Climbing
17th Jul 2024 Montane Phase XPD Waterproof Jacket
Billed as a "technical, breathable waterproof jacket for extreme mountain adventures" by Montane I'd say this is a pretty good description. I've owned, worn, used, reviewed and abused a good...
14th Nov 2023 Review - Wideboyz Crack Gloves
Where would we be as climbers without sticky rubber? First came shoes. They truly revolutionized all aspects of climbing. The act of standing your toes on small holds lends itself well to...
10th Nov 2022 Moon Cirrus Crash Pad
Over the years I've seen enough twisted and broken ankles due to poor matting that I'm actually surprised how long it’s taken me to get around to getting hold of a Blubber pad. I've no idea if...
13th Oct 2022 DMM WallDO Karibiner
Last summer I had a week in Pembroke trad climbing above the sea. A bit out of practice at selecting the right protection I think I lost three wires over the week, fumbling them before watching...
1st Feb 2022 DMM Puma Climbing Harness
The Puma fills a fairly niche space in the world of climbing harnesses 13 year old (12 when we got this harness) boy is on the small side. He loves all types of climbing and has recently taken to...
27th Jan 2022 Alpkit Waffa Pad
I was after a small, thin, versatile pad to take out alongside my regular bouldering mat. Something to use as another place to stand in my rock shoes on muddy ground, to span gaps between pads, to...
11th Nov 2021 7 & 8 - 3748 Straight Ups In Fontainebleau
Now on its fourth edition, and growing ever fatter as more and more problems and areas are added, this is still unquestionably the go-to guide for any upper-grade or aspiring boulderer in Font....
10th Sep 2021 Bleau Blocs
I think it's fair to say that there can't actually be too many books about Fontainebleau. I was sat on a beach this summer chatting about the magic of Font, and how literally incredible it is...
26th Apr 2021 Peak District Gritstone - Graham Hoey
Peak District Gritstone Over 2,000 classic trad routes on Eastern, Western ad Moorland grit. Grahm Hoey, Vertebrate Publishing If there's one thing I've learned over the years that I've been...
5th Nov 2020 Montane Prism Jacket
Love this jacket. It very confidently treads the right line between a smart jacket I am happy to wear to work or out in town, as well as my go to choice for cragging and being out and about...
9th Oct 2020 Ocun Jett QC Rock Shoes
Isn't it nice when you ask somebody's advice, they listen to what you are after, and then give a considered answer that results in you getting exactly what you were after? So it went with my...
6th Jul 2020 Peak Limestone - Rockfax
It doesn't seem too many years ago that Northern Limestone was published, but it was clearly time to up the ante and produce a guide to limestone just in the Peak District. With bouldering...
14th Nov 2019 Ocun Paddy Dominator Bouldering Mat
It’s funny how a brand can become so prevalent in a relatively short space of time. A few years ago I think if you’d asked me to tell you what I knew about Ocun I’d have guessed that they...
25th Jul 2019 Moon Warrior Bouldering Pad
Ben Moon's parents will have had no idea what a cool surname their son was going to bring to the world of climbing. As one of the leading sport climbers and boulderers of the 90s Ben gained a...
6th Jun 2019 Boreal Joker Velcro Climbing Shoes - Women's
With two growing boys who are into their rock climbing it's a fairly constant battle to keep them in decent rock shoes. My eldest is now 12 and has grown out of the kids models which aren't really...
3rd Apr 2019 Edelrid Ace Harness
A super lightweight harness that’s surprisingly comfortable. This comfy yet minimalist harness, with 4 gear loops and fixed leg loops, is one I’d choose for pretty much any and all climbing...
5th Sep 2018 Classic Routes Of The Ecrins -0 Sbastian Constant
This is a delight of a guidebook. It's A5 portrait and 200 pages (but only 75mm thick) so fits into a rucksack pocket pretty easily. The cover is plastic laminated so it will stand up to a bit...
4th Sep 2018 Edelrid OHM - Assisted Braking Device
I'm a big guy. I'm well used to being belayed by people who are lighter than me and have had my share of exciting falls / drops in my time. I now also have two boys who climb. They are both...
4th Dec 2017 North Wales Bouldering
I can safely say that this is the biggest climbing guide I have yet reviewed. At 668 pages it's a mighty tome that comes with a hefty price tag of £36.95. It may sound expensive, but it's...
3rd Oct 2017 Edelrid Shield Light Climbing Helmet
Weighing 220g the Edelrid Shield Lite helmet is amongst the lightest on the market. It's a single-piece moulded foam construction with a hard outer shell. Inside there is a removable lattice of...
26th Sep 2017 Climbing Ropes - Edelrid Apus Pro Dry 7.9 60m
Climbing with new ropes is a great feeling. One of security I guess. When I started out climbing a half rope was usually 9mm, with full ropes coming in at 10mm+. Obviously technology has...
