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Reviews by j_ung (30)

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40L Worksack (Manufacturer link) Average Rating = 5.00/5 Average Rating : 5.00/5

In: Gear: Hiking and Camping: Backpacks: Backpacking Packs

Review 0 out of 5 stars

Review by: j_ung, 2006-05-07


[size=12][b]Full Disclosure: The company that manufactured this equipment provided it free of charge to RC.com and RC.com then provided it as compensation to the reviewer for his or her review. This company does not currently advertise on RC.com.[/b]

My relationship with my two Cilogear Worksacks began as a misunderstanding. Long before I ever took possession of them, I sent [user]maculated[/user] to cover the Winter OR Show of 2005. While on the phone with her after the show, she mentioned, almost in one breath that some company was making shirts from veggie starch… and that a friend of hers was making backpacks hissssss-blort-click-hiss turkey. Given the context – clothing made from food – and the inopportune irregularity of my mobile-phone connection, is it any wonder that I walked away from that conversation thinking of backpacks made with bird flesh? I, a vegetarian, was astounded, confused and more than a little repulsed.

Flash forward to the August 2005 during the OR Summer Show, when Cilogear (pronounced chee-low) proprietor, Graham Williams and I shared a basement floor in SLC. Only then did I realize I had missed a crucial part of my conversation with K-mac: Worksacks are manufactured in Turkey, with a capitol T.

Oooooooohhhh… I see.

Williams started Cilogear in summer of 2004 by teaming up with an established Turkish gear maker, Linosport. Linosport’s packs and clothing have seen all seven summits and it was one of the first companies outside of the US to include Gore-tex in its products. The Cilogear partnership combines Linosport’s manufacturing experience with Williams’ drive for usability and versatility in a climbing-specific pack.

Williams, a self described “usability freak,” brings a focused history of hard climbing to the table, and his Worksacks are the product of that focus. Worksacks are made from 4-7 tough fabrics, depending on the model. The list is actually pretty exhaustive; click [url=http://www.cilogear.com/oem/materials.html]here[/url] for the complete rundown. But the real goal of the Cilogear line up is versatility. Take a look, for example, at the 40L Worksack. Its myriad adjustment options allows for an exceptionally wide range of sizes. The number “40,” in fact, doesn’t begin to describe the pack’s actual size. Fully stuffed, expanded and with the floating top attached, the “40L” pack expands to sixty liters. What’s up with that? Fully stuffed, but not expanded, it measures 42 liters. Close down the straps on one side all the way and you get 32 liters. Close down both sides for a tiny twenty. The alleged “60L” Worksack ranges from 28 liters to 90 – big enough for any backpacking trip I’ve done.

Even if the 60L Worksack weren’t big enough, my collection of two Worksacks allows me to do something rather unique: piggy-back the sacks! Cilogear’s unique attachment points enable me to fill my 60L with heavy gear, my 40L with a sleeping pad, bag and puffy jacket, and then affix the two together for one pack-mulish but highly practical carrying solution. I’m not bushwacking anywhere with that kind of bulk on my back, but for multi-day approaches, it’s worth its weight in extra GORP. Plus, after I establish basecamp, the 40L comes off and becomes a climbing pack.

[img]http://photos.rockclimbing.com/photos//731/73168.jpg[/img]

[i]The 40L Worksack at work.[/i]

Speaking of which, as a climbing bag, the 40L ain’t half bad. It’s a bit bulky for sunny-day rock climbing, but some of its features compensate in wintry conditions. Dedicated biner loops allow the wearer to rack gear on the waist belt. A reinforced 500d Spectra crampon pouch on the back keeps spikes handy while protecting other gear from them. Sturdy dual axe loops work similar duty.

It goes on and on to the extent that the only thing really limiting the versatility of these bags is imagination. But, because they’re adaptable enough to change one’s opinion of what defines versatility, these packs are not entry level, nor are they for people who don’t want to have to think about their gear. In fact, it’s a challenge to figure how these packs work best for you. Whether that’s an asset or a fault depends largely on the wearer. I’ve had both for almost six months and I still wonder if I’ve missed anything. Actually, I’m sure of it. Cilogear doesn’t include anything even remotely resembling instructions; not even on its website. Williams once mentioned a DVD to cover that base, but to my knowledge he has yet to produce one. When he does, it will be a welcome addition and the non-technically inclined should feel free to join the as-of-now-small but ever-growing club of Worksack wearers.

