Mountain Equipment Eclipse Review

In recent years I have decided to move away from using soft shells in my mountain layering system to rather favoring fleeces. Fleeces are, generally, lighter than soft shells and tend to wick better. 

There are lots of fleeces on the marked and personally I like the light weight, well fitted sort of technical fleece.

Over the past few months I have been testing the Mens Eclipse Zip Tee from Mountain Equipment and here are my thoughts on it. 

First of all its very well fitted and isn't baggy, on me at least. If something fits one person it doesn't mean it fits the next but if you have a sort of athletic build then this will be fine.

The eclipse tee is very warm. This is some what of an advantage if your climbing in cold conditions but I have found it a bit too warm whilst dry tooling, even over the winter months!

I have used the eclipse quite a lot since getting it and it still isn't showing any signs of wear. I usually find that in products of this nature the thumb loops get damaged quite easily, but that is not the case with the eclipse. 

My review so far has been praising the eclipse, but if your reading a review I suppose you want to know what I didn't like. Not much is the answer. Everything on the fleece I have liked, however it is missing something; a hood. I am a big fan of hooded fleeces. I prefer not to wear a hat under a helmet in winter and instead use the hood from my fleece. There is a model of the Eclipse which has a hood, imaginatively called the Eclipse Hooded Tee, which I imagine is pretty great.

I really like this fleece. It is well fitted and warm, so great for winter adventures. The only thing it is missing is a hood. With the hood I would give the a maximum 2 thumbs up but without I'm afraid it has to be 1 thumb up and 1 thumb down.

The Mountain Equipment Eclipse Zip Tee is available from outdoorkit.co.uk with 10% off. 

A Busy 2014

So I have been sort of neglecting my blog recently but this has mostly been due to me being really busy!

Kandersteg

I have loads to tell you about, but I will be brief to avoid making it into too much of an essay.

Team GB in Romania

During January I competed in the Ice World Cup in Korea, Romania and Switzerland. Despite me never challenging the top climbers at all I have learnt loads, had so much fun and made loads of new friends.On my travels I have also been to some cool mixed climbing crags. We were shown a newly bolted crag in Romania and then went to Kandersteg whilst in Switzerland.

Saas Fee Structure

Saas Fee Qualifiers (Photo Credit: Matt Pritchard)

Romanian Qualifiers (Photo Credit: Anna Wells)

My best performance was in Korea where I just went out there and climbed as I didn't have a clue how I was going to do. Hopefully next year I will be selected for the team again and I can do a bit better!
After returning from Switzerland I went straight to the BMC international meet. This was a week were UK hosts, of which I was one, showed loads of foreign climbers around the winter scottish highlands. I didn't really get very much done as I missed the best days to go to university but I did manage to climb The Seam, Unicorn, a new route in the Cairngorms, DTS Spirit and Fast and Furious in my wellies (well I took a victory whipper from the final hold on this).

The Seam (Photo Credit: Piotr Sulowski)

Unicorn (Photo Credit: Piotr Sulowski)

Unicorn (Photo Credit: Piotr Sulowski)

F+F (Photo Credit: Piotr Sulowski)

Since the meet I have managed one day out on Ben Nevis where I climbed Route 1 with its Direct Winter start.

Route 1 Direct Start

In addition to my ice axe related adventures I came joint first, with a very strong boulderer, in the Edinburgh Universities bouldering competition last week held at the CSE climbing wall. I was quite surprised at this since I haven't rock climbed very much at all in the last month or so.

Competing at the CSE (Photo Credit: Steven Barnes)

My 2013 climbing year

So 2013 is now at an end an I think I can safely say that it is my most successful every year of climbing. I have managed to achieve personal best in all disciplines in climbing but also had some amazing days out and experiences.

Trying extra hard on Seal Song

According to my UKC profile I have ticked 459 climbs in 107 days out. The days out is definitely an underestimate as there have been a number of days when I have failed to climb anything at all!
2013 started off quite badly as I dislocated my elbow at the start of January and missed the Ice world cup! It could only really get better from here really.
Winter climbing is the way I usually start and end a year. This current winter season has been good for me so far. I have climbed personal bests with Cornucopia (VII 9) and Sioux Wall (VIII 8). My favorite winter day would have to be doing Orion Face and Tower Ridge on the same day back in April. I even managed a first ascent in Stob Coire nan Lochain with Alex McMillan in March, called Seattle Grooves.

Sioux Wall

Cornucopia

Ravens Edge

I have also done a lot of drytooling in 2013. Although I haven't improved my red point grade, despite being close, I have managed to flash/onsight a couple of M9's. I also managed to keep my hands on second place in the STS, loosing out to Peter Holder by one point!

