mwills

ok, these questions are for any of you ID MK1 MK3 tent owners/users: one or two doors? i know the second door is a "mini-door" which adds 5oz. is this only useful for ventilation, or is it a functional door? snorkel vents - one or two? at only 1oz it seems like a light way to increase the ventilation of the tent.

if i were to do it over again and buy one helmet it would be the petzl ecrin roc. although a bit on the heavy side it is a workhorse - made very well, adjusts easily, headlamp stays put, etc. same goes for the edelrid - a very simple design (not much to go wrong in the field). the elios seems like a nice helmet and is lighter than the ecrin. i wasn't impressed with the adjustment system on this helmet - seems too fragile . i would stay away from the meteor . these types of helmets tend to be less comfortable than suspension style hemets. also, the meteor would likely have to be retired before either the ecrin or elios. so if i were to have one helmet - it would be the ecrin roc (or edelrid). instead i have the half-dome and can't wait to get rid of it. the adjustment system is a joke .

quote: Originally posted by Beck: but down side of suspension system, and why I call "mank" - fixed torso length, low tech materials, no thermoforming comfort there either. can't loan it to wife to carry heavy load.Also , hipbelt a biggun, lots of cush ala 70's style, but THERMOFORM would take his maxipad hipbelt into the 21st century. He says you don't need (or even want?) load lifters, i call BULLSHIT. sorry beck, i would have to disagree with you here. load lifters, or load stabilizers, are not necessary on ALL packs - only those where the load extends above your shoulders. for dan's line of packs this is only the case in one model - the alpine II. it does have a "load lifter" of sorts, but it is incorporated in the shoulder strap. if you look closely at the pictures of the packs: pack pictures you will see that the harness system for the alpine II is different than that for the SARC series. the SARC packs are sized to a specific torso length, and the load stops at shoulder level. in the SARC series, a correctly sized pack that has been packed correctly - load lifters aren't necessary. in this design, the should straps function as the load stabilizers. so, in short - load stabilizers on alpine packs (where the load stops at shoulder level) allow these packs to fit a range of torso lengths - by placing an attachment point (the load stabilizers) where the shoulder straps SHOULD be. as for the waist belt, true, it is simple and only made of some nylon and a sleeping pad. however, for what it supposed to do - take the load off your shoulders and distribute EVENLY on your hips - it works better than any thermoform belt out there.

if you want to buy one crampon i'd vote for the sabertooth. though a bit on the heavy side (34oz), they can be used for everything - moderate/steep ice, snow slogging, mixed. you will see gadd pulling m10 or some weekend warrior front-pointing up the pearly gates. step-in, new matic, or strap-on - that is up to you. depends on the assortment of boots/shoes you plan to where. if you only wear boots that are step-in compatible, get step-ins. i've never heard of the toe-bail "failing". i've seen crampons attached incorrectly, sized wrong, or bails that didn't match the welt on the boot - but no failures.

i too have one of those fancy mchale packs - best packs made, period . i have the super SARC and will be getting a zero SARC in the next year. they do look a bit analogue compared to the new space-age packs but load up one of his larger packs with 70lbs and you will become a believer. take a look at one and turn it inside out - look at the workmanship. an abundance of stitching - most seams on the pack could hold the weight of the full pack, whereas some companys have trouble doing this with the haul loop. go to his shop (with your checkbook), load up a a pack and get your order in so you can have it before next summer .

here is a vote for the valdez. packs well, carries well, climbs well and is cute-to-boot. would have liked tool tubes on this pack as well but i manage.

quote: The weather looked good, and I was cleared through the higher authorities (new wife)!!! what happened to the old one bone? hey, nice job again on stuart!

here is another fairly recent tr .

i have a brand new pair of Karhu Bardini skis (unmounted) for sale. Here are the specs: construction: Cap construction, single camber, fullmetal edge weight: 3700 g length: 200 cm sidecut: 94-72-84 looking for $70 obo . also, i have a pair of la sportiva megas. these have only been used a couple times - too big for me. size is 41. $55 obo . i live in portland, but will be in seattle this weekend and again midweek. pm me with any questions. cheers. matt

anyone done it? attempts? suggested bivy spots? what do you suggest for the route - climb se face of torment, traverse, up wr of forbidden, and descend wr? i remember glancing at the route in kroese's book but the details are vague. i suppose i could get it straight from the horse's mouth at pro mountain, but then i would probably have to buy something . anyways, i'll get my beckey guide out when i get home and should have more questions. cheers

for a comparison of sizes/weights/price of most manufacturers, check out these links: by size by manufacturer i eyeballed a few of the ranges/weights with manufacturers specs and they agreed. great info - this guy had too much free time [ 08-06-2002, 12:25 PM: Message edited by: mwills ]

partner has other plans this weekend and i must get out . would be up for pretty much anything from a moderate alpine rock route to a marathon sufferfest (no snow slogs ): anything on forbidden, washington pass (liberty crack), etc. could be persuaded if you have something else in mind - even some lounging at index. help me out here - have to head back to the flatlands in 2 weeks. live in portland, so p-town folks don't be shy. pm me if you are interested. cheers. matt

check this thread for info on the trango s - this boot rocks. as for the garmont towers - check this site, they have them in stock but not sure about sizes. quote: Originally posted by Keith: Because they are Gore-Tex there is no breaki-in period. sounds like something i heard at REI.