It’s hard to imagine that packs with so many features and customization options can exist without a snag or two. Well, relax. You don’t have to imagine it. I’ll tell you about it. I have no gripe with the durability of the pack’s fabric. I managed to poke one hole in the 60L, but I regard that as my fault – I slipped and fell backward hard onto something sharp. The hole has since grown no bigger. Stitching is another issue entirely. The straps that bear the biggest loads are stitched internally and secure, but Cilogear opted for a one-tack method to hold a few smaller straps in place and they don’t seem to be holding up.

But after speaking with Williams, I don’t think this will continue to be a problem for much longer. He assures me that a new QA procedure is already in the works and that this one area it will cover. Also, a too-short sternum strap, which is missing a buckle that slipped quietly into the night – twice – will be replaced by one that’s a full six inches longer. All of this serves to illustrate Cilogear’s dedication to customer service. This is one company that thrives on feedback from actual users.

Also in the works for the near future is an upgrade package, which will be available to all Worksack owners, regardless of how long you’ve owned the pack or from where/whom you bought it. The package will include a sturdier hip belt and interchangeable unpadded version, a new floating lid and six colored replacement compression straps. The upgrade will sell for $40 ay most, plus shipping and handling.

Click away for additional reviews of both the [url=http://www.rockclimbing.com/topic/107214]40L Worksack[/url] and [url=http://www.rockclimbing.com/topic/104961]60L Worksack[/url]. Both reviews also include Q&A with company President, Graham Williams ([user]crackers[/user]). Author, Kim Graves, includes a fantastic level detail regarding the many straps and pictures of each Worksack in various modes of compression.

[color=red]Edit: I am mistaken! A manual for using Cilogear's Worksacks does actually exist. I'm told it's 15 pages long, in fact. [/color][/size]


Quartz Climbing Harness (Manufacturer link) Average Rating = 0.00/5 Average Rating : 0.00/5

In: Gear: Essential Equipment: Harnesses: Fixed

Review 0 out of 5 stars

Review by: j_ung, 2006-03-30


[size=12][b]Full Disclosure: The company that manufactured this equipment provided it free of charge to RC.com and RC.com then provided it as compensation to the reviewer for his or her review. This company does not currently advertise on RC.com.[/b]

Brothers and sisters of RC.com, I present to you the holy trinity of climbing gear: harness, shoes, chalk bag. Even most habitual boulderers own all three (though sometimes, the harness never sees the hips). Out of those three items, it’s hard to deny that the most feature rich will always be the harness. Behold gear and belay loops. See buckles and double buckles. Watch (or don’t) as I drop my keeper straps and squat on a ledge to poop without ever untying!

And yet, though the features they be abundant, they also be for the most part boring. Here’s a Velcro tab to hold your swami together while buckling. There’s a buckle that doesn’t need to be doubled back. Yonder lays a gear loop that can withstand an 8kN dynamic load. We’ve seen it all before!

Last fall, CAMP sent me a Quartz, one of its new line up of harnesses that appear to actually enter new territory in a number of features. I’ve been using it since and, of course, I have an opinion or three. But first, let’s run through the new features.

[img]http://photos.rockclimbing.com/photos//713/71365.jpg[/img][img]http://photos.rockclimbing.com/photos//713/71366.jpg[/img][img]http://photos.rockclimbing.com/photos//713/71367.jpg[/img]

Auto Fit leg loops (left): The feature I most distrusted turned out to be the best! Designed to loosen when the harness is unweighted, it affords a freedom of movement that’s almost as good as not wearing a harness. When I fall or (gasp) take, the loops snug to a predetermined size for a comfortable, safe hang. There’s a limit to how loose and tight the loops can go. I fall within that range, which is important. If the harness fits too big or small, this feature is uncomfortable. Note the size chart in the product description above.

No Twist belay loop (middle): This loop within the loop locks your belay biner in place, ensuring that it won’t cross load accidentally while your climber is mid crux. I distrusted this one, too, since it seems like a lot of effort to get a biner through this tight squeeze. If you have a keylock, such as a Petzl Attache, use it and you’ll have no trouble. None of CAMP’s biners are keylock, but I have to think that would be a good idea for future biner line-ups.

