I have chosen a finger board for two main reasons. Firstly I am going to Margalef in October so will need white hot pocket strength. I’m hoping that the use of the finger board over the summer will give me the pocket strength I need. Secondly I used to be able to dead hang one armed, using a crimp, on a campus rung, for 30 seconds. I can’t even hang the rung, using a crimp, one armed anymore! I built this finger strength up by doing short repetitive moments on very small crimps (6-10 moves), on a relatively gently angled board, first thing in the morning and then a normal bouldering session in the evening. My board is too steep for this sort of training now, so a finger board provides an ideal way to replicate the training I did at this time.

Having never used a finger board, this will provide an excellent way to measure what potential improvements it may bring to my climbing. At the end of the four weeks I will try a series of problems with a variety of open hand and crimp hand positions, I tried at the start of the period and see what improvements  (if any) I have made.

Metolius Simulator 3D Finger Board

The equipment I have chosen is a Metolius Simulator 3D finger board. This finger board is designed with ergonomics in mind. The holds are positioned in a broad arc around the central section. This is a very natural position when doing double handed deadhangs or pullups, as the angle of holds match the angle of your arms. It certainly feels a more comfy position to hold, than traditionally designed boards I have tried recently. Although there is a horizontal central section for single armed work, I was concerned that the curve would make using the majority of the holds more difficult to use than a conventional board. In practice however because you tend to turn your body so that it’s at right angles to the board for one arm work, the curve works very well, so long as you use the right side of the board for right arm work and visa versa.

The board has four rows of holds, each arranged slightly further forward than the others, so your forearms don’t catch on the board. The top row of holds are a mixture of jugs and two different sized slopers. The second and third row of holds contains four and three finger holds in three different sizes. The bottom row contains two sizes of two finger pockets and another four finger hold. All these holds offered a natural progression as you get stronger, apart from the two finger pockets. I do feel there needs to be an inbetween size as I can hang the larger ones fairly easily but not the smaller ones at all. I can overcome this by using one of the three finger holds with two fingers (you lose the ability to torque your fingers in the pockets then) or adding extra weight. Overall the combination of holds allows the board to be used by all abilities. There are jugs for begineers to do things like pullups or for the more advanced people to do negatives and one arm pullups, right down to small crimps and tiny two finger pockets for getting the ultimate finger strength.

The holds themselves are very finger friendly. The smooth curves and fine textured surface hasn’t resulted in any sore skin or sore joints after my first sessions.

My first session on the board threw up some interesting anomalies with my finger strength. The first thing I noticed is that now I have switched to an open handed climbing style, is that my open handed strength is much better than my crimp strength. Although this has reduced the number of finger problems I have, most of the routes I climb are crimpy, so it will be holding me back. The second thing I found was that my ring and little fingers are stronger than my index and middle finger! This was a real shock as I assumed that it would be the other way round.

So the plan is to specifically target my ring and middle fingers using two finger pockets to get them more in line with the rest of my fingers. Given that these fingers should be my strongest I’m hoping that improvements in this area should bring good gains. I will also be doing some work in the crimped position to replicate the style of training I used to do.

Metolius supply an excellent user guide with the board which goes through many of the techniques you can use on the board. This goes through in detail how to warmup, warm down, recover between goes and add additional load. It also provides specific training sessions based on your overall ability. More details can be found at their website.

For my training I’m using some of their techniques such as maximum deadhangs as well as repeaters and encores. This will be done towards the end of my bouldering session when I am well warmed up and not fatigued.

I’ll write an updated review in four weeks when I have finished my block of training. Hopefully by then I will have seen improvements in the weak areas that the finger board highlighted and an overall increase in my climbing ability.

For more details on the Metolius Simulator 3D Finger Board, vist the Metolius Website.

Metolius Simulator 3D Finger Board for Climbing Improvement is a post from: Rock Climbing UK, an online UK climbing magazine, written BY UK climbers FOR UK climbers.

If you liked this post, you might also like:

1. Metolius Rock Rings 3D Review
2. Moon Original School Holds
3. Sling Training for Climbing – Update

Cross Rotation Exercise

The bouldering was generally very steep with lots of compression type moves and extensive use of my core. This tends to be my weakest area as my good crimp strength is completely useless! The chaps at Jungle Sports helped me by designing a program to specifically hit my weak areas.

The training did go well, although I only did around ten sling sessions in the end after a week off with a sickness bug. I included the sling training into my bouldering days or on my rest days. The training was structured as below:

Day 1 Boulder:

• Half an hour yoga exercises in the morning.
• Finger board assisted one armers, lock offs and negatives,
• Followed by a bouldering session.
• Sling session later in the day or straight after the bouldering session depending on how much time I had available and how I felt.

Day 2 Power Endurance:

• Half an hour yoga exercises in the morning.
• 15 minutes warm up bouldering.
• Redpoint circuits 25 moves of around route grade 8b+ 3 times with 15 minute rest inbetween.
• 25 move circuit of around route grade 7b 3 times with 5 minute rest inbetween.
• Campus board power endurance (feet on) for 2 minutes, 3 times with 5 minute rest.

Day 3 Sling Training:

• Half an hour yoga exercises in the morning.
• One hours sling training

Days 4, 5 and 6 repeated the above. Then 1 rest day and repeat the 6 days again.

I have found that I was able to sustain this level of training right up to leaving for Spain. However I did start to get some shoulder impingement problem from doing the Fly exercise with the slings. This was because I adding to much load (by leaning to far forward) during the exercise, which was making me lose form and not hold my shoulders in the correct position. It soon cleared up when bouldering in Spain. What it does highlight is the importance of good form when doing sling training. If you don’t maintain good form then you are risking lower back and shoulder problems. However this is often the case when starting most new forms of training.

On my first trip out in Spain the conditions were a lot warmer than the month before. Once warmed up I threw myself onto a Font 8a problem (only thing crimpy there!). Given this problem played to my strengths I wasn’t expecting much of a gain. Apart from the first move, all the foot holds are smears and require a lot of body tension to keep your feet on and move the feet between the holds. As soon as I started doing the first moves, I found that the ability to move my feet between the holds was considerably better than before. I was no longer having to fight to keep my feet on as I moved between the crimps and was very close to completing the problem by the end of the trip (just brushed the final jug).

