Tech Tips

Any secret tools of the trade?

feeds@yuku.com (Nicc) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:02:33 GMT

Hey everyone, this is my first post. Im kinda new to climbing and starting to build up my rack. I have the basic stuff like biners, slings, and a belay device. Im going to get a set of 6 quick draws and a set of nuts soon to get the ball rolling. Any tips on building a rack or any not so common items people take climbing?

Buying new ropes - advice?

feeds@yuku.com (ribmanq) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:59:14 GMT

So, I have 2 x 50m 11mm ropes and a Trango pyramidy thing from ages gone, that I can use for TR and "safe" leads at KP.
Recent jaunts with Phil seem to indicate that de-regeur is 60m thin (8mm?) ropes used in twin-rope mode with some new tiny-little belay plate thing suited for the small ropes.
Most of my target use (the main reason I'm bothering buying new gear) will be 5-20 grade multi pitch trad climbing (glasshouse, etc) but inevitably they'll see most of...

Replacement for Scarpa Dominator?

feeds@yuku.com (thiaoouba) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:13:56 GMT

My all time favourite climbing shoe is the Scarpa Dominator. I can climb really technically in them, yet they are amazingly comfortable - I have worn them for hours at a time. My feet just love them. Unfortunately, Scarpa stopped making them some time ago.

I'm wondering if there is anyone out there who, like me, loved the dominators. Have you managed to find another shoe just as good? i.e. great technically, yet comfortable?

I'm currently climbing in La...

Dynamic Rope age?

feeds@yuku.com (starasoris) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:32:32 GMT

I have just pulled out one of my old dynamics. It looks pretty much brand new and is about 11mm and was rated to a massive number of falls. However, it is about 12 years old. I think that it is a little stiffer than it once was, but otherwise it seems to work.
The other night Ar7 purposely took a couple of 4-5m falls on it and he is still amongst the living.

Does anyone know if there is any reason not to use an old rope if it looks good on the surface?

Since it is a...

Belaying Technique

feeds@yuku.com (MaverickBris) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:06:23 GMT

Hey all,

Didn't know if this was the right forum for this question, but if its not I am happy for the mods to move it.

>>EDIT>>My apologies - I just found a post on the 2nd page of the forum dealing with this question about using the railing and not using a harness - so sorry for the duplication. Still though I would hate to see my belayer drinking beer/smoking and having a conversation with someone else whilst I was climbing...

I was at KP...

Abseil rescue scenario

feeds@yuku.com (thisrod) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:17:36 GMT

You ran out of daylight at the first belay of a 200m route, and decided to retreat. You rigged a standard double-rope abseil, your partner won the spud, and she headed down with an autoblock backup. Everything went according to plan until she was 30m below you, and 20m from the ground. Then a march fly alighted on the belay ledge, causing it to detach from the cliff and clobber your partner. Now your partner is stuck with severe concussion. Her weight is on both ropes. You have an ATC,...

Pre-tied Quad

feeds@yuku.com (thiaoouba) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:00:07 GMT

Can anyone enlighten me as to what exactly is a pre-tied quad?

I've seen it referred to on various climbing forums and sites, including this one, but I haven't been able to find any instructions or diagrams on how to construct one.

Supposedly it's some kind of u-beaut way of tying into an anchor, particularly a double bolt anchor.

I don't have a copy of the...

Sliding Cordelette

feeds@yuku.com (starasoris) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:19:56 GMT

I was studying all of the currently debated methods of setting up an anchor with 3 pieces and found that there was no real self equalising system with 3 anchor points. The ones that I found had really only 2 points over three pieces of gear, such as the equalette and the tippelette. I decided to have some fun with my gear and the unused hanging space in my home office.
I came up with a method that works quite well and as complex as it might seem to start with, only takes between 1 and 2...

Dropped gear

feeds@yuku.com (jennytb) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:47:02 GMT

Hypothetically : ) if a BD Oz quickdraw fell from near the top of Iron Mandible, glancing off a dead log on the ground to land on the dirt, would it be compromised?

The Correct Technique for Belaying the Leader with a GriGri

feeds@yuku.com (danielgoodwin) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:02:17 GMT

Hi All,

Recently I have taken to belaying lead (sport) climbers with a Petzl GriGri. I think it has its pros and cons and I feel it works well with single pitch sport climbing, especially if the leader is going to dog it.