Newtyle

I haven't really climbed too much trad this year but what I have done I have enjoyed. In May I managed to onsight my first E5, a route called The Quickening at Reiff in North West Scotland. In July I managed to climb another E5 at Dumbarton rock near Glasgow called Physical Graffiti. In June I made a trip to the Hebridean islands of Pabbay and Mingulay with some friends from university. I really enjoyed the trip and the highlight of it was climbing Voyage of Faith (E3) on Dun Mingulay on our last day. My favorite trad route of 2013 is quite close between Wuthering (Stanage), Empty on Endorphins (Reiff), Golden Fleece (Reiff) and Big Country Dreams (Cambusbarron).

The Quickening

Wuthering

I spent most of the summer driving around Northumberland bouldering, although I did manage a few trips further afield. The highlight of the summer has to have been climbing Sprung at Bowden Doors, my first font 7c! It is easy for the grade I know but you have to start somewhere don't you. I have done so much bouldering this summer so its hard to pick out my favorite problems. In June I managed to climb Spank the Monkey at Cambusbarron, which is one of the best boulder problems I have ever climbed, and its in a grotty hole in the ground which makes it even better. Similar in setting, but completely different in style, is Gloom at Rothely in Northumberland. I loved working this problem and was so chuffed to manage to climb it in July.

Gloom

I managed two problems this summer that I have tried a number of times before. These were Little Pixies (Back Bowden) and Si's Arete (Almscliff).

Si's Arete

Little Pixies

My last bouldering highlight comes from a crag just 15 minutes away from my flat. I finally managed to climb the Low Black Wall Traverse on Edinburgh Sailisbury Crags!
I have done a little bit of Sport climbing too, but this wasn't very impressive or interesting so its not really worth talking about. I even went to the Alps but its the same story there.
To finish of the year I have been selected to for the newly formed British Ice Climbing Team and will be competing at the 2014 Ice World Cup!

CAC Festival of Ice Final

I should also thank those who have supported me throughout the year. Firstly I should thank Outdoorkit.co.uk who have been supplying me with kit to test and review. I should also thanks Scarpa for some new footwear to see me through the coming winter season and Schmoolz for making me a pair of fatter indoor ice climbing tools. Red Goat and Rock City climbing walls, in York and Hull respectively, should also get a quick mention for supporting my climbing throughout the year. Also a massive thank you to everyone that I climbed with this year!
2013 has been my best year for climbing so far, and hopefully I can build on this for 2014.

Glen Coe Conditions 31.12.13

I managed one last day of winter in 2013 yesterday with an ascent of the Aonach Eagach ridge in Glen Coe.

The weather was looking to be a bit blowy but I figured if I climbed something where I could just keep on moving it wouldn't affect me too much. 

It was a bit wet in the morning and I almost sacked off the ridge for the day and ended up heading into Fort William for some breakfast. On my way back through Glen Coe again I decided I might as well just go and try it. Id probably get wet but I can always dry off again and Im here already. 

It was wet on the way up

I left the car at 11am in the wind and rain and made my way up. Things started getting wintry just before Am Bodach with snow on the ground, although it was a bit wet. On the ridge there was some good snow about and even a bit of decent turf in places. The rocks weren't exactly rimed up but there was snow in all the important places. I thought the bit around the pinnacles was pretty fun, and felt fair for grade II, but it was sustained. 

Looking towards the pinnacles

Back at the pinnacles

The weather improved throughout the day and I managed to get a good look at a few of the crags in the area. Bidean looked reasonably white, as did parts of Stob Coire nan Lochain. I managed to get a look across at the Ben, although you can't really see the North Face from the ridge, but it did have a good cover of snow. 

Glen Coe Crags with Bidean and Lochain in the clouds

Towards Ben Nevis

Hopefully the weather will settle down soon for some proper climbing!

Happy New Year and Safe Climbing!

Jack Wolfskin Thermosphere Jacket Review

Jack Wolfskin is a company of which I have little experience using. Their kit does look quite good, although Im sure its not that hard to make things look good in a picture on the internet, but I have always been put off a bit by the name. Yes it is a bit silly but Jack Wolkskin just doesn't sound as appealing as Mountain Equipment or Mammut.

Testing in the Cairngorms

The Jack Wolfskin Thermosphere jacket is a semi insulated jacket with stretch panels under the arms hood. On first wearing the jacket I thought I had got the wrong size as it seemed really tight in the arms. I wasn't sure how much I was going to like this super tight feel but I have always think that having something very tight around my arms stops me from getting pumped. This tightness doesn't hinder movement, due to the stretchy panels.