Working that core on a 7c boulder problem in Spain

The remaining problems were all on large holds on steeper ground, with lots of heel and toe hooks. Each foot movement required a lot of body tension to stop one of your feet popping off. Again I was able to keep my feet in contact with the rock much better. I also found that my overall body strength was much better than it had been four weeks before. I suspect this would have been a combination of the slings and extra climbing strength work.

So the big question is does sling training offer enough benefit to climbers to justify buying the equipment and the extra time needed to add it into your training. From my point of view the slings have definitely improved my core strength to a much greater extent than any other training I have done. If time is limited then you can split the different sling training sessions over a series of different training days.

They have also allowed me to add extra load into my training, when my forearms are too tired to sustain anymore work. This is an area that the Norwegian Climbing Coach, Stian Christophersen, felt was one of the biggest advantages of slings. This extra load, along with hard climbing training has definitely improved my upper body strength over the last month.

Finally as someone who gets a few finger injuries, if I spend too much time crimping, the slings offer a great way to get some good training in, as there is no load going through the injured finger. Touch wood I won’t be needing them for this though!

I will certainly continue to train with the slings over the climbing season and hope I can continue to improve at the rate I have seen over the last month.

For more details on sling training products visit Jungle Sports website. Enter discount code ‘climb10′ for 10% off all purchases.

Sling Training for Climbing – Update is a post from: Rock Climbing UK, an online UK climbing magazine, written BY UK climbers FOR UK climbers.

If you liked this post, you might also like:

1. Sling Training for Climbing Improvement
2. Mountain Leader training awards update
3. Steve McClure on Training Power Endurance

DMM Alpha Trad Carabiner

I recently received a set of DMM’s new flagship traditional climbing quickdraw, the Alpha Trad.  As soon as you as you pick up one of new Alpha Trad’s you realise that with this quickdraw DMM have really tried to break the mould, by creating a product that incorporates a lot of thought about the climbers requirements when they are leading. This has been achieved through the use of clever design features, with the overall aim of reducing the time spent clipping and the risk of potential cross loading.

From an aesthetic point of view, DMM have created a beautifully designed and engineered carabiner, as well as manufacturing them to the highest specifications. It took me a while, from picking up the first one to actually put it back down!

All the carabiners are manufactured on site in Wales, ensuring that all products are designed, manufactured and tested to the highest specification. Using the latest hot forged I-Beam construction has enabled DMM to keep the weight of a single Alpha to just 34g, without compromising on strength. DMM are certainly one of the leading experts in the climbing field of hot forging. They have recently introduced a whole range  of hot forged cams, ice axe shafts and nuts. This expertise has facilitated designs, weights and enhanced features that simply wouldn’t have been possible with cold forging.

DMM are fanatical about the quality and safety of their designs. Their carabiners are rigorously tested at every stage of the manufacturing process. In addition to the gate opening and gate closed tests required by law, DMM go the extra mile with a host of extra tests, resulting in some of the most extensively tested carabiners that money can buy.

With the Trad, DMM have adopted the wiregate approach. This offers a number of advantages over the traditional solid gate. The first of these is the reduced weight, because of the lower metal content and the wire forming part of the spring mechanism itself. From a safety point of view the lower mass reduces ‘gate flutter’ during a fall situation, reducing the risk of it opening and causing failure of the carabiner. From a clipping point of view the wiregate has a flat surface, which provides a wider gate opening than a solid gate.

As soon as you pick up a set of Alpha Trad quickdraw the most apparent thing is just how light they feel. Having been mainly sport climbing lately, I had forgotten about the weight impact of a trad rack. With a rack of 10 extenders weighing 770 grams, the weight was considerably less that the set of wires I was using.

DMM Alpha Trad showing grip and rubber stitched into quickdraw

When I was on a route and removed the first quickdraw off my harness, some of the design features of the Alpha immediately become clear. The kinked back and the grip on the back and below the wiregate of the Alpha Trad, gives you enhanced grip and reduced risk of fumbling as you remove the quickdraw from your harness and clip through the gear and rope.  This will be even more apparent if your hands have gone numb during a gritstone winter or you are wearing gloves on a Scottish mixed route.

As I clipped the Trad through my first piece of protection, the clever nose and asymmetrical wiregate design really stood out. By making the wire close within the carabiner itself, DMM have created a very smooth nose profile, which is impossible to snag on your protection and enables the rope to pass very smoothly through the gate. The gate itself has a nice balance between having enough tension to stop accidental opening/gate flutter/accidental unclipping and still being easy to clip. A chat with Simon Marsh of DMM revealed that the Alpha gate required a good deal of attention in the design process, as the tolerances and specifications are tight. They have used an offset shape to the gate to help create the correct tension across the whole range of movement, whilst still making it easy to use in either hand. The final kink on the wire gate leg as it connects to the nose and the low profile nose design itself also helps reduce the risk of accidental unclipping because the leg forces the rope over the nose rather than letting the rope fall into a gate/nose recess.

The gate asymmetry does actually make the carabiner feel different when clipping with your right or left hand. It actually feels really nice and smooth when clipping the protection with your right hand and slightly more awkward when clipping with your left. The gate opening is also slightly larger when clipping with your right rather than left. It’s not a major issue, but does feel unusual when you first use the quickdraws.

Clipping the rope into the Trad is made much easier by the shape of the carabiner. By adding a bend to the back, the wiregate has more room to open, resulting in a wider area to clip the rope through. Once the rope is clipped, this shape also ensures that the rope is placed correctly within the carabiner and the risk of cross loading is minimised.

I have been using a mixture of wiregates and bent gates over the years and still feel that the wiregate has a way to go before it is as easy to clip as a well made bent gate. In fact the DMM Mamba is still my prefered quickdraw for hard climbing.  The recent relaunch of this product has been welcomed by many people I know, as well as myself. DMM are offering a bent gate version of the Alpha and I would be really keen to test this to see how it compares with the wiregate Trad. I would be happy for a small weight penalty in return for the smoothest possible clipping action.

DMM Alpha Trad showing rope seating position

When leading I had no problems with the carabiner rotating in the quickdraw. DMM have stitched the rubber within the quickdraw, making rotating a carabiner on the quickdraw almost impossible. Until now alternative solutions based around a variety of different rubber rings have still resulted in difficult clips due to carabiner rotation. In fact they make it harder as the rubber makes it much more difficult to turn the carabiner round before you can clip the rope through. I have seen this design before on other manufactures quickdraws and the rubber failed after a month of use. DMM have attempted to overcome this issue by stitching thicker rubber into the quickdraw. So far I haven’t seen any undue signs of wear, but time will tell.

