When all that’s holding you onto a steep, hard snow slope is gravity and a few metal spikes, they must be reliable. You put a lot of faith and trust into crampons. This means they won’t last as long as a harder-sole boot, but for now I’m going to continue enjoying the sensation of walking on marshmallows. Like a lot of modern lightweight footwear, the outsole is bonded to the midsole, but without total coverage, so the soft EVA used in the midsole is exposed in places, particularly the arch. They’re tall for a mid, which gives great ankle support and stability, and the close-fitting cuff helps to stop dirt entering the boots. If you’re an ankle roller, these are great boots. But these boots soon became my go-to for day hikes, short local walks and, were I to be setting out to thru-tramp Te Araroa again, they’d be on my feet for the North Island leg.Ī hallmark of the Anacapa is its thickly padded midsole that extends broadly to the sides of the foot, providing a lot of stability and traction. I scoffed a bit when I first opened the box and handled the Anacapa boots: exposed soft foam in the sole, such thick midsoles, and that weird kick-out in the heel. Its clean, straight shaft plunges deep into snow for security, the stainless pick holds its edge and thwarts corrosion, and, while very light, the head has a classical shape and just enough weight to allow confident step cutting. The Raven Pro is a lightweight walking axe that is a perfect example of ‘less is more’. These are important traits in a piece of equipment that is relied on so much. Its tactile feedback is an extension of my hand. I intuitively know when the ferrule is going to strike the snow surface, and the sound when it hits hard ice. The Raven Pro is like that for me: its feel in the hand is familiar, and I have a good sense of its position in space because I’m so used to wielding it. You might be familiar with that sensation of riding a bicycle that’s the perfect fit, descending on skis that you know really well, or walking with a pack that’s broken in, fits comfortably and moves with you. I think we operate best in the outdoors when we’re at one with our equipment. The Copper Spur though is my favourite thanks to its tiny Shortstik poles (making packing easier), its livable interior with ample storage space, and its weight, which ducks under its closest competitors. There are many options available in the three-season, free-standing, dual-vestibule tent class these days. This is what makes this tent work for me some discomforts are liveable with for a tent that’s ideal most of the time. With other tents we might not have had to crunch on grit with our granola, but then you don’t get the full three-season versatility either. You could say we put it through its paces … But come summer in Patagonia we enjoyed the tent’s high breathability and nights with the fly off, gazing at starry skies. Dust destroyed the zip sliders and during windy nights in the desert everything in the tent would be covered in a fine layer of sand. We spent so much time in arid, high-altitude environments that the fly shrank and would scarcely fit over the tent. That tent – occupants included – was subjected to many -10☌ nights, camps above 5000m, snowfall and gale winds. The Copper Spur was home to me for nine months while cycling through the Andes from Peru to southern Chile. But now and then we’ll review something that’s best in class it really stands out for innovative use of materials, technology, or clever design. It means the gear reviewed is already pretty solid. Most items reviewed at Wilderness are handpicked products that we think will suit certain users, price points and categories. It’s enjoyable trying out all sorts of different gear in the outdoors, but so is the exposure to new materials and manufacturing techniques, which change surprisingly quickly. I’m not a gear freak, but through my work for Wilderness I see a lot of gear. Our gear editor picks the top gear items he’s reviewed over the past few years.
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