25th Sep 2017 Via Ferratas Of The French Alps
Via Ferratas are perhaps one of the oldest forms of adrenaline-based mountain activity. However they weren't originally designed with pleasure in use. Originating in the Italian Dolomites they...
12th Jun 2017 Berghaus Fastpacking Extrem Shell
Part of Berghaus's Extrem lightweight range the Fastpacking Shell retails at £170 and weighs 250g. 250g for a fully waterproof jacket suitable for extreme mountain weather is impressive. It...
13th Oct 2016 1,001 Climbing Tips - Andy Kirkpatrick
1,001 tips on anything has to be a pretty tall order. 1,001 tips on a niche activity like climbing must be virtually impossible. Not so if you have the mind of Andy Kirkpatrick. I checked out...
13th Jul 2016 Punk In The Gym - Andy Pollitt
Andy Pollitt’s book was given to me by Vertebrate Publishing, the Sheffield-based business responsible for the majority of the recent climbing biographies, with a twinkle of the eye and a...
15th Jun 2016 Spain: Mallorca Guidebook Rockfax
I lose track of whether this is the third or fourth edition of Rockfax’s Mallorca guide (actually, I just looked it up and discovered that it’s no less than the 7th!) such is the popularity of...
17th May 2016 5 + 6 - Western & Northern Fontainebleau (Part 2)
I’ve been a long-time fan of Bart Van Raaij, the Fontainebleau fanatic who has singlehandedly reinvented the guidebook to what is probably the world’s most complicated climbing area. Bart’s...
14th Oct 2015 Berghaus Vapour Claw Running Shoes
The Berghaus Vapour Light Claw is a running shoe aimed at trail and long distance runners. I have worked them hard by running in all weathers and over some distances, used them as approach shoes...
16th Mar 2016 Prana Continuum Trousers
I’ve not owned a pair of specifically-bouldering trousers for a few years. The Continuum are a comfortable and stylish pair of trousers with some nice micro features. Made from organic cotton...
13th Jan 2016 Prana Bridger Jean
Prana have long been high in my estimation of climbing clothing, but I;ve never had the pleasure of actually testing any of it before. The Bridger Jean - sorry, I can't but help calling them...
24th Nov 2015 One Man’s Everest - Kenton Cool
One Man’s Everest Kenton Cool Review by Sam Schofield One Man’s Everest is a book of adventures woven into a bright, entertaining and inspiring tapestry of a mountaineering career. The...
19th Nov 2015 Petzl Scorpio Vertigo Via Ferratta Lanyard Set
Some time in the dim and distant past I remember tackling what was a petty serious Via Ferrata in the Italian Dolomites. It was a rest day activity on a proper old-school climbing trip. I remember...
29th Jul 2015 Petzl Kids Macchu and Body Harness
I've written a few reviews recently on kids kit and the importance of putting them in the right sized stuff. Arguably it's never more important than clmbing harnesses as there's a genuine safety...
21st Jul 2015 Five Ten Tennie Approach Shoe
I was 13 in 1985. It was a formative time for me. Lots of fairly major things in my life happened around that time, but sadly my parents didn't buy me a pair of the world's first approach shoes,...
8th May 2015 Ocun WeBee Kids Climbing Harness
Our eldest boy is 8 and recently took part in a climbing competition for the first time. We arrived on the day with his full body harness that he'd been wearing whenever he climbed for the past 5...
7th May 2015 Edelrid Crocy Oasis Kids Climbing Shoes
It's all too common to see young kids climbing in a pair of trainers. The common thinking seems to be that kids feet grow so quickly that it's not cost effective to buy specialist shoes as they...
28th Apr 2015 Terra Nova Ultralight Bothy 4
Essentially an emergency shelter this bothy is one of those bits of kit that you may well never use, and you certainly won't want to, but it's useful to have one in your pack if you are out in...
21st Apr 2015 Scarpa Zen Pro Approach Shoes
Almost my favourite Approach Shoes ever. But not quite. I don't usually start a review with a summary, but they are that good that I thought they deserved it. In essence they have everything an...
20th Apr 2015 Sealskinz All Season Gloves
Introduction Sealskinz have been one of those brands that I've (not deliberately) somehow avoided over the years so I thought I'd best try them out. A month or so back I took part in an overnight...
1st Apr 2015 The North Face Paramount Convertible Trousers
OK so convertible trousers may not be hip, but they are just the ticket when going light is important and the weather is mixed. I've had a few pairs of convertibles before - convertible, if you're...
31st Mar 2015 Beyond Limits - A Life Through Climbing - Steve McClure
Steve McClure is one of the best rock climbers in the world; and undoubtedly the best sport climber in the UK over the past 15 years. With climbing parents, growing up within easy reach of the...
21st Nov 2014 Adidas Terrex Solo Approach Shoes
Introduction It took a while, but the acquisition of Five Ten by Adidas has finally resulted in some Adidas shoes carrying Stealth rubber. The Terrex Solos are the first of these that i have had...