When it’s slightly too cold for a T-shirt but too warm for a full-on midlayer, the Calico Hooded Zip Tee is just right. This pullover had enough technical features for hard climbing on winter days in Colorado’s Eldorado and Boulder canyons but enough comfort and style in the sun at crags in Utah.
Cheers to Nemo for making two of our favorite bags of the year. The Stratoloft 25 (right) is a down comforter that pairs with an insulated air pad (sold separately); the combo is the perfect setup for car camping and weekenders. “The pad with integrated pillow and lofty down bag with elastic in the seams made for a better night’s sleep than I get at home,” said one tester.
Charge this device before you leave for the weekend, and you’ll have eight hours of music for the crag or campsite. Link your smartphone via Bluetooth to conjure anything from your playlist. “Surprisingly deep and rich,” said one tester.
When you find clothing that is comfortable, versatile, stretchy, and flattering, it’s a winner. The Urban Gym Capri has a wide waistband for a slimming effect, but, more important, it keeps the pants in place. “These never slipped down—with a harness or without,” one tester said.
No more excuses: Train hand and finger strength without a hangboard, on the road, or away from the gym with the Sic Grips GString. Hang ’em over a closed door, on a standard pull-up bar, or from a tree branch in base camp with the strategically knotted 5mm polyester static cord.
This four-in-one pad may have more uses than your Leatherman. At first glance, the Pro Spotter Pad looks like a typical sit-start pad at 36” x 22”, with three inches of sturdy and supportive closed cell foam. Then you notice the handles on the back, designed so the pad can be used for its namesake: a spotter pad that will safely and comfortably push the climber onto stacked pads.
Despite splitter weather, maximum strength, and high psych, bad skin sidelined our tester on a trip to the Buttermilks, California. “I couldn’t warm up without that throbbing pain you get from climbing on tattered skin,” he said. “One night with Tip Juice slathered all over my splits and tips, and I healed up enough to try my project the next day without causing more damage and pain.”
If you’re a serious boulderer, you need an arsenal of brushes. Now you don’t have to search the world over—or pay upwards of $50—for a complete set. For less than $30, you get five brushes—two are dual-sided, so it’s actually seven different styles, sizes, and textures for whatever type of hold or rock you might encounter.
From a V9 slab to a steep 5.13c in Red Rock, Nevada, the Instinct VS earned our commendation: an amazing shoe that masters all angles. “I’m just gonna say it: This is one of the best shoes I’ve ever worn,” said our experienced tester, who has almost 100 shoes in his personal collection. “They’re versatile, comfortable, and outperform almost any other shoe on every kind of terrain.”
This relatively new Northeastern pad company came right out of the gate with a 2012 Editors’ Choice award for their Yose pad, which sported a unique “step-hinge” design that eliminated ankle-twisting weak spots in the middle of the pad while maintaining ultimate foam durability.
“When I needed this pad, I needed this pad,” said one tester who used it for a month in Hueco Tanks, Texas. “The separated tubes of foam wrapped around those hard-to-protect obstacles that tend to be right in the middle of your landing zone, so my ankles (and ass) were protected when I fell.”
“This board trumps all other boards,” said our injured tester who has been relegated to hangboardonly training for the past few months. It’s a beast at 32.5” x 11”, and every square inch is utilized with valuable edges and shapes. Two standout features: variable pinch sizes and rounded edges on all ledges and pockets. Multiple pinch sizes mean you can easily train no matter your hand size, and you can dial in the difficulty by choosing whatever width you need.
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