I’m a minimalist, climbing clutter drives me crazy. One of my recent attempts to unclutter my daily climbing routine began with a new daypack. I was so impressed with my new Chernobyl that I went ahead and ordered a cragging pack from CCW too. I ordered a stock Cold Cold World Ozone before I left for Washington.

Before we get any further I’d like to get a few things straight. Many packs are measured in liters. How many cubic inches are there in a liter anyways? Well, it turns out there are actually 61 cubic inches in each liter, so when you’re trying to guess at a pack’s volume and you hear someone say 30 liters you know it’s 1800 cubic inches. We can do simple math all day, but let’s get on with my real point. From my perspective it seems like most pack manufacturers use a volume measurement, like 30L, as a rough guideline to indicate how big their bag is. Unfortunately a lot of manufacturers also really seem to miss the mark when it comes to pack volume (and weight but that’s another issue for some other whine and cheese party). A good example of this was my old BD Sphynx 32. It was a lot bigger than my current Ozone but was called a 32L bag. If the Ozone is actually 2300 cubic inches, and I’m inclined to believe Randy Rackcliff on this one, that means it’s volume is 37L. If that’s true then my Sphynx 32 was easily in the 40-45L range, which is an entirely different size pack with an entirely different set of applications. Why don’t most pack manufacturers give exact volumes instead of being vague and potentially misleading?

This brings me to my next point – cragging packs don’t really need to be anything more than a functional durable sack with a nice set of shoulder straps. Most large gear companies feel the need to continually make fabric and design refinements to “improve” existing products. These improvements seem to come at the cost of pack durability. Rather than waste time refining already good designs with fancy crap that won’t last very long, why not charge the same price for a simple well-built bag made in the US or Canada by people who know our game intimately? If these companies could cut out the bullsh*t, save money on design and marketing and make a product that spoke for itself we’d probably be headed in the right direction.

I digress. Onwards.

The CCW Ozone is reminiscent of the timeless klettersac, a simple climbing bag meant to hold all your worldly possessions during a day in the mountains. I’m not that old, but I’d be willing to bet most climbers my age or younger have no idea what “klettersac” means, or that for generations they were the standard climber’s pack. Nowadays you see zip-open climbing suitcases, expedition size packs and bags made of airy disposable ripstop fabric everywhere at the crag. One is hard pressed to find simple klettersacs anywhere these days. It’s sort of a shame because klettersacs are, relatively speaking, cheap to produce, big on durability and functionality and small in size forcing one to actually think about what they’re bringing to the cliff. You can’t bring the kitchen sink along with you in a klettersac and you definitely won’t look like a frumpy version of the leaning tower of Pisa as you approach the crag with this type of bag.

The devil is in the details, and with the Ozone there aren’t many details, which was it’s most attractive selling point for me. There are four pockets total, and the whole pack is made of bright red ballistics cloth meaning it just might outlast all of my other gear twice over.  There are two small zipper pockets in the lid and one along the backpad for extra storage of smaller/seldom used items. The same foam backpad that adorns all the other CCW packs is built into the Ozone too. There are no ax attachments, no compression straps and there is no padding on the 1.5″ wide webbing waistbelt. It’s a looker too, believe me; I get comments on the pack every day.

The Ozone was clearly carefully designed to fit only what’s needed for a day at the cliffs and nothing extra. It will fit a full single rack, draws or runners, harness and chalkbag, shoes, helmet, 1 or 2 extra layers, 2 liters of water (in a dromedary for me), lunch and my emergency/med kit. The rope fits unbelievably well under the bonnet rounding out a really clean functional package. There isn’t a whole lot of extra space and you have to stuff things in carefully for it all to fit. I want to emphasize that this pack, despite it’s overtly simple design, is one of the most well-thought out pieces of gear I own. Elastic on the underside of the lid gives it the ability to stretch right over a coiled rope, keeping it comfortably in place, even when the pack is stuffed completely full.

The result of this careful, minimalist design is a pack that doesn’t need a padded waistbelt to carry well. Instead, the pack rides just above the waist with everything tightly packed against your back.

