UNTIL RECENTLY, MOST WATER proof/breathable jackets I wore felt like saunas. They got the waterproof part right, but like an asthmatic child, they had trouble breathing....

WHO WOULD’VE guessed that something as, well, boring as a chalk pot could be cool?...

The Mad Pad takes the cake for pure shock absorption. With over 4.75 inches of foam, this lunker of a pad almost never bottomed out....

The Mad Pad is one-of-a-kind. It not only takes the sting out of falls, but softens the blow to your wallet—it’s the only pad under $200....

I liken Mammut’s new Liquid Chalk to the introduction of sticky rubber shoes—it works so well you think you can’t climb without it....

THIS SPRING, MAMMUT LAUNCHED A NEW LINE of backpacks for alpine and rock climbing. The Neon 45 joins the rock fleet, and it’s one of the best “crag packs” I’ve used....

Anyone who’s suffered through the “screaming barfies” knows how hard it is to find a good mixed-climbing glove....

The only non-down bag tested, the Pounder has Primaloft insulation, the closest synthetic I’ve found for matching down’s softness and drapability....

McHale packs aren’t off-the-shelf clones. Each one is custom made in nearly unlimited options including your choice of fabrics, colors, top or panel loading, frame type and pockets....

Don’t let the name fool you. The “Regular” is more than just average; it’s darn good, and lightweight to boot. ...

his wood board is the most elegant of the lineup, more closely resembling a handcrafted piece of furniture than a finger flogger....

The Magnum doesn’t have any one thing that sets it apart, but it is a solid, well-made performer with all the features you need....

When a flake broke on Mount Temple, Steve House fell 80 feet, and flipped upside down, fracturing his ribs, pelvis and spine. His partner used a cell phone to call 911....

This unique goose-down bag has elastic baffles that draw it around you like multiple down collars, reducing drafts. ...

The Hangboard flaunts positive grips, but there’s a dearth of variety....

The Phantom 45D is a fully featured lightweight bag, the only model with a down baffle in the hood and neck, and a down-filled zipper draft tube....

It was only a matter of time before MSR, the Toyota of climbing and backpacking stoves, picked up the gauntlet shoved down its throat three years ago by the upstart Jetboil, which unleashed an integrated stove and pot that touted fast boil times, decent performance in wind, and the best fuel-efficiency ever seen in a propane/butane canister cooker....

I see the world through soot-colored glasses, so often taking the dim view that I forget the sun also rises....

At 2.1 pounds and a one-of-a-kind inflatable tube in lieu of poles, the Nemo Gogo is no toy....

The two-person, single-walled NEMO Tenshi is a breath of condensation-free air....