Flat Link elastic keeper straps (right): They’re low profile to eliminate snagging in chimneys and off-widths, and it works, but there’s a trade off: no droppin’ the drawers for ledge pooping with this model. Women, you’re completely SOL. Of course, this only really matters on long routes. If you’re a cragger like I am, it’s a non-issue.

OK, so the newness on CAMP’s quartz seems to be working out fairly well. On the prototype model CAMP sent me, however, a few of the things I normally take for granted aren’t all that hot. The soft, rubber gear loops are a little floppy, which bodes ill for harness-racking trad climbers. When the load is heavy, I have some trouble plucking gear attached to tangled biners from the loops. Yesterday, I re-bolted a few old routes and had a drill and sack of steel hardware hanging on them. Ugh! A CAMP employee gave me a tip that saved the day: flip the gear loops inside out a few times and they stiffen up nicely. One other issue: the buckle side of the Swami belt floats free for five inches at the end, which results in it sticking either straight up or down, instead of lying flat under the belt. It doesn’t affect comfort or safety, but it is annoying. (I suspect that, if I were a bit thinner, I wouldn't have this problem!)

Those are my only complaints, which to my mind, make the Quartz a fine choice, as long as you aren't racking heavy loads on it. A moderately sized rack works AOK. To my mind, if CAMP fixed those two issues, they'd really have near perfection. As it stands, I'm torn... The new features are innovative and they work exactly as billed. They are the saving graces for a harness that is more than worth your time to check out.

[i]Note: Camp also has an ice climbing version of the Quartz that sports fully-adjustable leg loops, instead of Auto Fit. [/i] [/size]


Big Wall Stuff Sack (Manufacturer link) Average Rating = 0.00/5 Average Rating : 0.00/5

In: Gear: Add-On Climbing Gear: Bags and Haul Bags

Review 0 out of 5 stars

Review by: j_ung, 2006-03-10


[color=red]THIS REVIEW WRITTEN BY HOLDPLEASE2 AND SUBMITTED BY J_UNG.[/color]

[size=12][b]This reviewer paid full price for these products. Neither manufacturer currently advertises with RC.com -- 3/10/06.[/b]

Big Wall Bags: FISH Products vs. Metolius vs. Average Stuff Sack

Ok, you’re probably thinking “I don’t need special sacks for bigwalls, I’ll just use my regular stuff sacks.” I thought that, too, once upon a time, and climbed a few walls without them. Silly me. You see, on a bigwall, most everything is hanging -- you, your ledge, your waste and yes, your stuff sacks.

[img]http://photos.rockclimbing.com/photos//704/70481.jpg[/img]

[i]A difficult to access regular stuff sack, hanging from its draw cord, next to a FISH Big Wall Bag hanging from its clip-in loop.[/i]

Here’s why the difference between regular stuff sacks and bags designed specifically to be accessed while hanging matters. Retrieving an object from the Wall Bag is easy because it has a separate clip in loop. The regular stuff sack, on the other hand, hangs by its drawcord. The weight of the items inside forces the bag to stay closed. Trying to retrieve something from the regular stuff sack in this configuration is like trying to pull a handful of cookies out of a cookie jar with a small opening. Cookie jars must have LARGE openings, so we can grab entire fistfuls of cookies at a time. And your bigwall bags should too. The clip in loop on the typical wall bag is much stronger than the drawcord on a normal stuff sack. You wouldn’t want your gear to go rocketing to the deck because you clipped it in with a flimsy drawcord. Wall bags are also typically made of heavier material than normal stuff sacks. This is important, because the bigwall environment is not the place for lightweights… climbers or stuff sacks.

Now that we have that settled, two leading manufacturers of stuff sacks are FISH Gear and Metolius. After roughly 75 days climbing with a combination of Metolius and FISH Big Wall Bags, I think I may have an opinion or two about both.

Both Metolius and FISH Products bags have clip in loops, however, the Metolus bag has two. I have not found this to be particularly useful, but there must be a reason. The clip in loop on the FISH bag is longer, which I believe is more convenient because you can handle it easily with gloves or even sling it over your arm like a purse.