I see a lot of potential in this simple design, and knowing that Randy can custom build a pack like this in slightly bigger sizes, or with lighter fabrics makes me want to have him build a slightly larger, custom alpine/ice version of this same design for winter use in the northeast and for light overnight forays on bigger alpine objectives.

If you’re interested in the Ozone head over to the CCW site or give Randy a call, the customer service over at Cold Cold World rivals the quality of his designs and workmanship. All in all, the ordering experience is a breath of fresh air in our fully automated digital world, and his packs are the work of a true artisan.

For more information about the Ozone, or what the customization possibilities are with one of these packs have a look at these Coldthistle posts:

• Coldthistle custom Ozone
• Coldthistle custom Chaos

If you’ve read any of my other pack reviews, you’ll recall that I have had several Black Diamond packs over the past few years. My most recent heavily used pack was a Sphynx 32, a 35-ish liter bag that worked for nearly all of my daily and multiday climbing pursuits and was reasonably durable. I say “worked” because I don’t really feel like it excelled at all those things.

My beautiful new Chernobyl, overstuffed for a 4-day trip into Montana's Cowen Cirque

The Sphynx was the right size for cragging, alright for day length or overnight alpine climbs and a bit too small for full-on “bring the whole kitchen sink” winter endeavors. The non-reinforced bottom and fixed top lid were, in many ways, detrimental to the pack’s design as a day/multiday alpine load hauler. Whereas my older CCW Chernobyl had almost four years of devoted guiding and recreational climbing use on it before I retired it, the Sphynx was looking pretty knackered after only a year and a half. The lid and top load adjuster straps were ripping off, there were two dozen small holes in the non-reinforced bottom, the drawstring grommet had ripped out, and worst of all, the suspension design caused the pack to squeak like a dying duck all the way to the cliff.

It was time for a new pack. After a lot of searching I came to this conclusion – my hope for a more well-built and better designed all-around bag than the Chernobyl was an absolute pipe dream. Yes, there are times when it would be nice to have more suspension, and times when would be nice to have a pack that was superlight, but not at the cost of added weight, complexity and a lack of durability. I am a minimalist, and while I do have a lot of specialized gear, I like to have gear that serves many purposes whenever possible.

I looked at almost all of the available bags out there, including the Cilogear and BlueIce bags, and determined that having a local guy (Randy Rackliff) from NH make me a durable well fitting bag made the most sense. No other bags have the same build quality, value, or the lightweight/durable combination shown in CCW’s packs.

So, knowing that I wanted a new Chernobyl, I dropped Randy an email. I mentioned that my old Chernobyl felt too short in the torso. He suggested making the torso length 1″ longer which I liked, and offered it at no additional costs. Less than two weeks later I had the package at my doorstep. It took one day to ship from Jackson, NH and with shipping cost me a whopping $188.

After receiving the package, excitedly opening it up, and inspecting the pack I was impressed by the workmanship. No detail has been left unattended – there are no loose threads or missed stitches. The pack is flawlessly crafted, and despite the use of durable materials and large, fairly heavy-duty buckles, the pack is lightweight. There is nothing superfluous in the design – no modular suspensions, rotating ball joint hipbelts, squeaking framesheets or fancy straps and buckles. The design remains much the same: a straight-sided top loader with a floating lid that allows for maximum versatility in a year-round cragging/alpine climbing pack.

The simple suspension on the Chernobyl, no gimmicks here, just bombproof stitching and durable materials

Randy has made some simple design improvements to the CCW packs over the past few years. Some of these improvements include ice clipper attachments on the waistbelt, a layer of ballistics nylon reinforcing the bottom of the bag (as opposed to the older double layer of packcloth), and more durable fabric on the shoulder straps and waistbelt which make the straps feel stiffer. The 1″ longer torso is going to make a huge difference when carrying heavy loads. Everything else about the pack is pretty similar to my older Chernobyl, making this newer version about the best climbing bag I’ve ever owned.

My only addition is a thin stiff framesheet with a single aluminum stay from an older backpack. This helps the bag keep it’s shape during the constant unpacking and repacking associated with cragging. During multiday alpine trips I remove this framesheet and store my Big Agnes Aircore pad alongside the foam backpad. I remove the Aircore pad at camp. The softer foam suspension helps the pack climb well when it’s a bit more empty during summit attempts or day-length objectives on a multiday trip.

