UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => chuffing => Topic started by: Fiend on September 08, 2010, 05:22:14 pm
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My trad rucsac contains the following:
1 belay plate *
2 hms screwgates *
1 screwgate w/ prussics *
2 slings w/ screwgates *
2m of spare tat *
2 krabs w/ small wires *
1 krab w/ large wires & small hexes *
1 krab w/ peenuts & rps *
1 set camalots w/ wiregates *
4 medium hexes w/ wiregates *
8 small quickdraws *
2 medium quickdraws *
2 long quickdraws *
1 krab w/ misc offsets sliders tricams *
1 pair velcro 'stazis *
1 pair Galileos *
1 lightweight helmet *
1 harness *
1 chalkbag w/brush *
Spare chalk *
Rag *
Midge spray *
Camera *
Plastic water bottle *
Thin windproof *
Snood *
Snacks *
* - items with an asterisk are either essential or very likely to be useful.
I tend to struggle uphill for obvious reasons and am wondering if there is any way to trim this down so I have less weight to carry?? Unfortunately there is the slight issue that I've already honed my rack and can't think of anything to get rid of. The only think I can think of is to replace my quickdraws and slings with lighter ones....IIRC I calculated that would save a couple of KG, hmm.
Any thoughts??
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Tailor what you're taking with you to venue. If single-pitch do you really need double set of nuts (perhaps just a few overlaps), and whilst essential very likely to be useful perhaps leave the specialist gear at home unless you know you're going to need it (e.g. offset sliders).
If you're happy using someone else's rack why not share, one person taking gear, the other ropes.
If all else fails...
(http://www.horseridingchile.com/mule.jpg)
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Could you do without the hexes. I know a lot of people abandon them totally but I just keep nuts 1-10 (doubled up if on mountain trad) and a couple of the bigger hexes.
On very long pitches I take up to 16 QDs so I wouldn't lose any in quantity!
Do offsets, sliders and tricams really need to go everywhere? I usually only take the tricams if I know that something hard might get done or if its a quarry. While I appreciate that you'll most like be climbing harder trad the me do you really need to have the sliders with you at all times?!
Do 2 pairs of shoes always need to go to the crag?
Spare chalk? Just fill 'er up before you go.
Rag? That's what the shins of your trousers are for.
I don't know what a snood is but if its some sort of mastubation aid then it can probably stay on the bedside table.
I think the main thing I see here is gear from different disciplines all packed into the same bag. If you're going outcrop climbing then take all the small fiddly shit but leave the tat at home. If you're going out for a long day on mid grade mountain routes then the sliders probably aren't going to come out of the bag and the second set of shoes can get left behind.
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DMM Phantoms, the weight difference when comparing a full set of these to my Petzl draws is incredible. People who like to clip with a finger in the bottom of the biner (fools) will get their fingers stuck.
I've got these on most of my gear (look at me) and they're fantastic.
Apart from that, single wired rocks? Lightweight harness, thinner ropes etc.
Just go out and buy lightweight versions of anything you can see and afford.
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Its that red camo snood thats weighing you down ;)
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Seems like a pretty well rounded rack really. Pretty much the same as mine only I don't have any offsets of sliders and only one tricam. What kind of wiregates do you use? Replacing them all with something like the DMM Phantom (http://www.dmmclimbing.com/productsDetails.asp?pid=1&pid2=50) could possibly save a fair bit of heft? Or substitutung Camalots with DMM 4CU's? I've seen old-school hexes that look like swiss cheese with drilled out holes where people have tried to save weight on them.....though you have to balance weight saving with structural integrity.
Damn, Paul beat me to it about the Phantoms! :P
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Damn, Paul beat me to it about the Phantoms! :P
Don't worry he's a fool who needs telling twice, or maybe even thrice, anyone?
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Its that red camo snood thats weighing you down ;)
Yeah fucking burn the monstrosity.
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Tailor what you're taking with you to venue. If single-pitch do you really need double set of nuts (perhaps just a few overlaps),
Yup cos I'm often doing fairly full pitches.
and whilst essential very likely to be useful perhaps leave the specialist gear at home unless you know you're going to need it (e.g. offset sliders).
