Trango’s Madame Hook offers unique leashed/leashless versatility.

Trango Madame Hook, $225

Summary: Madame Hook has a dual identity: She can be a good leashed tool, or swap in her included multi-grip handle and — voila! — she becomes a modern leashless marvel. The molded grip on the vertical shaft (for leashed climbing) felt good in the hand and had a nice pinky shelf, and the leash fit our wrists well. The pick is short, which adds stability when dry-tooling, and makes it less likely to break, but it steals clearance from the tool. The pick’s steep droop and well-designed teeth make it one of the best hooking tools. Madame Hook offers limitless possibilities in her leashless mode, but that’s fodder for a different review.

Pros: Excellent hooking. Ergonomic grip.

Cons: Short pick clearance.

Overall grade: A-

Trango USA: (800) 860-3653, www.trango.com