So, after using a Black Diamond Sphynx 32 and a Black Diamond Epic 45 (look for a review of this bag soon and perhaps a comparison with the Chernobyl) for a short while, how does the Chernobyl compare? Well, for one thing, it doesn’t squeak. I also noticed right away that the Chernobyl is very straight sided, meaning the bag is easier to cram your stuff into, and stays upright during packing more easily than the Sphynx. As far as carrying goes, the bag is comfortable and rests right up against your back. It moves with you like few other packs do, but is going to be hot to wear on long tedious approaches and may not carry as well with really heavy alpine loads. The Chernobyl carries well with moderate loads, but like many other “suspension-less” packs requires careful packing so that it doesn’t feel too top heavy when overstuffed.

I’m just now wrapping up a 17-day trip to Montana and Washington where I’ve been doing short (2-4 day) alpine climbing objectives. I brought the Chernobyl along for the trip and used it to haul a big load into Montana’s Cowen Cirque for 4 days, for a trip up and down the Fischer Chimneys on Mt. Shuksan, an overnight on Mt. Baker, and a 2-day trip up Forbidden Peak in Boston Basin where we carried our loads up to the col on the West Ridge. It worked brilliantly for all of these, demonstrating it’s versatility. It’s a functional and durable alpine pack that I plan on having along for most of my alpine and winter objectives.

In fact, I was so pleased with the Chernobyl that I’ve ordered a CCW Ozone as my cragging pack. When I return home to Massachusetts tomorrow it should be there waiting for me, so look for an Ozone review sometime down the line.

As climbers and consumers we seldom think long and hard about where our gear comes from. For me, the time to think about these things has come; I encourage others to do the same. I want gear that, as much as possible, supports fair labor practices and promotes a high standard of living for those involved in the production process. Over the next couple of years I’m planning on replacing my aging fleet of gear with products from companies like Cold Cold World (NH), Wild Things (NH),  Sterling Ropes (ME), Misty Mountain Threadworks (NC) and Metolius (OR). All of these companies make their products locally in their respective regions, consider durability and functionality as necessities, employ local climbers and receive feedback seriously when developing new designs.

Over the years I’ve managed to use, abuse and wear out a lot of gear. Crampons are no exception and I happen to have several pairs of crampons in my possession right now. It might just be a good time to do a little review of each crampons pros, cons and a performance overview.

When it comes to climbing routes, minimalism is really important. You want everything you’re going to need and nothing extra. When it comes to gear things couldn’t be more different. You need the right tool for the job, and we know that all crampons are not created equal.

Below I’ve included both good and bad things about the crampons mentioned, plus any anecdotes that I think will be useful for future buyers. Some of my crampons are as much as five years old, but most products haven’t changed drastically, or at all, in that time.

Grivel G-14

Like the Dart, the G-14 frontpoints don't stick out much with the toe bail in the forward hole

I’ve had two pairs of these crampons in the past 10 years. They climb ice and rock well, and come out of the box as sharp as tattoo needles. Look out pants!  When these crampons are new they are among the best ice and mixed climbing crampons available. They have more or less stood the test of time for me, and have been sharpened time and again throughout their life. I’ve had two pairs because I broke the forefoot frame on one crampon of my first pair. The folks at Grivel had never seen this before and it’s probably due in part to my big feet and the leverage it places on the crampons.

Pros: A good all-around crampon. Very sharp. A good technical ice crampon for the mountains due to the anti-balling plates and flat forefoot frame.

Cons: With the toe bail in the forward hole the points are just too short, even out of the box. Shearing points in messy, unconsolidated ice is likely. Once the points begin to wear they become pretty short even with the toe bail in the second hole back. If you put the crampon in dual point mode the points stick out even less. Towards the end of their life as an ice climbing crampon I had to drill a third rearward hole to get more frontpoint to stick out. It’s also hard to keep the frontpoint hardware (nut and bolt) tight. After a while the chronic looseness begins to wear out the notch at the back of the frontpoint, making loosening even more likely. Definitely a flawed design in that respect.