Often want those with me as I generally like pushing myself on stuff I might find bold. (They're also a small amount of the weight)
If you're happy using someone else's rack why not share, one person taking gear, the other ropes.
Not happy with someone else's rack as mine is invariably objectively superior, but I will suggest to more people they use mine.
(http://www.horseridingchile.com/mule.jpg)
More like it!
Could you do without the hexes.
Not really. I don't have the largest sizes with me anyway, I always take the mediums and the larges are useful in case the route demands them and for belays / ab anchors to save on cams.
Do 2 pairs of shoes always need to go to the crag?
Yes, need the comfier pair for easier routes and the tighter pair for hard ones.
Spare chalk? Just fill 'er up before you go.
Will still run out. ALWAYS need spare chalk.
Rag? That's what the shins of your trousers are for.
Maybe but some of the places I go can be pretty soggy.
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Further to what slack-line said about tailoring the gear, doesn't look too excessive to me! Some suggestions although only with small weight losses.
Rather than clove hitch to HMS'/screwgates when setting up your anchor you can just figure eight the rope onto your belay loop, this way you can get away with less screwgates. Likewise if you desire switch the screwgates on your slings to snapgates.
Also I notice you have quite a lot of short quickdraws, is that because you generally have to extend your camalots? I use DMM 4cu's and find their extendable slings mean I can normally get away without needing a qd, might be a possible way to save weight.
Also, don't know what your rope selection/typical venue is like but I have discovered the joy of taking my 30m 'wall' rope to most of the Eastern Grit crags. Saves loads of weight and also time in rope coiling/uncoiling, not so good at millstone though!
Also another area where you might be able to lose some weight is the rucksack itself.
Well done on the 8a by the way.
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DMM Phantoms, the weight difference when comparing a full set of these to my Petzl draws is incredible. People who like to clip with a finger in the bottom of the biner (fools) will get their fingers stuck.
I've got these on most of my gear (look at me) and they're fantastic.
Apart from that, single wired rocks? Lightweight harness, thinner ropes etc.
Just go out and buy lightweight versions of anything you can see and afford.
And therein lies the crux of the issue. Good suggestion except you have to have girls / teenage piano prodigy fingers to make any use of the Phantoms (Spectres would do me....I need proper krabs not accessory krabs). Superlight rocks would be nice too.... BUT then Krabs alone would be £240-ish....then tapes etc etc....
And no it's a black snood you choadchewer Sharpe.
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Rather than clove hitch to HMS'/screwgates when setting up your anchor you can just figure eight the rope onto your belay loop, this way you can get away with less screwgates. Likewise if you desire switch the screwgates on your slings to snapgates.
Good point but I have one HMS for belaying and one HMS for anchoring at my waist...keeps things simple. Two screwgates for anchoring purposes, if I need more I double up krabs.
Also I notice you have quite a lot of short quickdraws, is that because you generally have to extend your camalots? I use DMM 4cu's and find their extendable slings mean I can normally get away without needing a qd, might be a possible way to save weight.
Not really, I just place lots of pro! I only extend cams if they really need it. Rucsac is pretty minimal too.
PaulB is trying to convince me of superskinny ropes, he has a point but I am far too scared for that.
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Good suggestion except you have to have girls / teenage piano prodigy fingers to make any use of the Phantoms (Spectres would do me....I need proper krabs not accessory krabs). Superlight rocks would be nice too.... BUT then Krabs alone would be £240-ish....then tapes etc etc....
I think you're really going to struggle if your answers are "I need that" and "lightweight stuff is too small" make a compromise somewhere.
I only really became aware of how heavy ropes were when trailing one on long stuff where the entire weight was on me, not a ledge (thanks Nat). I'm not sure how skinny you can go on doubles but with singles being ~9mm I'm thinking just under ~8mm?
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You could swap racks with me, you'd be sorted then.
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Damn, Paul beat me to it about the Phantoms! :P
Don't worry he's a fool who needs telling twice, or maybe even thrice, anyone?
Try swapping the crabs on your quickdraws for phantoms ;). Biggest saving will probably be rope. I've recently enjoyed carrying a thinish double instead of my old 10.2mm single.
