Black Diamond Momentum Harness wins climbing harness Best Buy

MILL VALLEY, CA--SuperTopo.com, one of the most popular climbing web sites in the world, revealed Black Diamond Momentum Harness as the winner of the 2010 Recommended award for the climbing harness category. The SuperTopo.com staff rated the Black Diamond Momentum Harness after extensive field testing in Yosemite, Colorado, and Utah. The Momentum also underwent extensive side by side tests with others in the harness category to evaluate key performance metrics such as ease of use, performance, packability, durability and comfort. The complete review is available on SuperTopo.com.

According to gear tester Chris McNamara, "If you just starting to climb or you are on a budget, you can't beat this harness for the money. In fact, you will probably go many years before ever buying another harness. It is only if you want a high end or application- specific harness that you need to look at others. For example, if you want the ultimate sport climbing harness you can shell out another $55 for the Black Diamond Ozone, but in the end the Momentum will be almost as comfortable and more versatile and at a fraction of the price."

McNamara continues, "This is the best harness out there for the money and a great first harness. It is comfortable, has great gear loops, tons of features and costs a mere $45. You have to spend a LOT more money to get minor improvements in weight, comfort or features. Black Diamond's own Chaos harness is just slightly better but costs another $80."

Petzl Reverso 3 wins Belay Device SuperTopo Recommend Award

MILL VALLEY, CA--SuperTopo.com, one of the most popular climbing web sites in the world, revealed Petzl Reverso 3 as the winner of the 2010 Recommended award for the best belay device category. The SuperTopo.com staff rated the Petzl Reverso 3 after extensive field testing in Yosemite, Colorado, and Utah. The Petzl Reverso 3 also underwent extensive side by side tests with others in the belay device category to evaluate key performance metrics such as ease of use, performance, packability, durability and ease of lowering. The complete review is available on SuperTopo.com.

According to gear tester Chris McNamara, "The Petzl Reverso 3 is our Editors' Choice for manual belay/auto–block belay devices. It’s like a sports car. It has sleek curves, excellent handling and is smooth to use. Nine times out of 10 we belay directly off the anchor when multipitch climbing so we need a great auto–block device. On big Yosemite free routes, we found our arms stayed fresher with the Reverso 3 as long as the rope was skinnier than 10mm. After a long day of getting high off the ground, you have to come down, and the Reverso 3 is extremely smooth for rappelling. It is pricey but worth every penny if you use it in auto-block mode. If you primarily belay off the anchor with thick ropes, then we would recommend the Mad Lock, GriGri or Cinch."

According to tester Chris Van Leuven, "The Reverso 3 is the best all-around device we tested. It does it all: lightweight, compact and great for belaying in auto–block mode or directly off the waist. It is not cheap, but it is worth the greenbacks. This is the smoothest belay/rappel/guide's device tested. It is the most common belay device you will see guides or experienced trad climbers using, whether in Yosemite or on The Diamond."

About SuperTopo.com: SuperTopo offers the most detailed and exhaustive side-by-side comparison climbing gear review in the industry. Each product is evaluated on a common set of metrics, tested both hands-on and in a lab setting, and then field tested exhaustively on Yosemite's Big Walls, The Alaska Range, Cascades and other serious climbing areas around the world.

SuperTopo.com is the premier destination site for active, influential, and outdoor-oriented rock climbers in the United States. Offering detailed information on the most popular climbing routes in the United States’ most popular climbing areas, SuperTopo.com serves as one of the critical sites to visit when planning an outdoor climbing trip. SuperTopo.com also features the United States most-active climbing discussion forum, by and for experienced outdoor rock climbers. With topics ranging from how-to-aid climb to bolting ethics, route beta, and general fireside chit-chat, the SuperTopo Climber’s Forum is regularly frequented by many of the most well known and famous rock climbers in America.

