My Essential Climbing Gear for 2023: Current Favourites

On May 11, 2023 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Gear Review5 Comments

As an outdoor enthusiast and a climber, I’m constantly on the lookout for the latest and greatest climbing gear to help me push my limits and elevate my performance. Over the years, I’ve tried out several pieces of gear, and through trial and error, I’ve found the gear that works best for me. Lately, I’ve been receiving a lot of emails and comments from fellow climbers asking me about my personal choices for climbing gear. So, I decided to write this post and share my favourite pieces of climbing gear that I’m currently using in 2023. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced climber, I hope that my personal recommendations will help you make informed decisions about the gear you choose to use on your next climb.

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Petzl Connect Adjust Review

On March 28, 2023 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Gear Review3 Comments

Trad climbing, also known as traditional climbing, is a style of rock climbing where the climber places their own protective gear into the rock as they climb. It is considered a more advanced and committing style of climbing compared to sport climbing, where pre-placed bolts are used for protection. With many years of experience in trad climbing comes the knowledge of the necessary gear to use in order to climb safely and efficiently.

The most essential gear for trad climbing includes a helmet, climbing shoes, harness, climbing ropes, carabiners, quickdraws, slings, and cams or nuts. A helmet is crucial for protecting the head from falling debris or rockfall. Climbing shoes are also essential, as they provide the necessary grip and precision for climbing. A harness is used to attach the climber to the rope, and a climbing rope is used to catch the climber in case of a fall. Carabiners and quickdraws are used to attach the rope to the protection, while slings and cams or nuts are used for protection.

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PETZL Hirundos 2022 – Climbing Harness Review

On January 25, 2023 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Gear Review4 Comments

Not very long time ago, I wanted to purchase a new harness in order to substitute my old -and loved- harness, the Mammut Ophir. In that time, I wanted to have an all around harness, with emphasis on trad and multi-pitch climbing and therefore I got the Petzl ADJAMA.

Although the Petzl ADJAMA is a great and very comfortable harness, due to the fact most of the days I spend them on sport climbing crags, I also got the new Hirundos model by Petzl.

Petzl_Hirundos_Harness_2022_New_Review_18 — Petzl Hirundos Harness 2022 with Gear

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La Sportiva Katana Laces 2022 Climbing Shoes Review

On January 13, 2023 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Gear Review3 Comments

During the past few years, while I have been constantly getting better in climbing, I have been tempted to try and test different kind of climbing shoes. My first pair as a beginner was La Sportiva Tarantula, which was a great pair of shoes for my first “baby steps” in the climbing activities. Upon that, I have tried various other models, such as the Anasazi VCS by 5.10 and the Simond Rock+ and the La Sportiva Otaki. Till this day, most of the times I use the Simond Rock+ and I have been extremely happy, though after a long testing period, I can not say the same about La Sportiva Otaki. Therefore, once again, I did an extensive research, mainly via my network of fellow climbers. My choices where the following two, the La Sportiva Katana Laces (2022 model) or the La Sportiva TC Pro.

LaSportiva_Kataki_Laces_2022_New_Review_01

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PETZL Adjama 2021 – Climbing Harness Review

On August 28, 2022 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Gear Review1 Comment

Rock climbing is an activity that is done outdoors and provides a feeling unlike any other outdoor activity. To reach that feeling, though, you need to have the correct gear to keep you safe in case of a fall. A climbing harness is a crucial piece of equipment: it’s the contact point between you, your rope and your belayer (the person on the ground on the other end of the rope to stop you from falling).

There are many climbing harness options to choose from and it all depends what kind of climbing you are planning to do and how the specific harness fits on your body.

Petzl_Adjama_2021_Harness_Review_Body_05 — Petzl Adjama 2021 Harness with gear

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Kalenji Kiprun XT7 Trail running shoes Review

On June 23, 2021June 23, 2021 By Olympus MountaineeringIn footwear, Gear Review2 Comments

For the past few years, for my training activities (trail running) and for my hiking trips, I have been using the Bushido by La Sportiva. Overall I was very satisfied from those shoes, but due to the fact more than one pair of Bushidos I used, got damaged in the same areas (toe cap), I have decided to check out a different pair for the future. Upon some research and my previous experience with the products of Decathlon, I have decided to buy the Kalenji Kiprun XT7 trail running shoes.

KALENJI_KIPRUN_XT7_Trail_RUNNING_SHOES093705_536 — Pair of Kalenji Kiprun XT7

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Black Diamond Hotwire Quickdraw Review

On March 19, 2021 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Gear Review, Mountaineering Gear Review13 Comments

A quickdraw (also known as an extender) is a piece of climbing equipment used by rock and ice climbers to allow the climbing rope to run freely through bolt anchors or other protection while leading. The straight gate carabiner is clipped to the protection; a bent gate is used for the rope. Quickdraws are manufactured with either a solid carabiner gate or a wire carabiner gate for its lighter weight.

Black_Diamond_HotWire_Quickdraw_Review092720_920 — Black Diamond HotWire Quickdraws

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La Sportiva Otaki Climbing Shoes Review

On February 14, 2021February 11, 2021 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Gear Review10 Comments

During the past few years, while I have been constantly getting better in climbing, I have been tempted to try and test different kind of climbing shoes. My first pair as a beginner was La Sportiva Tarantula, which was a great pair of shoes for my first “baby steps” in the climbing activities. Upon that, I have tried various other models, such as the Anasazi VCS by 5.10 and the Simond Rock+. While I have been extremely happy and satisfied with the Simond Rock+ i wanted to try a pair of shoes a bit more aggressive and upon several months of research, I have decided to get my feet on the Otaki, by La Sportiva.

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Black Diamond Zone Climbing Shoes Review

On December 24, 2020 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Gear Review6 Comments

In the last few years, the market has been flooded with many new climbing shoes models, and actually many new brands too. In fact, Black Diamond, in the last year developed new series of climbing shoes and amongst others, also developed the Black Diamond Zone.

The Black Diamond Zone are climbing shoes that combine the strengths of the Momentum, comfortable shoes for beginners, to those of the Shadow, the most aggressive shoes of the entire Black Diamond line.

It is therefore an excellent intermediate shoe, with the upper made with Engineered Knit technology: a highly breathable fabric and coated in the places where it is needed. You will therefore have a perfect shoe for prolonged use in the gym but also excellent for the crag: thanks to this technology, in fact, the shirt is thicker in certain points and less in others. In this way, its shape will be very long lasting.

Black_Diamond_Zone_Climbing_Shoe_Review_165747_297 — Black Diamond Zone Climbing Shoes

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Camp Mach Express Dyneema Quickdraw Review

On November 19, 2020November 16, 2020 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Gear Review, Mountaineering Gear Review25 Comments

In the past years, I have been advancing in terms of mountaineering skills and climbing abilities and I have constantly been progressing to climb tougher routes. In order to do so, one needs to be physically and mentally trained, but most of the times needs to be equipped with the most adequate gear in order to have a safe and pleasant outdoor adventure.

One of the most important items for mountaineering activities is the quickdraw, and specifically the alpine quickdraw.

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