 |
|
|
 |
Just Out - September 2009 - 278
"Be prepared," say the Scouts, a fine motto to emulate. Here, six stylin' picks for autumn readiness.
Shown here is a GEARLOOPTOPO ($2.99 per route, gearlooptopo.com). |
|||
 Feline Grace
Although I have some years before “cougar” status, I purred for the new LA SPORTIVA WILDCAT ($100, sportiva.com). This lightweight mountain runner is perfect for quick approaches, cross-training trail runs, and — my favorite — jogging into the Flatirons for a pre-work scramble.  Gear Loopiness
No one likes fumbling with a guidebook (or crumpled-up Xeroxed page) on route — still, it’s better than straying way off line. A handy new solution: the GEARLOOPTOPO ($2.99 per route, gearlooptopo.com), a collection of laminated, 4”x6” cards detailing nearly 150 multi-pitch classics in the US and Canada.  Can It
Ah, the pleasures of a cold beer after a day’s cragging: the can soothing your throbbing mitts, the brew slaking your thirst. . . . But a conundrum: many fine ales come only in heavy, shatter-prone glass bottles, less than ideal for portage. So it was with gusto that I “tested” the new, canned incarnation of a favorite, the NEW BELGIUM BREWING COMPANY FAT TIRE AMBER ALE ($15 for a 12-pack, newbelgium.com).  Monsoon Proof
Lightweight rain shells can skimp on coverage. So a happy surprise was the OUTDOOR RESEARCH FANATIC JACKET ($145, outdoorresearch.com). With its spacious cut and stretchy Pertex Shield DS ripstop fabric — offering full mobility and protection — the Fanatic was breathable, super-light (9oz), and weatherproof.  Ultra-Clipper
I’m one of those hoary, safety-freak sport climbers who use locking biners at key clips and on anchor draws — I’ve seen too many unpredictables go south. Always welcome, then, is a full-duty, featherweight screw-gate like the MAD ROCK ULTRA-TECH SCREW ($7.95, madrockclimbing.com).  Tikka + 2 = Light!
Petzl invented the modern headlamp back in 1972 and has been upgrading the technology since. Their newest offering, the PETZL TIKKA PLUS 2 ($39.95, petzl.com), is a light (2.5oz), tough, and super-smart headlamp that builds on the popular Tikka platform. |
|
Copyright 2009 Skram Media LLC, All rights reserved.