The FISH bags seem to be wearing better than the Metolius bags. The bottom panel of the FISH bags is vinyl coated nylon. The bottom of the Metolius bags is 600d polyester, as is the rest of the bag. The side panels of the FISH bag is a slippery nylon, 420-denier pack cloth, which appears to resist abrasion better than the 600d polyester on the Metolius bags. Finally, for the ultimate in durability, try the Mesh FISH bag, which is so tough that even if you cut a hole in it, you cannot tear it with your hands!

(FISH also makes an even stronger series of bags, called Beef Bags, made of vinyl coated nylon. They are great for pointy objects like pin racks, bolt kits, ice tools, etc.)

Because the drawcord on the old Metolius bag was exposed, it caught on objects, abraded, and became a tangle-fest. Thankfully, the new ones are enclosed; same with the FISH drawcord.

[img]http://photos.rockclimbing.com/photos//704/70482.jpg[/img]
[i]Watch out for bags with exposed drawstrings, like the old Metolius. They never last. (The new Metolius bags dropped this liability like a bad habit.)[/i]

[b]Big Wall Tip:[/b] Metolius bags are more short and squat, while the FISH bags have a more elongated cylindrical shape. Each manufacturer makes several bag sizes. I carry 11 bags of various colors, shapes and sizes, which make some bags better suited to certain tasks than others and helps me tell them all apart. Be sure to, at the very least, ask for different colors when you order yours. Don’t risk digging to the bottom of your haul bag to retrieve your Bivy Sack only to discover that you’ve found your dirty clothes bag.

In the event that you insist on using your normal stuff sacks on walls, AT THE VERY LEAST send them off to FISH Gear or another reputable stitchin’ house to add a strong clip in loop to your bags for a nominal fee.

Small (6"x13"): $8.50
Beef Bags: $7.50, $9.50, & $13.50 ea.
[/size]


Magnet Climbing Shoe Average Rating = 4.33/5 Average Rating : 4.33/5

In: Gear: Shoes: Climbing Shoes: Lace Up

Review 0 out of 5 stars

Review by: j_ung, 2006-02-19


[size=12][b]Full Disclosure: The company that manufactured this equipment provided it free of charge to RC.com and RC.com then provided it as compensation to the reviewer for his or her review. This company does not currently advertise on RC.com.[/b]

[img]http://photos.rockclimbing.com/photos//592/59264.jpg[/img]

[i]The Magnet and Wasabi.[/i]

The timer sounds off and I walk quickly to the oven and remove my climbing shoes, Montrail’s new Magnets. Why, pray tell, am I cooking my shoes? Because these particular shoes, like three other Montrail models this year (Wasabi, Orbit and Index), are fitted with thermo-molded CTX Memory Foam. CTX is a nifty little addition that actually allows the wearer to create a custom fit for his or her climbing shoes. The shoes go into the cooker -- 2-3 minutes at 225 -- and presto, out pops a sticky-rubber muffin. In an industry in which the tiniest tweak is sometimes called “revolutionary,” Montrail may actually have something that fits the bill. How many times have you said that the most important feature in a climbing shoe is fit? What if you could be assured of getting it right?

Montrail entered a fully saturated climbing shoe market just a few years ago. Says Kris Versteegen, editor of the B.O.S.S. Report -- essentially a Wall Street Journal for the outdoor industry – “When the whole Chinese manufacturing frenzy was going on, prices dropped,” and smaller shoe makers began to take a bigger share of the market. Montrail, however, was not one of those. In fact, Montrail was already a highly respected and successful manufacturer, but not of climbing shoes.

“Then,” says Montrail’s John Conner, “Scott Franklin approached the company.” At Franklin’s urging, Montrail began to explore the climbing shoe market. Montrail already employed Jim Donini and he enthusiastically backed the idea.

The big names in climbing shoes were watching market share slowly slip away as climbers, largely creatures of habit, began to grudgingly accept other names on their feet. At that time, “Their brand’s extension into climbing shoes made sense. A lot of the athletes they sponsored and sold to also climbed, so they saw this opportunity,” Says Versteegen.