The Bottom Line: These crampons need more length on the frontpoints. Once they begin to wear the points quickly get too short.

Petzl M10

Along the Grivel Rambo (which I haven’t used) the M10′s standout as the crampon to use for pure steep ice climbing. They aren’t light and snowball up easily but are super stiff, sharp and durable. Petzl Charlet pretty much has a lock down on this one. This is my favorite crampon for steep ice, and I keep them in the closet for big ice days. With lots of frontpoint configuration options for different conditions and types of climbing the M10 is versatile too. I used the M10 on several of the new mixed climbs we established last year in the Catskills, so mixed climbing with them isn’t an issue unless it’s really steep. If I was going to recommend a crampon for ice climbing the M10 would be the one.

Pros: Stiff and secure feeling on the steepest of ice routes, you can frontpoint all day in these. The frontpoint configuration options are diverse as well. You can stagger points, or have a true dual or mono-point setup. The bail moves forward and back, as does the frontpoint meaning that you can set them up short for mixed climbing or way long for funky, steep, rotten ice.

Cons: Heavy. Snow balls up under the cookie cutter forefoot. The vertical frame means the points feel a bit further away from the bottom of your foot than with flat-framed crampons

The Bottom Line: The best ice climbing crampon of the bunch. A highly recommended addition to one’s ice gear selection.

Petzl Dart

The Dart frontpoints don't stick out much with the bail in the forward setting

This may end up being an expensive experiment. I picked up the Dart front at Rock and Snow on clearance last year. I figured that would be a good way to try them out. I can use the M10 back on the Dart front for steep traditional mixed climbing. So far I’ve used these crampons for a couple of days out and they climb very well. I feel that the Dart, as it wears, is going to have the same issue that the G-14 has, namely that the frontpoints won’t be long enough. The Darts climb both ice and rock very well thanks to an aggressive design and a flush fit on the sole of one’s boots. Pair these with a lightweight winter boot (like the Sportiva Trango ice boots) and you’ve got the trad mixed climbing equivalent of a Ferrari.

Pros: Lightweight for hard mixed climbing. A flush fit with the sole of the boot makes these crampons feel very sensitive for hard climbing.

Cons: Expensive to replace the frontpoints (you have to replace the whole front). Frontpoint is too short for ice climbing with the toe bail in the forward position (this has never made sense to me, after all what you do with these is climb ice). If you have bigger feet you will need to order a longer center bar ($25) making these “throw-away” crampons even more expensive.

The Bottom Line: The Petzl Dart is a specialist piece for steep mixed and ice climbing. Due to the single piece forefoot and lack of adjustability the crampon really feels like a luxury item to me. It would be hard to justify paying full price for these, but if you can get a deal or just get the front and already have a pair of Petzl crampons by all means give them a try. You won’t be disappointed.

Black Diamond Sabretooth

The new stainless BD crampons are pretty slick looking. This is my second pair of sabretooths and they are hands down the best all-around crampons on the market. It’s no surprise that the design continues to remain nearly unchanged. My first pair was actually a strap toe pair that I used for mountaineering. I happened to take them on an ice trip up north two years ago and was climbing just as well in them as I would have in any other crampon (minus one giant upside down whipper on a steep mixed route). I proceeded to saw the tabs (that hold plastic toe straps) off so that could use a toe bail for more frontpoint length. I used these crampons for almost all of my climbing last year, from guiding moderates to steep ice and mixed climbing. While not a standout in any particular area they comfortably do it all.

Pros: Flat points are good for mountaineering yet climb surprisingly well and shear through rotten ice less than other crampons. Antiballing plates and the stainless design mean these crampons are going to snowball way less than other crampons. Reasonably priced too.

Cons: Sabretooths are a bit less stable on steep ice than the aforementioned crampons due to the horizontal frontpoints. It’s tough to use one point for mixed climbing with the sabretooth’s dual point configuration. These crampons feel comfortable on steep ice but feel less stable when you have to toe-in to a bulge and pull with your leg. The flat front points are just not as good at staying in the ice and the short secondary points may not be very long after a filing or two to keep them sharp. New BD crampons all have a very fussy heel bail as well. You really can’t crank them super tight and expect to flip the bail up into place. The bail needs to be carefully manipulated so as to not slip up off of the edge of the boot’s welt.