Fortunately I was lucky enough not to take a fall during the test! To help protect the rope itself the hot forging process has created a flatter surface where the rope seats. The effectively disperses the forces over a wider area of the rope, to reduce the overall rope wear.

I had received a variety of different length quickdraws from DMM.  For low drag situations I had the 12cm, 11mm Dyneema quickdraw. As the potential drag increased I also had the option to use the longer 18cm and 25cm quickdraws. The routes I was trying crossed a mixture of terrain from small roofs to slabs. For my rack I would take 4 each of the 12 and 18cm quickdraws and 2 of the 25cm quickdraws.

DMM Alpha Trad 12, 18 and 25cm Quickdraws

Because of the extra cost associated with engineering such a complex and innovative product this is at the premium end of the quickdraw market. Typical retail prices start at £9 for the carabiner and £19 for the 12cm quickdraw. For all the features packed into this quickdraw this is money certainly worth paying. For someone looking to purchase a new set of quickdraws or add to their existing ones, this product should be at the top of your list. Although the design is based around traditional climbing, I have been happily using them as sport climbing quickdraws as well. However given the choice for sport routes I would opt for the the solid bent gate version called the Alpha Sport or the Mamba. For those people really focused on the lowest possible weight in their quickdraw there is also the Alpha light, which includes many of the design features of the Trad.

Our thanks go to DMM for the support they gave us in making this review. For the Alpha Trad specification and feature video visit the DMM Website.

DMM Alpha Trad Quickdraws Review is a post from: Rock Climbing UK, an online UK climbing magazine, written BY UK climbers FOR UK climbers.

If you liked this post, you might also like:

1. Climbing equipment review – Wild Country ‘Wild Wire’ quickdraws
2. Wild Country Helium Carabiner Review
3. Climbing equipment review – ‘Trigger Gate’ Carabiner by Mad Rock

Due to various injuries over the years, I am one of those climbers who have strong fingers, but poor upper body strength. Over the winter I have been focusing on this weak area, doing lots of core, bouldering, weighted pullups, front levers and plyometrics, so was keen to learn more about how sling training could help me improve.

Sling training is a portable body weight training system, based around a set of suspended slings. The closest analogy to sling training is the Gymnastic rings. However the sheer difficulty of these exercises makes them inaccessible to those of who lack the power of a gymnast! Sling Training exercises overcome this by allowing the user to reduce the load by changing their body angle or exercise type.

The equipment I received from Jungle Sports was the Liana Fly, the Pulley and the Bat. The Liana Fly allows you to do most of the basic exercises. The Bat is excellent as it introduces instability into the exercises, forcing all your stabilising and core muscles to work harder and the pulley allows you to introduce rotational exercise into the program.

Liana

Fly

Bat

The training expert at Jungle Sports, developed me a program based around Magnus’s program to focus on my main weak areas, body tension, compression and undercut moves. This was all available for me to view online, through their excellent E-Trainer product. The online E-Trainer is an invaluable tool to support your training program. Based on the muscle groups you wish to target and the level of difficulty you require, you can select an exercise and the use it to create your own custom program. To ensure that you do each exercise functionally correct a video is included showing you the complete movement range.

Fortunately even though I was doing the same exercises as Magnus, most of the sling training exercises allow you to make them as hard as you like by moving either forwards or backwards, to increase the load, depending on the exercise you are doing. If the exercises are still too hard for you, then you can select an easy variation from the E-Trainer

One of the issues was how do I fit this into my existing training program. I am currently doing two days on (bouldering and circuits) and one day off. Jungle Sports put me in touch with top Norwegian boulderer/climber, National Climbing Coach and Physiotherapist Stian Christophersen who gave me three options. These were to break my training into two sessions a day. One normal climbing session and one sling training session, the next one was to break the sling training into two sections and do each section after a climbing session and the final one was to do the sling training on my rest day. Because sling training tends to work the muscles in a different way to climbing, I decided to start the program on my rest days and see how it goes.

The other area Stian mentioned was that after climbing you tend to have more fatigue in your fingers/forearms than your upper body and core. That’s not to say that your upper body muscles and core aren’t important, it just means these smaller muscle groups tend to fatigue quicker, when climbing. So by suspending your wrists in slings, you remove the strain on your forearms and can then target those other muscle groups much harder than you would from climbing training alone.

Jungle Sports E Trainer

Its clear from when you unpack the equipment, that this is a real quality product. All elements are really well made, from the Bat to simple things like the slings themselves. Because the system is portable it’s possible to install it in most places. The slings are available with hooks to mount on your ceiling or a door anchor. I decided to hang them from a tree in the back garden.

So I was now ready for my first session. For each exercise you need to adjust the height of the wrist loops from the ground. This is really simple and done by sliding a lock up and down the rope. Once the height is correct you can start your first exercise.

The first thing you notice when you start is that the exercises are really hard! Anyone who has watched Magnus in the video will have seen him doing the Superman and fly exercise in a horizontal position. As you can see from the pictures the best I could do was a slight forward lean! I simply don’t have the shoulder, chest and core strength required to sustain the positions that he does. From a climbing perspective this makes sense, as my weakest areas are very steep compression moves, exactly the same muscles these exercises target.

The next thing that is apparent is that each exercise works so many muscle groups. The criticism of weight training is that it generally isolates individual muscle groups rather than working the body as a whole. This certainly isn’t the case with sling training. Because you need your core locked and your body moves, even for exercises as simple as a bicep curl, your whole muscle chain is being used, much more like climbing.

Superman Exercise

The first exercises in my program where done just using the slings. These were a variety of different exercises based around leaning forward, stopping and then returning back to my start position. By changing the position of my arms I was able to target different muscle groups, while always maintaining a locked core.

Unstable Pressup Exercise

The next exercises were based around the use of the fly attachment. When attached to the slings, you have something that looks very much like a child’s swing. By either suspending my feet or lying horizontal on the Fly, I was able to do some very specific work on my core and mid section muscles.

When you add the Bat all the exercises gain another level of difficulty. The bat is like a lat pull down bar with a connection point to a single sling. You then suspend two slings from the bat, which you hold onto. The single connection point means that you are in a very unstable position, which forces your core, power and stabilising muscles to work much harder. In my program this was primarily used for press-ups and core specific exercises.

Cross Rotation Exercise

The final exercises were done by attaching a pulley to one of the slings. This then allowed me to use my body weight for tricep pushdowns and rotational work.

