Reviews (1)

Safety above all else
Although this book may not cover EVERY detail about back country survival, it definitely gives some good pointers whether a person is in a large group or a small one.Read more

Subjects:  1. Allied Health Services - Emergency Medical Services    2. First Aid    3. First aid in illness and injur    4. First aid in illness and injury    5. Mountaineering injuries    6. Outdoor Skills    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (10)

Excellent training book
This book delivers what it says, "Training for Climbing". It is not a technique book but very specifically a guide to training most efficiently for climbing. If you want to climber harder, this book provides lots of good advice.

Thank you for this book!
I am an intermediate climber and have been searching for a good source of training techniques to better myself and accomplish more advanced climbs. "Training for Climbing" was suggested by the folks that work at my gym, so I ran out and bought it. This book is so full of information, that I'll be devouring it for weeks! Everything I've read so far is very fact based and straight forward. The parts on developing mental skills are especially interesting to me, as concentration is one of my biggest areas to work on.
Just what I was looking for...
I've been climbing for a few years and I wanted to begin a more serious, structured training program to help me break through to the higher grades. Training For Climbing is the book I was looking for, given its scientific look at improving technique, strength and the mind. While such a detailed, measured approach to training may not be for everyone, it has great appeal to me as a longtime athlete who engaged in formal training for other sports. Training For Climbing helped me understand the many unique aspects to, well, training for climbing, which I found to be much different than what I had been used to from my previous sports experience. Furthermore, I enjoyed seeing the many research references and footnotes, and more importantly I was pleased by the overall LACK of "do as so-and-so hot-shot climber does" or "train like I train." Training For Climbing helped me diagnose and design the best training program for me, and I sense that the book will remain a key resource for me for many years to come. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Mountaineering    2. Outdoor Skills    3. Rock climbing    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Training    7. Climbing & mountaineering    8. Sports & Recreation / Outdoor Skills   

Reviews (4)

A good one
The Backpackers Handbook is more informative and easier to read than the other two books I bought recently (Hiking Light Handbook, and Everyday Wisdom).Save your time and read this one alone.

Best book of its kind i have seen
I got three backpacking type handbooks at a library and read all three this is by far the best one. It has the most in depth information and is enjoyable to read.

The title says it all...
This is, without doubt, the best book on backpacking I've read. Just the right balance between specific recommendations and general advice, objective information and personal opinion. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Backpacking    2. Camping    3. Handbooks, manuals, etc    4. Hiking    5. Mountaineering    6. Outdoor Life    7. Outdoor Skills    8. Sports    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Sports & Recreation / Hiking    11. Walking, hiking, trekking   

Reviews (10)

Perfect Book
This book has all of the information that you wished people would have told you over the years.Well written, fun to read, and extremely useful for techincal information.

How to Rock Climb!
I'm a beginner at rock climbing and reading this book for instructional purposes. While it does a good job of explaining fundamentals I have found certain sections difficult to follow - often times different moves will be referecned before the section that explains them (sometimes with a referencing page, sometimes without). I also found it poorly edited in some spots - mis-refenced pages, paragraphs seemingly in wrong order (ie. pg 62 claims there is a "taping" illustration on pg 60, it is clearly on pg 63; the last and second to last paragraphs on page 63 seem to be flip flopped).

Undeniably classic, yet strangely flawed
This is undeniably one of the major "textbooks" on rock climbing, and contains a great deal of useful information. Yet it has some rather disturbing flaws. Firstly, even though I read the 1998 edition,outdated information from earlier editions had not been updated. At times Ifelt like I was reading a book describing rock climbing in some paralleluniverse: Long refers to brands and items of gear not currently inexistence (what's a Salewa Antz?) and some recommended techniques (tyinginto a trad anchor with the rope rather than with slings or a cordelette)are very rarely, in my experience, used. The text often makes referenceswhich will prove confusing for the beginner, and would benefit from abetter glossary. The 1998 edition also has some sections so full ofmisspellings that they appear to have been written by a quasi-literateperson. In summary, everything in this book is good information, but someof it is not entirely relevant to the way climbing is done today, and someof it is presented in an unclear manner. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Mountaineering    2. Outdoor Skills    3. Rock climbing    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Sports & Recreation / Mountaineering   