Montrail climbing shoes debuted to mixed reviews. A unique marketing approach -- putting free shoes on climbers’ feet, instead of spending out the wazoo on ads -- lead some to think that Montrail’s were so bad, they had to give them away. And some models were actually pretty bad. A short-lived slipper called the Tattoo was like wearing shoes lined with plastic pop bottles and the rubber was about as sticky. Things got a lot better with the Zealot when it turned out to be bad-ass crack shoe and the Splitter was just plain sweet as any Sportiva Mythos, minus the price tag. But still, ultimate success in the world of climbing shoes eluded Montrail. Nothing really set them apart.

[img]http://photos.rockclimbing.com/photos//696/69629.jpg[/img]

[i]Kurt Smith, wearing Magnets, on the ground-up FA of Saddle Sores, 5.10, Whipporwill, WV.[/i]

Of course, none of this is on my mind as I slip my feet into lightly-toasted Magnets. I won’t swear to it, but I think a moan of pleasure escapes my lips as the warm CTX envelopes my feet in a blanket of foam. The feel is tight, but far softer than any climbing shoe I’ve ever worn. And though I’ve purposely sized both my Magnets and Wasabis down to a level that would be excruciating in any other shoe, I begin to feel a little giddy. I can’t help but think of the old practical joke where you slip your passed-out-drunk buddy’s hand into a dish of warm water in hopes he’ll pee himself. Over the course of the next half hour, my shoes slowly cool to create a fit customized for my feet. Shortly after I am done with the Magnets -- DING! -- I pull the Wasabis from the same oven and slip into them, too. They are down sleeping bags in a world of Mylar blankets.

Wasabis and Magnets share several features, because, even though they look nothing alike, they are essentially the same shoe. Built on the same last, both sport a full-CTX toe box and heel, which means that they have memory foam pads above the toe knuckles, under the toes and on both sides of the heel. Both have synthetic leather uppers and both use Montrail’s Gryptonite HT, same as the popular and aggressive Montrail Methods.

There are some key differences, however, that go beyond the obvious lace up vs. Velcro. Most notably, the lace-up Magnet, with a 1mm midsole through the entire front of the shoe, is designed for when one’s weight will mostly be on one’s feet. The Wasabi, however, has a 1mm midsole shaped like a doughnut for hold-grabbing flexibility without giving up the ability to edge. If you like the steeps, the Wasabi is for you. Slabs and vertical terrain? You may like the Magnet more. The Magnet also has an overlaid upper (that’s the crazy-lookin’ orange squiggly) for extra support.

Montrail’s ultimate goal is comfort and performance. And believe me, I know that the words, “comfort and performance,” have about the same effect on most climbers as a gallon of cheap whisky – zzzzzzzz -- and rightfully so. We’ve heard them more times than “STFU n00b.”

[img]http://photos.rockclimbing.com/photos//697/69703.jpg[/img]

[i]Unknown climber, unknown location, wearing Wasabis. By Topher Donahue. Copyright: Montrail. [/i]

But there’s something to it in this case. One of the first things I noticed about both models was my ability to step forcefully on obscenely tiny holds without the corresponding pain. The Wasabi is not as good at this as the Magnet, but it isn’t supposed to be. I slip into those when the going gets steep. If I expect to see both in one route, I lean to the Wasabi, perhaps because I’ve always been a sucker for soft soles. That’s too bad for me, because the Velcro on my Wasabis appears to be failing fast. According to Montrail this is because a Velcro batch in the first production run appears to have been cut and sewn incorrectly, such that the hooks face ever-so-slightly in the wrong direction. That defective batch [i]did[/i] make it to sales floors, but Montrail is aware of the problem and they’re treating it as a warrantee issue. If your Wasabi Velcro takes a powder, contact them. They’ll take care of it.

This will seem weird, but generally, when I wear either shoe, my feet are actually a little bit [i]un[/i]comfortable for the first route or two. Then they seem to soften up again with the warmth of my foot and the effect is just plain cool. I often find myself re-lacing the Magnets even tighter than the first time and all of a sudden, they're cozy. Along with precision comes stickiness. The Gryptonite HT doesn’t appear to be stickier than any of the other high-caliber rubber out there, but it’s certainly no less sticky than the best I’ve worn, either.

If you buy either model, I think you have two options. One is to buy them snug and hope for an all day shoe. The other is to buy them ultra-super-crazy tight and go for precision. If you do the former, then at least fit them more snugly than you normally would. I haven’t noticed an obscene amount of stretch in either pair, but it hasn’t been insubstantial either. Surprisingly, the highly-supported Magnet appears to stretch more than the Wasabi.

