Mountain Athlete
Even for an experienced equipment tester helmets are an inherently difficult thing to review. Despite their many and varied design features helmets are really there for one obvious reason, to protect your head from the type of serious impact you ideally want to avoid. So their is always a certain guilt associated with commenting on …
As I packed my bags to return to the wild mountains of Patagonia this winter it became pretty clear to me that I was going to need a serious clothing system. With some ambitious plans in the pipeline, I needed hard shells that could do everything. I needed comfort for the brutally long approaches, as …
Continue reading "The Sharp End: testing top of the range pro shells from Black Diamond"
Mention solo climbing to anyone and you will inevitably get mixed reactions. Most people will immediately conjure up extreme images in their head of the most insanely epic freesolo climb they have ever heard about, before promptly calling you crazy. Others will take a more pragmatic approach in their judgement, considering the practical issues and …
Continue reading "Patagonia winter solo attempt: Aguja Guillaumet"
It’s been several days now since Carlos and I stumbled back into El Chalten after eight exhausting days alone in the cold Patagonian winter. We stretched our supplies of food and gas to the limit so by the time we made it back to town we were completely destroyed both physically and mentally. Since getting …
After a few busy months I am lucky enough to find myself back in Patagonia. It’s been a tough winter for me in the northern hemisphere with poor climbing conditions in Scotland and all the pressures of normal life taking their toll. Down here time seems to move more slowly and this seems to be …
Anyone vaguely familiar with the nuances of alpine climbing will have heard the phrase 'fast and light' so many times it's enough to make your head spin. In reality though the idea is far more than just a marketing catchphrase to sell fancy equipment, fast and light is a climbing philosophy and an intrinsic part …
Continue reading "BD Ultralights: Climb fast and light without compromise"