Reviews (5)

Any Outdoor Leader needs to read it
I'm an Eagle Scout from troop 572 of Carolina Puerto Rico, and all the leadership skill that I learn during my best time of my life is in that book. Maybe Fewer Stars for Corporate Use
I purchased this book for analagous use in a large corporation. It contains many useful insights and guidelines for leadership. Unfortunately, the author's attempt to generalize the definition of the term "pucker factor" is not enough to overcome the term's original anatomical meaning, hence making it questionable for corporate use. This conclusion is based on interpretations of the term from employees I surveyed. A more neutral term like "stress factor" would make it a perfect metaphorical book for use in corporations.

Brilliant for Business and Outdoors
No wasted words or soapbox sermons here. I've been leading and following for years and found the concepts in this book to be direct and effective, and, if applied, sure to make a difference in all areas of yourlife--professionally and personally. Some of the concepts are so simple youwill wonder why you haven't already been utilizing them. A quick read and agood value. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Leadership    3. Outdoor Skills    4. Outdoor recreation    5. Recreation leadership    6. Sports    7. Sports & Recreation    8. Climbing & mountaineering    9. Personal Growth   

Reviews (1)

Basic climbing Skills in a clear and accessible format
Craig Luebben's new book represents a huge leap forward in climbing skills manuals.Though many excellent skills manuals exist (including Luebben's past works and the vaunted but unweildy Freedom of the Hills which goes beyond rock climbing into aplinism and mountaineering) this manual really sepetrates itself with its patient explanations and particularly with its photo instructions with added graphics for clarity.Many books of this genre have struggled with the clarity involved with diagramming knots and sysytems and Craig obviously went to great lengths to rectify this issue.The book is organized well and is easy to follow. It is nice to have these smaller manuals which focus on aspecific discipline in the sport. As a climbing guide and instructor I am frequently asked to suggest learning manuals. This one will now be at the top of the list. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Mountaineering    2. Rock climbing    3. Sports    4. Sports & Recreation   

Subjects:  1. Mountaineering    2. Outdoor Skills    3. Rappelling    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (4)

Nice...could be better...
Great diagrams to refresh your memory or make you consider investigating new techniques.But probably not a "field guide" as such due to the paper quality.
Technical Rescue Riggers Guide
One of the best, I highly recommend it as a quick refresher. The technology is excellent, and the illustrations clear. Lipke has distilled the material to the essence of what is needed to perform high end rescues.

Good, but...
This is an excellant field refrence guide providing that you have completed a class in rope rescue.Also, the pages are made of paper instead of plastic, which is the norm for Fire / Rescue field guides.Since it is made with paper, it is rendered useless quite quickly in adverse conditions.All in all, only buy this book if you are competent enough to understand the instruction and responsible enough to put it to good use. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Reference    2. Sports & Recreation / Mountaineering    3. Sports & Recreation / Outdoor Skills    4. Technology / Industrial Health & Safety    5. Emergencies    6. Emergency medical technicians    7. Emergency medicine    8. Methods    9. Mountain Climbing    10. Mountaineering    11. Outdoor Life    12. Paramedical Technician Practice    13. Safety measures    14. Search and rescue operations   

Reviews (2)

OUTSTANDING - a MUST READ for anyone working in the outdoors
As a field geologist, Gulf War veteran and former EMT, I can say that this book is the most comprehensive text I have ever seen regarding outdoor dangers, survival and wilderness medicine.If you work outdoors or spend a lot of time recreating outside, this is a MUST HAVE book!

