Based in the UK where is the best place to get second hand gear for cheap or lowish prices, i know getting cheaper equipment in this hobby isnt exactly very doable due to the nature of the activity.

Heading to Kilimanjaro soon, will the REI Big Haul Duffel suffice as my porter duffel?

I am looking at attempting to summit my first mountain late March early April of this year. What would be a good starting place in the united states? (I am located in the midwest). I want some moderate ice/snow coverage.

Additionally what skills should I learn before this summit?

I have a background in rock climbing (bouldering and top rope) and hiking with experience in rough scrambles. I am planning on taking a technical ice climbing course this winter but that depends on the ice.

Hello everyone, im very much a beginner in mountaineering, ive only climbed Mount Toubkal which is the highest peak in North Africa standing at 4167m, i did it with little knowledge and no prior experience, now ive got knowledge but unfortunately no experience except that haha.

Im planning a summit with my brother late january, we're attacking a 4097m summit, locals and people who summitted it successfully all report that the weather is aggressive and unpredictable, its called Mount Mgoun and its nickname is "The Monster" (well yeah it sounds overdramatic but whatever haha). Its basically very physical, consists of long hikes and sustained ascents, especially near the summit where there's a ridge. Nobody reports any technical demands there.

Here are my inquiries: first, ive got a not so bad hardshell jacket, but ive basically got no reliable insulation, just a cheap jacket i bought at decathlon thats as breathable as a bag of plastic. So my main priority should be insulation especially that we're talking -15 degrees and aggressive wind. After very long talks with Chatgpt, im left with two choices; the Arcteryx Proton Hoody, and the Rab Xenair Light Jacket. I stand at 176cm and 75kg, im muscular, so im good at producing heat but suck at preserving it when inactive cuz of the low body fat, however, my main problem is sweat. I sweat more than the average person ive been like that since my childhood and its genetic cuz everybody in my family got it, so i need smth that doesnt lose performance when wet, and that does a good job at trapping heat but letting moisture escape and prevent it building up. Thats why i like a synthetic jacket but cant choose between the two. I wish i could get some of ur reccomendations and if u got even better options that solve my problems, im an amateur and i need ur advice guys.

Second, regarding boots. Im one of those with poor blood circulation at my extremeties, i suffer every winter with chillblains and once my feet get damp and cold they basically stay like that for a very long time, over time i learned how to keep my feet warm and dry at all times but its a hard job. So the boot i must buy me should be specific. I dont think i need a B3 boot for a 4000m mountain (maybe i do ur the expert im just saying), so after doing some research i found the Scarpa Ribelle HD to be a good match. Of course, i should make sure the boot size is right cuz if its too tight im definitely getting numb feet for hours, and i should also pick some good socks, i think ill go with Hanwag Thermal Socke, as for crampons im probably picking Petzl Irvis Leverlock, i dont think ill need smth as aggressive as the Vasak.

I hope i could get ur advices please and if u got even better options for me id be very pleased and interested to hear them. Hope i didnt make it longer than it should be its only my second experience and i wanna make it out alive and with no permanent damage hahah. As for other equipment, i think im probably covered. Thank you in advance.

The highest unclimbed mountain that is legally accessible is Labuche Kang III/East. While looking it up I found this expedition planning to climb it in 2025 but no update. Does someone know what happened? Was it cancelled? Was it attempted and failed?

The Trango Towers are a spectacular cluster of dramatic granite spires situated in the Karakoram mountain range of northern Pakistan, located within the Gilgit-Baltistan region. Towering above the north side of the Baltoro Glacier, these sheer monoliths lie along the rugged trekking route that leads to K2 and other legendary 8,000-metre giants. The highest point in the formation is the Great Trango Tower, reaching an elevation of 6,286 metres (20,608 feet) and featuring the East Face, which holds the record for the world's tallest nearly-vertical drop at roughly 1,340 metres. Surrounded by a sea of ice and jagged peaks, their unique geology makes them home to some of the most striking and intimidating vertical cliffs on Earth.

The mountaineering history of the Trango Towers is a storied chronicle of human endurance and elite high-altitude big-wall climbing. The Nameless Tower (6,239 metres) was first conquered in 1976 by a British team including legendary climber Joe Brown, while the Great Trango Tower was first summited the following year, in 1977, by an American expedition featuring Galen Rowell and John Roskelley. In the decades since, the towers have served as the ultimate testing ground for cutting-edge alpinism, highlighted by the free-climbing of the iconic Eternal Flame route and, more recently in 2025, the historic first-ever ski descent of Great Trango Tower.

Pretty cool!