for adjusting the GRIPREST handle.

The upper handle is rubberized so there is no need to add grip tape to the tools to increase security when switching hands or “choking up” on a placement. I also found the tools swing with great precision and security when held like this:

The shape of the hydro-formed shaft makes holding these anywhere along the shaft or “high-dagger” position comfortable.

Versatile

There is a lot of customization possible with these tools! For starters you can choose from four different picks!

The tools come with the PUR’ICE picks. They taper to 3mm and offer excellent penetration and easy removal in most placements. The top is serrated to offer some stability when holding the tool upside down through I did not find this to be an issue as these tools now have a real spike on the bottom to allow proper piolet canne when topping out a climb. They can suffer if you misfire and find some early season rock to impact as I did manage to bend a pick on the Black Dike when I unintentionally struck some rock. I swung by International Mountain Equipment and replaced the bent pick with the ICE pick which I was happy to be able to compare! The ICE pick tapers from 4mm to 3.3mm at the tip and carries a CE UIAA Technical Rating (the PUR’ICE pick does not meet the Technical Rating standards). I’ve since climbed a dozen routes with both picks and have not noticed much of a difference in ease of placement and cleaning so I’ll likely replace the PUR’ICE pick with the more durable ICE pick once it is time for a new pick. For those who will do some steep dry-tooling with these tools you can pick from both the DRY and the PUR’DRY picks.

The removable MARTEAU modular hammer is included with the tools. This can be stripped off (along with the pick weights) to minimize weight for dry-tooling or left in place so you can test and reset pitons. You can also chose to replace it with the PANNE if you want an adze on a tool. Finally the serrated stainless steel spike on the bottom of the GRIPREST handle has a connection point that is compatible with the V-LINK tether system.

Summary

All of this adds up to one of the best choices for a technical climbing tool on the market! While you will notice how nice they feel in hand at your local gear shop you truly will be impressed the first time you take these out on real ice. These are a perfect choice for the ice climber who only occasionally (or never) climbs hard mixed routes. They excel on WI3+ routes. I would still reach for the Petzl Quarks for WI2 or more alpine type objectives but for ice cragging at Frankenstein, Ouray, or any WI4 and up these are the bees knees. I hope you get a chance to climb with them!

Buy on Moosejaw at 20% off right now!

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

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Gear Talk: Radios in the Backcountry

January 17, 2019January 16, 2019 David Lottmann Climbing Gear Reviews, Electronic Reviews, Gear Reviews, Ski Gear Reviews avalanche awareness, handheld radios, radios for the backcountry

using radios for Backcountry Skiing and Mountaineering — Matt Jones checks in using the BCA Link Radio before dropping in, Jones Pass, Colorado- photo by Bianca Germain

Over the last few years I’ve realized how important being able to quickly and clearly communicate with my partners in the mountains is. So much so that I’ve added a pair of hand-held radios to my “essentials” list. I started using BCA Link Radios while working on Mount Washington to stay in touch with other guides who worked for the same outfitter I did. After missing this reliable way to communicate on a recreational ski tour I started taking them with me on every ski trip. I also find them well suited to alpine and ice climbing gullies with long technical pitches that end at anchors out of sight (Pinnacle Gully and Black Dike are perfect examples).

The ease of being able to clearly communicate without yelling over the roar of the wind or interpret “rope tugs” adds greatly to your risk management strategies. Other benefits include being able to monitor National Weather Service current conditions and forecasts for your regions, summon outside help outside of cell phone coverage, and even tune into local FM stations on some models. I’ll share a few models worth looking at if you need to pick up a set of radios to improve your capabilities in the mountains.

Backcountry Access BC Link

We had a fleet of these at the guide service I first worked with. They are simple to use, rugged, and convenient. The “Smart Mic” allows you to access all the controls you need without having to take the radio out of your pack. Equipped with 22 FRS and GMRS channels and 121 sub-channels it is compatible with all standard FRS/GMRS radios.