So, what do you think about Montrail’s latest entry in the climbing shoe game? Do they have a good enough product? And if so, is there enough market share to go ‘round? I can answer the middle question: yes, they have what could become two of the most favored shoe models ever, especially for slightly-used climbers like me who long ago gave up precision for comfort.

At the OR Show last summer, I wrote this about Montrail: [i]I’m at a loss to describe how comfortable their newest offerings truly are. The word, comfort, just doesn’t seem to do it. I’ve worn comfortable climbing shoes and I know most of the rest of you have, too. This is better. A lot better. [/i] I stand by that. And at $100 for the Magnet and $95 for the Wasabi, I think these little toaster tarts will put Montrail firmly on the map. If they don’t, it’ll be a problem of branding, not design.

[/size]


Wasabi Climbing Shoe Average Rating = 3.65/5 Average Rating : 3.65/5

In: Gear: Shoes: Climbing Shoes: Velcro

Review 0 out of 5 stars

Review by: j_ung, 2006-02-19


[size=12][b]Full Disclosure: The company that manufactured this equipment provided it free of charge to RC.com and RC.com then provided it as compensation to the reviewer for his or her review. This company does not currently advertise on RC.com.[/b]

[img]http://photos.rockclimbing.com/photos//592/59264.jpg[/img]

[i]The Magnet and Wasabi.[/i]

The timer sounds off and I walk quickly to the oven and remove my climbing shoes, Montrail’s new Magnets. Why, pray tell, am I cooking my shoes? Because these particular shoes, like three other Montrail models this year (Wasabi, Orbit and Index), are fitted with thermo-molded CTX Memory Foam. CTX is a nifty little addition that actually allows the wearer to create a custom fit for his or her climbing shoes. The shoes go into the cooker -- 2-3 minutes at 225 -- and presto, out pops a sticky-rubber muffin. In an industry in which the tiniest tweak is sometimes called “revolutionary,” Montrail may actually have something that fits the bill. How many times have you said that the most important feature in a climbing shoe is fit? What if you could be assured of getting it right?

Montrail entered a fully saturated climbing shoe market just a few years ago. Says Kris Versteegen, editor of the B.O.S.S. Report -- essentially a Wall Street Journal for the outdoor industry – “When the whole Chinese manufacturing frenzy was going on, prices dropped,” and smaller shoe makers began to take a bigger share of the market. Montrail, however, was not one of those. In fact, Montrail was already a highly respected and successful manufacturer, but not of climbing shoes.

“Then,” says Montrail’s John Conner, “Scott Franklin approached the company.” At Franklin’s urging, Montrail began to explore the climbing shoe market. Montrail already employed Jim Donini and he enthusiastically backed the idea.

The big names in climbing shoes were watching market share slowly slip away as climbers, largely creatures of habit, began to grudgingly accept other names on their feet. At that time, “Their brand’s extension into climbing shoes made sense. A lot of the athletes they sponsored and sold to also climbed, so they saw this opportunity,” Says Versteegen.

Montrail climbing shoes debuted to mixed reviews. A unique marketing approach -- putting free shoes on climbers’ feet, instead of spending out the wazoo on ads -- lead some to think that Montrail’s were so bad, they had to give them away. And some models were actually pretty bad. A short-lived slipper called the Tattoo was like wearing shoes lined with plastic pop bottles and the rubber was about as sticky. Things got a lot better with the Zealot when it turned out to be bad-ass crack shoe and the Splitter was just plain sweet as any Sportiva Mythos, minus the price tag. But still, ultimate success in the world of climbing shoes eluded Montrail. Nothing really set them apart.

