Crampons are oddly like underwear: Something's terribly wrong if they come off by accident, and if you have to change them en route, you want the procedure to be as swift and uncomplicated as possible. Which is why Grivel's Air Tech GSb crampons are such a blessing. The breakthrough design locks points to boot with a metal tooth that fits into a hole in the rubber toe of your (compatible) boots. Not only is the system exceptionally secure; it eliminates the traditional front-bail attachment, which adds bulk to the toe and can trip you up. Pair the 12-point Air Techs with SCARPA's new GSb-compatible Escape GTX ($229; scarpa.com), an all-purpose boot that's comfortable enough for long approaches and stiff enough for peaks like Rainier and Shasta, and you've got a winning setup for summer mountaineering. And unless you're also sporting Kevlar Underoos, it's probably going to outperform your skivvies.

Grivel Air Tech GSb $152 grivelnorthamerica.com