After spending several months playing with Wild County's new Ropeman 3, I began to wonder if I was using it incorrectly. Should it really be this hard?, I wondered. When Alpinist was contacted recently to help spread the word of the recall, I felt relieved that it wasn't just me.

Geography is a big determinant of destiny. So it's only logical that Italy, a mountainous and boot-shaped country, would be home to many of the companies producing high-end footwear for our alpine endeavors. The nation with a centuries-old heritage of crafting fashionable and functional shoes is home to brands including La Sportiva, Scarpa, Kayland and the makers of my recently worn ice boots, Asolo.