La Sportiva Mythos Climbing Shoes
March 31, 2008
These have to be the most popular women’s rock shoes ever made, just from the number of people I see wearing them. I got kind of shouted down at our last Geargals indoor climbing session when I said I didn’t like these shoes much. And the shouting down wasn’t from just the other Geargals, either – pretty much every woman in the climbing gym was wearing these shoes. And all of them were climbing better than I, so that should tell us something. But I get to review them, so I have the final say. However, lest you join the dismayed chorus of loyal Mythos wearers, hear me out.
I did appreciate the flat sole, which made belaying while wearing the shoes tolerable (I’m one of those squeamish people who can’t stand running around on the stinky, germy, climbing gym mats barefoot, so I’m constantly changing footwear to give my feet a break from pinchy shoes) which was a nice change. It was also a nice change to not have to dance around frantically after every climb, desperate to pull my shoes off because of the toe-crimping pain that comes with the territory with curved-last shoes, but I felt that the performance of the Mythos left me a little cold. It seemed really mediocre, with kind of blah edging and not a lot of grip for smearing. I didn’t understand the appeal – and I guess I still don’t, for people who only climb indoors.
Well, I don’t care to climb indoors much. Frankly I don’t like it at all. So, when I headed to the crags, I brought these shoes along just for the hell of it. I had already made up my mind that I didn’t care much for them, but lo! When I applied the sole to the famously chossy Chugach crud that makes up our local crags, it stuck like a fly to, well, flypaper. The smearing was sublime. I could edge on tiny cracks and had no problem with foot jams. And when I got to the top of the crag, my feet still had feeling! They weren’t numb, they didn’t hurt! Amazing. I climbed in the Mythos the rest of the day, and now they are a permanent addition to my outdoor climbing gear. They are the only shoe I wear for climbing outside, and my feet don’t kill me at the end of the day! NOW I understand why so many people wear them.
I still dislike them at the climbing gym, but who cares? The climbing gym sucks anyway. I’d much rather be outside in the elements, free from gym mats crawling with athlete’s foot and other nasties, and have comfortable feet to boot. There is something about the La Sportiva rubber that just works on real rock and not on gym plastic. I think it is a conspiracy from La Sportiva to get people outside – and I can get behind that kind of conspiracy. I kind of wish they came in a velcro version for easier on/off, but then again, I didn’t have to take them on and off all day like I have to with other rock shoes, so it’s a fair trade.
The North Face Bones Beanie
March 24, 2008
Not strictly a women’s product, this little hat is one of our exceptions because we love it so much. Adorable, warm, and soft, we squabbled over this thing like seagulls over a slice of bread. Those unlucky geargals who didn’t get the sample hat all went out and bought their own, though, so now everyone’s smug, happy, warm and cute in the Bones beanie.
Giro Fuse Helmet
March 24, 2008
I am not a big fan of resort skiing, mostly because of the crowds of loose cannons bombing around the slopes, not stopping for anything – not even for a rest or a drink, or for an innocent person who happens to be between them and their fall line of choice. So it was with relief that I was able to test out this helmet on one of my rare resort days. And I was glad to have it, as I got run into THREE times. THREE. One of which was while I was standing completely still at the top of the lift, talking to a ski patroller. Wham, crunch, some kid crashes into me from behind, and meets the stern talking to from the patroller with a smirk and a “you’re right, I’m sorry.” Ugh. You people are lucky I don’t run a parenting review blog.
Anyway, so, the helmet. First of all, since I live in a cold climate, I was happy to see the nifty vent open/close lever on the helmet. Unfortunately this does not cover all of the vents; you still need to use these little strips of foam for the left side and right side vents. The helmet comes with pre-formed foam vent plugs that can be inserted or taken out for thermoregulation. But be warned, if you buy this helmet, don’t lose the vent plugs! The vent plugs don’t seem to be available as a replacement part. You’ll be stuck with a cold head. Giro was kind enough to send me a replacement for the missing strip from my helmet (it arrived without one of the strips) but I don’t know if “I lost it” is going to fly when trying to get replacement parts.
The fit of the helmet is pretty good. Not dreamy, not terrible, just pretty good. It’s not adjustable, though, so make sure you have the right size. I see from the literature that Giro makes adjustable helmets, so I don’t quite understand why the Fuse does’t have this feature. The women’s small fits my small head pretty well, with a bit of fiddling. And speaking of that, I’m not quite sure what makes this a “women’s” helmet other than the little pink breast cancer ribbon that came along with it. I don’t know if the women’s sizing is any different from the regular sizing – in fact, most retailers don’t deliniate between the women’s version and the men’s, although if it has pink hearts on it (which some do) it’s probably a women’s version.
The helmet even works with my oversized Oakley goggles, but a significant downside is that there is no way to securely rest your goggles on the forehead of the helmet. Try to balance them there, and twang! They’ll just fall off, dangling off the back of your head if you’ve snapped them in with the strap riveted to the back of the helmet, and falling to the ground (probably to get run over, along with your ski tails, by some teenage snowboarder) if you haven’t.
Visibility is great; the helmet didn’t interfere with my field of vision at all. The ear pads were relatively warm and only muffled sound a little bit. After a few hours in the helmet, my ears started to hurt, which I think was a function of fit rather than cold, but it was hard to tell. I know a medium size helmet would have been too big, so if the ear pads are indeed too tight, there’s nothing to be done about it. And yes, my ears are a normal size, they’re not oddly big or anything.
I tested this helmet on a relatively warm spring day, so I expect to be chilly in the deep dark cold of winter without a balaclava or beanie underneath. It’s not the most comfortable thing ever, but I reckon it’s more comfortable than six months in a coma, so I’m glad to have it when I’m forced to brave the crowds at the resort. The $160-$200 price tag on this helmet seems excessive, so look for sales and clearance prices. Bear in mind, though, that it’s less expensive than a brain injury and probably even much cheaper than your insurance copay for an emergency room visit. Wear a helmet, folks! And if you’re a parent, teach your kids manners on the slopes. We all thank you for it.