Maybe try swapping your harness, you didn't say what your using but the standard WC elite adjustable weighs in at 570 grams, the new ultralite is around 330 and I think some arc'teryx harnesses weigh in just under 300. You could swap your larger camalots for the larger dragons. The dragons area a few grams lighter across the sizes but the saving comes when you don't have to carry an extra quickdraw to extend your placements. You could try the andy kirkpatrick school of thought and just double up on functionality and carry less.
Or you could be the coolest kid at the crag?
(http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t215/ptcs-photies/2-76.jpg)
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I just place lots of pro!
You could add a larger pair of testicles to your rack :)
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* - items with an asterisk are either essential or very likely to be useful.
So that's everything then?
I'm afraid that I can only second everyone else.
Get DMM Phantoms. They're fucking great. They aren't too small either. Borrow someone's. You'll see. If you disagree get Spectre2's. Or possibly WC Heliums.
Get DMM Phantom/Shadow SG's, and the Sentinel HMS.
Get skinny ropes. You can get away with about 7.8mm as a half rope. You might prefer 8 - 8.5mm.
Pod's Cragsac, and the Osprey Talon are around 1kg. Alternatively strip all the shit from your current rucksack. Take off the lid. Take off the hipbelt on shorter walk-ins. Take off useless compression bits. Cut off stuff, if you aren't arsed about the warranty.
Get an Arc'Teryx harness.
Get some Inov8's for the walk-in. And some walking poles. And Man Up!
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Do you really need so many screwgates? I carry 2, and one of them is on my belay plate.
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The WC xenon lights are almost as light as phantoms (there's literally 1 or 2 grams in it and I'd be surprised if they're not both made in the same factory with the same kit) but are nearly half the price at rocknrun (http://www.rockrun.com/products/Wild-Country-Xenon-Lite-Quickdraw-5%252dSet.html)
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The WC xenon lights are almost as light as phantoms (there's literally 1 or 2 grams in it and I'd be surprised if they're not both made in the same factory with the same kit)
I think you'll find that the Helium is the only WC krab which DMM make currently.
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And some walking poles.
Not a bad idea actually. Definitly takes some of the load off the legs. I always use at leas one on winter walk ins, can definitely move faster, especially on less than perfect surfaces.
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Drew I'll man up as soon as I have any venous return through my pelvic area...
Walking poles are on the list, yes.
Phantoms....let's try again I AM NOT GETTING ANY PHANTOMS. I have used a friends and they are just too small. I gotta climb with this shit as well as admire how few grams it weighs.
Spectre 2s, yes, they ARE feasible.
Replace with Dragons, too expensive, plus I don't carry extra quickdraws for cams.
Skinnier ropes....hmmm....I might start giving this a try, within reason, again I gotta climb on them and pieces of fucking bootlace beneath me terrify me.
Harness has gotta be functional too.
I've already shaved stuff off my rucsac.
Less screwgates, hmmm. I will muse on that. I could certainly get lighter I-beam ones.
One thing I have realised is that my cam / hex krabs are already hotwires, so the weight saving going to Spectres would be a minimal for the cost involved. Thus I'd only be replacing quickdraws, that might be realistic... Plus the screwgates....and use superlight rocks as my default 2nd wires...
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You've got to think outside of the box.
Why slim down? Just visit the local fair and buy all the helium balloons you can afford, job done.
Or buy yourself a nice mangonel/trebuchet, some industrial bubble wrap and a large roll of gaffer tape.
Or do a big poo before you go to the crag (perhaps using your produce as ranging ammo for said mangonel/trebuchet, surely there must already be some good beta for this in shooting the shit :-\ ).
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Good ideas Bonjoy - at least you aren't suggesting nonsense like "leave the sliders" ;). I particularly like the trebuchet one. The massive dump tends to happen upon seeing the route / gearing up tho....I wonder if there is a way to advance that process??
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The massive dump tends to happen upon seeing the route / gearing up tho....I wonder if there is a way to advance that process??
Bring the route closer with binoculars.
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The massive dump tends to happen upon seeing the route / gearing up tho....I wonder if there is a way to advance that process??
Bring the route closer with binoculars.
Employ the use of a 'Teaser crag' close to the road, enabling the fear enduced constitutional to begin early...
(sorry I am bored...)