Wilderness Medicine
As an RN,Trauma Nurse Specialist, I found this book to be well written and highly informative. With the speed of modern travel it's also a great reference to have for injuries and illnesses that can occur in far away places that one doesn't see often, or ever in your "home" ED. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Allied Health Services - Emergency Medical Services    2. Emergencies    3. Emergency Medicine    4. Environmentally induced diseas    5. Environmentally induced diseases    6. Medical    7. Medical / Nursing    8. Mountaineering injuries    9. Outdoor medical emergencies    10. Recreation    11. Wild Animal And Bird Protection    12. Wildlife    13. Accident & emergency medicine    14. Medical / Emergency Medicine    15. Outdoor survival skills    16. Personal & public health   

Reviews (11)

awsome
This book was easy to read and gave very understandable direction. On some of the knots, I wish they would have explained more on how to start and end the knots but still a great book overall.

Greatly over-rated
This book is not only outdated but it contains a lot of bad advice about knots. It shows numerous knots that have no place in the climbing world, leaves out others that are more useful, and has weak material about ropes. There are certainly better books on knots for climbers.

Reliable info is only as good as one's adherence to it
I'm happy to hear that Mr. Williams (dangerous information, January 15, 2000) suffered little more than discomfort and frustration at the hands of his Prusik and surviving, gained useful experience in the process.Let his lapse reinforce the quality of both the advice given and your ability to synthesize and apply it.Read more

Subjects:  1. Climbing knots    2. Knots and splices    3. Mountain Climbing    4. Mountaineering    5. Outdoor Skills    6. Sports    7. Sports & Recreation    8. Climbing & mountaineering   

Editorial Review

What do you do if you're 25 miles into the backcountry and a member of your hiking party develops appendicitis? Or if you're nearing the summit of a 14,000-foot peak and your climbing partner suffers a ruptured cornea from the altitude? If you thought ahead, you'd pull out your copy of Read more

Reviews (4)

A Must For Serious Adventurers
This book comprises 3 main sections. The first section deals with some basic principles of diagnosis, evacuation and preventive medicine like immunisation, sanitation and disinfection.
Medicine for Mountaineering
Excellent source of information for those having to deal with injuries in the wilderness. As a survival instructor I recommend it to all my classes.

Where is mine!
Here I am, ordering a replacement. Of all the books on health and first aid, this is the one I look to the most often. I live on a remote island and have used this book to judge the severity of injuries and the need for evacuation, or just the need for time. I am not a mountaineer, but my family does manage to get into scrapes....concussions, chainsaw injuries, broken glass and a recent allergic reaction. This last incident is what made me realize that my ancient copy was gone. This book has been better than any otherbook as far a raising my kids in a proactive way, especially when it comes to emergency room conversations! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. First Aid    2. First aid in illness and injur    3. First aid in illness and injury    4. General    5. Mountaineering    6. Mountaineering injuries    7. Outdoor Skills    8. Outdoor medical emergencies    9. Sports    10. Sports & Recreation    11. Climbing & mountaineering    12. Outdoor survival skills    13. Popular medicine   

Reviews (10)

A collection of old info with a lot of biases
This is an okay book if you already have several others and want another viewpoint. It should NOT be the only book you buy. There are too many errors and strong biases scattered throughout to make it a one-source reference. Freedom of the Hills (latest edition) is still a better resource if you're just going to have one. The Houston/Cosley book is more up to date and better researched. Twight's book is getting dated but still has good info for those who are pushing harder.

Good aspects, but some questionable and unsafe examples
Well, I just purchased this book and I have to say I'm pretty disappointed.I own many of the books already compared in reviews here, and have climbed for years, and I feel that the other books are much better.
Hopefully this will be fixed if there is a 2nd edition.
1 newton = 1 kg * m/s/s = force
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Subjects:  1. Handbooks, manuals, etc    2. Mountain Climbing    3. Mountaineering    4. Outdoor Skills    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation    7. Climbing & mountaineering    8. Sports & Recreation / Mountaineering   

Reviews (11)

Poetry from a scientist
Snowstruck is a fascinating book from an actual scientific expert involved with avalanche rescue, prediction and study, but it reads more like the great adventure narratives from writers like Jon Krakauer or Sebastian Junger. Smart, exciting, and thought-provoking.

