The world's most in-depth and scientific reviews of outdoor gear

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Jack Cramer

Review Editor

Between his passion for all things climbing and his scientific work aboard commercial fishing boats, Jack estimates he gets to spend more than three quarters of each year outside. He hopes to save the world by helping to preserve the Pacific Halibut fishery and by eliminating the waste of misguided gear purchases.

Showing 1-27 of 27 by Jack Cramer

The Best Climbing Belay Device

Belay & Rappelling Aug 24, 2018

The Best Climbing Belay Device

If you're roping up, you're going to need a belay device. But which one is the best? We took 14 popular models on a...

Petzl GriGri 2

Editors' Choice

Belay Device 4 weeks ago

Petzl GriGri 2

It shouldn't come as a huge surprise that the most popular belay device in the world is also, in our opinion, the...

Climbing Rope Buying Guide

Climbing Ropes Sep 11, 2017

Climbing Rope Buying Guide

The foundation of the basic rock climbing belay system is the climbing rope, yet shopping for one can be a bewildering...

Under Armour Base 2.0

Underwear Nov 7, 2016

Under Armour Base 2.0

If your workouts include aggressively chopping logs, sprinting up Siberian hills, and training to defeat Ivan Drago...

Patagonia Crag Daddy

Backpacks Dec 21, 2015

Patagonia Crag Daddy

The Patagonia Crag Daddy wins our Editors' Choice award for two basic reasons: it's designed in our favorite...

How to Choose a Belay Device for Rock Climbing

Belay Device Aug 21, 2018

How to Choose a Belay Device for Rock Climbing

In the early days 'climbing' meant mountaineering and a 'belay device' was simply your body. Throw a loop of rope...

Black Diamond ATC XP

Belay Device Jan 31, 2016

Black Diamond ATC XP

The Black Diamond ATC XP is a simple tube-style belay device that won't break the back. It retails for only $22 (and...

Black Diamond ATC Guide

Belay Device Jan 31, 2016

Black Diamond ATC Guide

The Black Diamond ATC Guide won our Top Pick award for Multi Pitch climbing. It was our favorite option for long...

Petzl Verso

Belay Device Jan 31, 2016

Petzl Verso

The Petzl Verso is a basic belay device commonly referred to as a tube-style device (or Tuber by the Germans!) While...

Camp Matik

Belay Device Jan 31, 2016

Camp Matik

The Camp Matik is an active assisted locking device that has a gradual camming action, along with a very steep price...

Edelrid Mega Jul

Belay Device Jan 31, 2016

Edelrid Mega Jul

The Edelrid Mega Jul is a recent entrant into the field of passive assisted locking, or 'hybrid', belay devices. Its...

Petzl Reverso 4

Belay Device Jan 31, 2016

Petzl Reverso 4

The Petzl Reverso 4 is a lightweight tube-style belay device with an auto-block function for belaying a second off the...

Edelrid Eddy

Belay Device Jan 31, 2016

Edelrid Eddy

The Edelrid Eddy looks similar to a Petzl GriGri 2 but it is more expensive and weighs over twice as much. Even though...

Mammut Smart Alpine

Belay Device Jan 31, 2016

Mammut Smart Alpine

The Mammut Smart Alpine is a double-strand "passive" assisted locking device. This model has lower auto-block...

Trango Cinch

Belay & Rappelling Jan 31, 2016

Trango Cinch

For a few years the Trango Cinch challenged the original Petzl GriGri for being the best assisted locking belay...

Trango Crag Pack

Backpacks Dec 21, 2015

Trango Crag Pack

When Trango named their new crag pack they ignored industry clichés that favor foreign mountain ranges or deadly...

Black Diamond Pipe Dream

Backpacks Dec 21, 2015

Black Diamond Pipe Dream

The most unique of all the crag packs we reviewed is the Black Diamond Pipe Dream. Designed as a slimmed down version...

Sterling Marathon Pro

Climbing Ropes Jun 9, 2015

Sterling Marathon Pro

Our testers usually reached for the Marathon Pro before a day of hard climbing that was not too far from the road...

Sterling Fusion Ion R

Climbing Ropes Jun 9, 2015

Sterling Fusion Ion R

The Fusion Ion R, with its 9.4 mm diameter and 57 g/m weight, occupies an interesting place in between size...

Esprit Alpine Personal Escape Rope

Climbing Ropes Jun 9, 2015

Esprit Alpine Personal Escape Rope

Committing routes often dictate a need for two ropes to facilitate longer rappels on the descent or retreat. A route's...

Mammut Sensor

Climbing Ropes Jun 9, 2015

Mammut Sensor

The Mammut Sensor is the first rope in the world with touch sensitive markings on the middle and ends. This is...

Sterling Fusion Nano IX

Climbing Ropes Jun 9, 2015

Sterling Fusion Nano IX

During testing, our Nano IX was asked to perform in each of climbing's many disciplines; from frozen first ascents in...

New England Alex Honnold Signature Bi-Pattern Glider

Climbing Ropes Jun 9, 2015

New England Alex Honnold Signature Bi-Pattern Glider

With the New England Alex Honnold Glider you get performance that is about as good as could be expected from a rope...

Patagonia Capilene 4 Expedition Weight 1/4 Zip Hoody

Underwear Mar 30, 2015

Patagonia Capilene 4 Expedition Weight 1/4 Zip Hoody

Patagonia's Capilene 4 Expedition Weight ¼ Zip Hoody combines a needlessly long name with several thoughtful features...

The North Face Expedition Long Sleeve Zip Neck

Underwear Mar 30, 2015

The North Face Expedition Long Sleeve Zip Neck

The 'great grey hug' was our testers' working nickname for this top because of the color of our test piece and the...

Duofold Midweight Crew

Underwear Mar 30, 2015

Duofold Midweight Crew

This inexpensive shirt offers style and comfort at a bargain. It feels great to throw on before a lazy football...

Patagonia Merino 2 Lightweight Henley

Underwear Mar 30, 2015

Patagonia Merino 2 Lightweight Henley

One of our testers liked to joke that his Merino 2 Henley, with its horizontal stripes and loose button down opening...