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crag fluffing?
I already recommended a helium based supository, or he could just buy some f*cking phantoms.
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One thing you really could "share" with someone else would be their draws, thus lightening your load a fair bit (unless of course they're phantoms!)
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I've already shaved stuff off my sac.
I doubt that'll do much
(http://content9.flixster.com/question/36/72/28/3672283_std.jpg)
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What camera do you carry? Could you get a smaller camera/rely on someone else's/get a phone with a decent camera?
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What about climbing with someone who has a really big rucksack and can carry it all for you?
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Screw that, how about climbing inside your rucksack and riding into the crag on your own back?
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Only go to crags that are downhill from the road.
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Better still someone who can fit you in the rucksack and carry you, perhaps this guy could help...
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3600/3626667164_b70e2e5c9b_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/slackline/3626667164/)
The easy way down (http://www.flickr.com/photos/slackline/3626667164/#) by slack---line (http://www.flickr.com/people/slackline/), on Flickr
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Only go to crags that are downhill from the road.
:lol:
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Only go to crags that are downhill from the road.
And what, leave a fixed line from the car to jug back out? Would take a bit of pressure off the legs anyway, and you could always haul the gear out afterwards :-P
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Verdon Gorge and Pembroke would fit that bill nicely actually.
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Verdon Gorge and Pembroke would fit that bill nicely actually.
I think carrying 200m or so of static the 100 metres the edge of the gorge might kill fiendy.
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I'm gonna run out of downhill walk-in crags pretty quick, especially in Scotland!
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Take up winter climbing for a bit - any rucsac will feel light after a season of lugging a winter rucsac around in deep snow.
(don't you live in Scotland now anyway?)
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>:( :off: :off: :rtfm: :furious:
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>:( :off: :off: :rtfm: :furious:
The winter climbing bit is true though. You'll never make your pack any lighter without a critical alpine attitude to stuff you probably won't need - "with the exception of leaving my spare shoes, spare chalk, cow-bells, multiple screwgates, sliders, tricams, etc, behind, and without switching to phantoms, how can I make my pack lighter?" What have the Romans ever done for us (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExWfh6sGyso#)
Lugging all that kit around in a bit of alpine/winter climbing is the only way you're going to get critical of the kit you're carrying. Switching normal wiregates for spectres for example, which seems to be the only suggestion you're actually considering will save roughly the same amount of weight as a light hair-cut and will set you back the same amount of money as a Mr. Beckham light haircut.
Maybe you're looking at it the wrong way, if you want to take all that kit up to do funky things at the end of big walk-ins, maybe you should be looking for a new sac to make lugging all that stuff around more manageable.
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The massive dump tends to happen upon seeing the route / gearing up tho....I wonder if there is a way to advance that process??
Good strong coffee?
If that doesn't work then I could send you a photo of me in speedos.
If you don't shit bricks, then you at least piss yourself laughing.
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If that doesn't work then I could send you a photo of me in speedos.
you will shit bricks
(http://www.thelamest.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/fat_hairy_guy_on_bed_with_guns.jpg)
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I'm gonna run out of downhill walk-in crags pretty quick, especially in Scotland!
Relocate to the top of Everest, or the moon, all the crags are downhill from those places.
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This reminds me of your 'How can I get cardio fit without running, cycling or swimming?' thread :spank:
Anyway, for what it's worth...
- Why all the screwgates? Just take two (or one?)
- Leave the camera behind.
- Take one pair of rockshoes.
- Take a smaller bottle of water.
Finally, a good plan would be to leave the lot in your rucksack in the car so someone nicks it. Galpinos did this and his rack his twice as big as mine and weighs about a third.
Also, you have fucked up legs now so why not just get your climbing partner to carry all the heavy stuff :shrug:
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Finally, a good plan would be to leave the lot in your rucksack in the car so someone nicks it. Galpinos did this and his rack his twice as big as mine and weighs about a third.
This works. It is quite a bit cheaper if you make sure your sac and it's contents are insured before you do this though.
My advice in general would be listen to peoples suggestions instead of just saying "I don't like/want to do that.
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FD, there are reasons I start such threads - trying to work around things I can't tackle head on.
