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Reviews by daisuke (11)

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Moonlight (Manufacturer link) Average Rating = 3.77/5 Average Rating : 3.77/5

In: Gear: Archive

Review 4 out of 5 stars

Review by: daisuke, 2004-06-12


I have owned 2 of these headlamps, the first one I bought around 2 years ago, it was the original version without the adjustable brightness, and that one lasted me around a year, with only one change of batteries, it got stolen and after that I bought a new one, this time with the adjustable brightness feature, something which I have rarely used (maybe because I haven't gotten out as much as before) but might come in handy were I to use it more.

I preffer the moonlight over other LED headlamps because of the over-the head strap and the battery pack in back, at least in the sporting field, it makes it more stable on the head than say, the tikka or the aurora and it doesn't bob up and down when running with it or scrambling over rocks. The light the moonlight puts out is sufficient for trail hiking and for climbing at night, and the swivel feature comes in extremely handy no matter where you use it (useful enough that petzl decided to copy into their new tikka design). There isn't enough light to see long distances, however the moonlight and all other LED-only headlamps are designed for long-lasting burn times and for campsite and close-in use. The diffuse light of the LEDs (no dark patches in your beam) is also very welcome and after a few months of use, you'll actually find yourself annoyed when using a regular bulb-powered headlamp and wishing for LEDs

The rear mounted battery pack does become more of a pain when using it around a campsite, either when propping against something or while lying down to read or rest. this is the reason I don't give it a 5 (I'd give it a 4.5 if I could).


Zipka (Manufacturer link) Average Rating = 3.70/5 Average Rating : 3.70/5

In: Gear: Hiking and Camping: Lighting: Headlamps: LED Lamps

Review 3 out of 5 stars

Review by: daisuke, 2004-06-12


The Zipka headlamp is by far the most compact headlamp around, it's retracting headband makes it small enough to store in your pants pocket and still have a lot of space left over. This makes it ideal to carry around with you when going on a drive anywhere or when camping. It's lighting is sufficient to illuminate your general surroundings and for most close-in tasks like cooking, reading and looking into your engine bay to find what's wrong with your broken-down car.

Unfortunately, the feature that makes it so handy also limits it's sport use, the zipka doesn't have enough grip on your head to be used in night-climbing or in high-impact situations because it will move quite easily. The projecting button that holds the dyneema cord will also get in the way if you're lying down to read and gets uncomfortable. It doesn't have a swivel feature, which the new Zipka Plus does have, but it is also cheaper than the plus version.

In a few words, it's very handy, but not very useful to the average climber who engages in night climbing (the reason I only give it a 3), otherwise, it can be the perfect night light.


YO-YO (Manufacturer link) Average Rating = 2.33/5 Average Rating : 2.33/5

In: Gear: Essential Equipment: Belay Devices & Descenders

Review 2 out of 5 stars

Review by: daisuke, 2004-05-10


This is the poorer man's gri-gri.

I personally hate this thing, I have used it quite a few times and it just strikes me as one of the more useless belay devices around.

On the down side: you can only use ropes from 10 to 11mm, the lockup is instant and cannot be controlled which makes it a terrible leader belay device, you need an HMS biner to be able to use it, it can hang up on the biner and hamper your belaying efforts... and I wouldn't want to get my finger caught in this thing, which could happen more easily than with most other belay devices(BDs). Self belay is possible but not as smooth as with other self-lockers.

On the good side: The only thing it's good for is belaying on toprope and it shines in this role... that is if you have all the requirements to make it work properly. this is the only reason I don't rate it a 1. Also it's impossible to thread it backwards and think you're doing anything right, better for beginners.

Bottom line: very specialized gear, use one and give serious thought about what you'll use it for before you buy it.


WhisperLite Stove (Manufacturer link) Average Rating = 4.10/5 Average Rating : 4.10/5

In: Gear: Hiking and Camping: Stoves: Backpacking Stoves

Review 0 out of 5 stars

Review by: daisuke, 2004-04-13


Although I don't own this stove, I have used it enough times to be able to review it.

The whisperlite is a reliable, rugged, well built and stable platform for cooking your favorite meals. It's easy to start and will work in colder mountain temperatures without fuss. However not all that glitters is gold.

On the downside, simmering with this stove is practically impossible and requires all your attention due to a 1 minute lag between your fiddling with the gas flow control and any change in heat output, you can burn your food before you get the simmer going. The plastic pump is also a problem since it is prone to break, it's not flimsy or cheap, but they could learn to use aluminum.

So bottom line for a non-owner: would I buy it?
The answer is probably no, I would chose a gas stove or one with simmer control over the whisperlite, but this is still a very good stove that may work well for you.


Simulator CNC Training Board (Manufacturer link) popular Average Rating = 4.78/5 Average Rating : 4.78/5

In: Gear: Training & Accessories: Hang Boards

Review 4 out of 5 stars

Review by: daisuke, 2004-04-03


I would rate this thing a 4.5, but there is no way to do so. I own the Simulator and love it dearly, but I did also love some of the features on an edelrid hangboard I used in the gym in germany, namely the sloping crimpers, and this doesn't have them. in fact it has a notorious lack of slopers all around.
Despite all this, the simulator is probably the best hangboard out there in it's price and size range and I wouldn't trade it in for another, only complement it with another

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