Group Communication System with Smart Mic and base unit
Water- and dust-resistant to IP56 standards
Compatible with all standard FRS/GMRS radios
2.5-mile line-of-sight range ensures adequate coverage
140 hour maximum battery life keeps unit running all day (3.7 Volt Lithium Ion)
Temperature operating range between -4F to 158F
Smart Mic is compatible with 3.5mm TS or TRS earphone plug
Battery charger included

Pros: Super user friendly to first time radio owners. No licenses needed to operate. Rugged and Water Resistant (IP56). Convenient Smart Mic. Can program local NWS channel for weather updates. Integrates well with BCA line of Airbags and Stash backpacks. Removable battery means you can bring extra batteries on a trip.

Cons: A little pricey but discounted now that there is a new version out! Can not program channels that would require a license to use outside of emergencies.

Backcountry Access BC Link 2.0

The new version boosts some significant improvements over the time tested original. More power means greater range, with the 2.0 offering up to 6 miles (line of sight), more than double the range of the original. A stronger battery (2300mAh lithium ion) also gives you more time between recharging (400 hours vs 140 hours in the original). A redesigned Smart Mic claims to better shed snow when you’re riding in face shot territory.

Two-way radio built for backcountry touring
Smart Mic offers glove-friendly handling
Rechargeable battery offers 400 hours of standby power
Recommended line-of-sight usable range of 6 miles; max of approximately 40-miles

Cons: Pretty expensive, but this is a high-end choice in the realm of FRS/GRMS radios. Can not program channels that would require a license to use outside of emergencies. Battery is no longer removable so you can’t bring extra batteries (but you can charge with a standard charger or USB)

BaoFeng BF-F8HP

The last few years I’ve been using the BaoFeng BF-F8HP and have been quite happy with them. With up to 8 watts of output they have great range. They can be programmed for FRS/GRMS. They can also be programmed to monitor and broadcast on licensed channels so care must be given you do not break FCC rules. You can listen to FM radio while the radio still monitors the channel your group is using, so if a communication is received the radio automatically mutes the FM radio station you were rocking out to while skinning up that non-consequential slope. You can also monitor National Weather Service regional weather.

Pros: Affordable. Dual band (monitor two channels at same time). Listen to local FM radio while hanging around camp or moving through no risk terrain. Can program local State and Federal frequencies to be used in case of emergency*

Cons: Not as water/weather resistant as the BCA Link Radios. I’ve ruined two in accidental immersion incidents (waterfall rappelling). In heavy rain I would want to keep this in the pack, maybe in a dry sack. “Boom mic” is not included and not as glove-friendly as BC Link Radios. I keep this radio out on my shoulder strap. Care must be given that you do not broadcast on frequencies that require licensing. If you need a fleet of them it’s good to have someone with a data cable and the PC software “Chirp” to program them.

What is legal?

Navigating what frequencies don’t require a license can be tricky. The BC Link Radios are quite powerful FRS/GRMS radios that keep it simple. The BaoFeng can land you a $15,000 fine if you are caught using licensed channels. Because of this I’ve decided to pursue an Technician license. An even easier to get license is the “Amateur” license and would probably make these issues even clearer.

You are allowed to monitor (listen) to channels that require a license to transmit on. You are also allowed to transmit on these channels without a license in the case of a real emergency. From the FCC:

Part 97.403: Safety of life and protection of property.

No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station of any means of radio communication at its disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.

All that said I’m looking forward to pursing a license so I can better answer these questions.

Summary

While some of the details of licensing can be unclear (without proper education) one thing that is clear is that handheld radios like these help us travel more safely and efficiently in the mountains. Here is an example of a conversation that could not happen with out radios from the top of a backcountry ski run:

“Dropping in 3” – alerts group I’m starting the first pitch of my ski run.

“Clear”- let’s group know next person can follow, I’ve stopped at a safer spot.

Even outside of avalanche terrain radios can assist with conveying hazards as they are discovered.

“Stay hard right at first corner to avoid a water bar”

In an alpine climbing scenario easily talking with your belayer when 50 meters apart and out of sight is comforting. None of the “Did he say off belay or OK?”. Was that three tugs or does she just need more slack?

Having both NWS weather updates and FM stations (BaoFeng) on long trips can help keep you informed and improve morale if stuck in your tent for an extra day waiting for good weather.

All of these reasons are why radios have become a part of my “essentials” every time I go into the mountains. Once you start using them you’ll wonder why you haven’t been using them all along!

Disclaimer: I do not have any level of radio license and information provided above may be incorrect. I will update this post after I have acquired a license but would love any comments from current licensed operators below and will make suggested edits where appropriate!

