Base Camp

The Talon 22 In this picture the hip belt is folded at the bottom of the pack        The Talon 22 is a 22 liter pack that is made by the company Osprey. There is also a version of this pack made specifically for women. That version is called the Tempest 20 and is 20 liters.  The Talon 22 is a versatile pack that can be used for hiking, biking, climbing, and anything else you would need a medium-sized backpack for (ie: school, commuting, travel, skiing, etc.).         The Talon 22 is loaded with useful features that are great for any of the previously mentioned activities. These features include: A gear loop and elastic loop to hold a(n) ice axe(s) or other tool, a bike helmet attachment point, a separate pocket for a hydration reservoir in case your water leaks, large hip-belt pockets, a trekking pole holder, and a large front stretch pocket. These features are in addition to the basic features any good pack has such as 2 side water bottle pockets, and multiple internal pock

The ATC XP is a device used to belay* a climber when climbing top rope and lead. The ATC XP can also be used to rappell. I have used the belay device almost every time I have climbed and it has never failed to work well. I have lended the ATC XP to people who are belaying for me and the belay device has always caught me if I fall. When this device catches me, there is not a sudden jerk when I reach the bottom of my fall. This is partially because of the stretch in the rope and partially because of the belay device. The grooves on the right of the picture of the belay device are there to help the belay device create more friction on the rope. All in all, the ATC XP is an affordable belay device that works great for its price. *Belay means to be in a position to catch a person who is climbing should they fall, hopefully using a belay device.

     I recently purchased this harness and used it at EVO Rock and Fitness. This harness is meant for mountaineering and ice climbing but it works fine when sport climbing as well. While I was using the harness, I climbed a few top-rope climbing routes with grades from 5.6 to 5.11 and boulder problems* from VO to V4. The harness was less constricting and allowed for a wider range of motion than all of the other harnesses I have used in the past. Even though people usually remove their harness before bouldering, I decided that because this harness did not restrict my range of movement that I would leave it on. There was no difference between bouldering with this harness on and bouldering with this harness off. There are also many other cool features on this harness. The gear loops for hanging climbing gear (Quickdraws, carabiners, slings, cams, bolts, extra rope, etc.) are filled with hard plastic in the front of the harness so that it is easy to reach your climbing gear. The loops in t

One of the most common ways of measuring the grade of a climb is the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS).      There are five classes in the Yosemite Decimal System. The class is number before the decimal. Class 1 is like walking down the street. If you fall you were either pushed or were not paying attention. Class 2 is like walking up a hiking trail, rocky beach, or sloping hill. If you fall you might hurt yourself but not seriously. Class 3 is equivalent to scrambling up large boulders using your hands to help you get up. If you fall you might break a bone. Class 4 is when you are using your hands and feet to ascend. It is recommended to use a rope and safety equipment because if you fall from a large height you will sustain serious injuries. Class 5 is what is generally thought of as rock climbing. It is required to have a rope, safety equipment, and other climbing gear. You are using technical maneuvers with your hands and feet. If you fall, you are dead or very seriously injured. Und