IF MARKETING DEPARTMENTS WOULD HAVE IT, CLIMBING WOULD BE JUST ABOUT THE GEAR. THERE’S A LOT OF IT OUT THERE AND OVER THE LAST DECADE OR TWO THE EXPLOSION IN AVAILABILITY HAS MADE IT A TASK UNTO ITSELF CHOOSING WHAT TO USE. NOT ALL OF IT IS FIT FOR PURPOSE.
HERE IS A LIST OF THINGS WE THINK ARE SUITED SPECIFICALLY TO OBJECTIVES LIKE THE NORTH SIDE OF K2, AND WHY THEY ARE DIFFERENT TO WHAT MAY BE MORE SUITABLE ELSEWHERE.
MONTANE APEX 8000 DOWN JACKET & SALOPETTES
WE SEARCHED LONG & HARD FOR THE RIGHT DOWN SUIT FOR THE NORTH RIDGE OF K2, APPROACHING SEVERAL COMPANIES AND TRYING SEVERAL SUITS. SOME SEARCHES LEAD TO DEAD ENDS AND OTHERS JUST DIDN’T HAVE WHAT WAS NEEDED FOR TECHNICAL HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBING, BEING FINE FOR BIG COMMERCIAL-STYLE ASCENTS BUT NOT FOR THE SORT OF TRIPS LIKE THE NORTH RIDGE OF K2. JUST AS WE WERE RUNNING OUT OF TIME & OPTIONS, MONTANE ROLLED OUT THEIR NEW APEX 8000 SUIT AND IMMEDIATELY WE COULD SEE THIS WAS INTERESTING.
PREVIOUSLY WE HAD USED TWO-PIECE INSULATION SETS ON K2 & BROAD PEAK, FINDING IT A BALANCE OF PRO’S & CON’S COMPARED TO A ONE-PIECE. SOME OF THE ISSUES WE FOUND WERE COMMON TO ALL SUITS – ONE, TWO OR THREE PIECE – SO WHEN IT CAME TO WHAT WE WANTED WE KNEW THERE WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE COMPROMISE & ACCEPTANCE IN SOME FORM, BUY MONTANE HAS GONE A LONG WAY TO ADDRESSING THAT.
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THE APEX 8000 SET IS HOW TECHNICAL CLIMBING SPECIFIC IT IS. UNLIKE SOME CONTEMPORARY SUITS THAT HAVE BECOME EVER-MORE COMPLEX AND TRICKED OUT TO APPEAL TO AN INSTAGRAM-ORIENTED MARKET THAT ONLY NEEDS TO JUG FIXED LINES, MONTANE HAS GONE THE OTHER WAY AND STREAMLINED EVERYTHING; ONLY THE NECESSARY SIMPLE POCKETS, CLEAN & SIMPLE HOODS, CUFFS & VENTS THAT ARE SIMPLE & SEAMLESS, SIMPLE & STRAIGHTFORWARD DETAILS. YOU WILL NOTICE THE TERM ‘SIMPLE’ FEATURES A LOT THERE, AND THOUGH THE CONSTRUCTION IS FAR FROM THAT, THE RESULT IS A SUIT THAT DOESN’T NEED A RELEARN TO LIVE IN.
IN THE PAST WE HAD FOUND THAT TWO-PIECE SUITS COULD HAVE ISSUES WITH INTEGRATING. THOUGH THEY ARTICULATE BETTER, VENT BETTER & FIT BETTER THAN ONE-PIECES, TWO-PIECES OF THE PAST HAD A WEAK POINT AROUND THE WAIST WHERE THINGS CRUNCHED TOGETHER WITH HARNESSES & HIP BELTS. MONTANE HAS RESOLVED THIS WITH A GOOD OVERLAP THAT HAS LITTLE BULK AND IS WELL SUSPENDED FROM THE INSIDE BY BRACES & STRETCH CORDS AROUND THE HEM AND MID-RIFT. A HARNESS CAN GO EITHER UNDER OR OVER THE JACKETS TAILS WITH THE SAME DEGREE OF SEAMLESSNESS AS A ONE-PIECE.
AND OF COURSE THERE’S THE WEIGHT. THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF THE TWO PIECES IS ABOUT THE SAME AS A ONE-PIECE (LESS THAN SOME), BUT THE LOW BULK AND 850 FILL OF THE JACKET MEANS IT SERVES WELL ENOUGH AS A STANDALONE JACKET TO BE THE ONLY ‘BIG’ INSULATED JACKET YOU NEED ON A TRIP. THIS MEANS ABOUT 500g LESS YOU NEED TO CARRY UP THE GLACIER AND A HELLUVA LOT MORE PACK SPACE LEFT FREE ON THE LOWER HALF OF THE ROUTE. THAT’S PROPER DOUBLE-DIGIT PERCENTILES THERE.