Galpinos, just because I have clear reasons why some suggestions won't work for me doesn't mean I'm not listening to the replies.
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fuck your hex's off (why have these and a full set of Camalots??),
phantoms all the way on everything; i only have a couple of normal size wire gates on me rack these days for bigger cams, shadow's on my wires, and it makes an unbelivable difference,
fuck the tat off; just use twice wrapped round cord for attaching chalk bag,
one HMS, one screwgate, wire gates/ phantoms for all your slings and prussiks
fuck ya slidey things off unless you gonna do something hard(never had to use one of these in my life, know nobody who ever has them on their rack)
skinny 8mm 60m ropes or use 50's
share the weight with your partner,
sell all the shite you're gonna replace on UKC for a price you wouldn't pay for it and put this money into sorting out your new uber light rack.
or get some of these babies..23g each.. http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/fs_mini_carabiner.html (http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/fs_mini_carabiner.html)
Happy days!
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fuck your hex's off (why have these and a full set of Camalots??),
They're essential
phantoms all the way on everything; i only have a couple of normal size wire gates on me rack these days for bigger cams, shadow's on my wires, and it makes an unbelivable difference,
Not getting phantoms
fuck the tat off; just use twice wrapped round cord for attaching chalk bag,
Its essential
one HMS, one screwgate, wire gates/ phantoms for all your slings and prussiks
They're essential and I'm NOT getting phantoms
fuck ya slidey things off unless you gonna do something hard(never had to use one of these in my life, know nobody who ever has them on their rack)
They're essential
skinny 8mm 60m ropes or use 50's
Maybe, but I don't yet feel comfortable with skinny ropes
:P
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(http://www.michaelhanscom.com/eclecticism/graphics/2003/07/graphics/lalalala.gif)
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fuck your hex's off (why have these and a full set of Camalots??),
phantoms all the way on everything; i only have a couple of normal size wire gates on me rack these days for bigger cams, shadow's on my wires, and it makes an unbelivable difference,
fuck the tat off; just use twice wrapped round cord for attaching chalk bag,
one HMS, one screwgate, wire gates/ phantoms for all your slings and prussiks
fuck ya slidey things off unless you gonna do something hard(never had to use one of these in my life, know nobody who ever has them on their rack)
skinny 8mm 60m ropes or use 50's
share the weight with your partner,
sell all the shite you're gonna replace on UKC for a price you wouldn't pay for it and put this money into sorting out your new uber light rack.
or get some of these babies..23g each.. http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/fs_mini_carabiner.html (http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/fs_mini_carabiner.html)
Happy days!
I agree with everything. Furthermore, for trad cragging I often use just one 30-35 m rope (a.k.a. old 60 m that I've trimmed the ends off more than a couple of times...) It is almost always faster to scramble down than abseiling anyway.
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Furthermore, for trad cragging I often use just one 30-35 m rope (a.k.a. old 60 m that I've trimmed the ends off more than a couple of times...) It is almost always faster to scramble down than abseiling anyway.
Who the flip abseils off a sub 30m single pitch crag?!
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Who the flip abseils off a sub 30m single pitch crag?!
I believe the abseil into the leap is about on 30m. I for one generally tend to choose abseiling over the scrambling option there.
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Of all the the things on your rack, the Hexes seem to be the most superfluous.
Instead of taking the "I have them, therefore I use them" approach try once or twice carrying them on a route, but avoiding using them as much as possible and and see if you cope without, likewise the esoteric slidey things. A weaning off approach, rahter than the proposed cold turkey.
I stopped carrying hexes of a few years ago, instead just carry one big metolius supercam to cover any "wide" placements I may encounter, and make up the rest with large nuts and cams. I tend to avoid wide cracks as a rule anyway.
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I don't think the useability of phantoms depends on how big your fingers / hands are, more on how you tend to clip (as Pauls says) if weight's really crucial, change your clipping technique (from finger in krab to pinch).
