Kalymnos is mainly known for its short sports climbing but the potential for hard multipitch routes has never been in doubt. To this end the redoubtable team of Urs Odermatt and Peter Keller having already established one major multi-pitch Wings decided to add another - and sponsored by Wild Country to do it they added a beauty...

However they did face a bunch of hardships to do it - and not only the cleaning of the route as Urs tells it.....

“The Greek crisis has hit us really hard. The country needs money. In Kalymnos the police are even issuing tickets for drink driving or driving a moped without a helmet. But I don’t care I will continue drinking.”

For middle Europeans this problem doesn’t seem so serious, but as we took as usual our bolts from the Glaros bar and had to pay 21% taxes, it was not funny for us any more. We tried to think about how we could avoid the tax, but we had to pay it. Our Greek friends all say the same, nobody can force a Greek to pay taxes!

Click here to read the full article

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Brandons Pullan's just sent us his latest missives decribing some of his more adventurous activities this summer including some splendid ticks of some of the biggest routes on the North American continent....seemingly undeterred by sense (in my scaredy cat opinion) Brandon's adventures make for pretty fun reading!!

"Hi Richie, How is the summer going??

I just got back from a big climbing spurt. Climbed the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies in 30 hours car to car.. it was a push! Mt. Robson gains 10,000 feet from the car.. more then any of the Colorado's 14,000 footers. It has a wild glaciated summit.We also managed to get up the NE Buttress of Howse Peak. A wild 1300m 5.9 that climbs a rising prow from glacier. After we topped out in a lightning storm we hiked the 35km out to the road with worn feet and tired heads.I have also mustered to get up big peaks such as Edith Cavell, Mt. Athabasca and Mt. Temple..now back to work for a bit...!

Read Brandon's new article about his ascent of the East Ridge of Mount Temple here

See photos from some of Brandon's summer adventures here

The Wild Country Alpine Shield helmet has done it again and scooped a major prize in the magazines - this time Desnivel Magazine (following it's Editors Choice award from Climbing) in Spain has awarded the Alpine Shield it's highest accolade in its 2nd annual awards issue.

"DESNIVEL CATALOG SPECIAL MATERIAL Season 2010/11 - IIº Desnivel Awards for Mountain and Outdoor Products .

For second serial year Desnivel has chosen the most innovative products of the season, with it’s new Product Awards (in it’s special gear issue), carrying on from last year, these awards already being seen as a reference amongst consumers.

An independent jury, composed by eleven specialists of the world of the mountain (mountain guides, outstanding climbers, authors of technical manuals) have analyzed the best new products of the season and in this Special Gear Edition Desnivel have published their verdicts, as well the arguments and motivations of their decisions.

Of the three hundred products entered for these awards there were 165 finalists that have been selected for the publication, divided into thirty categories.

Among these, fifteen have only been rewarded with a Special Prize by their innovation and in addition the jury highlighted other twenty Outstanding Products for their excellent all round qualities.

IIº DESNIVEL PRODUCT AWARDS FOR MOUNTAIN AND OUTDOOR

Special Prize – Wild Country Alpine Shield – Category Helmets

The jury was unamimous in awarding this prizes to this strong and innovative design.

Based on a sports helmet of only 240 g and with a polystyrene interior, Wild Country offers a second external shell (160g) of transparent polycarbonate, easily fitted by means of three simple screws. The award is based on the practicality of this helmet: it’s two helmets in one, the lighter one for sport and day mountaineering or classic of a less commiting nature, and then used reinforced with the ‘Shield’ for mountaineering and ice. It also offers very good ventilation.

Outstanding Products - Also, among the two hundred products that have been selected for its publication, the jury has granted a special mention to other twenty products, for their remarkable technical qualities. They have been judged to be the outstanding products in their class: Wild Country Syncro Harness"

See all about the Alpine Shield here...

See all about the Syncro here....

Go to our store locator to find your nearest stockist here..

And if you can read Spanish you can read the original text below:

"DESNIVEL CATÁLOGO ESPECIAL MATERIAL Temporada 2010/11

IIº Premio Desnivel de Material de Montaña y Outdoor

Por segundo año consecutivo, Desnivel ha premiado los productos más innovadores de la temporada, asentando un premio que nació el año pasado con vocación de continuidad y ya es referencia entre los consumidores.

Un jurado independiente, compuesto por once especialistas del mundo de la montaña (guías de montaña, escaladores destacados, autores de manuales técnicos) ha analizado de forma presencial todas las novedades de la temporada. Publicamos en este número Especial Material sus veredictos, junto a las argumentaciones y motivaciones de sus decisiones.

De los trescientos productos sometidos a revisión (procedentes de 150 marcas que han participado en la convocatoria), finalmente ha habido 165 finalistas que han sido seleccionados para su publicación, divididos en treinta categorías. Entre estos, sólo quince han sido galardonados con el Premio Desnivel por su innovación. Además, el jurado ha destacado otros veinte productos por sus sobresalientes cualidades. (Ver Anexo con productos premiados y destacados).

IIº PREMIO DESNIVEL DE MATERIAL DE MONTAÑA Y OUTDOOR

Ganadores y destacados

- Alpine Shield de WILD COUNTRY (Cascos)

Unanimidad del jurado para la concesión del premio a este resistente modelo.

Sobre la base de un casco de tipo deportivo (240 g e interior de poliestireno), el fabricante ofrece una segunda carcasa exterior de 160 g de policarbonato transparente, acoplable mediante tres eficaces tornillos, fácilmente roscables con una moneda. El conjunto es muy práctico: dos cascos en uno, el ligero para deportiva y clásica de limitado compromiso, y el reforzado con la carcasa para alpinismo y hielo. Ofrece además muy buena ventilación.

Productos destacados

Además, de entre los doscientos productos que han sido seleccionados para su publicación, el jurado ha concedido una mención especial a otros veinte productos, por sus notables cualidades técnicas. Han sido productos destacados:

- Arnés Syncro de WILD COUNTRY"

Wild Country is proud to announce its sponsorship of LAKESBLOC - perhaps the best resource for free bouldering topos in the UK and the only place to get the lowdown on all the latest for Lakes District bouldering.

Run by Greg Chapman, all round bouldering strongman and a mine of the most in depth (some would say obscure) nuggets of info about Lakes bouldering - the site is a veritable treasure trove of videos as well as FREE downloadable PDFs  to all the best areas. So from the sandstone of St Bees in the north west across to the igneous eastern Carrock Fell or down to the limestone venues south of Kendal there's a free downloadable guide on the site.

And whether you fancy a quick hit at the Bowderstone, a day on Gillercombe or a bimble around Fairy Steps(!) you can find information and inspiration here.

You can visit Lakesbloc here.

NEW ST BEES HEAD NORTH PDF - Live and ready to download now

And to get the juices running Greg's latest meisterwork - the new PDF of St Bees North is online and downloadable now. St Bees is perhaps the most well known and awesome Lakes bouldering venue combining an amazing setting with fantastic problems - as Greg says -

"It wasn't too long ago that if you told someone you were off to St. Bees, for a days bouldering, they wouldn't have heard of the place, and if they had it was purely on a sport climbing level. Over the last few years, with the promotion of the area through this site, magazine articles and the Lakes Bouldering Rockfax guide, the area has rightly become recognised and renowned as one of the best bouldering locations in the UK."

You can visit the St Bees North page and get the guide here