A_Little_Off_Route

I grew up trad climbing in Australia in the 90s where bolts were something only occasionally seen as a rap anchor and the standard rack looked like this: 2-3 sets of nuts 1 Full set of slung hexes up to #9 or #10 3-6 cams Lots of knotted slings and loose biners I recall only once or twice seeing tricams hanging on a rack and wondering WTF are those things. I've played with them in the shop once or twice but have never climbed with anyone that uses them. On the interwebs it seems there are TWO opinions. There are those who use them and love them (and have an odd affinity towards the color pink) and there are those that HAVE NOT USED them and don't like them. My question: I know there are many supporters, but is there anyone out there THAT HAS USED THEM and decided after using them for a while THEY DON'T LIKE THEM? If you used them and didn't like them, and ended up ditching them from your rack, tell us why. Everyone else seems to be converted once they drink the pink Kool-Aid..... Off_Route Note: accidentally posted this in the wrong forum section. Mods have been notified and hopefully it can be moved. Apologies!

I also have the book "Weekend rock". It's great for planning routes exactly as you describe. 5.0-5.10 within a few hours drive of seattle is the scope of the book. I've found that some of the topos or photos are a little incomplete for keeping you on route for a climb that you may not have done before but most are good enough. It's certainly a great planning book and once you decide which areas you like you could supplement it with other more detailed books for your chosen area. Off_Route

That's like saying you like being slow and fat. No one really likes being slow and fat, even if they claim they do. Take less gear, climb faster. Speed is safety. Perhaps I'm in denial but I don't think so. I took advantage of a bit of good weather yesterday and spend 3 hours making complex placements and refining gear skills at ground level. Didn't hate it at all.... Also, if what you say is true that nobody likes placing gear, then it must also be true that leading sucks and that we all wish were seconding or toproping all the time. That way we can climb real fast and never place any gear. Different strokes for different folks I say. If you like to speed-climb up a route with only 5 pieces for the whole thing, then knock yourself out. Me? I'd rather be jug-hauling up the 6th pitch of a classic with a backpack full of ham sammiches trying to coax bomber placements out of a rock that doesn't want to give them up. Off_Route

Awesome! Can you give me some specifics about each? ie what's different between them, what you like and don't like about each? Unfortunately Yates's website only has the one picture so it's hard to see what's going on. Questions: 1: Are there any accessory loops, (like a daisy chain) on the shoulders themselves? 2: How many separate loops are there on the free harness and how are they arranged? 3: Does either harness get in the way of 24" runners over the shoulder? Thanks! Off_Route PS. I worship your signature. :-)

Doubles of what? Cams? No my friend (pun intended) my rack looks nothing like you suggest. 1 set of peenuts 2 sets of trango (now rock empire) nuts 1 set of HB alloy offset nuts 1 full set of hexes (want to get) the new DMM hexes (I'm always running out of hexes) 1 beat up #1 camalot that I got from Ebay 2 beat up U-stem #2 camalots 2 4" forged friends (if the crack looks wide enough) DMM 4CUs #1 #1.25 #1.5 and #3 Sometimes I also take my 20year old nut set that was made in the Ukraine (missing 1 nut) just because they're shaped so funky they are a challenge to place. So far I'm really not liking the smaller DMM cams and don't use them much but I still take them along hoping that I'll get to like them more. Off_Route

Need to? If we're going to talk need, then I could just take the stairs instead of climb..... Perhaps you missed the part where I said I like complex placements and LIKE placing lots of gear. Off_Route

Part of the fun for me when climbing trad is placing gear. I like doing it, I like complex placements, and I like carrying LOTS of gear. Admittedly more than I need, but as I say, it's part of the fun for me. With all that crap hanging off my harness it makes me feel like the young kids these days with their pants drooping and their underwear showing. I think it's time to start racking on a shoulder rack. I've tried the over 1 shoulder ones, and hate them. They slide around too much for me. I've experimented with a double shoulder one I made with 1" webbing and knots and the concept worked. I see Yates has 2 nice chest racks (also can be used as chest harnesses). Yates Chest Racks Anyone have experience with them? The big wall rack looks like it has lots of loop options, but also looks a little huge and might feel restrictive. The free rack looks less restrictive but only has 1 loop on each side. Thoughts? Any other makers of good double shoulder racks I should look at? Off_Route

As a crack addict I used to tape knuckles when they bled but I recently read about the idea of a "tape glove." Might have to give that a try. What's the best tape? I work in medicine and there a about a million types. What do you use? Off_Route

I'll take the DMM shield biners. PM me with the info. BTW, why sell such cool biners? What didn't you like about them? It's okay, you can tell me, I'll still buy them. ;-)

Cool. What's the levanworth guide called? Who's the author? Off_Route

For a year now I have been a faithful second and belay slave, occasionally venturing out onto the sharp end of the rope. I have saved my pennies and now have enough of a trad rack (and enough skill) to go out as the leader! Now I need my own guidebooks. What are the essential guidebooks for this area? I like to climb at Vantage, Levanworth, and would try Bellingham or Anacortes, or other suggestions. Which are the best guidebooks? Off_Route

Since I got back into rock climbing my addiction has reawakened. I'm clearly not going to make it through the winter without climbing. I've been buying as much gear as I can but this only provides momentary relief. I need rock. Where can one climb around here in the winter? Vantage? Or is that too cold. Smith Rock? (long drive) Levanworth is snowed in I would think... Help! A_Little_Off_Route PS Cheers

I've been thinking about this idea for a while but can't seem to wrap my brain around the exact physics of it. It seems like a really good idea but I defer to y'all now. Imagine you are anchored to the ground belaying your partner (a solid 5.9 leader) on lead up a 5.12C above you because he is "Off_Route". You have a locking biner with your stich plate, grigri, ATC etc clipped to your belay loop as normal. Your parner flirts with a fall above... My idea is: instead of clipping your atc through a locker straight to your belay loop what about clipping it to one end of a screamer and the other end to your belay loop via another locking biner. My theory is that as your parner takes a whipper and you brake the belay the screamer would activate and absorb 2-5kn of the fall. My question is: does absorbing 2-5kn at the belay translate to a useful reduction is forces at the top protection piece (which is really where we want to reduce forces). I know that a belayer jumping up can reduce forces in a fall, and I figure this would be simmilar, but I never really undestood how that worked. If it works it would be a way to make every belay safer by only adding one screamer instead of one at each piece as is traditionially done. The big problem I see is as it activates your belay plate is now 12" further from your loop. A non issue for gri-gri users but might be an issue for more traditional belay plates. What do you think? A_Little_Off_Route