I have a really skinny trad rope (8anda bit mm), and while it's light and low drag i wouldn't get another one that thin, not because it scares me, but because
a) i have chopped through the sheath and a bit of core when falling over an edge on it. I have no way of knowing of this wouldn't have happened with a fatter cord, the margin of safety would be greater.
b) you fall flipping miles on, which becomes disturbing on routes where this may make the difference between giggling about it in the pub later, and not giggling in the hospital later. Having said that you do get lower impact force, which makes it reassuring to clip shit gear with.
thirdly, go mountain marathon-er style: drill holes in the toothbrush on your chalkbag. cut the labels off your clothes, bin the water bottle and drink from streams... :)
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(http://www.michaelhanscom.com/eclecticism/graphics/2003/07/graphics/lalalala.gif)
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If you're really not going to get Phantoms wait six months or so and get DMMs new Alpha Trads (I think that's what they called em). They'll be a whole gram or so heavier and feel bigger.
Ditch the sodding hexes. If you're using them to save cams on longer pitches I bet you could just as well ditch the cams. i refuse to believe you have ever run out of both on one pitch without deliberate punterdom. Nobody carries a full rack of cams and hexes unless they are on Stanage on a baking hot day. Probably shouting 'tight' repeatedly.
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Also, you have fucked up legs now so why not just get your climbing partner to carry all the heavy stuff
One word...
reasonable adaptation
(I can't count so under the Disability Discrimination Act HMRC have to accept my tax returns that have little relation to the real world)
I would certainly feel obliged to carry more of the kit if my climbing partner had your health issues Fiend.
Oh, and dump the hexes. I haven't carried any since I bought my first Friends.
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I have had a few kind offers from climbing partners. However whilst struggling to get integrated with the Scottish climbing scene, I still don't have many regular partners that I'm close enough to to ask that.
As for the hexes....I use them a lot. Because I have Camalots, I don't have as many cams for the same size range as Friends, therefore the hexes are useful to provide extra bits of gear. Looking at the charts, one could have 10 Friends from 13-85mm, but I have 7 Camlots and 4 Hexes (okay I have a few smaller hexes too - but they save doubling up on larger nuts).
Alpha Lights look good, if the size is okay. I'd be waiting until spring I think, anyway.
Drilling holes in my toothbrush is a good plan.
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Fucks sake it's twenty ten, just get a jet pack.
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So instead of carrrying 10 camming devices that actually hold falls, you are carrying 7 Ripalots and 4 hexes? :)
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So instead of carrrying 10 camming devices that actually hold falls, you are carrying 7 Ripalots and 4 hexes? :)
Do you really think the slight difference in camming angle makes Camalots pull significantly more often? I've never heard any one else say this. :-\ And they feel so much nicer than Friends.
Anyway, I second what everyone else said - ditch the hexes, sliders and probably the offsets, and reduce the number of screwgates.
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It was a reference to a daft debate over on the other channel a while back but in answer to your question;
By the laws of physics it must, but unless used in very low friction rock is unlikely to make an difference.
Anyway, it's a bit OT.
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The BMC have done just the article you were in need of Fiend...
[urlhttp://www.thebmc.co.uk/Feature.aspx?id=2332]On the Rack by Adrian Berry[/url]
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The BMC have done just the article you were in need of Fiend...
[urlhttp://www.thebmc.co.uk/Feature.aspx?id=2332]On the Rack by Adrian Berry[/url]
Cheers nice linking there slackbot ;)
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Bollocks! >:(
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My trad rucsac contains the following: ?trad sac? can be really heavy eg my black ice weighs a kg or more less that the bomb proof pod
1 belay plate * ok
2 hms screwgates * swap for new petzl attaches or crazy light dmms
1 screwgate w/ prussics * as above or use snap links
2 slings w/ screwgates * ditch screw gates
2m of spare tat * use to tie chalk bag on
2 krabs w/ small wires *
1 krab w/ large wires & small hexes *
1 krab w/ peenuts & rps *
1 krab w/ misc offsets sliders tricams *
4 medium hexes w/ wiregates *
thats a LOt of passive pro but can see where your coming from you prob use half of it 1 percent of the time?
1 set camalots w/ wiregates
in scotland i'd ditch anything beyone a 3 camalot
8 small quickdraws *
2 medium quickdraws *
2 long quickdraws *
1 pair velcro 'stazis *
1 pair Galileos *
1 lightweight helmet *
1 harness *
1 chalkbag w/brush *
Spare chalk *
Rag *
Midge spray *
Camera * get your mate to bring one, then you get picture of you..