Petzl GriGri Belay Device Wins SuperTopo Editors Choice Award

MILL VALLEY, CA--SuperTopo.com, one of the most popular climbing web sites in the world, revealed Petzl GriGri as the winnde of the 2010 Editors' Choice award for the belay device category. The SuperTopo.com staff rated the Petzl GriGri after extensive field testing in Yosemite, Colorado, and Utah. The GriGri also underwent extensive side by side tests with other belay devices to evaluate key performance metrics such as ease of use, performance, packability, durability and waterproofness. The complete review is available on SuperTopo.com.

According to gear tester Chris McNamara, "The Petzl GriGri is Editors' Choice because it is simply awesome in most climbing situations. Seriously. What device do you think Chris Sharma was belayed on when he fired Jumbo Love? What device do you think Ammon McNeely is belayed on when he smashes El Cap records? Planning on belaying off the anchor, throwing rope out to a leader? The list goes on and on because the GriGri works great. It doesn’t work on ice ropes, and does not work as well on ropes less than 10mm. (Warning: Using ropes below 10mm goes against Petzl’s advice, so do so at your own risk.) The GriGri is the hardest working piece on our rack. All that said, after years of dominating the market the GriGri faces stiff competition from the Trango Cinch. The Cinch is recommended for smaller ropes, is lighter, more compact and is a better value. For gym and crag climber we still prefer the GriGri. But on big walls and multi-pitch routes, the Cinch might edge ahead."

About SuperTopo.com: SuperTopo offers the most detailed and exhaustive side-by-side comparison climbing gear review in the industry. Each product is evaluated on a common set of metrics, tested both hands-on and in a lab setting, and then field tested exhaustively on Yosemite's Big Walls, The Alaska Range, Cascades and other serious climbing areas around the world.

Petzl Elios Helmet review by SuperTopo.com

MILL VALLEY, CA--SuperTopo.com, one of the most popular climbing web sites in the world, revealed test results of the Petzl Elios helmet for rock climbing and mountaineering. The SuperTopo.com staff rated the Petzl Elios after extensive field testing in Yosemite, Colorado, and Utah. The Camalot C4 also underwent extensive side by side tests with other cams to evaluate key performance metrics such as ease of use, comfor,and ventilation.

According to gear tester Chris McNamara, "This gets our Best Buy award because it scores second highest yet costs $35 less than the top-scoring Meteor III. Get the Elios if you want a durable helmet that is relatively light weight and can do anything. The Elios works great for alpine and big wall climbing, but is also great for free climbing. It is one of the most common helmets you'll see climber's wearing in Yosemite."

North Face Base Camp Duffel Wins SuperTopo Editors Choice Award

MILL VALLEY, CA--SuperTopo.com, one of the most popular climbing web sites in the world, revealed North Face Base Camp Duffel as the winner of the 2010 Editors' Choice award for the best travel duffle bags category. The SuperTopo.com staff rated the North Face Base Camp Duffel after extensive field testing in Yosemite, Colorado, and Utah. The Base Camp also underwent extensive side by side tests with others in the duffel bag category to evaluate key performance metrics such as ease of use, performance, packability, durability and waterproofness. The complete review is available on SuperTopo.com.
“Designed with expeditions in mind, the Base Camp series of duffel bags are extremely durable and easy to carry. The Base Camp easily lashes to a sled for glacier travel and straps to Jeeps, buses, and even yaks. It has many carrying options and external compression straps for lugging through airports. It is made of durable, highly water-resistant fabric.”

According to gear tester Chris McNamara, "The North Face Base Camp Duffel wins our SuperTopo Editors' Choice award. It is the top choice or near the top in every category we tested. We love how it carries and how easy it is to pack. While it is in the middle of the review for weight, it is amongst the lightest duffel bag with backpack straps and a D-shaped opening."

According to tester Ian Nicholson, "Designed with expeditions in mind, the Base Camp series of duffel bags are extremely durable and easy to carry. The Base Camp easily lashes to a sled for glacier travel and straps to Jeeps, buses, and even yaks. It has many carrying options and external compression straps for lugging through airports. It is made of durable, highly water-resistant fabric."

About SuperTopo.com: SuperTopo offers the most detailed and exhaustive side-by-side comparison climbing gear review in the industry. Each product is evaluated on a common set of metrics, tested both hands-on and in a lab setting, and then field tested exhaustively on Yosemite's Big Walls, The Alaska Range, Cascades and other serious climbing areas around the world.