Thermosphere jacket at the STS (under the shirt)

The jacket has a reasonably athletic fit to it, which combined with the tight sleeves, gives a non-bulky feel. This lack of bulk is useful if using the jacket for climbing in, or as a mid layer. I have used this jacket both whilst bouldering in cold conditions and as a mid layer underneath my waterproof whilst winter climbing. It has performed very well in both of these situations. The hood isn't really big enough to go over a helmet, although it will at a push, but does fit underneath quite nicely.

Climbing Magic Crack in the Thermosphere Jacket (blue hood)

There is not enough insulation to make this a belay jacket, but it is very good if used as part of a cold weather layering system.
I have been totally inseparable from this jacket since getting it. It performs well in the hills and is smart enough to wear around town (to the library mostly unfortunately!). If you are borderline in sizing then I would recommend sizing up though.
I absolutely love this jacket! I give it a maximum rating of 2 thumbs up.

The Thermosphere jacket is available from outdoorkit.co.uk with 10% off!

Hot Aches Distilled Review

Distilled is the new film recently brought out by climbing film makers Hot Aches Productions.

Distilled is a climbing film following mountain guide (I'm not sure on exactly what qualifications he has) Andy Cave around Scotland in winter.
Distilled doesn't really fit the usual mold of climbing film. There is no hyping about how beautiful and natural a line is. In fact the climbing seems to be more of a means to keep the viewers eye busy while Andy tells the story of his life. That isn't to say that the film is badly shot. It really isn't. Its just that when I watched it I found Andy's story more interesting than what he was climbing, which is strange for me.
One thing that stands out from this film is the very unique life that Andy has lived. He has gone from a kid from a Yorkshire coal pit with no GCSE's to a world renowned climber summiting Himalayan Peaks with a PhD.
The film follows Andy Cave around Scotland in some very Scottish looking weather. I don't often think that I should wear waterproof trousers when winter climbing, especially not while watching films, but this certainly did. I must have watched this film at least 5 times now. I'm still yet to work out all of the routes that are featured in it (those labels are a bit subtle guys!). I have to say that seeing how little gear Andy carries on routes makes me feel a bit ashamed to climb things looking like a moving gear store!
The film does end on a bit of a somber note where Andy talks about his ascent of the North Face of Changabang, which claimed the life of his climbing partner Brendan Murphy. It was quite interesting for me to learn how Andy recovered from this and has since been back to the Himalayas.
I found Distilled inspiring in a very odd way. Its not like hot aches previous winter climbing film, The Pinncacle, which got me really psyched because of what Smith and Marshall did. I really can't put my finger on the way that Distilled has inspired me.
All I can really say is you have to watch it. Im sure its not to everyone's taste but give it a chance.
I give Distilled 1 thumb up.

Magic Crack

On Saturday I met up with Pete Holder, who hitched all the way from Keswick to Aviermore (that's dedication). We headed into t'Schneada with a few idea about what we could try but no firm plans. Once in the corrie we decided to head for Magic Crack. This is a really iconic route, which was featured on the TV show the edge back in the day, or so I am told.
The route starts up The Genie before breaking out right up a steep foot less slab. Magic Crack can be done in two ways in winter. One by breaking out right after the crack pitch, for White Magic, or by following the summer line throughout, for Magic Crack.
I began by climbing the first pitch of The Genie, which felt really sketchy. I didn't manage to get much gear in but I got up it reasonably quickly. Pete led the second pitch, a really cool set of crack and a corner set just off vertical. Everything is there on this pitch but you do have to do some smearing in your crampons which is pretty good fun.

The third pitch was the money pitch. The finger crack is a pitch I had seen pictures of before and it looked really hard. I was a bit worried that there would be ice in the crack which would make protecting it really hard. The crack was full of the most helpful ice I have ever seen. It was good enough to allow me to hook it making the climbing easy, but not too good so that I had to struggle to clear it. I managed to climb this pitch quite steadily, until the very end of it where I spent a long time trying, and failing, to get some gear in.

The fourth pitch was Petes and he elected to climb the final hard pitch of Magic Crack, instead of copping out and climbing White Magic. He took a couple of falls on this pitch but persevered and managed to dispatch it. The climbing on this pitch was well protected but a bit blind with really poor feet!

The final couple of pitches were about grade II scrambles.
I really liked the climbing on this route. There was nothing too difficult but you were always thinking. I do quite like climbing things where you have to really try and place your feet as well.
I would recommend this route to anyone, especially if you get it in the conditions that we did! I have done a lot of route in the coire and I think I can say that this is by far the best one.