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Home-Wall Hold Kits
Their kit features a variety of resin holds from mid-size jugs to small sandstone-like edges and knobs. Particular standouts in the set were the granite-style holds, which have a variable texture: regular surface around most of the hold and then a chunkier, but still skin-friendly, gripping area that afforded many pulling options depending on orientation. The Method, Montrail’s new unlined leather slipper, is a radical and innovative design. Cambered to mimic the structure of an active, pointed foot, the Method features strategically placed thermo-moldable foam pads over the tops of your toes and in the heel cup for a precise, customizable fit. Most of us daydream from time to time that we’d like to be 5.13+ hardmen. Reality, however, is a harsh mistress, and so are the shoes suited to that level of performance. Mammut’s Tabu, an unlined leather Velcro slipper, is definitely eye-catching — mostly because you notice right away what’s not there. Rock shoes with EVA-foam padded heels are now widespread throughout the market. Designed to up the comfort factor for all-day climbing, these models have gained a dedicated following, but many people are turned off by their funky, chunky appearance. Built on the same last as Mad Rock’s popular Flash, the unlined synthetic Maniac is a good shoe for entry-level climbers looking for a model that will take them from their first days in the gym to pushing themselves on harder routes and problems outside. Devotees of radically steep bouldering and sport climbing fall into two categories: those who like to smear and paste on whatever feature is nearby, and those whose technique involves precise edging and frontpointing. La Sportiva’s unlined leather lace-up Barracuda was a universal favorite with testers. While Velcros and slippers are all the rage these days, lace-ups still rule for dialed-in fit. Boreal’s Crux, an unlined leather Velcro slipper, is an edging and frontpointing machine. We found it to be very effective on small holds, both indoors and out. Outdoor-retailing chain Eastern Mountain Sports is jumping into the rock-shoe market this year with their Underdog, an unlined leather Velcro model meant for moderate all-around performance. The Acopa Chameleon is an unlined leather Velcro slipper capable of adapting quite well to just about any kind of rock. The bike-style Simond Bumper is a good choice for the winter ice cragger. Those industrial-chic Frankenstein bolts on the exterior aren’t for show, they’re for the face shield. One of the new-generation hybrid models, the Petzl Elios has one of the trimmest silhouettes of any helmet we tested, an asset in tight spaces. Like the Edelrid Ultralight, the Petzl Ecrin has been a staple in the suspended-shell helmet market for many years, and for good reason — it’s very durable, well ventilated, and easy to adjust. |
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