THROUGH OUR RELATIONSHIP TO SPECIALIST EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER BRIGANTES WE CAN ARRANGE MONTANE APEX 8000 SUIT SETS FOR FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS TEAM MEMBERS AS PART OF OUR TEAM DISCOUNTS. SEE HERE FOR DETAILS.
WE LIKE SIMOND’S MAKALU S2, S3 & ALPINE TENTS BECAUSE THEY RETAIN A PEDIGREE WE FEEL HAS BEEN LOST IN MANY EXPEDITION TENTS. THOUGH ASSOCIATED WITH LOW PRICED, MASS PRODUCED GEAR THESE DAYS, SIMONDS HISTORY AS A VANGUARD ALPINE BRAND MEANS THAT WHILST MANY OF THE NEW COMPANIES MAY HAVE A COOLER REPUTATION, WHEN IT COMES TO TENTS SIMOND STILL HAVE SOME OF THE FEATURES FROM A GENERATION AGO THAT IS OFTEN NOW ABSENT IN THE RACE FOR LIGHTER WEIGHTS.
THOUGH STILL WEIGHING IN COMPETITIVELY, THE SIMOND S2 & S3 STILL FEATURE ALL-ROUND SNOW FLAPS, SOMETHING VITAL FOR HIGH WIND ENVIRONMENTS LIKE THE NORTH RIDGE OF K2 OR TIBET IN WINTER. THEY STILL HAVE POLE SLEEVES RATHER THAN PLASTIC CLIPS, A FAR SUPERIOR SYSTEM FOR SPREADING WIND LOAD & VIRTUALLY UNBREAKABLE. THEY ATTACH THE GUYS TO THE TENTS WITH SOLID VANES AROUND THE POLES THAT MAKE THEM THE ONLY BRAND WE HAVE YET TO SEE TEAR RIGHT OUT.
WE LIKE THE CARBON POLES THAT IF THEY BREAK ARE EASILY FIXABLE.WE LIKE THE MULTIPLE POLE INTERSECTIONS & GUY-OUTS IN THE RIGHT PLACES. WE LIKE THE BUILT IN LOFTS, INTERIOR HOOKS & POCKETS BY THE DOORS.
THE NORTH FACE VERTO EXTREME S6K & S8K BOOTS
THE 8000m SCENE IS BLINDED BY THE TWO OR THREE MAJOR BRAND THAT DOMINATE THE BOOT SPACE, IT’S VERY RARE TO SEE OTHER BRANDS BEING USED, AND TO BE HONEST, MOST PEOPLE TRUDGING UP A FIXED LINE DON’T NEED TO CHANGE ANYTHING. BUT AS SOON AS THINGS GET TECHNICAL FOR THE CLIMBING AND STRIPPED DOWN FOR THE HIGH CAMPS, THE PRECISION & FUNCTIONALITY OF YOUR BOOTS BECOMES DEFINITIVE.
THEY’VE BEEN AROUND A WHILE BUT FEW PEOPLE KNOW THE NORTH FACE EVEN DO THIS SORT OF BOOT, AND LIKE THE REST OF THEIR SUMMIT SERIES, THEY PULL NO PUNCHES. THE TECHNOLOGY AND CONSTRUCTION IN THESE BOOTS MAKES NO BETTER BOOT FOR PRECISE HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBING. THE SOFT INNER HAS FEWER DEAD AIR SPOTS THAN ANY OTHER INNER, CONFORMING BETTER TO THE FOOT WITH 400g OF PRIMALOFT – THE EQUIVALENT OF A JACKETS WORTH PER FOOT. SOAKED TO THE CORE, THEY ARE STILL WARM AND BREATH FAR BETTER THAN REFLECTIVE AEVOLITE OR NEOPRENE EVER CAN. THEN BUILT INTO THE SHELL ARE SECTIONS OF AEROGEL, THE STUFF THEY USE IN SPACE SUITS. NOT JUST IN THE SOLE BUT OVER THE TOES AS WELL, MEANING THEY CAN PAIR DOWN THE BOOTS PROFILE TO LITTLE MORE THAN A 6000m BOOT.
WE ARE GOING TO SAY THESE ARE THE BIGGEST THING TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST FROSTBITE IN DECADES, AND THE ONE THING WE WOULD CHOOSE FROM THIS LIST. FORGET WOOL, A MEDIUM THIN PRIMALOFT SOCK KEEPS YOUR FEET WARMER AND DRIES QUICKER THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
THE THIRD EYE CHAKRA 002 70L PACK
LOOK PAST THE UNUSUAL NAME AND THESE ARE THE LIGHTEST PACKS FOR THEIR SIZE THAT ARE BIG MOUNTAIN WORTHY ON THE MARKET. YES, THROUGH-HIKING PACKS ARE LIGHTER, BUT THEY LACK ALPINE DETAILS INCLUDING BEING TOUGH ENOUGH FOR THE SEAM-SPLITTING LOADS & GRANITE CHIMNEYS FOUND ON BIG SERIOUS CLIMBS.
