If we've had the waist strap buckle on our backpack break, we can fix this in a minute using two carabiners we likely already have on our harness. It's enough to get you through the climb, or even the expedition, if you are away from the shops you need to get a replacement buckle.

In today's world of online ordering - or even if we have packaging that gets in the way of actually touching the product - it can be hard to tell if a ferro rod will be a softer material that throws bigger sparks or a harder material that lasts longer. Well, we can get a good clue from the specifications, but we need to do a little thought work, too.

I hear that canister stoves don't work in the cold a lot. But I've also used canister stoves in the cold a lot, and so have many other climbing teams who head to the coldest corners of the globe. However, it could be that there are times that canister stoves make more sense and times liquid-fuel stoves are a better option. The full video goes deep into this test of eight different stoves to shed some light on how the knocks on canister stoves are overstated as well as circumstances where liquid-fuel stoves might make a better choice.

There is nothing that says you can climb with a backpacking park nor backpack with a climbing pack, but they have differing features for specific reasons. I got asked about why climbing packs have zippered pockets in their hoods (or brains), and it has a lot to do with having a secure place to get to items without having to go through all your items.

After one year of use and one big expedition in Asia, I've learned enough about the Samaya Ultra 60 pack. The full video goes deeper into what I've found to be the pros and cons along with a few modifications I've made to my pack.

Just like there is a difference between climate and weather, there is a difference between today’s weather and weather patterns. When we climb in a new area, understanding that difference, can help us strategize our ascents. Various local communities can be a fountain of information in this regard.

Climbing at three miles (4800 meters) above sea level can be a challenge for out body's physiology. Having access to almost as high of peaks in Colorado, the full video goes into how I spent the final month before my trip to that three-mile altitude to ensure I showed up pre-acclimatized to the altitude along with a discussion about why intermittent trips up to altitude can still help acclimatization.

Getting our tent packed up and stowed away can be very difficult in windy conditions. By being tactical about when we pull  up our last two tent stakes, we can greatly simplify our task.

One of the most dangerous hazards in the mountains is lightning. Here's how we can use some facts about lightning, and some very simple math, to help assess our risk when we see the clouds roll in and start hearing thunder.

Flextail makes the Zero Pump and claims it to be the lightest self-contained pump for both inflating and vacuum deflating your backcountry sleeping mattress. I purchased my own and tested it out over multiple seasons. The full video provides a complete review of the pump and my take on circumstances when carrying this into the wild makes sense for me.

A trip plan can keep you and your climbing partners on the same page but also can help your loved ones deal with any emergencies that might arise. So, what can we put in our trip plans to ensure we meet these needs? The full video goes into more detail.

When we need to pack 10, 20, 30 days of food for a big expedition, there are lots of ways to do it. What I like to do is create a Ziploc bag of food for each day of the trip. Here's why.

While I look at a lot of different metrics when choosing to buy a tent (peak height, length, water pressure test results, etc.), once I have made the purchase, there are a few I want to be able to find at a glance so that I can choose from amongst my various tents as I select one for a particular trip. Here's what I mark on my tent stuff sacks to make this easier.

Descending from mountain summits can feel like an endless set of steps that can greatly fatigue our quadriceps (thigh muscles) above the knee. By switching up our plane of motion, we can recruit other muscle groups to help give our quadriceps a break.

Whether going from sea level to moderate altitude or from moderate altitude to high altitude, our bodies need time - and water - to adjust and adapt to the reduced oxygen we will take in. The full video gives an overview of the physiology, the potential illnesses, and the preventative tactics that all come into play when we experience significant altitude changes.

Every May, we make videos on the mental side of climbing and adventure in recognition of National Mental Health Awareness Month. The full video talks about close call assessments, discussing what they are, who uses them, how they can make our climbing safer, and walks through a low-effort way we can apply them to our own climbing.

Every May, we make videos on the mental side of climbing and adventure in recognition of National Mental Health Awareness Month. This week, we are getting into a question I was asked about how I view risks verses dangers in climbing. Drawing heavily from my upbringing, the video gets into the importance of differentiating between risks, dangers, probabilities, and consequences and then applies those concepts to help us better mitigate risks.

Every May, we make videos on the mental side of climbing and adventure in recognition of National Mental Health Awareness Month. In the full video, we are going deeper into a subscriber's question about how I balance climbing, video creation, work, family, all of it along with how the goal of balance affects what and when and how I climb.

As part of our Mental Health Awareness Month Series, every May we put out videos about some of climbing's mental aspects. When we unthinkingly defer to the most experienced, or expert, in our group, we increase our risks by not using multiple people's differing views to identify risks, by not gaining multiple perspectives on risk mitigation, or both.

Every May, we make videos on the mental side of climbing and adventure in recognition of National Mental Health Awareness Month. In the full video, we discuss how shared decision making creates empowerment which, in turn, improves team performance and our enjoyment of the mountains.