SuperTopo.com is the premier destination site for active, influential, and outdoor-oriented rock climbers in the United States. Offering detailed information on the most popular climbing routes in the United States’ most popular climbing areas, SuperTopo.com serves as one of the critical sites to visit when planning an outdoor climbing trip. SuperTopo.com also features the United States most-active climbing discussion forum, by and for experienced outdoor rock climbers. With topics ranging from how-to-aid climb to bolting ethics, route beta, and general fireside chit-chat, the SuperTopo Climber’s Forum is regularly frequented by many of the most well known and famous rock climbers in America.

SuperTopo.com Announces 2010 Editors’ Choice Award for Belay Devices

June 16, 2010

MILL VALLEY, CA--SuperTopo.com, one of the most popular climbing web sites in the world, revealed today the results of the SuperTopo 2010 Editors’ Choice Awards for Rock Climbing Belay Device category, listing this year’s best climbing belay devices and best value for climbing belay devices. The SuperTopo.com staff chose the following winners after extensive field testing in Yosemite, Colorado, and Utah. Each nut tool underwent extensive side by side tests to evaluate key performance metrics such as lowering, sport climbing belay, rappelling with two ropes, lock off, belaying the second and other factors. The complete belay device review test results for 2010 are available on SuperTopo.com. The winners are:

Petzl GriGri – winner of the Editor's Choice Award for 2010 for auto-assist belay device. According to gear tester Chris McNamara, "The Petzl GriGri is Editors' Choice because it is simply awesome in most climbing situations. Seriously. What device do you think Chris Sharma was belayed on when he fired Jumbo Love? What device do you think Ammon McNeely is belayed on when he smashes El Cap records?"

Black Diamond ATC XP - winner of the Editor's Choice Award for 2010 for manual belay device. According to gear tester Chris McNamara, "This was one of the best devices for paying out rope to a leader. It is versatile and solid and its friction grooves add stopping–power confidence."

Wild Country VC Pro 2 Belay Device - winner of the Best Buy award for 2010. This award is given to a product that balances an extremely high score in our tests and a very reasonable price. According to Chris McNamara, "Wild Country packs more features into the VC Pro 2 for $15 than competitors give you in their base model manual belay device. The VC Pro 2 is a great, compact, belay/rappel device and earns the medal as our Best Buy."

Petzl Reverso 3 - winner of the Recommended award for 2010. This award is given to products that scored very highly, and offered unique capabilities. According to Chris McNamara, "It’s like a sports car. It has sleek curves, excellent handling and is smooth to use. Nine times out of 10 we belay directly off the anchor when multipitch climbing so we need a great auto–block device. On big Yosemite free routes, we found our arms stayed fresher with the Reverso 3 as long as the rope was skinnier than 10m"

Trango Cinch - winner of the Recommended award for 2010. This award is given to products that scored very highly, and offered unique capabilities. According to Chris McNamara, "This is a great auto-locking (or "auto assist") belay device that we liked more and more the longer we spent with it. It has a simple design that reduces its weight and bulk compared to the GriGri. It also pays out rope exceptionally smoothly once you figure it out. Overall, it is a great value and is recommended down to 9.4mm ropes, something the GriGri is not."

About SuperTopo.com: SuperTopo offers the most detailed and exhaustive side-by-side comparison climbing gear review in the industry. Each product is evaluated on a common set of metrics, tested both hands-on and in a lab setting, and then field tested exhaustively on Yosemite's Big Walls, The Alaska Range, Cascades and other serious climbing areas around the world.

