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What do you bring up the northwest face of Yosemite's Half Dome in early October? Answer: not much. It鈥檚 a 1.5-mile approach gaining 3000-feet in elevation with multiple class 4-5 scrambles, followed by a 2000-foot wall of sheer granite. My climbing partner cut his toothbrush in half to shed weight. I left mine at base camp.
Climbing isn鈥檛鈥攁nd shouldn鈥檛鈥攂e about the coolest newest gear. It鈥檚 about what works well. That鈥檚 why we brought whiskey.
Below is some of the essential non-technical gear I used. Whether you鈥檙e an ultralight backpacker, big-wall climber, or just happen to like stuff that works, this gear will deliver:
($18)
Since I wasn鈥檛 planning on bringing a second pair of socks up the wall, I needed something that would keep my feet warm and comfortable in a variety of conditions; from hiking in 80 degree weather down in the valley to subfreezing bivouacs on the wall. And, they would have to handle my notoriously sweaty (read: stinky) feet. This light, half-cushioned merino wool-and-nylon crew sock stayed fitted without bunching up, even after several days of heavy use. My partner also commented on the improvement of my foot odor when we were bivouacking. I鈥檒l pack these again the next time I go play in the mountains, for sure. Tip: turn them inside-out to get an extra day of use out of 鈥榚m. You won鈥檛 even notice the difference.
($115)
No hiking boots? Damn right. They鈥檙e heavy, and generally totally unnecessary for everything but carrying a pack that鈥檚 probably too heavy for you too far. , on the outsole, stuck to the granite slabs like suction cups, and the low-profile upper of the shoe made working with the aiders more bearable鈥攅specially in high winds when they would flap around like Buddhist prayer flags. Before the trip, I had been running three to eight miles every day in the mountains near Santa Fe in these shoes. Snow, mud, scree, goatheads鈥攖hey handled everything, without making me feel like I was wearing too much shoe. Mesh panels and breathable lining helps the shoes dry fast, and the ultra-light compression molded EVA midsoles have a shock absorbing heel wedge that eats up shock, letting you play hard all-day.
($125)
I鈥檝e used these pants for everything; mountaineering, cross-country skiing, hiking, whitewater canoeing, yoga, climbing鈥攖he first good date I had, I was wearing these pants. These pants are versatile! After four years and three different continents, I鈥檝e only put one hole in them. And that came from a 20-foot upside-down lead fall while wearing crampons. The double-weave of all-recycled polyester and spandex with DWR-coating offers remarkable durability and weather-resistance while remaining lightweight. Water-resistant zippers close the pockets: two welded-in front, one thigh and one rear hip. And my favorite features: a draw-cord elastic waistband that eliminates the need for a belt, and a two-way zip fly for easy use with a harness.
($205)
My hat is off to Mountain Hardwear on this one. I could have sworn I was using a down bag.聽 With a solid (and accurate) 15-degree rating, this surprisingly light (2 lb 14oz ) synthetic bag somehow compressed down to the size of a loaf of bread. My partner鈥檚 synthetic bag took up twice the space. How is this bag so miraculous? Mountain Hardwear took their old synthetic insulation and cut it into a million pieces. Poof! Down-like synthetic insulation. Why didn鈥檛 anyone think of this sooner? And you can鈥檛 beat synthetic insulation for reliability. Even when my bow-hatch flooded during a multi-day kayaking trip through the Apostle Islands in late September, this bag kept me warm, despite being soaked through.聽 The dual side zips allowed me to stay in the bag while cooking supper, and the rip-stop nylon shell repelled even the heaviest dew. This is the bag you want if you need to go light, fast, and warm鈥攏o matter what.
($230)
Bivy sacks are simple; think of them as waterproof, breathable shells for your sleeping bag. Staying in the shell is surprisingly hard to achieve without poles, though. Honestly, a tent is best. But sometimes, like on the northwest face of Half Dome, you can鈥檛 have one. I found that BD鈥檚 Big Wall Hooped Bivy was the closest thing to a tent that I could hope for. It's a good option if you鈥檙e going ultra-light and plan on encountering some weather. A sewn-in flexible wire creates much appreciated air space around your head (enough to read a book in!), and the single-wall fabric, with its taped seams, can handle a serious beating鈥攅ven a hailstorm鈥 and worked just as well as Gore-Tex. If you need a bivy sack to save your ass, this one will.
($200)
This 50-liter pack proves that it鈥檚 not about what a piece of gear is designed to do, it鈥檚 about what it can do. Turns out, this thing can get dragged up 2,000 feet of granite. Not bad for an alpine-style pack that鈥檚 not necessarily designed to be used as a haul bag. With an approach that could kill me (literally) if I didn鈥檛 keep my feet, I didn鈥檛 want to be mucking around with a boxy haul bag. So, I found the best of both worlds with the Direttissima; a solid alpine pack that could鈥攊n a pinch鈥 handle getting hauled up a massive rock face. The hipbelt, framesheet and lid are removable, and the compression straps tuck away allowing it to glide over rocks and shard edges. With 3,200 cubic inches of storage available, this pack is good for everything but only the longest, most drawn-out expeditions, yet it compresses down comfortably for day-trips. Only complaint: the white color shows the dirt as one might expect. –Dave Costello
Check out a photo gallery of editorial intern Dave Costello's trip up Half Dome, here.