The Bottom Line: If I was going to buy one pair of crampons as a beginner, or just have one all-around pair they would be the Sabretooth crampons. This is a highly functional crampon.

Black Diamond Serac

There isn't much difference between the Serac (above) and the Sabretooth (below) except for a few serrated secondary points and a bit of serration (useless?) on the rearward points.

BD’s Serac is a newer crampon designed mostly for steep snow climbing and lower angled ice climbing. I have included them in this review because I have them in my possession, use them on my lighweight boots, and can’t for the life of me see much difference between this crampon and the Sabretooth. The Seracs actually have larger secondary frontpoints than the Sabretooth, and will probably hold up better after repeated filings to keep the points sharp. The Seracs remind me of the old Charlet Moser Black Ice crampons which, like the Sabretooth did most things well enough.

Pros: Simple design, similar to Sabretooth which has proven to be very effective. BD makes beautiful and highly functional (most of the time) gear.

Cons: The same as the Sabretooth for ice climbing. They’re not incredibly stable on steep ice but will do well all-around.

The Bottom Line: Probably not the best choice for pure winter ice climbing. These crampons will do well in most areas that the Sabretooth excels in. The heel bail suffers from the same woes as the Sabretooth as well.  With the BD Contact being marketed as a walking crampon and the Sabretooth as an all-around crampon I’m a bit unsure where I see the Serac fitting into their lineup in the long run. Don’t be surprised if they disappear.

Most climbers have a veritable quiver of backpacks (along with lots of other gear) and I’m no exception. I have backpacks of all sizes from 12L to 90L. If you’re going to carry over the top during a long day-length route (meaning you won’t be coming back to the base of the route) you need to have a bag that will carry some of your things and still climb well. this bag is generally in the 12L-20L size range. Frequently you leave the car wearing your harness with some gear racked on the gear loops and one person carrying the rope over their shoulders. Everything else is crammed in your little pack. Once on route the gear stays out while approach shoes, food, water, clothing and a few other items go in the pack. If you pack light or are a small individual everything will fit inside your little climbing pack.

However, if the weather requires more layers, or you have size 15 shoes some of your gear is tied around your waist or left hanging from your harness. This can, at times, become problematic (chimneys, scrub oak and other tough dense vegetation come to mind). Having a backpack that climbs well yet fits everything you need for the day will really streamline things here. No more saggy harness or LS (loose sh*t) yard sales.

Last year before a fall Red Rocks trip I bought a Black Diamond Magnum (16L) and used it for my two week trip. I continued to use it throughout the winter as my parka and thermos holder on long ice routes. One chimney in Red Rocks proved that the Magnum is decidedly not a durable pack. There were multiple holes in it after one trip leaving me questioning the oh-so-popular adage these days that “light is right”. Light is not right for day in and day out use as a rock climber. I also had to hang a size 15 off my gear loop. Bummer. The whole experience left me wanting a larger, more durable pack for use on long climbs.

This is where the Black Diamond Hollowpoint comes into the picture. I purchased a Hollowpoint several months ago and it has proven to be a versatile and durable pack. In fact, it sees as much use as my Sphynx (multiple days a week around town or at the crag). The Hollowpoint is a 20 L top loading pack. What, in my mind, sets the Hollowpoint apart from other packs in it’s size range however, is the Black Diamond’s use of heavier denier nylon, a zipper top, and a full length plastic framesheet.

Black Diamond is marketing the Hollowpoint and Bullet as “all-around” mountain use packs. I guess their hope is that they’ll start being used as bookbags in cities and around college campuses. Ok, but I’d rather have one of these bags for climbing than the light and not-too-durable Magnum or Bbee. Point in case: the Hollowpoint has slots for pens, pencils and other garbage in it’s accessory pocket.

