The sun was shining, it was a balmy 11°C and I was sitting on the backseat of a car, heading away from the coast. The conversation was about dragons, demons, and nuts, and I was full of anticipation for the first outdoor rock climbing session of 2013.

Besides boots, crampons, ice axes and a backpack there’s a few more pieces of gear an ice climber needs - ice screws, belay devices, slings, quick draws, and and and. In this article I highlight some of the assorted ice climbing gear which I have used during this years ice climbing exploits.

Ice climbing does involve a fair bit of gear. There’s tools and crampons, ropes, screws, a helmet and belay jacket as well as safety gear. You could start each approach wearing all of that gear, or you just could use a lightweight backpack and hike in comfort to the base of your climb. The Hyperlite Mountain Gear IcePack is such a lightweight backpack. A Living Review.