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

Gear Review: ENTHEOS II Ice Axes

November 27, 2018January 8, 2019 David Lottmann Climbing Gear Reviews, Gear Reviews, Ice Climbing ice climbing, mixed climbing, mountaineering, winter travel

ENTHEOS II Ice Axes Review- photo by Peter Brandon

Last winter I got to demo the space age looking Kailas Entheos II Ice Axes. Without a doubt these tools turn heads as this is a somewhat lesser known company just starting to break into the US market. Before I share my opinions on them and how they were tested I’ll share the manufacturer description and specifications:

WINNER OF GERMANY ISPO AWARD 2014

WINNER OF ASIA OUTDOOR INDUSTRY AWARD 2011

WINNER OF OUTSIDE GEAR OF THE YEAR ,OUTDOOR CHINA 2012

“ENTHEOS” is the unique hybrid climbing technique ice axe in the world that using the CNC unibody fabrication . It takes its original performance to a higher level and we are proud to present our new product of unmatched quality, handling experience, and stability. It copes perfectly with steep, demanding terrains characterized by freezing ice surface and ice rocks. It is your best choice for overcoming climbing difficulties.

Pick:
• Made of super high intensity and tenacity special steel .
• Integrated head structure allows a hammer head to be fixed to place rock pitons.
• All-terrain pick design made the tool sharp enough to pierce through hard ice. The toothed pick can hold onto ice surface with ease while the sharp end
on the axe head can be applied in pulling-back technology.
• There are removable extra weights attached on the axe head designed to provide extra power when striking into ice. Once they are removed,
the axe will be more handy and portable. (Stainless steel, 55g)

Handle：
• CNC technology ensures high intensity and light weight.
• Ergonomicallly designed handle bar, excellent shock absorber.
• The shaft of our axe supplies a user with different ways to handle it and avoids unnecessary movement of axe between changes of hands.
It can be used in distinct terrains, bringing incomparable climbing efficiency.

Shaft:
• CNC technology makes accurate cutting possible, contributing to the delicate structure of this gear and excellent distribution of gravity center.
• Hollow shaft can absorb the rebound force when the user applies the axe on the ice surface, achieving smooth and clean entries into the ice.
• Made of 7075-T651 high intensity aluminum.

[Tech Specs]
Patent Number: 201130233088.9
Type: Type 2
Size: 48cm
Weight: 580g

How we tested

I climbed with these for 2-3 months leading and following on waterfall ice routes between Grade 3 and 5- in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. In total they saw about 20 pitches of ice.

Kailas ENTHEOS II Ice Axes next to new Petzl Nomics

At first glance they do look similar to the new Petzl Nomics but with a few distinct differences. Most noticeable they are about 2.5 cm (1 inch) shorter than the Nomics. Not a big deviation but I did notice it before I took the time to measure the tools. This slight reduction in overall length is due to a slightly more aggressive bend in the Entheos. The other big difference is the entire shaft is a single piece of high-strength aluminum which gives these tools quite the futuristic and eye-catching look.

Kailas ENTHEOS II Ice Axes next to new Petzl Nomics

My home scale puts the Entheos II at 6 grams under the new Petzl Nomics. The handle is essentially the same width, likely will be most comfortable for medium-smaller hands. The shaft is slightly thinner than the new Nomics. The pic comes with removable head weights.

ENTHEOS II Ice Axes Review

Performance

The Entheos swing quite well. They are balanced and designed well for steep ice. The slightly shorter profile suggests these should stick to hard steep ice or mixed climbing. They are not a tool for someone who spends the majority of their time on sub-Grade 4 ice and likely excel best at overhanging mixed climbing. The stock pick cleaned from placements easily. The small handle was a comfy grip for my medium sized hands. I didn’t take them out on super cold days but I imagine a pure aluminum shaft will feel colder on arctic days when climbing with thinner style gloves.

Summary

The Kailas Entheos II Ice Axes are a somewhat exotic option in the technical steep ice & mixed tool market. They are undoubtedly built to survive a lifetime of love (and abuse) in the mountains. If you can get by the sticker shock (or grab them when the Verticall Store has them discounted) you will probably be quite pleased.

Disclaimer: This media sample was provided for purpose of review and has been returned to the manufacturer. All opinions expressed above are my own.