as a follow up: went with the trango s. i've been wearing them like they are going out of style. getting some wierd looks from the urban outdoorsy type here in portland . hits: - light, at 2lb 10 oz they are about 1/2 the weight of your average mtneering boot (but still much heavier than the garmont tower). - sole: great rocker sole. good rubber. great for edging with no fold over. easy to resole. - lots of support and protection for the weight - especially around the forefoot. - very breathable. with no waterproof membrane in the boot you won't have to worry about trench foot. the dri-lex lining seems to help in pulling moisture out of the boot. - good lacing system with no hardware - nice to have if you plan on jamming these into a crack -only $225 retail. do a little looking and you should be able to find them much cheaper. misses: - no waterproof membrane. i'd be weary of too many stream crossings in this boot. be sure to apply some good silicon repellent. - red? screams gumby. very obnoxious out of the box but should fade into a nice pink with time - rand could be a little higher on the side of the boot. this would add some durability and water tightness - get some real insoles so, with that said i think these will be great boots. overall, a great boot at a reasonable price. the next test is to see how well the many seams on the boot hold up. as an aside: i also have the trango plus and i can say that they will spend the remainder of their life in the closet .

talked to lambone on friday before i left for the weekend. he was heading up glacier - with two girls: his fiance and one of her friends. anyone else heard any news? matt

i'll have to disagree with a few people on this one. i say make your own gear. spend a couple hundred and get a nice walking-foot machine that can pound through multiple layers of 1000 denier and have some fun. try to pm Ibex, he made a pack last year. very nice light alpine pack - ~3000 cu in. analogue in style, but functional and carried nicely - very mchale looking. rumor has it, he made it as a gift for his finace (now wife) but it turned out so good he kept it for himself . from what he said it didn't take much time, and what you gain from making the pack is worth it.

i agree, multiple lighters is the way to go (twight says so ) - put them in your lid, one in each jacket pocket, and one with the stove. be sure you get the clear plastic so you aren't guessing when it might die.

climbed it a couple weeks ago. 4th class gully stilled filled with snow to gain the ridge. as usual, carry water on the ridge as there is little snow melt to be had. the ridge is straight forward. as for the descent, aim for an obvious notch below the false summit - then up and over onto the cascadian. as lambone said, there will be steep snow at the top of the cascadian which could be icy. take the longs pass trail to shorten the walk back to the car - the trail will dissipate into a creek bed. have a good time. cheers.

schoeller dynamic - although more expensive than deet it works. i sat at the belays on dragontail this weekend and watched dozens of mosquitoes tip-toeing around on my legs with no luck. that along with a microfiber windshirt and i was pretty well covered.

anyone have any opinions on either of these boots?? both seem to be great cascade boots. kayland multitraction la sportiva trango s i did have a chance to try on the trango s: - super-light (1/2 weight of nepal top/extreme) - semi-rigid sole - similar to the trango plus, however unlike the trango plus it has a great rocker sole. - suprisingly supportive for being so light. they seem like they would climb just as well as the trango pluses, but would be much more enjoyable on the approaches. although i'm not sure about the water-tightness of the trango s - many seams. not to mention the red looks a bit obnoxious (grey not available). i would be curious to hear about the multitraction from kayland. what do you think?

i'm interested - check your PMs.

texplorer - check your PMs.

quote: They need to get the Libery Ridge out of "50 Classic Climbs". Too many yahoos totally underestimate that climb. because they are from Pennsylvania - that makes them yahoos???? c'mon david, because you are from WA doesn't make you any more qualified or experienced than the next guy. the kid was hit in the head with a rock - there was nothing he could have done. next time bite your tongue until you have some facts to back your stupid comments . you too dennis .

quote: The bigger news regarding grivel products is the G14 crampon. Without a doubt the best designed hard alpine crampon I've ever seen. i'm curious as to why you think this - please elaborate . jayb - do you need a set of mixte (mixed) picks for those new light machines? i have two that have not been used and would be willing to sell cheap . while they may not seem as "surgical" as the cascade picks, you won't have to worry about breaking one. Also, I have a set of rambocomps that i would be willing to part with. if interested name a price.

hey dru, do you have the address for the warehouse? i can't seem to find any address except for the factory. making a trip up to mec so it looks like i'll be stopping here also . matt