Category Archives: Gear Reviews

Every climber worth their chalk knows you can never have enough gear! Pros and cons of gear I’ve used, loved, and hated!

New England Glider Series Ropes

Jun 16 2011

Your rope – as a climber, it’s the one piece of gear that you don’t back up, so it better be a good one, right? I’ve climbed on many different ropes over the years, but my favorites above all are the New England Glider series – and specifically their 70m 9.9mm bipatterned rope. Here’s what makes this rope stand out above the rest… Twill-Pattern-Technology – What makes all of the Gliders so smooth is the 1 over 1 sheath design – not only does it feel great in your hand but it also has noticeably less rope drag than other ropes. The…Read the rest of this entry →

The Quest for the Perfect Approach Shoe

May 31 2011

Just when I was beginning to lose hope that the perfect approach shoe actually existed, along came the Hedgehog GRX XCR (by The North Face) – a perfect balance between comfort and performance! Let me back up. Until recently, I’m pretty sure that not a climbing trip went by where I didn’t have some sort of complaint about my shoes. Not my climbing shoes, mind you – I have no qualms about packing in 4 pairs of shoes for 4 different routes but for beginners running shoes are apropos, & because each of my shoes have a specific purpose –…Read the rest of this entry →

Gear Review: OakiWear Adventure Suit

Apr 19 2011

A few weekends ago our family headed to the New River Gorge for some climbing and camping fun. With a driving rain Friday night and a passing thunder shower Saturday afternoon, our weekend was definitely wet – but we had a blast nonetheless! (You can read a trip report from our adventure here). My husband Steve and I have always maintained that although truly good rain gear is expensive, it only takes one or two uses per season to make it worth its weight in gold. Nothing can squash your weekend fun quite like spending the night in a puddle-filled tent with soggy underwear and pruned skin…Read the rest of this entry →

In Praise of Cloth

Mar 27 2011

In my last Cragbaby post, I mentioned that our family uses cloth diapers. I’ve received a few questions about it and decided there was enough interest to warrant a separate blog post. It is something that I felt pretty strongly about before C was even born, but now that we’ve survived a full year almost completely disposable-free (except for the first week before the cord fell off and a time or two at the doctor when I forgot an extra…), I feel even more passionate about the merits of cloth. But why on earth would anyone choose cloth over the “convenience” of…Read the rest of this entry →

Green Hour Connection: Fun on Wheels!

Mar 24 2011

As most of you know, Cragbaby celebrated a birthday this past week! Among his many presents were two items that we can utilize in our Green Hour playtimes. The first was a wagon. But this was no ordinary wagon – it was a Radio Flyer Pathfinder Wagon, complete with fold-up seats and cup holders! I guess things have changed a bit since my wagon days, because it is definitely way more luxurious than any wagon I’ve ever had (or seen for that matter!). Anyway, its fantastic! The fold-up seats and seat belt system make going up and down hills a…Read the rest of this entry →

“Not all who wander are lost.” —JRR TOLKIEN