Wild Country helmets are fast becoming a fixture on the scene. like Friends rocks and many other innovative products, and the Rock Lite is garnering great reviews - the latest is partly attached below...so have a gander and then head for the stores...it's Xmas soon you know...

"Helmets are a recent addition to Wild Country's product range, with the Rocklite completing their helmet line-up alongside the Alpine Shield and 360 helmet. The Rock Lite is basically the inner helmet of the Alpine Shield, sold as a stand-alone lightweight foam helmet for 'those with a pure rock agenda who want to climb clean, light and clear'. In use, I've found the Rock Lite to be comfortable, lightweight and colourful! The adjustment system uses a single wheel at the back that is very easy to use and adjusts quickly to accommodate hats.

Adjusting the straps for the first time takes a little more effort, but once done the Rock Lite felt secure and solid to wear. The headtorch attachments are very secure, and being low profile against the surface of the helmet, don't seem to snag slings when taking them off from around shoulders. As well as providing structure to the outside, the thin polycarbonate shell is also applied to the inside of the rim, giving a bit more protection to the area which is most vulnerable to damage when the helmet is being carried around.

The helmet has a reasonably low profile so fits easily under a hood. The level of the rim is set so vision isn't restricted (you can't see the helmet when wearing it) and the straps and rim don't touch ears. Truth be told, much of the above can be said about any of the lightweight foam helmets currently on the market. Given that heads come in many different shapes and sizes, some models will inevitably fit individuals better than others so it's best to try a range on if you get the chance."

From the review for UKC by Viv Scott....see here to read the full review...

Click here to see the Rock Lite Helmet

Click here to see the review of the Rock Lite from Rock and Ice

Two of the top figures in European climbing have joined the Red Chili team for 2010/11. Ines Papert and Markus Bock one an ice climbing champion and Alpine route specialist and the other an awesome sports climber and boulderer have both signed for the next seasons and will be wearing and helping to develop the Red Chili range.

Stefan Glowacz, Red Chili founder commented:

'We are really happy to work with both Ines and Markus, their committment to climbing and their dedication and enthusiasm is exactly what we want to bring to Chili and help to develop the next generation of rock shoes..'

And for those who don't know them:

Ines - won her first overall World Cup Ice Climbing in 2001 which started her professional career. After numerous World Cup and world championship titles, Ines moved on in 2006 from the competition scene. Ines' goals were in in the mountains, traveling to foreign countries and expeditions becoming ever more important. Rock climbing wise she proved her mettle on some super hard alpine style routes include 'Symphonie De Liberte' 8a on the north face of the Eiger and the even more impressive 'Camilotto Pellesier' 8b 11 pitches on the Cima Grande. Since then her ascents have proved this 'retirement' to be a great decision with "Flying Circus" (M 10) on sight, the first ascent of "Into the Wild" (M 12) and numerous expeditions: Kwande Shar Women's Expedition in Nepal, the Cirque of the Unclimbables Women's Expedition in Canada, as well as icefall climbing in Brooks Canyon Canada and magnificent rock climbing in the Bugaboos in Canada.

Markus - is well known internationally and has focused on hard new routes in his home area - around Franconia Switzerland and as of recently his outstanding ticklist takes in 25 new 8c+ routes, 7 new 9a routes („Unplugged“,„Heiliger Gral“,“Matador“, „Zugzwang“ „The Essential“, „Lifesblood For The Downtrodden“and „Pantera“) and plenty more first ascents. The most notable of these first ascents include: „Corona“ (2006), and „The Man That Follows Hell“ (2009), both 9a+ and both quickly becoming international testpieces. Markus is also the first person to repeat all 8b (and harder) climbs in Frankenjura, among others also the ultimate route by Wolfgang Güllich, „Action Direct“.Markus’s bouldering (unsurprisingly) is pretty hardcore too, there’s several 8b+ FB first ascents on his ticklist, while his hardest „Gossip“ 8c and „Montecore“ 8c, are among the hardest problems in the Frankenjura.

You can see all about the Red Chili team and see videos and more photos at the Red Chili website www.redchili.de

Wild Country sponsored climber, and British Bouldering Champion twice over, Ned Feehally, has put together an essential beginners guide to safely starting to use that most devilish of devices: the fingerboard...

And as most budding leaders know one huge part of getting better is to improve each part of ones climbing and if you can improve your finger strength with some simple exercises big gains will come quickly.

However, like all tools the fingerboard can bite back if not used correctly so it's great to make sure you start of on the right path - and avoid injury and boredom with some solid advice.

Neds advice accompanied by videos and downloads can be found at the link below:

Click here to see Ned Fehally's Fingerboard guide...

Click here to see Ned Fehally on Carless Torque

Click here to see Wild Country's Boulder Pads

Click here to see Wild Country's Pure Chalk range

Pete Whittaker seems to have declared the grit season open with two ascents in quick succession, one at Stanage and one at the Roaches, and as usual with Pete the routes look great.

Pete comments about the Stanage route:
"I called the route 'Common Misconception,' (as I think people think that there is nothing left to do on grit), whereas, yes, I suppose it is nearly worked out, but I think you just have to look (maybe climb) harder.) As for the grade I think I'll stick with E6 6c, although it did feel a bit more spicy on that top arete with that wind, haha!"

Photographer Richie Patterson added:
'This was the first time I actually thought I was going to see Pete back off as the wind was ferocious and he made that classic 'quick glance' down that all leaders with a really committing move ahead do. Luckily he realised that trying to reverse would be grim and the fall was too big to jump and so he ploughed on...it was a good one to watch!"

You can see exclusive images from this ascent here..

Read more about Pete here..

Pete wears the light and lithe Vision Men's harness for his hard grit ascents...see it here..

Pete chooses the Rock Lite helmet for his head protection...see more here..

Wild Country climber Hazel Findlay has bagged another hard trad route with her ascent of 69 (5.13b/c F8a/+) on the Leviticus crag in the Murrin Park area of Squamish, British Columbia, Canada.

Leviticus crag is small granite outcrop, a stone's throw from the road and with a rake of hard crack testpieces. Hazel described the route of 69: "It's an intermittent crack line that doesn't really climb like a crack, it has some technical face moves and a bouldery crux that involves slapping and laying-away off slopers above a nut."

The 30m route is protected by small cams and wires and has two distinct crux sections which would rate V7 and V6 as stand alone boulder problems. The V7 crux runs straight in to the V6 sequence with no rest. A route of this physical difficulty, with runouts and small gear would equate to E7/8 in the British scale. "I was pleased to do it, because I am not very good on slopers or bouldery moves. It took me 5 days."

Last year Hazel also visited Squamish and onsighted the 5.12+/13a undercling pitch of The Free Grand, a 10 pitch route on the grand wall. This year Hazel completed the whole route, which has a crux slab pitch of 5.13b (F8a).

Read more about Hazel here..

See the womens Vision harness that Hazel wears here..