Plastic water bottle *
Thin windproof *
Snood *
Snacks *
you need to come to understanding with partners on racks. a set of wires really should be a set of wires! ditto camalots (which are probably the heaviest item)
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Uhuh.
I only take up to a 3 camalot with me.
Screwgates IS something I will change, yes.
Passive pro, I'd say I use everything a lot of the time, apart from the micro-death-rack which I use 1/5th of the time and it's pretty bloody crucial to me then.
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How do you manage without a nut key?
Needs to be on a screwgate obviously...
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How do you manage without a nut key?
Use your mates?
Needs to be on a screwgate obviously...
Why? Some don't even need to be on a krab (as they've one built-in).
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Needs to be on a screwgate obviously...
Why? Some don't even need to be on a krab (as they've one built-in).
Think there may have been a touch of irony there (from dizzy)?
Although now I'm worried that you were also being ironic and I have missed that.... :shrug:
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No I'm almost always literal (but often with a large smattering of sarcasm).
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No I'm almost always literal (but often with a large smattering of sarcasm).
:-[
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How do you manage without a nut key?
Use your mates?
They would need to be really skinny.
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:lol: Touche!
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You are all funny fuckers. Despite the brilliance of Bonjoy's ideas, I've plumped for:
DMM Boa 30kN HMS Screwgate 1
DMM Phantom Screwgate 2
DMM Sentinel HMS Screwgate 1
DMM Spectre 2 Krab (Color: Silver) 2
DMM Spectre 2 Krab (Color: Gun Metal) 2
DMM Spectre 2 Quickdraw 12cm 8
DMM Spectre 2 Quickdraw 25cm 2
Wild Country Dyneema Sling 60cm 2
Wild Country Superlight Rocks 1 - 6 Set
(Helped by RockandRun doing Spectre 2 'draws for a fuck all each).
Pondering on what krabs to get for my set of Cams....ideally want something different to the Spectres so they're more easy to whip off the rack, but have to have the usual colour-coding. Phantoms too small, Alpha trads too pricey n weird shaped....hmmm.
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Pondering on what krabs to get for my set of Cams....ideally want something different to the Spectres
I don't. Just ordered a couple of sets of the currently-more-or-less-free coloured Spectres from Needlesports, to be collected when I visit my folks at Easter. Lighter than Prowires but bigger than Phantoms - and dirt cheap - seems pretty much ideal
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Aye. That's why I got the 'draws. Only thing is when I'm pumped and terrified, I don't want to waste any micro-seconds looking down wondering if the gear I'm about to grab is a Spectre with the crucial camalot attached or a Spectre with a useless quickdraw attached.
Geeky I know but I need to stack some odds in my favour!
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:agree:, but the quickdraws come with grey ones whereas I'm going colour-coordinated for the cams.
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:agree: yes you might be right as the colour will make more different to the speed of a glance down, than the feel.
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Would racking draws on a different loop to the cams be a viable solution?
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I had a look at the new Edelrid 19g krabs in a shop today. Good heavens. They're cute little things that should pair nicely with Edelrid's new 6.8mm twin ropes, but people who find Phantoms fiddly should definitely stay away - you need to factor in the weight of the tweezers you'll be needing to operate them.
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19g krabs and 6.8mm ropes?? Fuck that!! Would be too scared to climb stuff.
Regular readers will be thrilled to hear that not only did I buy lighter krabs, I've rearranged my rack so that the two size 7&8 hexes stay in the car along with a second set of Wallnuts, with the Superlights being permanently in my sac. I've got lighter krabs on my windproof and nutkey (might swap for an integrated one) and not bothering with prussik krab.
Camalots are still bloody heavy though. Am seriously considering getting Phantoms for those to make them more distinct from the Spectre drawers. I might be able to put up with tiny krabs on the cams because the cams only get clipped once in placement (draws get clipped twice) and the draws get used sport climbing where I'm often pumped so need an ergonomic krab. One issue is that the Camalots have wide tapes which might be that Phantoms are slightly difficult to flip over if I need the gates away from the rock :-\
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the draws get used sport climbing where I'm often pumped so need an ergonomic krab.
