Here’s a round up of the kit Chris and I used for the sudgrat . Rab are a super company to deal with and Dan Thompson a total star . As well as making some of the best kit on the planet , the pricing is right on the button making it affordable to all . Here’s what we went with;
Base layer Aeon tee 95g . This T shirt is simply the best T shirt i have worn , it feels like silk , dries super fast and has the uncanny ability to feel warm in the cold and cool in the warm . How do they do it ? , i have no idea ! magic , voodoo ? Who cares . It works , and when you’re on a big route thats all that matters . This T is the first of my ‘Don’t leave home without it ‘ bits of kit .
Vapour Rise Alpine Lite jacket 345g . A super windproof with just enough insulation to keep you comfortable when its windy on a sea cliff or high in the mountains . Feels great next to the skin and packs small . second of my ‘DLHWI’ kit.
Next up is the Xenon jacket 345g . this is a have with all my mates too . very light , stuffs into its own chest pocket and takes up little weight or space . I have vowed never to climb on a multi pitch route without an extra layer . I’ve had too many bad experiences of freezing my butt off on long routes , The Aiguille Dibona being particularly chilly with only a base layer and pertex windproof providing inadequate warmth . With the xenon , you need never worry about that extra layer as its so light and small but gives warmth that belies its puny dimensions . 3rd essential kit .
As far as shells go , the momentum is hard to beat . 340g of bright orange photogenic brilliance . A shell is a shell and this one is light , bright and ….. polite ? no , that doesn’t work ! Enough to say , that its just right .
One thing that Rab haven’t always been great on is giving the kit colours that really pop . For some reason outdoor manufacturers think that climbers are like ninjas that want to creep in the shadows clothed in black WTF ! i want bright colours so that my photos really jump out at you and with the new colours that Rab have brought out we have some really poppy colours that look great in photos . Check out the pics of Chris on the last blog about the Sudgrat to see what I mean .