SuperTopo.com is the premier destination site for active, influential, and outdoor-oriented rock climbers in the United States. Offering detailed information on the most popular climbing routes in the United States’ most popular climbing areas, SuperTopo.com serves as one of the critical sites to visit when planning an outdoor climbing trip. SuperTopo.com also features the United States most-active climbing discussion forum, by and for experienced outdoor rock climbers. With topics ranging from how-to-aid climb to bolting ethics, route beta, and general fireside chit-chat, the SuperTopo Climber’s Forum is regularly frequented by many of the most well known and famous rock climbers in America.
Media Contact: Chris McNamara - 530.545.0424 - chris@supertopo.com

Permalink: http://www.supertopo.com/best/Belay-Device-Review

SuperTopo.com Announces 2010 Editors’ Choice Award for Rock Climbing Helmets

June 10, 2010

MILL VALLEY, CA--SuperTopo.com, one of the most popular climbing web sites in the world, revealed today the results of the SuperTopo 2010 Editors’ Choice Awards for Rock Climbing Helmet category, listing this year’s best climbing helmets and best value for climbing helmets. The SuperTopo.com staff chose the following winners after extensive field testing in Yosemite, Colorado, and Utah. Each nut tool underwent extensive side by side tests to evaluate key performance metrics such as comfort, breathability, adjustability, durability, and other factors. The complete climbing helmet review test results for 2010 are available on SuperTopo.com. The winners are:

Petzl Meteor III – winner of the Editor's Choice Award for 2010. It was the most solid but for tiny placements, especially in areas with pin scars. According to gear tester Chris McNamara, "The Meteor III was a runaway favorite of all our testers and gets the SuperTopo Editors' Choice award. This is the lightest, most comfortable helmet tested. If you can afford it and are looking for the best (and have the awareness to take proper care of it), go with the Meteor III."

Petzl Elios – winner of the Best Buy award for 2010. This award is given to a product that balances an extremely high score in our tests and a very reasonable price. According to Chris McNamara, "This gets our Best Buy award because it scores second highest yet costs $35 less than the top-scoring Meteor III. Get the Elios if you want a durable helmet that is relatively light weight and can do anything."

CAMP Armour – winner of the Recommended award for 2010. This award is given to products that scored very highly, and offered unique capabilities. According to Chris McNamara, "The CAMP Armour is a great all–around helmet. It stays in place (doesn't ride up on your forehead and slide back onto your neck), takes a beating well and has a slim, breathable profile. Not all helmets stay put on your head, but the Armour does."

Mammut Skywalker – winner of the Recommended award for 2010. This award is given to products that scored very highly, and offered unique capabilities. According to Chris McNamaraIan Nicholson, "The Skywalker II is a great buy. For Chris Mac and a few others it was their favorite helmet in the $60 range. It fits well, takes a beating, looks cool and is amply ventilated. If you’re looking for one helmet to fit all your climbing needs – from alpine to sport and everything in between – the Skywalker II is an excellent choice."

About SuperTopo.com: SuperTopo offers the most detailed and exhaustive side-by-side comparison climbing gear review in the industry. Each product is evaluated on a common set of metrics, tested both hands-on and in a lab setting, and then field tested exhaustively on Yosemite's Big Walls, The Alaska Range, Cascades and other serious climbing areas around the world.

SuperTopo.com is the premier destination site for active, influential, and outdoor-oriented rock climbers in the United States. Offering detailed information on the most popular climbing routes in the United States’ most popular climbing areas, SuperTopo.com serves as one of the critical sites to visit when planning an outdoor climbing trip. SuperTopo.com also features the United States most-active climbing discussion forum, by and for experienced outdoor rock climbers. With topics ranging from how-to-aid climb to bolting ethics, route beta, and general fireside chit-chat, the SuperTopo Climber’s Forum is regularly frequented by many of the most well known and famous rock climbers in America.

Media Contact: Chris McNamara - 530.545.0424 - chris@supertopo.com

Permalink: http://www.supertopo.com/best/Climbing-Helmet-Review

Just posted a bunch of new gear videos

I just posted a bunch of new videos for gear reviews

Five Ten Chase
La Sportiva TC Pro
The North Face Base Camp Duffel
Mad Rock Flash
La Sportiva Katana
Duffel Bag Buying Advice


And these are new gear reviews that don't have videos:
MSR Reactor
North Face Horizon Breeze Brimmer Hat
Metolius Power Cam
DMM Boa
Gregory Baltoro 70
Patagonia Boaris - Men's

La Sportiva Katana