This book is a rush of adrenaline
This book is awesome.Expertly written, Jill can bring you from your living room to feeling like you are there, participating in the avalanche or the rescue.Having had a good friend perish in an avalanche, who in fact, was dug up by Jill and her husband, this book was so intense that while it is normally a book that you would read from start to finish, it was so superbly written that many chapters would make the memories come rushing back, prompting a break, if only for half an hour before being so compelled to read on.I would recommend this book to anyone, outdoor lover or not.

Jill Fredstone "In the grip of Avalanches"
This is a very sincere and frank book coming from the heart.
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Subjects:  1. Avalanches    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. General    5. Mountaineering    6. Natural Disasters    7. Nature    8. Nature/Ecology    9. Outdoor Survival Techniques    10. Survival skills    11. Nature / Natural Disasters   

Reviews (9)

Wow
Before I read this book, I was afraid to lead and would back off leads if I thought there was a chance I might fall.I had led a couple 5.9s, and easier routes, on bolts.Last week, I led a sustained 5.10d, last month I took my first lead fall on a 5.10c, and yesterday I led 5.10b as if it were 'no big deal.'The Rock Warrior's Way has transformed my view of leading and of climbing in general, and has opened up a whole new world of climbing for me.Thank you, Arno!!!

A tedious read
This brings a lot of new-age mysticism to rock climbing. There are definitely some valuable insights but you have to wade through a bunch of tired prose to find them. Overall, it won't do as much for your climbing as spending that time climbing.

fine
A very fine book, a must for those who seriously want to achieve their goals. Only with comitment goals can be conquered. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Mental discipline    2. Mountaineering    3. Outdoor Skills    4. Psychological aspects    5. Rock climbing    6. Sports    7. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (2)

Good to Buy
I concur in the following review, and so should you:
Superb info on knots and ropes!
This is the best book on knots for climbers available! It's also great for hikers and boaters. There is a lot of information on rope materials and construction (not just climbing ropes but all that are used outdoors). It also has a useful chapter on rope handling, from coiling to tossing, to help prevent tangles. And the selection of knots is large but not overwhelming, with helpful tips on why (or why not) to use a particular knot. Good photos and detailed written instructions make it easy to learn the knots (some knot books are rather confusing). This should be required reading! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Climbing knots    2. Mountaineering    3. Outdoor Skills    4. Outdoor life    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (8)

Excellent reading - excellent value
The books is written in a easy to follow style,no-nonsense,and contains both academical info about avalanches and practical , hot tips. A lot of valuable information is packed up in this book. The book is also copiously illustrated with both photos and graphical drawings to reinforce the knowledge contained in the text.
Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain.
The Best Avalanche book I have ever read. I would recommend to pros and novices alike.

The best of my avalanche books
I own 6 of the most popular books on avalanche safety; this is by far the best. The core information needed to assess avalanche risk is given in some detail but the explanations are presented in "everyday" terms and are quite easy to understand. None-the-less,Tremper never talks down to his readers and the full level of complexity inherent in the subject matter is maintained. This is simply a very well written book by an author who appearantly is able to write well naturally.He would probably do very well writing about any subject. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Avalanches    2. Mountaineering    3. Outdoor Skills    4. Safety measures    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation    7. Winter Sports    8. Outdoor survival skills   

Editorial Review

Don't think it couldn't happen to you. Skiers, snowboarders, climbers, and anyone else who travels in the mountains should be aware of the awesome destructive power of avalanches and the conditions that cause them. The Read more

Reviews (2)