After I finished the workout I felt a couple of inches taller. My core has never felt this worked. It makes exercises like the plank seem for school children! Even a few days after my core was still sore. My shoulders and other areas felt really good the day after and I was still able to train hard.

Pullups with Cross through Foot Raise Exercise

After using the equipment for a few sessions and exploring other possible exercises I am amazed at the versatility of the equipment. It is possible to hit all the different muscles groups in many different ways and at different levels. As you get better the sling trainer, with the support of the E-Trainer allows you to continue to develop and hit your body in lots of new ways, great for shocking the system into getting stronger. Certainly when compared with weight training this equipment is far more versatile.

So far the training has been going very well. I have been doing the exercises either on my rest day or as a second session in the day if I have time. As far as I can tell it has had little impact on my climbing training. To really understand how applicable sling training is for climbing I need to see if the training will help improve the climbing areas we chose to focus on. I returned from a trip to Spain just before I started the Sling Training. The climbing was all based around steep moves, lots of compression, core and long locks. Everything I am bad at! I’m now going back in a few weeks to see if all this hard work has paid off! I’ll write an update report on my return, so watch this space!

For more details on sling training visit Jungle Sports website. They currently have a special offer for climbers, where by entering discount code ‘CLIMB10′ you will get 10% off your purchase.

Sling Training for Climbing Improvement is a post from: Rock Climbing UK, an online UK climbing magazine, written BY UK climbers FOR UK climbers.

If you liked this post, you might also like:

1. Metolius Rock Rings 3D Review
2. Climbing book review – Training for Climbing by Eric J Horst
3. Magnus Midtbo on Climbing Training

NECTAR - the future of energy drinks?

As climbers we are always looking for the secret ingredient to take us to the next level. It’s a harsh reality, but there are no magic potions or miracles that will instantly transform us into the next Adam Ondra or Sasha Digiulian.

For the majority of us, if we want to take our climbing to the ‘next level’ we have to put in a lot of hard effort. We have to be disciplined enough to train in a systematic way and even more so to allow ourselves the time to recover afterwards.

Training for climbing is growing in popularity at a phenomenal speed. What were once lonely campus boards in the corner of your local wall are now busy training areas with countless fingerboards and training tools … just waiting for you to unlock your potential (or do yourself an injury).

Whilst training is imperative if we want to progress in climbing, it is equally important that we fuel our bodies with ‘the right stuff’ to maximise our output during training and also to aid recovery afterwards.

NECTAR - 2litre 'FUEL TANK'

I recently came across a new product in the sports nutrition market called ‘NECTAR‘. A new concept from the London based company behind recovery drink FOR GOODNESS SHAKES, Nectar is an offering in the energy drinks field that will revolutionise the way we think about energy drinks.

At present we have two options…powders added to water (not great…feels a bit like drinking silt from a river bed … no matter how much you shake it) or the typically overpriced, pre-made, vending machine brands (more efficient at emptying your wallet than improving your performance).

NECTAR is different. Unlike powdered products, it mixes instantly with water and even better, it won’t make such a big dent in your wallet (one fuel tank makes 80 bottles at 31.5pence per serving … bargain!).

These are not the only advantages; available in a pre-dosed ‘pump’ or in sachets; for the first time, you can choose the fuelling system to best suit your training needs. For technical information on exactly how to dilute Nectar to suit your training requirements, click here.

Due to their highly portable nature I opted to take several sachets of NECTAR on a sport climbing trip to Siurana with the aim of putting it to the test in a climbing environment. These, rather than the 2 litre FUEL TANKS seemed an obvious choice … luggage space is tight on budget airlines and nobody wants to pay the heavy baggage fees do they?!

Emptying the contents of a Nectar sachet into a very cold Nalgene

The first test was to be transportation. Arriving at my destination to open my bags and find a sticky energy juice mess where sachets once were simply wasn’t an option…a quick solution to this was to put the sachets inside my empty Nalgene. 8 sachets went in there fairly easily … ready for safe transportation to Catalunya.

Naturally, the next test was to actually use Nectar on a day out at the crag. Along with my climbing partner Tom, we used Nectar each day. Diluting one sachet with one litre of water, we were creating a hypo-tonic solution that suited the long periods of exercise that we were enduring; fast & efficient hydration when we needed it most.

The flavour was good (we had LEMON LIME), in fact, it was great! Refreshing and a definite ‘thirst quencher’, we were reaching for the Nectar filled Nalgene rather than the water every time.

Drinking Nectar definitely gave us more energy. There is a HELL of a lot of science behind the drink and without delving into the depths and technicalities…it worked.

‘Fuelling up’ outside our iced-over tent in the morning became something of a comforting yet rather energetic ritual and one that we loved to perform. After adding the water to the Nectar solution a quick shake is needed to mix it all together. With dawn temperatures regularly hitting -7 during our Siurana stint, the Nalgene shaking became something of an exercise and helped to warm us up as we prepared for the day of climbing that was ahead of us … of course, eccentric dancing is not required to properly mix your Nectar drink … it just makes things more interesting.

'Fuelling up' - water, Nectar, bottle ... that's ALL you need!

Having tried powder based energy drinks, and reluctantly spent money on the ‘big name’ energy drink brands in the past I am pleased to be able to tell you that Nectar beats them all hands down.

• It tastes better.
• It’s cheaper.
• It’s British.

Get your hands on some and put it to the test yourself. We’d love to hear how you got on with it too, so feel free to post comments below.

To read more about NECTAR click here. You can also buy the various different types of Nectar and also the excellent FOR GOODNESS SHAKES recovery drinks here.

I’ve mentioned it already, but the guys behind these products are based here in the UK. As someone who is deeply involved in the retail/manufacturing element of the outdoor industry I feel that the support of British companies is  incredibly important. Supporting brands that provide jobs for local people & increase British industry should be something we all try to do a little more consciously.

Other great examples of GREAT BRITISH climbing/outdoor brands are SealSkinz, Montane, ProBalm, Troll, Mountain Equipment and DMM to name just a few.

NECTAR – Sports Fuel Concentrate is a post from: Rock Climbing UK, an online UK climbing magazine, written BY UK climbers FOR UK climbers.