Whatever Black Diamond’s marketing strategy may be this pack is a climber’s pack. So far I’ve used it while guiding at Seneca Rock, at the Gunks, cragging at Farley, and around town on my bicycle. It’s versatile, durable and holds a heap of gear (probably double what the 16L Magnum will hold) all while maintaining a snag-free low profile. A lot of it’s carrying capacity has to do with the greater circumference of the bag from top to bottom. The plastic framesheet plus foam padding means that, unlike the Bullet or Magnum, no gear pokes you in the back on the approach.

As you can see from some of the images the hollow point is sleek and trim yet holds all of the gear you’ll need for a day sans harness, helmet and rope. For places where you leave the car, approach a route and walk off this is the ultimate pack. Places like Red Rocks,Yosemite, Cannon, Cathedral and Whitehorse Ledge, Whitesides, and some cliffs in the Adirondacks definitely come to mind. I can comfortably fit a full double rack plus draws, water, snacks, shoes, and a med kit in there with a little room to spare. At smaller crags I can fit a full kit inside (30m single rope plus full sport rack, helmet, shoes, harness, water bottle). Around town the Hollowpoint has become my go to pack for cycling due to it’s trim fit yet voluminous capacity.

At this point the only downsides I’ve found are that the framesheet is not removable (for easier packing into the backcountry) and that the fabric may outlive the lighter weight zipper. Additionally, I plan on adding an ice axe loop or two for holding tools during winter approaches.

Bottom Line – The Hollowpoint is a pack that I highly recommend. I haven’t found a durable, versatile pack in this size range before. I plan on wearing this one out (and taking a while doing that). As usual I will try to keep the status of this pack updated as I use it.

As a guide one rips through approach shoes. They’re practically disposable; the closet is full of mostly worn, broken down shoes. Every once in a while I admit to myself that I won’t actually resole them and throw multiple pairs away all at once.

Some approach shoes climb well but hike poorly, while others hike well but climb poorly. Past generations of La Sportiva Boulder shoes were of the “climbing” variety. They would get you to the cliff reasonably well and then climb almost like a pair of climbing shoes. Once they were broken in they actually climbed really well. Unfortunately once the shoes were broken in for climbing they were almost broken down too. The Boulder X’s predecessor, the Cirque Pro, was also like this, but with a decent edge and slightly stiffer sole. It really isn’t uncommon as a guide working rock days 9 months of the year to destroy 3-4 pairs of shoes in one busy season.

This inherent lack of durability seems to be something that La Sportiva chose to address in the Boulder X. These shoes are durable. I have one guide friend who’s been using the same pair 5 days a week for most of the spring and the entire summer for approaching (I know the approaches in the Gunks are so long and arduous) and moderate climbing. Several months of hard use out of the same pair is a bit unheard of when you wear the same shoe every day.

The Boulder X’s fit the exact same way as the Cirque Pro’s did. They have the classic narrow fit characteristic of La Sportiva’s shoes. I wear a 48 (size 14) on my size 15.5 feet. It’s the largest size I can get, and after mildly uncomfortable break in (dying for sandals by the end of the day) they’re perfect to wear while climbing. It’s hard to describe how they feel on your feet; stiff in the forefoot, yet squishy from the additional foam padding added to this shoe. Once the shoes are broken in they are softer underfoot than the Cirque Pro. It’s worth mentioning that I add a green Superfeet insert in my approach shoes. Unless you have a well supported high arch the Boulder X, like most other approach shoes, lack the real arch support needed for hiking.

La Sportiva changed from Frixion to Vibram rubber for this model. This change, and the addition of a more aggressive tread pattern mean that the Boulder X hikes better and lasts longer. After a few months of use my shoes are showing some signs of wear under the balls of my feet, but the edge still has plenty of rubber on it. I’m not skating around on a treadless rubber sole anymore. And there’s no hole in the toe rand yet; one of the classic maladies of the Cirque Pro.

The Vibram rubber is not as sticky as the Frixion variety. This, in conjunction with the additional softer padding throughout the sole make this shoe more of a hiker than a climber. I honestly don’t feel as comfortable climbing in these shoes as I did in previous generations of the Cirque Pro. The edge has a tendency to roll, unlike the Cirque Pro’s which edged on a dime, making them great for the Gunks.

