Best of Summer Gear

The big news this week is, of course, the Summer Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City. We’ve got four days full of appointments, parties, maybe even some climbing and who knows what else, but before we get there I thought we’d take a look at some of the best new gear we’ve been using this summer.

Mammut Neon Light

This is a great little pack for longer routes, with a slim profile that isn’t as bulky as many similar offerings. I even wore it in a chimney and didn’t have to take it off and do the dangle-the-pack-between-your-legs trick. The volume checks in at 12 liters, which I’ve found is enough for a water bottle, rain coat, my approach shoes and a little bit of food. Not a ton of space, but perfect for those routes where you just need the essentials and don’t want it all hanging off your harness.

Sanuk Donny Primo

OK, so I have to admit it, before this year I didn’t really get the whole Sanuk thing. I mean, I think I was just fine in my flip flops. After wearing the new Donny Primos this season, I have to say they’ve changed my mind. Having a comfy, close toed shoe that I can slip on in between pitches has been fantastic, and I’ve found it’s helped keep my feet from getting super dry and cracked like they do when I only wear the flops. The only downside may be that my sandals have been sitting at home a lot, no doubt green with envy.

Camp Magic Jacket

This is one of those jackets that you’ll quickly find yourself never leaving at home. The incredibly lightweight material compresses to almost nothing, taking up little room in your pack. I found it blocks wind well, and can take the abuse of multipitch climbing with ease despite it’s featherweight feel. It’ll even shed a brief, light rain, and I also thought it was great for backcountry skiing. Definitely a must have item!

Prana Titan Knickers

Let’s face it, it takes quite the man to confidently rock some man-pris, but what about those who are less in touch with their metro side? For you, Prana offers up the Titan Knickers. More of a long short, with an inseam of 16 inches, there is just enough fabric to cover your knees, but high enough to still feel, and more importantly look, like shorts.

Evolv Shaman

I’m a sucker for orange shoes, but these fancy kicks have more going for them then just their bling exterior. The aggressive downturn combined with a wide toe box makes the Shamans one of the most comfortable high end shoes on the market today. (Those with wider feet will especially appreciate this.) Overhanging terrain and plastic is where they are most at home, and for these venues you’ll find few better tools. They also edge incredibly well, and the three Velcro straps allow for a more dialed fit than most slippers. Bottom line, I think this is hands down the best shoe Evolv has ever put out.

Outdoor Research Muse Capris

A little something for the ladies, our esteemed women’s gear review editor Tracy Wilson had the following to say about these:

As a short climber, my ninja climbing move usually involves high-steeping to the height of my ears, thus I’m extremely particular about what climbing pants I put on when I know I’ll be trying hard. After wearing the Muse Capris for most of this season, I can say they are not only well designed, but comfortable and cute too! The waist band is tall, so that you can either have them sit above your belly button, or folded down low. They fit nicely through the hips and thighs, and have the perfect amount of stretch for when fancy movement is required. My one complaint would be that after one wash and dry on cool, the black color faded dramatically. After that, I’ve stuck to hang drying to avoid further fading, but aside from this for me they are a must have for summer climbing!

Petzl Ange Finesse Draws

Easily the “coolest” of the bunch, these things are lightweight and look like they’ve come back from the future to warn us of the perils of climbing with heavy draws. Excellent for long routes, trad cragging and any time you want to shed some pounds off your rack, they clip well, and the keylock wiregate means no more snags when unclipping.

Outdoor Research Cirque Windshirt

If you are looking for something a little more heavy duty, the Cirque might be the ticket. Made from a burly stretch woven soft shell material, it blocks wind incredibly well, and adds a little bit of extra warmth. I’ve found it climbs well, and isn’t as restrictive as it would first appear given the heavier nature of the fabric (which coincidentally feels like it will last a long, long time.)

Metolius Torque Nut Tool

Nothing ground breaking here, but they’ve taken their proven nut tool design, with it’s palm protector end, and added built in wrenches for the four most popular bolt sizes. Not a huge deal, but nice when you top out a pitch in the desert and come across some anchor bolts that need to be tightened.

Disclaimer: Some of these products were provided to SplitterChoss.com for the purpose of reviewing. Like that makes a difference for how much we beat the crap out of it …