If you liked this post, you might also like:

1. Mountain Leader training awards update
2. Climbing techniques – a plan to raise your game: Week 1 – nutrition and weight management
3. Trion:Z Magnetic therapy bracelet

This month you might have seen the publicity online about the BMC’s fantastic Helmet Campaign.  The idea is to raise awareness of the many good reasons to wear a helmet, and perhaps to break down some of the stigma associated with helmets amongst some sectors of the climbing community.  So while this article covers the basics of helmet testing, construction and fitting, do visit The BMC Helmet Campaign for more details.

How often have you been to a new climbing wall or signed up to a club trip and been faced by the BMC Participation Statement?  In it the BMC recognises that “climbing, hill walking and mountaineering are activities with a danger or personal injury or death”.  Basically, climbing (in all its forms) is a risky game!  Of course this only adds to the excitement; the need to balance risks is all part of the challenge and attraction.

The problem is, there are some risks you can’t control.  There will always be objective dangers like rock fall or avalanche.  Other climbers can drop protection from above or dislodge blocks.  Even uncontrolled falls can happen to the most experienced and cautious climbers.  The only way to totally avoid these risks is not to be there in the first place which isn’t an option!  That’s where a helmet comes in.

My own experience makes me an avid helmet wearer.  Rockfall has chopped one of my half ropes on the Frendo Spur and a chunk of ice once broke a friend’s nose on Point Five gully.  Worst of all was a short fall which broke my back but thankfully not my head.  There was a hefty dent in my helmet!  In all these cases we could have suffered much more serious injuries without a helmet.  This may prove to be the most important bit of kit you ever own.

Testing Criteria

Climbing helmets have to pass a series of safety tests before hitting the market.  After undergoing the tests helmets can be certified by two bodies: the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) and the Union Internationale des Associations d’Alpinisme (UIAA).

The test rig is set up with a helmet on a wooden head form.  A blunt 5 kg weight is dropped onto the top of the helmet from 2 metres.  Side, front and rear impact tests are also performed.  For all these tests, the maximum force imparted through to the head form is 10kN for EN-12492 certification and 8kN for UIAA-106 certification.  Since UIAA standards are higher it is worth checking for their label as well as the usual CE mark.

The last impact test is also the simplest.  A cone-shaped 3kg weight is dropped onto the top of the helmet from 1 metre.  The tip of the cone simply must not penetrate the helmet.  If it touches the head form, the helmet has failed.

Even the retention system has to meet certain standards.  When pulled downwards the chin strap should withstand a force of 500 Newtons without breaking and without stretching more than 25mm.  There is also a slippage test which assesses resistance to pivoting off the head when a force is applied upwards against the rear of the helmet.

Construction

Modern helmets are constructed in different ways and this affects their ability to cope with different types of climbing.  Broadly speaking there are three different categories of helmet:

Superlight Foam

The Black Dimaond Tracer

The main body of the helmet is expanded polystyrene (EPS) moulded to a comfortable shape that sits close to the head.  There will also be a thin polycarbonate shell.  On impact the foam compresses to absorb energy.

Pros: They typically weigh less than 250g!  They are so light it’s easy to forget that you’re wearing a helmet at all.  Big ventilation ports give good airflow and they are particularly suited to hot summer days at single pitch crags.  Good side impact protection makes them a good choice for sport climbers, who may take regular falls.

Cons: The nature of foam shock absorption results in permanent deformation.  Once your superlight helmet has taken a major knock it will need to be retired and replaced.  In this sense they are more ‘fragile’ than the heavier Shell/Foam combo lids.  They typically cost more as well, so the cost-to-lifespan ratio is less favourable.

The current crop of Superlight helmets is led by the Black Diamond Tracer and Petzl Meteor III+.  The latter is actually certified for use in cycling and water sports as well as for climbing, making it in some ways the most versatile lid on the market.

Tough Shell with Suspension Cradle

A hefty moulded polycarbonate shell is held slightly above the head by a cradle of webbing straps.  On impact the shell deforms (with some elasticity) to absorb the force.

Pros: The thickness of the shell makes this type of ‘old-school’ helmet a tough cookie to crack.  Durability is high and it will withstand hefty blows from falling objects.  A good option for winter or multi-pitch trad climbs where you may encounter repeated rockfall throughout the day and can’t instantly retire the helmet.

Cons: At ~450g this type is relatively heavy!  Protection is also concentrated on the crown making it less effective in the side impacts potentially encountered in a fall.  The basic suspension system and minimal ventilation can make it a hotter and generally less comfortable experience.  Fine for winter mountaineering but not so good for summer sport climbing.

There is only really one model of helmet left flying the flag for this style of helmet – the Petzl Ecrin Roc.  This has been on the market for many years and still does a great job.  It is particularly popular for use at outdoor centres and also has a loyal following amongst cavers.

Combination Shell/Foam

The Petzl Elios

Perhaps the majority of helmets take elements of the previous two designs and combine them to create an excellent all round solution for most types of climbing.  Here there is a moulded expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam layer next to the head, bonded to a midweight plastic shell (often acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or ABS).  This gives two levels of defence; plastic elastic absorption in the shell followed by foam deformation underneath.

Pros: These helmets are suitable for any kind of climbing.  They are light and well-vented enough to work in warm weather but substantial enough to take the knocks when mountaineering or winter climbing.  Prices are also lower than the opposition.

Cons: Not as light as the Superlight EPS options, nor as durable as the pure polycarbonate shell designs; though these are not really negatives if you’re after all-round performance for all types of climbing.  The major thing to look for is good internal foam coverage, as the plastic shell isn’t strong enough on its own to withstand large side impacts.

The most popular design here is undoubtedly the Petzl Elios.  For Spring 12 this has been updated with a more comfortable head harness and new sliding ventilation covers.  These extend versatility further even further than before by permitting airflow on warmer days at the crag, yet also letting you shut out the elements when alpine or winter climbing.  The women’s specific Petzl Elia has had the same makeover.  Meanwhile the Black Diamond Half Dome 2 is putting in a firm challenge with its tuck-away suspension system and super comfortable fit while the Grivel Salamander is a great option for winter climbers and alpinists.

Fitting a Helmet

It’s a bit like trying a pair of rock shoes – fit is very personal to the individual. Go into a store and try some helmets on. Be aware that some models come sized; for instance there are three sizes in the Black Diamond Tracer and two in the Petzl Elios. Then think what climbs you’ll be wearing the helmet on. If your itinerary involves winter climbing then try helmets when wearing a beanie as well as on a bare head.

