SoftGoods

LOOK AROUND THE nation’s top sport-climbing areas and you’ll see all the hotshots feeding slack and catching falls while outfitted in various makes of fingerless gloves.

The Encapsil Parka is the first 1,000-fill down jacket and has hydrophobic down stuffed into independent baffling, which, in the sewing world, is akin to climbing 5.15.

I've been a big fan of Gore Windstopper ever since I held a square swath of the material against a fan-generated blast of air. Its wind-blocking properties were surprisingly effective.

The new Patagonia Ultralight Down Shirt is one of the most useful pieces of gear I’ve ever had.

The Fission SL’s biggest achievement is its marriage of a waterproof shell with insulation. The outer fabric is Pro Shell, the latest, lightest, most durable two-layer iteration of Gore-Tex.

I tried something new: the Wild Things Super Light (SL) Alpinist and the Loki Levity shells, two garments that use eVent fabric.

1.4 POUNDS and compressible to the size of a human head, the Rab Neutrino Endurance jacket caused me sharp pangs of skepticism when I first saw it.

What does a belay jacket have to be? Warm. And it's that, especially for synthetic, as two friends and I who have test-driven it at our winter crag agree.

I keep this jacket in my climbing pack because there’s no reason not to bring it everywhere.

Spyder's new Refuge jacket is one of the most innovative waterproof-breathable shells to hit the market.

A review of Black Diamond's 2013 Spring clothing line by Rock and Ice.

Boobs can be a girl's best friends, but like any friendship, they require attention.