Category: Climbing
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Acquisitionalism and the lure of the insider
The internet drives gear geekery, this much we know. I recall, back in my elementary school gear geek days, the excitement when the quarterly (and no more!) Patagonia and TNF catalogues arrived. Online “research” has sped up information dissemination, and decreased our attention spans. That this has led to gear fetishization taking the place of…
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The best reason to buy new gear
There are three sorts of gear purchases: banal stuff you need, fun stuff you don’t need, and fun stuff you need. I suppose there’s banal stuff you don’t need, but why would you do that to yourself. Banal stuff you need is primarily the little things which wear, or whose upgrading is unexciting but will…
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The third way: morals in recreation
Last week Lou Dawson of Wildsnow, who like most is best when he lets himself off the leash, wrote a worthwhile piece about the future recreation and those interested in it might play in shaping how public lands are governed in the United States. It’s not useful for me to summarize the many salient points…
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La Sportiva Boulder X Mid GTX: numbers and rationale
I recently bought the first pair of non-ski or snow boots I’ve had in a decade; the Sportiva Boulder X Mids. The reason? I wanted something that would be more comfortable than trail runners with strap on crampons, and I wanted the lightest and most hikable boot which would kick steps in moderate snow. In…
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Progression in context
I’m not a big fan of the term progression as it’s most often used today; in so-called gravity or action (lets be honest and just keep the word extreme) sports to denote marginal gains in technical difficulty, consequence, or both. The term, and the human experience behind it, could mean so much given more thorough…
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A small pack manifesto
Small packs (20 to 35 liters) are the most used, for those of us who choose to pursue a career in civilization. Tiny (sub 20 liter) packs are handy and can even last for multiple days in the summer, but a small pack works for technical day trips in all seasons, multidays in milder conditions,…
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2012 Outdoor State of the Industry report and Holiday Gift Guide
Yesterday I discussed how 2012 has, in the cycling world, been the year of the fat bike. Below I’ll examine various other categories, in a non-definitive fashion, to highlight similarly industry-shifting developments. These are products which speak of a significant and promising trend, and which I know from personal experience or reliable reports to be…
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All the hats again
It is that time again, when clothing choices are not mere subjects of fancy and fashion but tangible margins of safety. While the exact percentage is up for debate, thermoregulation on and of the head remains the easiest way to get a leg up here. Last winter I wrote about hats, and this summer wrote…
Bedrock & Paradox 
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