Anyway, thats not what this post is about. What this post is about, is, using the correct belay technique, if you choose to use a GriGri.

Now of course you should read the instructions,

weird

feeds@yuku.com (rightarmbad) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:48:38 GMT

So, I tried some chin ups on a hangboard on last digit sized hold.
If I use my two middle fingers I simply cannot do one, although it is almost possible.
If I use my three biggest fingers, I can manage some but it is really hard.
If I use my little finger and any other two fingers it is easy.
Sort of counter intuitive that my smallest weakest finger allows me to pull harder.
If I put my little finger on top of any other two fingers, even if it feels like there is...

Removing paint from rock.

feeds@yuku.com (Gremlin) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:52:19 GMT

Over the last month i've removed a ball of surveyors tape the size of my head from various tourist tracks up one of my favorite mountains. Imagine my anger and disappointment when we took the scenic route down to discover that some muppet has decided to put a spot of yellow paint every two meters along the tourist highway (along with a few stupid deviations, def. not NP&WS).

Any tips on how to get the stuff off, it's a big eyesore...

Woody construction

feeds@yuku.com (lextmb) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:33:42 GMT

With a mind to constructing a woody of my own I have a few questions.

Are there any minimum size requirements to make construction worthwhile - I was thinking 3 sheets of ply one above the other (3.6m I think) at a simple 45 degree overhang.

Can anyone reccomend a good source for raw materials, specifically plywood? Also, can I get T-nuts anywhere other than on the cliffhanger website?

Is it necessary to use marine grade ply, or will generic (and cheaper)...

DMM to replicate BD cam design

feeds@yuku.com (rightarmbad) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:45:26 GMT

http://www.dmmclimbing.co...asp?nid=216&ngroup=1
I love it when patents expire.......

Now if they do the same with the now expired Alien patent, coupled those with the alloy offsets and the new brass offsets, you could build a complete DMM super rack.
I have no doubt given their expertise with...

cleaning climbing gear

feeds@yuku.com (travellingwillbury) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:01:08 GMT

Hi guys,,,, I've just returned from climbing in Tonsai, thailand.. Has anyone got any tips for cleaning gear. All my express sets are looking like they have been sitting in the ocean for a few years. I was thinking on washing them in hot soapy water and then some sort of lube for the quick draws....

cheers

Tell me you're kidding... A womens rope?!?

feeds@yuku.com (hotgemini) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:36:09 GMT

Was flicking through the tendon website, debating which ropes I'd order next from the wonderful steve hawkshaw at his excellent store www.climbinganchors.com.au (shameless aren't I?) and came across this gem

Tendon 10.1 "women's edition"

Check it out, a womens climbing rope. Firstly, the...

Danger: Rope-worn quickdraw biners

feeds@yuku.com (manacubus) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:33:45 GMT

I'd never really thought about this issue too much. I know that my gear in some cases is looking similar to this...

Anyway Black Diamond have done some testing and have come up with the following:

The amount of...

Big-Bro's

feeds@yuku.com (damodamodamo) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 13:24:44 GMT

Wondering what the most useful size big bro is... i seem to remember always seeing the blue one getting used. Don't want one big enough for chimneys, just one for off-widths...

maybe this is a stupid question... but please share your thoughts.

Cheers.

Rubber bands on quickdraws/slings

feeds@yuku.com (rightarmbad) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:51:47 GMT

Summary: Beware using open slings and securing the carabiner(s) with rubber bands or some other kind of 'keeper'. They can get themselves in a insta-fail position.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=46912

Already posted on other forums, but not yet seen hear, I have personally never even considered this.
Food for thought.

Edit to fix linky...

the NEW black.

feeds@yuku.com (Pt Zell) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:47:51 GMT

Saw two of these set ups on Wednesday afternoon.

I'm not sure you can call this redundant, backed up, protected or possibly even a photo.

The dynamic rope is tied to the ring with an 8 then down over the edge. There is no rope protectors. then again I couldn't see far enough down to see what was further down. I don't remember seeing an orance rope on the ground below. The tails seems to have a screwgate attached after passing through a second ring then...