PUTTING A HARNESS ON IS ALWAYS A MINOR HASSLE, BUT IN A SMALL TENT WITH LOTS OF INSULATED CLOTHING & BARELY ENOUGH OXYGEN TO BREATHE, IT BECOMES A MAJOR ONE. AS A PRIMARY ELEMENT IN YOUR SAFETY GEAR THIS NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED.
THE BLUE ICE CHOUCAS IS ONE OF THE FIRST GENERATION OF DYNEEMA HARNESSES, WHICH MEANS IT WON’T CREEP OR ICE UP IF IT GETS WET, IS ALARMINGLY STRONG, IS SILLY LIGHT & CAN BE VERY LOW PROFILE BECAUSE THE MATERIALS STRENGTH ALLOWS SMALL BUCKLES TO RETAIN FULL STRENGTH.
OTHER HARNESSES LOOK SIMILAR AND HAVE A SIMILAR OVER ALL SKI-MO DESIGN, BUT WHAT THE CHOUCAS DOES DIFFERENTLY IS THE TWO-PIECE WAIST BUCKLE THAT IS EASY TO PUT ON AND ADJUST BY FEEL, WITH GLOVES ON. TO THE POINT THIS IS THE ONLY HARNESS WE KNOW THAT CAN EASILY BE PUT ON WHILST STILL IN YOUR SLEEPING BAG, EVEN WHEN YOU WEAR IT UNDER YOUR DOWN PANTS.
WHITWORTH’S DACRON REPAIR TAPE
TEARING OPEN CLOTHING ON A SERIOUS EXPEDITION IS A REAL PROBLEM AND DESPITE THE HOURS SAT IN BASECAMP WITH NOTHING BETTER TO DO THAN SEW, SOMETIMES THAT’S NOT POSSIBLE. DUCT TAPE & GAFFERS TAPE ARE OK, AND SPINNAKER TAPE IS BETTER THAN THAT, BUT THE BEST STUFF WE’VE EVER SEEN IS NO NAME DACRON TAPE FROM AUSTRALIAN MARINE SUPPLY STORE WHITWORTHS. COMING IN WIDE STRIPS BY THE METER, THIS STUFF IS MADE FOR REPAIRING MAXI YACHT SAILS ON THE GO, SO HANDLES CRAMPON NICKS EASILY. WE’VE USED IT WITHOUT ISSUE ON SIL-NYLON, DYNEEMA & GORETEX, THE ONLY PROBLEM BEING IT COMES ONLY IN WHITE SO YOU BARE YOUR SCARS TO SEE.
ON ANY 8000m PEAK THE HARDEST THING IS EATING. ANYTHING THAT HELPS YOU GET KCALS INTO YOUR SYSTEM IS WORTH IT’S WEIGHT IN DYNEEMA, AND A GOOD CUP FAST BECOMES YOUR BEST FRIEND. WE LIKE THE MONTBELL 330 THERMO BECAUSE IT’S THERMALLY EFFECTIVE FOR REHYDRATING FOOD, TOUGH AS HELL FOR SCOOPING SNOW, HAS A SOLID SCREW ON LID TO REDUCE SPILLS, HAS A HANDLE EASY TO CLIP INTO BINERS AND IS CHEAP ENOUGH TO BUY A COUPLE.
FIRE MAPLE BLADE 2 STOVE (ALSO BRANDED THE ALPKIT KORO)
WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT THIS STOVE IS IT’S FUNCTIONALITY AS AN ALPINE WORK HORSE; IT PUTS OUT 9000 BTU FROM A REMOTE CANISTER WITH SOME OF THE LOWEST CO EMISSIONS GOING, COOLS RAPIDLY AFTER USE, IS EASY TO HANG AND IS ADJUSTABLE. NO OTHER STOVE DOES ALL THAT, SIMPLE. THE ONLY THING IT DOESN’T DO IS CONNECT AS A HAND-HELD UNIT LIKE A JETBOIL.
