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The Bottom Line Without breaking the bank, the Blue Ice Stache 60 provides a super simple, super versatile, super and light pack to support you on a wide variety of multi-day adventures in the mountains. It’s not a pair of Carhartts, but when you’ve got a lot of kit to carry around, and weight counts, this pack is about as good as it gets. When I’m intentionally trying to go light, but have to hump around a decent amount of gear, this pack is my new go-to. Ideal Routes Really any multi-day trip in the mountains that requires carrying a...

In this review, we put the La Sportiva's Aequilibrium LT GTX Mountain Boot to the test on two Northwest Peaks. We have pros, we have cons, and we have our final decision on whether these boots are the boots for your hiking and mountaineering needs.

Author: Ian Peterson, AAI Guide The Bottom Line The Camp Ascent provides a versatile, higher end option for a 10-point steel crampon. At a slightly higher price, the weight conscious climber can save a few ounces while retaining a high level of functionality for all snow and moderate ice climbing applications.   Ideal Routes Easton Glacier, Kulshan (Mt. Baker) Coleman Deming, Kulshan (Mt. Baker) Kautz Glacier Route, Tahoma (Mt. Rainier) Emmons Glacier, Tahoma (Mt. Rainier) Disappointment Cleaver, Tahoma (Mt. Rainier) Fischer Chimneys, Mt. Shuksan Sulphide Glacier Route, Mt. Shuksan Any steep snow!!!   The Review As a climber, skier, and...

Cirque 35 (left) and Cirque 30 (right) As backcountry skiers, we carry a variety of things in our packs. There's the standard, beacon, shovel, and probe, but there are also extra layers, water, a repair kit, first aid, and the list goes on. While requirements vary by user, I think we're all in agreement that an ideal pack fits and functions well, with lightweight and durability as added bonuses. While I've only had the Cirque 30 pack from Black Diamond a few months, so far it checks the boxes of fit, function, and lightweight. I'll give you a durability report in a...