Overall, these are the most durable approach shoes I’ve used. However, I haven’t tried the new Ganda, which looks like a climbing shoe and Five-Ten approach shoes are generally too wide for my feet, or don’t come in size 14/15. As usual, La Sportiva’s construction and build quality are uncomparably flawless. These shoes feel like they’re going to last a long time. Kudos to La Sportiva for putting the consumer first. These shoes are going to last 3 times as long as previous versions with only a slight loss of climbing performance in exchange. If that means I buy one pair a year instead of three I’m sold.

The Bottom Line: Boulder X’s may be the best all-around approach shoes on the market right now. They hike well, climb comfortably and last longer than all other “climbing” style approach shoes. They are well worth the$95 price tag.

Instant Hollywood! Slip these shades on and you’ll be a star. Really? Not really.

Nick Yardley up at Julbo shipped a box of these shades to Alpine Endeavors earlier this season. As far as I can tell I’m the only guide wearing them, which is too bad for everyone else. All loudness aside these are the best sunglasses I’ve ever owned. They go everywhere I go and stay on my head night and day. I’ve been wearing them exclusively for four months now and they help relieve some of the eye redness that I tend to experience on an almost daily basis.

Julbo doesn’t seem to have huge market share in the United States, and most people know them exclusively for their glacier glasses. I think we’re going to see that change over the next few years as glasses like the Dirt begin to win people over.

The Dirts are meant for mountain biking and are full-coverage sunglasses. The size of the glasses seem large at first but you get used to them, and during bright light conditions I’ve come to appreciate the extra coverage. The Zebra lenses, which are an upgrade, are well worth the money. This is my second pair of Julbo’s with the Zebra lenses and you can wear them from sun-up to sunset. They’ll change according to light conditions meaning you won’t have to switch lenses or take you sunglasses off when the sun goes away.

So far I’ve used them for rock and alpine climbing, running, and cycling. They’re comfortable and remain on my head regardless of the activity. They feel tight at first but the frame seems to stretch, quickly allowing for a more comfortable fit.

From my perspective however, the best feature is how scratch resistant the lenses seem. I’ve stored the glasses in chest pockets, thigh pockets, pack lids without the case, I’ve even dropped them on pavement, and 4 months later I don’t have any appreciable scratches. My last pair of Smith sunglasses had scratches from day one. I’m sold.

The only downsides I can see so far are that the white paint seems to be scratching off (very hard to notice) and that one rubber earpiece is loosening slowly. Nothing a bit of crazy glue won’t fix though.

So, if you don’t mind (or you like) the Hollywood white and can stomach the price tag ($120-$190) I highly recommend these sunglasses for any outdoor activity you can dish up. I know the white seems loud but strangely enough they look pretty good. They come in other colors too, and with other lens options (polarized or camel – photochromic and polarized) for those of you who don’t appreciate the rockstar look.

I’ve updated my review of the Black Diamond Sphynx 32. I love the design of the backpack, a classic climbing klettersack. Durability and quality control seem have become major issues and I’ve begun to question how long the pack is going to last.

Check out the link to the review, with updates here.

*Update, May 31st 2010*

Black Diamond should include Seam Grip, nylon repair tape and a Speedy Stitcher with the Sphynx 32. I’ve had the backpack for 9 months now and it’s limping it’s way to a quick retirement (or back to BD). I love the idea of this backpack – the design is great but the reality is that this backpack is not going to last that long.

Both general durability and quality control seem to be issues with this backpack. While there’s no doubt that I qualify as a “hard user” of gear, the pack has 100+ days of use in the last 9 months, the rate at which the pack is coming undone is a bit rapid.

Here’s a list of some issues:

• The bottom of the pack has only a single layer of fabric meaning that any small holes that form in the outside layer show through. There are at least 6-8 small holes in the bottom and your gear gets soaked when you set the pack down on damp or wet ground.
• Numerous small holes in the body of the fabric, which all began as scuff marks
• I tore a hole in the body of the pack (along the side) in Red Rocks last fall. The hole unraveled, and being close to a seam the fabric panels began to separate.
• Stitching is coming undone where the shoulder load adjuster strap meets the frame/backpanel
• The eyelet on the drawstring ripped out. Since I started using the bag the collar has always been stiff and difficult to close. In order to get the collar to cinch closed you need to pull hard. This has forced the eyelet out of the fabric and now the fabric has begun to tear along the top of the collar.