[img]http://photos.rockclimbing.com/photos//696/69629.jpg[/img]

[i]Kurt Smith, wearing Magnets, on the ground-up FA of Saddle Sores, 5.10, Whipporwill, WV.[/i]

Of course, none of this is on my mind as I slip my feet into lightly-toasted Magnets. I won’t swear to it, but I think a moan of pleasure escapes my lips as the warm CTX envelopes my feet in a blanket of foam. The feel is tight, but far softer than any climbing shoe I’ve ever worn. And though I’ve purposely sized both my Magnets and Wasabis down to a level that would be excruciating in any other shoe, I begin to feel a little giddy. I can’t help but think of the old practical joke where you slip your passed-out-drunk buddy’s hand into a dish of warm water in hopes he’ll pee himself. Over the course of the next half hour, my shoes slowly cool to create a fit customized for my feet. Shortly after I am done with the Magnets -- DING! -- I pull the Wasabis from the same oven and slip into them, too. They are down sleeping bags in a world of Mylar blankets.

Wasabis and Magnets share several features, because, even though they look nothing alike, they are essentially the same shoe. Built on the same last, both sport a full-CTX toe box and heel, which means that they have memory foam pads above the toe knuckles, under the toes and on both sides of the heel. Both have synthetic leather uppers and both use Montrail’s Gryptonite HT, same as the popular and aggressive Montrail Methods.

There are some key differences, however, that go beyond the obvious lace up vs. Velcro. Most notably, the lace-up Magnet, with a 1mm midsole through the entire front of the shoe, is designed for when one’s weight will mostly be on one’s feet. The Wasabi, however, has a 1mm midsole shaped like a doughnut for hold-grabbing flexibility without giving up the ability to edge. If you like the steeps, the Wasabi is for you. Slabs and vertical terrain? You may like the Magnet more. The Magnet also has an overlaid upper (that’s the crazy-lookin’ orange squiggly) for extra support.

Montrail’s ultimate goal is comfort and performance. And believe me, I know that the words, “comfort and performance,” have about the same effect on most climbers as a gallon of cheap whisky – zzzzzzzz -- and rightfully so. We’ve heard them more times than “STFU n00b.”

[img]http://photos.rockclimbing.com/photos//697/69703.jpg[/img]

[i]Unknown climber, unknown location, wearing Wasabis. By unknown photographer. Copyright: Montrail. [/i]

But there’s something to it in this case. One of the first things I noticed about both models was my ability to step forcefully on obscenely tiny holds without the corresponding pain. The Wasabi is not as good at this as the Magnet, but it isn’t supposed to be. I slip into those when the going gets steep. If I expect to see both in one route, I lean to the Wasabi, perhaps because I’ve always been a sucker for soft soles. That’s too bad for me, because the Velcro on my Wasabis appears to be failing fast. According to Montrail this is because a Velcro batch in the first production run appears to have been cut and sewn incorrectly, such that the hooks face ever-so-slightly in the wrong direction. That defective batch [i]did[/i] make it to sales floors, but Montrail is aware of the problem and they’re treating it as a warrantee issue. If your Wasabi Velcro takes a powder, contact them. They’ll take care of it.

This will seem weird, but generally, when I wear either shoe, my feet are actually a little bit [i]un[/i]comfortable for the first route or two. Then they seem to soften up again with the warmth of my foot and the effect is just plain cool. I often find myself lacing the Magnets tighter than I would any other model. Along with precision comes stickiness. The Gryptonite HT doesn’t appear to be stickier that any of the other high-caliber rubber out there, but it’s certainly no less sticky than the best I’ve worn, either.

If you buy either model, I think you have two options. One is to buy them snug and hope for an all day shoe. The other is to buy them ultra-super-crazy tight and go for precision. If you do the former, then at least fit them more snugly than you normally would. I haven’t noticed an obscene amount of stretch in either pair, but it hasn’t been insubstantial either. Surprisingly, the highly-supported Magnet appears to stretch more than the Wasabi.

So, what do you think about Montrail’s latest entry in the climbing shoe game? Do they have a good enough product? And if so, is there enough market share to go ‘round? I can answer the middle question: yes, they have what could become two of the most favored shoe models ever, especially for slightly-used climbers like me who long ago gave up precision for comfort.

At the OR Show last summer, I wrote this about Montrail: [i]I’m at a loss to describe how comfortable their newest offerings truly are. The word, comfort, just doesn’t seem to do it. I’ve worn comfortable climbing shoes and I know most of the rest of you have, too. This is better. A lot better. [/i] I stand by that. And at $100 for the Magnet and $95 for the Wasabi, I think these little toaster tarts will put Montrail firmly on the map. If they don’t, it’ll be a problem of branding, not design.

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