boatskiclimbsail

If I recall correctly, the comparison stated they had the same elongation, so more stretch as a result of a lower impact force is not an issue. I think the intent was to see if climbers understood that a smaller number is better when talking about forces. There is an advertising phenomenon where consumers will buy something because there are higher numbers on the package, weather they mean anything or not.

PRG is building a brand spankin new gym on NE 12th and Burnside. They have the building completed and the steel forms up but no climbing surface as yet. Gary tells us it will be finished by the end of the year. Higher lead walls, more climbing wall, and more bouldering as well but the ration of climbing to bouldering should be getting a little better. Tell him Kevin sent you, maybe I'll get a deal

Coming from an east coast backwoods environment, I will agree black bears are more or less tame unless you really piss them off. There are several places in the 'daks I have camped that are visited by the same group of bears every night because there is always some dumb*ss who doesn't tie up their food correctly. I've come eye to eye with the things on a few occasions and they usually are the first to run (though it isnt long before I am as well!) I have't yet had the pleasure of running into a brown bear.

Ive led WI5 in a pair of Garmont GSMs. Make sure they go in walk mode and think about loosening the buckles one or two clicks. They take step in makos just fine. I've climbed in Koflach Degrees and Arctis Expes and the big drawbacks are weight and the stiffness of the liner around the ankles. Hard to do moves where your foot has to move like it's in a rock shoe. They also are much less comfy to hike in if you are aproaching by foot/showshoe but if you have AT boots I am assuming you are skiing in anyhow, lol. I would imagine when you get into boots like the DenaliXT then it would be damn near impossible to climb anything hard at all but some of the softer Lowas and any touring boot should be just fine. When I took beginners out they were able to get up easy to moderate ice in alpine/DH boots, with _no_ flexibility at all, but like it was mentioned earlier, WI3 is about the limit if you can't move your feet.

Big. Burly. Definately not a "wear around town in the rain" jacket, but will keep you bone dry in the worst downpour you will ever be in. Hood covers extremely well, though looks like a giant cube has eaten your head when looking from behind. Ive done hard vertical ice in it, ski'd steep tele stuff in it, despite being so bulky it follows your movements well. I've worn just the parka shell by itself to keep my tshirt or whatever dry for the destination, and she breathes very well also. The DWR has worn off almost completely on mine (4 years old) but it doesn't get much heavier and is still watertight. I had to do one seam tape repair last year but that was hassle free. Very well made jacket. A tad pricy.

I am an EE that designs SAR devices for aircraft, the case design / waterproofing / shock takes a _lot_ of money and is the biggest pain in the butt besides intermod... The electronics in the analog beacons is like third year Rf class material and the digital just adds a microprocessor on top of that, wouldn't be too much harder. The problem comes with reliability. I would rather pay $300 than spend weeks developing one of my own that I would have to be sure would function after being tossed around for a few days and then buried in such extreme conditions. My $0.02

The technology has been around for decades and it is a requirement for aircraft in most countries to have one on board. I design ELTs for a living (the aircraft ones), and my company shudders to think of the horrors caused by allowing cel-phone armed hikers to use them as a rescue device.

Kevin is new to the west coast and has a need for serious ice and big snow in the winter. Your car or mine?