I think separate sport & trad draws are the way to go if you're not on an absolute 6.8mm twin rope shoestring budget. Can be done at reasonable cost if you don't need/want the very shiniest Alphas, Spirits etc. and are willing to bide your time waiting for special offers.
I have Aeros as sport draws; got the krabs on special offer from Needlesports (iirc, might have been Field & Trek) and short fat nylon tapes are cheap.
For trad I currently have half a dozen Alpkit-branded Prowires that were the first modern gear I bought when I resumed climbing 3-4 years ago, plus another half a dozen Spectres on order from Needlesports, all on long skinny tapes.
Camalots are still bloody heavy though.
DMM 4CUs and Metolius Powercams are lighter, but have less range and U-stems handle differently, which I for one am not used to and therefore don't like.
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Camalots are still bloody heavy though. Am seriously considering getting Phantoms for those to make them more distinct from the Spectre drawers. I might be able to put up with tiny krabs on the cams because the cams only get clipped once in placement (draws get clipped twice) and the draws get used sport climbing where I'm often pumped so need an ergonomic krab. One issue is that the Camalots have wide tapes which might be that Phantoms are slightly difficult to flip over if I need the gates away from the rock :-\
I use phantoms on everything - cams, draws, slings, except for racking wires - for winter mixed climbing, obv summer too. They're fine, if I can use them with gloves.. The big issue with phantoms is that the anodising is shit and I go through a rack of them every 18 months, shite durability. Bit outrageous how bad the anodizing is really but they work well for a short time.
Dmm Dragon cams are excellent and lighter than camalots.
4 screwgates? I carry one phantom screwgate and build belays with whatever snapgates are left on the rack when I get there, never missed them, the second can carry one or two screws too for a quick swap over of biners if absolutely necessary. Prussic cord for tying chalk bag (in summer!).
As someone else said, dedicated sport draws the only way to go, with separate lightweight trad gear.
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What do you use for your chalkbag in winter then?
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What do you use for your chalkbag in winter then?
I use the rock dust from whichever classic E2 I'm trashing.
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Used this rack in anger over the Easter weekend, actually had the best early start to a year for a long time which may or may not have something to do with having a lighter load for my puny legs to carry in :-\
Spectre quickdraws good, Superlight Rocks good (once I'd got used to them). Definitely prefer screwgates on my slings as I use them a lot.
Sentinel Screwgate is too small, find it hard to get through double rope loops which is my preferred set-up. Will get another large HMS between this and the Boa size/weight.
Have now got my wires racked on BD Positrons, this is better than before due to the keylock gate and comfy gate feel. But it's now harder to see which homogenous silver krab is which rack of wires from above, and they could be a bit lighter (49g atm), so I'm going to change them:
http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/non-locking-carabiners/spirit-0 (http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/non-locking-carabiners/spirit-0)
or
http://www.camp-usa.com/products/carabiners/photon-straight-191603.asp (http://www.camp-usa.com/products/carabiners/photon-straight-191603.asp)
Both of which seem to be hard to get hold of in the UK!
Will borrow some phantoms to see how I like them on the Camalots.
Next thing is a lighter rope I think. With a slightly lighter rack I definitely noticed the difference lugging the rope in. Time to study some g/m stats...
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without having read any of the previous posts and completely ignoring the original idea, I suggest climbing at Burbage North, where you could use a wheeled, tartan shopping bag. That way you would feel like you were doing the whole Scottish thing whilst not wasting your legs. I know that's what I'll be doing this year :thumbsup:
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on rope weight- There is no consistent measure of weight and thickness between manufactures so the g/m thing is handy but is open to manipulation.
I generally found that even relatively small amounts of winter climbing will make a summer sack seem wonderfuly light.
Surely plastic crabs for your windproof/accesories?
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Just buy a Land Rover and drive to the crag.
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I generally found that even relatively small amounts of winter climbing will make a summer sack seem wonderfuly light.
Yeah Fiend, go winter climbing, you've always said you fancied it.
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Snort.
At last Jasper is making a useful suggestion :)
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I generally found that even relatively small amounts of winter climbing will make a summer sack seem wonderfully light.
Agree. Although the downside is that lots of winter climbing makes you as weak as shandy.
Ditch the screwgates!