*ORIGINAL REVIEW*

While my Cold Cold World Chernobyl hasn’t completely bit the dust I felt that it was time for a new backpack earlier this summer. As a guide and frequent recreational climber my pack gets absolutely tooled on. Most packs seem to last about three years before they have really mushy straps, holes all over the bottom and broken buckles and zippers. After a lot of looking, I feel like I’ve found what I’ve been looking for in the Sphynx 32 from Black Diamond.

Criteria I used to select a suitable pack

I like having one pack that will fill most daily needs year-round – rock, ice and alpine climbing. This pack must:

1. be in the 2500-3200 cu in (40l-50l) range
2. be light yet durable (obviously a pack cannot completely be both of these things)
3. have crampon straps
4. have ice axe holders that accommodate standard piolets, conventional ice tools, and leashless tools that don’t have a hammer or adze.
5. have a removable waist belt, framesheet and bonnet so that the pack will climb better when you’re wearing a harness or doing a summit attempt.
6. be reasonably priced – I wear them out faster than most other users.
7. be made in the USA.

I am more or less flexible on the other details.

My last pack, the Chernobyl, came pretty close to filling all of those criteria. It didn’t have a removable waist belt. The waist belt on that pack was fairly soft though, so it would mold over the top of a harness just fine. Also, I was really happy to buy a pack made by Randy Rackliff in North Conway, NH from the guys at Rock and Snow here in New Paltz. I had to add a framesheet and an aluminum stay to the Chernobyl to make it stiffer though. The pack flopped around like a dead fish if you had anything at all in the lid when the pack was empty. I feel that the Cold Cold World line of packs needs a bit of revamping. Their design is classic and minimalist, which is great, but some upgrades would make them nicer and more competitive with other comparable climbing packs on the market.

Up until the day I got the Sphynx 32 I was very happy with my old pack. It served me well for hundreds of days of hard use. The Chernobyl is about 50L and I felt that it was bigger than I needed for most day-to-day use. Back in the spring Alpine Endeavors became a Black Diamond partner, meaning that we receive pretty solid discounts on most BD products. I initially ordered a Sphynx 42L  thinking that this would be the perfect size for daily use at the crags and in the winter ice climbing. I was surprised when I received it and found that the Sphynx 42L was actually larger than my Cold Cold World Chernobyl.

I immediately ordered the Sphynx 32L because I had the feeling that it would be the right size. I wasn’t disappointed; it’s smaller than the 42L, and a bit smaller than the Chernobyl.

Performance

I’ve been using the pack for three months now and I’m very happy with it. It has everything I need and nothing extra. It seems durable so far, and very minimalist. The waist belt is beefy enough to carry weight well, and you can replace it with a lighter weight waist belt for when you’ll be wearing the pack with a harness. The lid holds my lunch, first aid kit, sunglasses and a few other small items easily. The main compartment design is very nice and very minimalist. It has an upside down teardrop shape which makes dropping your gear into the pack really easy. I can fit a full single rack (to 4″) with runners/draws, a harness, two pairs of shoes, chalkbag, two 1 liter water bottles, a shell, a lightweight puffy jacket  and a helmet very easily. The rope fits securely under the lid to round things out. There’s also a hydration sleeve which I use for storing my set of RP’s and two smaller cams for thinner climbs. One of the nicest features about this bag: you never have to fuss with a floppy spindrift collar at opening to the main compartment.The lid on the pack is fixed so there’s no need for a spindrift collar that can expand the pack’s volume.

Conclusion

The Sphynx 32 is almost exactly what I was looking for. I thought that I would miss the floating, removable lid and the spindrift collar but I don’t. The ease with which you can load the Sphynx makes me think that I might avoid spindrift collars on all of my future crag packs. The pack isn’t made in the USA like my Cold Cold World bag, it’s made in the Phillipines (which helps to explain the very affordable price). Otherwise this utilitarian pack is great, and I’d recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a simple pack that will work for rock, ice and alpine climbing.