korup

Yates does a great job; not local, but very fast if you tell 'em it is urgent... http://www.yatesgear.com/climbing/slings/index.htm#9

From the FAQ, CCH is currently working on implementing an ISO 9000 quality management system. To prevent this specific issue we are pull testing every brazed cable to the specified strength rating. You can verify that the new CCH Alien cams manufactured after January 2006 have completed cable pull testing by locating an "L", "U" or "N" punch on the head of the cam. We have also implemented new jig testing to verify that Alien cams meet specified tolerances. The fact that they are *working on implementing* ISO 9000 and *implementing* tests of their tolerances for manufacture means (IMHO) that ALL earlier cams are HIGHLY suspect. I am not trying to troll, I just think folks need to seriously think about what this means for whatever is on their rack....

Hehehe. Well, I never did purchase any for the reasons I stated above. I am thinking more about whether or not partners will pull 'em.....

Do people still plan on climbing with their non-recalled Aliens? I know I now have little/no faith in any of 'em. My life is worth more than a reverse engineered monkey-ass product that has a poor safety record and very poor QA/QC. Yeah, yeah, I know I can dispose of them at addresses X,Y, and Z....

well, damn, they are in LARAMIE, what can we really expect? Colorado Custom Hardware Inc. 115 Lyon Street Laramie, WY 82072 USA

"living with style" is tongue in cheek, I suspect?

Mention "intestinal parasites" and there will be no follow up questions, guaranteed.

dood, not twobee an arse-whole, butt your speling suxs! Sweet TR, thanks!

I've had my (pre-update) beacon on search, in the freezer, for 3hrs, and the batteries were down from 100% to 35%. Warmed back to room temp, they were at 65%. If you need to search for more than that amount of time, something is very, very wrong...!

I think you can design a scenario (trees, rocks, etc) when snowshoes are better, but 95% of the time, it is no contest. Snowshoes are clunky and ineffecient. How many of the folks advocating snowshoes have spent significant time on a good pair of BC skis? Arguing that shoeshoes are better/easier/faster than skinning is just funny....

My boots are a Garmont 30.5 (12.5 - 13) and the Fritschi Titanal III's they are on are very, very near the back of the adjustment rail. I am not sure they'd even go back enough for a 15....

Man, what happened to Marmot? sad, really. You'd expect REI to drop something like that, but Marmot? grrrrr.

The Time-Warner connection was new to me, did some googling, and found- "The fees they ask for are a great value as a customer and as a partner," said David Perry, vice president with Aspen Skiing Co., which paid the movie company around $50,000 to include its Snowmass ski area in the latest Miller flick, "Impact." Andy Wirth, vice president of marketing for Steamboat and The Canyons in Utah, said Miller's brand "carries a great deal of credibility and is really a key device in jolting people into thinking about skiing." http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041115/NEWS/411150302/1011/BUSINESS So, it is far, far worse than I expected....

I think every year gets worse and worse. There used to be reasonably subtle product views. Now, there is a gratuitous Jeep or granola bar in every possible shot. Not to mention the voice-overs, cooing about the amenities of Resort X, straight from the promo brochure/marketing department. Yes, I felt insulted last year, paying to be assaulted by a sales brouchure? The Alaska money-shot sequences almost make up for it though... BTW, the TGR film is touring too (Seattle, 11/3) and should be a good contrast!

Yates gear reslings any cams for way cheap, $4-5, very fast. I sent 4, spent more on shipping and insurance than the total cost. You can pick colors, nylon, spectra, etc. Just resling 'em all; I had several that were sketching me out, and now they are brand-spankin' new... http://www.yatesgear.com/climbing/slings/index.htm#9

Yates gear reslings any cams for way cheap, $4-5, very fast. I sent 4, spent more on shipping and insurence than the total cost. You can pick colors, nylon, spectra, etc. Just resling 'em all; I had several that were sketching me out, and now they are brand-spankin' new... http://www.yatesgear.com/climbing/slings/index.htm#9

Taking an ice class, one instructor showed us this setup. The other instructor then (wisely) stepped in and called him an idiot for even thinking about it, let alone teaching it in a class.

Yes, this is right up there with the magic-ice-screw-retrieval-trick (prusik on rope, then coil around screw as it turns in, rap, then pull rope and spin screw out). I suppose if I had a multipitch route to descend and only a single screw or cam, I might consider it if no other options existed. Otherwise, as Ireneo said, "neat trick" and "rap" should never be in the same sentence. Is your life worth $80?

If you want to really ski, Naxos or Fritshcis are your only option. If you want to approach, you can still use that setup, and just carry your climbing boots. Not too much weight, fun, and safe. Silvrettas are very, very spooky to ski in, assuming you like your ACL's just the way they are....

What about top-roping situations? Clearly, any belayer with two brain cells to rub together would see a problem. What if the situation is out of sight?

Very interesting thread from Aussie-land regarding rope failure(s) from cross-loaded 'biners... http://www.chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.as...mp;MsgPagePos=0

from one of ScottP's websites, oh damn, stop the plague... >Suddenly, you are out there, alone, halfway up an overhang, tethered to a >well constructed safety system, in the middle of a 200 foot cliff. You are up >where the "real climbers go". This is sport climbing. This is Via Ferrata!

If you actually wanna ski (and not just approach) then your options are Dynafits, Fritschis, or Naxos. The releases on the Silvrettas are terrible, the toe bail has no release and they are spooky as hell to ski in....

aka, smoke more weed, man!!

Is there any difference between the dynamic, sudden forces (say a leader fall) and the softer pull from rapping in slippery rock? In other words, with a leader fall, the cam lobes are suddenly set tight (breaking through surface garbage etc.), whereas rapping, it might slowly walk out of a greasy crack? Pure speculation.