The retention system that keeps a helmet stably attached to your head can be adjusted in three areas:

1. Headband – Easily tightened to a snug fit using a wheel or plastic ‘click-strip’ at the back
2. Side Straps – These should be flat to the head forming a V shape around your ears
3. Chin Strap – Usually a simple buckle with webbing strap

If the helmet is a good fit it should stay in place without the chin strap being done up when you shake your head from side to side.

Whichever helmet you choose, wear it at all times when you’re climbing, belaying or even just relaxing below the cliff. A helmet can’t protect you when it’s stuffed in your pack!

Everything You Need to Know About Climbing Helmets is a post from: Rock Climbing UK, an online UK climbing magazine, written BY UK climbers FOR UK climbers.

If you liked this post, you might also like:

1. Climbing equipment review: Petzl Altios climbing helmet
2. Climbing equipment review: Mammut Skywalker climbing helmet
3. Climbing equipment review – Marmot ROM Jacket

Metolius Rock Rings 3D

A recent business trip provided me with the ideal opportunity to test the latest incarnation of the Rock Ring, the Rock Rings 3D. I was staying with some friends who were happy for me to suspend the rings, using a sling threaded over the branch of a tree in their back garden.

The first thing I noticed when using the rings is that exercises are a bit harder, due to the movement of the rings. This movement forces you to use your stabilising muscles to a greater degree than a finger board, which can be no bad thing. The best comparison would be between using free weights in a gym instead of a machine.

The Rock Rings are beautifully made with no irregularities or surfaces that can damage your skin. The fine texture and curved surfaces offers excellent grip, whilst causing no obvious skin wear. Although skin wear isn’t usually an issue when doing exercises such as dead hanging, a poor hold design can tear at your calluses when doing sustained power endurance work on the holds.

The Rock Rings have four different holds, which caters for a variety of different abilities and exercises. These are a large jug on the top, a deep incut four finger pocket, a four finger flat edge and a three finger pocket.

Offset Pullups using the Rock Rings

The Rock Rings come with a really useful user guide. I decided to put myself to the test and try some of the exercises Metolius supplied with the Rock Rings, as well as do some of my own. I started with some pullups on the jugs and finger holds and some double handed deadhangs on the larger holds. Once warmed up I adjusted the Rock Rings so one Rock Ring was two feet lower than the other and did some offset pullups. The independent nature of the rock rings make this exercise really easy to setup.

Doing one arm deadhangs and negatives I found a lot harder on the rings than a finger board. I normally use my other hand to steady myself during the hang or lower. Due to the rotational nature of the rings I wasn’t able to do this. It may well have highlighted the fact that I just need to get stronger!

I have been working through progressions towards a full front lever. The jugs on the Rock Rings were ideally suited to this exercise. The fact that the rings were suspended below a tree also gave me plenty of clearance.

The power endurance training on the Rock Rings worked really well. Using the smallest hand holds and my feet on a step ladder, I hung from both hands for five seconds, removed one hand and did a pullup for three seconds and then returned my hand for five seconds. I kept repeating this with alternate arms for two minutes, rested for five minutes and repeated twice. The end result was a total body pump.

Using the pockets for a bent arm deadhang

The final exercises I used the Rock Rings for didn’t really fit with the original design purpose, but seemed to work very well. Using some climbing cord, I was able to replicate some of the exercises used in sling training. Not quite as advanced or as easy to adjust as the real thing, but I was still able to do some of the basic exercises, such as flys, suspended pushups, suspended leg raises and rotational leg raises.

By the time I had finished I felt like I had a full body workout. On one very portable piece of equipment I had managed to train my fingers, strength, core, power endurance and antagonist muscles.

The Rock Rings 3D retail around £45 and I would certainly recommend them if you don’t have anywhere to mount a finger board or find yourself travelling and in need of that one vital piece of training equipment.

Metolius Rock Rings 3D Review is a post from: Rock Climbing UK, an online UK climbing magazine, written BY UK climbers FOR UK climbers.

If you liked this post, you might also like:

1. Rock climbing training – Toughening and repairing your fingers part 2
2. Climbing equipment review – Wild Country ‘Wild Wire’ quickdraws
3. Climbing book review – Training for Climbing by Eric J Horst

Moon Board at Awesome Walls, Stoke on Trent

I have been in need of adding some new holds to my board for a while, to allow me to start to create some new and harder problems.

After looking around I decided to try the Moon School Room holds set. A single set costs £100, which includes 40 handholds and 10 footholds. This represents much better value for money than most other resin holds.

These holds were originally designed for the Moon Board. This was a concept that was created by Ben Moon and others, from the old school room in Sheffield, in 2005. The idea was that people could create an exact replica of the board used by top climbers such as Ben and try and repeat the problems they had set. Once they then move onto creating their own problems, they could then upload them for others to try. To enable them to achieve this, the Moon board has a grid pattern, with each hole assigned a letter and number, as well as each hand hold having a number and orientation.

Sadly I just don’t have room for a Moon Board in my garage! However the ones I have tried are excellent. I really like the grid pattern as it enables me to measure my progress and then push myself by creating problems that use the next row of holds.

The Yellow Original Moon Holds

There are three different sets, available within the Moon range. Having used all three at Awesome Walls in Stoke on Trent, I have gone for the original version as they are generally smaller than the other two sets. I have fitted these to my 45 degree board. Any steeper and I may well have gone for one of the other two sets, which offer a broader range of hold sizes.

The hand holds and foot holds all have multiple faces, allowing you to turn the holds around. Great if you need to make that problem, just a little bit harder! The texture of the holds is perfect, generally not to abrasive on your skin, but at the same time offering enough grip to avoid slipping off. The holds are generally open hand or crimps, with a few small pinches and undercuts. They are easily the closest, resin hold, you can get to climbing on UK limestone.

For those of you looking at adding an extra set of holds to your board, for getting yourself in shape for hitting the limestone, the Moon School Holds are the way forward. If you have lots of room, then go one better and build yourself a Moon board!

Moon Original School Holds is a post from: Rock Climbing UK, an online UK climbing magazine, written BY UK climbers FOR UK climbers.

If you liked this post, you might also like:

1. New ROKT climbing gym planning approved
2. Kendal Wall – Grand Re-Opening
3. An introduction to outdoor bouldering

Last winter Hot Aches and Mountain Equipment released a great film called The Pinnacle. It shows two top modern climbers (Dave MacLeod and Andy Turner) recreating a series of pioneering ascents on Ben Nevis by Jimmy Marshall and Robin Smith in 1960. The film makes you realise how extraordinary the first ascensionists were, climbing grade five ice routes using traditional techniques including cutting steps.

