The Kandersteg Ice Climbing Festival, sponsored by Black Diamond, La Sportiva, Petzl and Polartec will take place in January 2012. There you can attend ice climbing workshops, where professional ice climbers will give you tips and demonstrate their own skills in competition.

• See this UKC News Item for more info about Kandersteg Ice Climbing Festival.

Black Diamond Half Dome RRP £54.99 Black Diamond's focus is on developing and manufacturing the best possible protective equipment for climbing, and helmets have long been an integral part of that. Whether you are climbing brittle rocks, braving the most technically demanding alpine routes, or taking on the ice, our helmets offer superb protection. For 2011 we have completely revamped our most robust and reliable helmet. The Half Dome now has a completely new outline, creating a completely new shape both inside and out. With two new sizes, it fits better than ever, whatever your head size or shape. The Half Dome also has a new dial system for making fine adjustments, and the total weight of the new helmet is 40g less than that of the original helmet. The Half Dome is a perfect fit and brings a whole new level of comfort, durability and adjustability to the Black Diamond range.

Black Diamond Enforcer Glove RRP £130 Black Diamond ice gloves are designed for ice climbing and working with ice axes, for which good fingertip feel and warmth are essential. The Enforcer is an ice climbing glove for low temperatures, and it now provides an even higher level of dexterity, while still protecting your knuckles from impact and wet ice. Thanks to GORE-TEX XCR, the glove is 100% waterproof and breathable. The outer glove is made from two-ply nylon fabric with four-way stretch for total freedom of movement. The inner glove is removable and has 133g of PrimaLoft One needle punch insulation on the back of the hand, which keeps your hands warm and aids dexterity. PrimaLoft is also very convenient, thanks to its small packing size. The glove has a preformed ergonomic fit, giving it a firm grip.

Black Diamond Stinger Crampons RRP £169.99

With a comprehensive product range, Black Diamond offers rust-resistant steel crampons for a whole range of uses, from glacier walking to overhanging mixed routes. Black Diamond is constantly driven to develop new products by its love of mountains and passion for innovation.

And in 2012 there will be another innovation: the Stinger, a rust-resistant steel crampon that offers outstanding performance for mixed climbing and ice, with its replaceable single spike and asymmetrical design. Thanks to its slim heel lever, you can also adjust its fit exactly. The Stinger represents the next phase of our ongoing endeavors to produce the best high-performance products for the best and most ambitious climbers in the world.

Why rust-resistant steel? Simple.

1 There is less wear: thanks to its hard-wearing material, the spike stays sharp for longer.
2 There is no rust, so the crampon requires less maintenance and lasts longer.
3 There is no need for any environmentally harmful coating: the crampon can withstand intensive use without any environmentally harmful coating (which would peel off over time).
4 There is less snow-build up, as the flatter surface is better at keeping snow off.