Too scientific for most, but the best overal resource
If you have a significant interest in Avalanche science and theory, or are going to take an avalanche course this is the book for you.If you are looking to create advanced Avy skills and/or to become an Avy professional though this is the definative resource on Avalanches. It is required reading for most courses (starting with avy 1).
A thorough introduction to avalanche theory.
For backcountry enthusiasts with a science background, this book provides a thorough introduction to avalanche theory. The book is divided into chapters which build a solid foundation (weather systems, snow structure)through snowpack basics (snow strength and deformation, snowpack structure)and well into more advanced concepts (snowpack analysis, avalancheprediction, search and rescue, and even control with explosives, etc.) Itis an excellent, if heavy, read and I found it a valuable resource in thedevelopment of an intro avalanche course. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Avalanches    2. Handbooks    3. Handbooks, manuals, etc    4. Hiking    5. Hydrometeorology    6. Mountaineering    7. Natural Disasters    8. Sports    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Geological surface processes (geomorphology)    11. Outdoor survival skills    12. Winter sports   

Subjects:  1. First Aid    2. Mountaineering    3. Outdoor Skills    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (10)

Easy to understand book giving the why and providing the how
I thoroughly enjoyed the blend of pure science and application to on rock performance.
An excellent resource
This book will not tell you how to hold onto a tiny crimpy hold with one finger while your feet hunt for somewhere to stand. It WILL tell you lots of things about how muscules work, what good training looks like, and what good climbing feels like. Move forward now or get off the rock
Imagine a pursuit that requires bloody fingers to excel at, a life or death commitment to succed in almost any areas of, and then take a look at this book. The cover alone conjures up teen romace rags, the horrendous pink and orange looks like some bizzare lesbian cookbook recipe collection. Don't let the cover deceive you about the content of this book. I've invested a lot of time and energy in texts that only added one more Everest story to myknowledge. NOT SO THIS BOOK. Concepts in this Performance Rock Climbing have been endorsed and used by most major climber you've read about. The back cover features an endorsement from a certain Mark Twight, and if you need any more information than that to take advantage of this book's massive potential for improvement, I suggest trading in your rack of gear for a bigger TV-you'll be more comfortable during your muscle decay, and that's one less person kicking down rocks on my head while answering a celphone halfway through a climb. Read more

Subjects:  1. Mountain Climbing    2. Mountaineering    3. Outdoor Skills    4. Rock climbing    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation    7. Training    8. Climbing & mountaineering   

Reviews (3)

Good material, presentation problematic
This is one of the latest guides on ice climbing.It therefore covers the most modern techniques, is up to date with equipment, and has great color photos.Written by Will Gadd it definitely has the flair of an individual author, reads more like a pro's guide than a technical reference.The type of material covered and order is great.However, the editing of this guide is severely lacking.It suffers from incorrect captions, bad figure references, transposed terms (convex vs concave) and complex procedures described in steps that tend to get you lost in confusion rather than clarify.
Great for Beginner / Intermediates
Written in thoughtful and lively fashion, Gadd distills his 20 years of collected wisdom into 230 pages. Discussions on tools, technique, nutrition, training are all useful - this is a book for the aspiring ice warrior as well as the climber with a few seasons under his / her belt. The constant Red Bull pimping gets a bit distracting but a guy has to pay the bills, afterall. Highly recommended.

Improve Your Ice Climbing Technique
This is simply the best book on ice climbing technique you will find.That's a broad statement, but you'll agree that Will Gadd has done an outstanding job presenting the information in this book. He starts out at a very basic level and proceeds to cover everything from climbing easy ice to mixed climbing. The book offers many tips and tricks as well as stresses the need for safety.There are even a few "war stories" thrown in for your reading enjoyment.The material is presented in an easy-to-read and enjoyable fashion.This book is destined to become the "Bible" of ice climbing technique.From beginner to expert you'll probably find something in this book that will help you improve your technique.A MUST addition to your collection. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Mountaineering    2. Outdoor Skills    3. Snow and ice climbing    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Winter Sports    7. Climbing & mountaineering