THE TWO MAIN ROLES OF A STOVE ON AN ALPINE TRIP IS MELTING WATER AND WARMING THE ENVIRONMENT IT’S USED IN, AND FOR THIS A STOVE NEEDS TO BE FUEL EFFICIENT AND BURN SAFELY. THE REMOTE CANISTER MEANS IT SITS MORE SAFELY IF USED ON THE GROUND, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY IT MEANS THE CANISTER CAN BE INVERTED, WARMED IN WATER OR BY THE STOVE ITSELF (SEE WARNING ABOVE) TO BOTH KEEP A RICH BURN AND MAX ON FUEL USE. HAVING A LARGE BURNER UNIT AND A VAPORIZING TUBE MEANS THE COMPROMISED GAS SUPPLY THAT’S A GIVEN IN THE COLD AND AT ALTITUDE CAN BE EFFECTIVELY COUNTERED, SO EVEN DURING AT OVER 7000m WE GET FULL CANISTERS BURNING WELL RIGHT TO THE LAST DROP WITHOUT HAVING TO MAN-HANDLE THE STOVE TOO MUCH.
FOR INSIDE TENT USE (READ THE WARNING) THE STOVE BURNS CLEAN WITH NO DISPROPORTIONATE CARBON MONOXIDE PROBLEMS AND COOLS SUPER FAST FROM BEING TITANIUM – VITAL WHEN SURROUNDED WITH NYLON AND DOWN. RIGGED WITH A WIND SHIELD (ALSO TITANIUM. IMAGES ON REQUEST, NOT SHOWN FOR A LEVEL OF SAFETY) THE STOVE AIMS MORE HEAT AT THE POT AND BLEEDS SO LITTLE INTO THE ENVIRONMENT IT’S BOTH SAFE ENOUGH TO HOLD YOUR HANDS AROUND BUT SO EFFICIENT IT NEEDS OCCASIONAL REMOVAL TO AFFECT THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE.
THE 3 FOLDING LEGS PROVIDE AN OBVIOUS AND EASY WAY TO HANG THE STOVE, WHICH BY NOT BEING A REACTOR-STYLE STACKED DESIGN HAS A LOW CENTRE OF GRAVITY THATS SAFER AND REQUIRES NO DETATCHING (HANGING RIG IMAGES ALSO ON REQUEST). THE CABLE IS LONG ENOUGH TO REACH THE GROUND OR SIT ON SOMETHING LIKE A BOOT OR HELMET IF NOT
OUR FIRST TRIP TO K2 WAS A STRIPPED DOWN AFFAIR WITH PRETTY BASIC LOGISTICS & SUPPLIES. IT ALL WENT PRETTY WELL – UNTIL AN ITALIAN/IRANIAN TEAM SET UP THEIR MESS BESIDE US. WE COULD COPE WITH THEIR NICER GEAR, MORE EXPERIENCE & FRIENDLY DEMEANOUR, BUT WHAT HURT WAS THE SMELL OF ESPRESSO COFFEE AT ALL HOURS AS WE WERE DRINKING INSTANT. JUDICIOUS ENQUIRIES SOON FOUND THE DEVICE THEY HAD, AND THOUGH WE’VE NEVER SEEN THAT PARTICULAR THING AGAIN, THE MINIPRESSO FROM WACACO WORKS JUST AS WELL.
BEYOND SIMPLY GETTING LOADED ON COFFEE, THERE’S A REAL ELEMENT TO THIS WHICH IS THAT ESPRESSO REQUIRES LESS WATER AND OVERRUNS THE SYSTEM WITH LESS FLUIDS THAN OTHER COFFEE METHODS, MAKING IT EASIER ON THE BODY. LIKE THE ITALIANS HAVE KNOW FOREVER, TWO QUICK SHOTS DOWN THE HATCH AND THINGS ARE GOOD TO GO, NO SITTING AROUND WITH A MUG IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO.
GRIVEL G20 PLUS & G22 CRAMPONS
ALL A CRAMPON NEEDS TO BE. WHERE SOME SEE A SUPER-TECHY FERRARI, WE SEE A CRAMPON REDUCED TO IT’S NECESSARY PARTS. FOR MIXED ALPINE YOU WANT A CRAMPON CAPABLE OF THE PRECISES STUFF, YOU WANT IT LIGHT & YOU WANT IT WALK WELL – THE G20 & 22 NAILS IT. WHERE MOST TECH CRAMPONS HAVE A LOT OF EXTRA METAL WITH TEETH GOING EVERYWHERE, THESE HAVE THEM EXACTLY WHERE YOU NEED AND RELATIVELY SHORT – SOMETHING USUALLY FOUND IN MORE PEDESTRIAN CRAMPONS WHERE THERE’S A LOT OF ROCK, WHICH IS WHAT A 3000m RIDGE WILL REQUIRE. THE CENTRAL TEETH DON’T TETTER ON THE ALU LADDERS K2 DOESN’T HAVE, AND THE GRIVEL HEEL BAIL IS THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS. FOR 2021 A REPLACEABLE FRONT POINT IN ARMOR STEEL IS AVAILABLE, WHICH LIKE THE ELITE CLIMB PICKS, WE THINK IS WELL WORTH IT.