Thankfully it’s a lot easier nowadays! Modern ice axes and crampons feel more like natural extensions of your limbs than the cumbersome tools of past decades. Everything has got lighter and easier to use which has accelerated standards of ice climbing for the elite and beginner alike. In 1960 Marshall and Smith made the first ever one-day ascent of Point Five Gully. Today that route is a mid-grade classic accessible to many winter climbers – so much so that avoiding queues can be a challenge!  These routes aren’t getting any less steep; it’s just that the equipment has got an awful lot better.

Following last month’s look at clothing for winter climbing, this article gives a brief overview of the different climbing gear and other equipment you’ll need.

Climbing Gear

Ice Axe(s)

For relatively shallow snow gullies (grade I) a single mountaineering axe will suffice. The classic option is a Grivel Munro but you may appreciate a slightly curved upper shaft as found on the Black Diamond Venom. The curve makes it more effective when swung from the handle, but the straight lower shaft can be plunged in deeper snow.  As you progress to grade II or above you will need a pair of technical axes. The Grivel Matrix Light is a great option for these lower grade mountaineering routes. When you begin tackling grade IV and above a more radical curve becomes useful for clearing icy bulges and getting a more ergonomic swing. The Petzl Quark and Black Diamond Viper are both top technical tools that will perform superbly on all types of winter climb.

Crampons

It’s essential that crampons are fitted only to stiffened boots (often referred to as B1, B2 or B3 following a ratings system devised by the mountaineer Brian Hall). Fitting a stiff crampon onto a flexible boot could lead to the crampon falling off mid-climb which would be disastrous. For more information visit http://www.ellis-brigham.com/mountain-footwear.htm#crampons or go to a store for advice.

Ice climbing becomes far easier when using crampons with vertical front points. If you have good B3 rated mountain boots like the La Sportiva Nepal Evo GTX a pair of Grivel G14 Cramp-o-Matic will work well. For a combination of mid-grade ice and mixed climbing along with general winter mountaineering or Munro bagging, the Grivel G12 is a good choice.  Ideally fit them to B2 boots like the Scarpa Manta using the New-Matic binding. If you’re winter walking and not climbing above about grade I, you should be fine with B1 boots and a C1 crampon like the Grivel G10 New Classic. Of course, the more flexible the boot, the less support they will give you when front-pointing on steeper snow and ice.

Other climbing gear

Wear a beefy harness that will fit over your thicker winter clothing, with lots of space for racking an expanded winter rack and preferably water-resistant materials.  The Black Diamond Aspect and Lotus are ideal.  Although you could wear the superlight style of helmet (such as the Petzl Meteor III+) on winter climbs, a more robust polycarbonate shell is better placed to protect you from persistent falling ice.  These slightly heavier helmets, including the Grivel Salamander, also tend to be less ventilated and so are less likely to allow melting water or spindrift to drip through.

You will need a full rack including nuts, hexes, extenders and plenty of screwgate krabs for building belays. Many climbers find that slightly larger karabiners like the DMM Spectre 2 make more sense in winter, as they can be easier to use when wearing gloves than the smaller styles like the DMM Phantom.

Of course ice routes also demand ice screws. They may be expensive but it’s well worth getting ones with a retractable handle for speedier placements. Black Diamond Express screws are the ones to beat at the moment, but Grivel 360s also have a loyal following. There are some other specialist bits of kit which may be worth a look.  Foremost among these is the Grivel Candela which is well worth taking. It’s a lightweight plastic body with a flip-out hook that makes it easier to get cord through an Abolokov V-thread and even includes a low-profile blade for cutting the cord. Also do consider carrying a small selection of pegs.  Many climbs already have decent pegs at strategic points but you never know when you may need to hammer one in yourself!

Pack

Winter climbing usually involves packing a lot of kit. On the walk in to a route you might be hefting a rope, crampons, axes, hardware, spare clothing, lunch…  It all adds up so your pack needs to carry everything comfortably.  Then when you start climbing it needs to morph into a simple design that won’t impede you.  This means that winter packs tread a fine line between bells-and-whistles functionality and super-clean minimalism.   A good example is the Lowe Alpine Alpine Attack 45:55.  It’s built in tough ripstop fabric with a low-profile hipbelt but it still has enough functionality to carry rope, crampon and tools with ease.  The Osprey Variant 52 is a more elaborate option that I’ve used on multi-day camps below the North Face of Ben Nevis.  It will carry a lot of kit and then compress down small for the climb.

Map & Compass

It’s a good idea to carry a detailed map when you head up the mountain, not only to help find the route but also to get back down afterwards!  Places like Ben Nevis pose navigational challenges for the unwary and in poor weather it’s necessary to plot a careful dog-leg course across the summit plateau or risk falling through the cornices around the top of Gardyloo Gully.  The standard map is the Ordnance Survey Explorer 392 but you can also get Harvey’s 1:12,500 detailed map of Ben Nevis for greater detail.  The best compass for the job is probably the Silva Expedition which is a tried-and-testing design with a nice long base-plate.

Guidebook

In Scotland it’s often best to be able to move with the conditions, choosing to spend a couple of days in the Cairngorms or on the Ben depending on the weather.   For a multi-base trip the ideal guidebook is the SMC’s Scottish Winter Climbs which has all the classics across the country.  For comprehensive coverage of particular areas the Cicerone guides are hard to beat.  They have guides to Ben Nevis & Glen Coe, the Cairngorms, the Lake District and North Wales.

Other Essentials

A good headtorch is a must.  The simple lamps are fine for the campsite but when you’re walking in to a route before dawn, the more powerful your torch, the better.  The Petzl Myo RXP is probably the best of the bunch at the moment.  The other essential safety gear includes a survival bag and whistle.  Last but not least – gaiters!  They’re not cool, but they are practical.  They keep out the snow so socks and boots stay dry, as well as protecting expensive waterproofs or softshell trousers from getting ripped by misplaced crampon kicks!

Enjoy your winter climbing and don’t forget to check the Sport Scotland Avalanche Information Service and Mountain Weather Information Service for detailed conditions reports and weather forecasts before you head out on the hill.

Equipment for Winter Climbing is a post from: Rock Climbing UK, an online UK climbing magazine, written BY UK climbers FOR UK climbers.

If you liked this post, you might also like:

1. Which boots are best for mixed winter climbing in the UK?
2. psychovertical Winter rack
3. Winter Bouldering League at Harrogate Climbing Centre (Prize Night)

Aonach Eagach in Winter

At last there’s been major snow in the Highlands! The raw weather of the last 10 days has meant big accumulations in all the climbing areas and although at the time of writing the avalanche hazard is rated Considerable, the forecast is for a good freeze-thaw cycle to settle a more stable snowpack for an excellent season of winter climbing.

So snow and ice are once again transforming the British mountains into a paradise of cold climbs. The hills have assumed an Alpine grandeur and have become more exciting and much more serious.  Spindrift pouring down gullys, the threat of avalanche and howling gales are all part of the experience but it pays to be prepared with the right kit to cope with harsh conditions. This article will run through the essential clothing necessary to face the unique challenges of winter climbing.

The Layering System

For decades now, mountaineers have used a layering system to provide versatile protection in the mountains. Each layer of clothing has a separate function and when used together they provide comfort across a broad range of conditions. It’s essential to get this right for the stop-start nature of winter climbing, where you can get very hot on long walk-ins to the base of a route and then get very (very) cold while belaying.

Baselayers

If sweat stays close to your skin it will cool rapidly when you stop and this cooling effect is exacerbated when you’re on a freezing belay! For this reason a baselayer needs to transport moisture away from your skin to keep you dry.  For winter merino wool is great and a midweight option like the Icebreaker Bodyfit 260 Tech Top makes sense. Alternatively check out the Arc’teryx Phase AR which is one of the best synthetic designs available and my ‘go-to’ baselayer.

Fleece

Women’s Mountain Equipment Shroud Jacket in Pacific Blue

As with your baselayer, a fleece needs to be breathable so it allows sweat generated on the walk in to evaporate out. Of course, it also needs to keep you warm.  It’s hard to beat Polartec Power Stretch which gives a nice combination of breathable warmth along with good stretch, so it feels nimble rather than cumbersome. The ME Shroud Jacket is a classic combination of 100 weight microfleece with Power Stretch panels and hood and is a really good option for Scottish Winter.  If you feel the cold you may prefer a heavier weight fleece like the Haglöfs Isogon which uses Polartec Thermal Pro. However you will feel the heat on the walk in!

Hard Shell

There is a wide range of excellent, high-performance fabrics on the market from tried and tested GORE-TEX to the new kids on the block, Polartec NeoShell and Mountain Hardwear’s Dry.Q Elite. They share common characteristics; fully waterproof, windproof and protective against lashing rain and winds that blow you sideways.  Choose a jacket made from any of these fabrics and you won’t be disappointed, so choosing one comes down to the particular fit and function of an individual jacket.  I love the Arc’teryx Beta AR; it’s cut fantastically well giving good shoulder mobility without jacket lift when you’re swinging axes overhead. The new Rab Stretch Neo jacket melds their design nous with the new NeoShell fabric for a true UK mountain jacket with the full-on roomy hood, massive pockets and good coverage you’d expect from Rab. The Mountain Hardwear Drystein jacket is a really interesting alternative.  It uses softshell side panels to boost breathability and mobility with proper hardshell Dry.Q fabric across the hood, shoulders and torso. It’s a specialist piece that could be just the job for winter.

Softshell

Haglofs Fang Jacket

In favourable conditions softshell makes so much sense. The combination of breathability and weather resistance gives you a really versatile solution that can perform fantastically on winter climbs.  The Mountain Equipment Shield Jacket has all the features you’d expect in a top end shell and uses a hybrid of GORE Windstopper and Power Shield softshell. The Haglöfs Fang W/S Jacket uses the same GORE Windstopper softshell fabric to keep you comfortable in damp windy weather.  These are excellent mountain jackets but remember that seams are not taped, which means that hard rain can get through. If the forecast is for a storm you might be better off with a full waterproof shell!

Insulation

When it gets seriously cold, it’s great to have a lofty layer of insulation waiting to throw on.  Down has the best warmth to weight ratio, is very light and compresses easily. Pieces like Rab’s Neutrino Endurance Jacket give full-on warmth.  However, if it gets wet down becomes a very poor insulator, clumping into one heavy sodden mass. So for Scottish Winter it’s far more practical to use synthetic insulation which will still keep you warm even if it gets wet. The Mountain Equipment Fitzroy and Haglöfs Barrier 2 Hoody are excellent belay jackets that perform well in the damp cold of the Highlands.

Trousers

Womens Five Point Pant by The North Face

Softshell trousers give you good levels of weather resistance, stretch and breathability for use in marginal conditions. I use TNF Apex Trekking Pants all year round but for something more technical check out the Mountain Equipment G2 Ultimate Mountain Pants (in GORE Windstopper Soft Shell). If you expect rain it might be safer to layer up with standard trekking trousers and hardshell overtrousers, such as the TNF Point Five Pant or Rab Stretch Neo Pant.

Gloves

Keeping the extremities warm isn’t easy. Snow has an insidious way of soaking anything exposed to it, and gloves in particular will wet out very easily.  Even those with a GORE-TEX lining will be wet by the end of the day, because whenever you hold something icy or wet the pressure forces water through the fabric’s pores.  For this reason it’s a good plan to take a spare pair of gloves in your pack. Arc’teryx Alpha SV Gloves are the most technically advanced on the market but they will be overkill for many people!  One versatile options is to wear Extremities Thinny gloves under a more substantial pair like the Mountain Equipment Couloir GTX.  For ice climbing dexterity is important, particularly when placing ice screws. Simple Mountain Equipment Touch Grip gloves are Power Stretch with a grippy silicone palm and they work great for climbing as long as you’re prepared to risk getting chilly fingers for the length of the pitch! As for the head, well most beanies will do the job! Of course there are more specialist options; check out the The North Face Power Stretch Ninja Balaclava for full face protection or their Granite Cap for a warm and waterproof option.

Enjoy your winter climbing and don’t forget to check the SportScotland Avalanche Information Service and Mountain Weather Information Service for detailed conditions reports and weather forecasts before you head out on the hill.

Clothing for Winter Climbing is a post from: Rock Climbing UK, an online UK climbing magazine, written BY UK climbers FOR UK climbers.

If you liked this post, you might also like:

1. Climbing equipment review – Marmot ROM Jacket
2. Climbing equipment review: The Mammut Chalten Jacket
3. Climbing equipment review: Arc’teryx Celeris Jacket