Coldfinger

Well I didn't want to spend a boatload of $$ on rope and didn't want to carry more rope than I needed weight wise and rope clutter wise. Problem with a cheap but good 50m rope is either you can only rap 25m, or you have to buy another rope for $$$$ and 50m raps. The folks just explained how I could rig 40m raps (with either 5mm cord or a 7.7mm climbing rope), which is usually just fine length wise. And now I can rig 30m raps with the Rando! PM Sent!

Not really thread drift at all here's why: All I had for ice/alpine was a 30m Beal Rando 7.7mm. I had found a very light 50m Sterling Nano 9.2mm for $130, and wanted to know could a 50m single rope work? I wanted to test the "conventional wisdom" that the only way to go alpine/ice multipitch was to haul around 60m or 70m or longer ropes or sets of ropes. Plus I'm not sold on twins for CLIMBING (love for rapping), i.e. high impact forces, hard to handle/belay with two skinny ropes with gloves, freezing conditions etc. Part of that was cost, i.e. Sterling Nano 9.2 60m=$205, 70m=$235, 70m bicolor $285 + Beal Ice Twin $189.95 60m/$219.95 70m, or a pair of Twins $379.90 60m, $439.90 70m. Part was weight i.e. for every meter of rope a penalty. Just seemed a little silly to spend some serious $$ on a titanium pot and count grams with every biner and piece of gear (and leave a lot of pro behind), and then haul around pounds of extra rope. A nice upside of Wallstein's method is I'll have 10m marks on either end of the 50m rope thanks to my sharpie, which is always good info for both partners. That and I can use the Rando or a cheap 30m section of pullcord ($25) to get to 40m or pair the pullcord and Rando for a very light 30m rappel set up (1530g). What folks here have offered are ways to get around that "conventional wisdom" at little cost and not too bad a penalty in rap length. WELL DONE!

True but I still disagree and velcro is more trustworthy than a zipper, besides I don't think that MacGyver ever escaped anything with a zipper. Had a pair of zipper gaiters and hated them, velcro lets one get a nice snug custom fit. I guess I just don't see the advantage of taking what would normally be a double boot and making the zipper the outer fastening, especially if you are someone like me who beats the hell out of his footwear. Well anyway it's not like I'll ever have the $$ to own a pair!

That what you get for using a zipper for feet, we all know where zippers belong, besides I can always do all sorts of other things like kill like a ninja or hang myself (that's why jail has slippers) with my shoelaces. Seriously, IMHO boots are so important, especially if its a specialized boot for high altitude and arctic temps, that laces are the only safe option (perhaps aside from ski boot buckles).

Genius! Think I'll do a little experimenting before I whip out the sharpie and mark that spot...... Guess I'll get 30m of thin pull cord and either pair it with the old Rando or use that trick with the 50m Nano. Thanks everyone!

Try the Bozeman ice festival in a few weeks! Hard to find that much good guide instruction at those prices,

Just wanted to thank Dane for all the help and encouragement, I'll be going leashless and got a pretty sweet Grivel setup thanks to his advice and generosity. Anyhow my new sticks are below, let's see what you all have come up with in modifying stock tools. Stoked!

Thanks! I'm finding the hardest part of ordering from Canada is getting them to answer their damn email......

Howdy, I am contemplating an order directly from a Canadian gear manufacturer and was wondering what customs are like with imports to the US. Thanks!

All I have to say about this kind of glove is this: They don't even come close to cutting it if you're doing pipefitting work outside in a Wyoming winter. One part doesn't breathe, one part isn't windproof or waterproof and the whole thing isn't well insulated.

Got both of those here in Wyo, just cracks me up that folks will spend $$$$$$$$$$$ on boots, pons, tools, ropes, screws, etc. etc., go leashless and save $15 on gloves. Could be wrong (often am), but if rock climbers feel big $$ well spent where the rubber hits the stone, think I'd want best gloves possible. Then again I really do have a coldfinger, need good gloves!

Got the MH Torsion for $30 from them too.

Saw a Bibler eVent proto last year. ... Do tell, details!!!!! ...

Not to be ridiculous but....I've got the answers to THE BURNING QUESTION with the Matrix and Quantum tools. Q Can I remove the accordeon on the shaft? A Yes, a little grunting and it slides down. Surprisingly, according to my local postmaster and her very accurate postal scale each accordeon weighs a whopping 0.7 ounces (20 grams). As to why Grivel did these I have no idea, seems to serve little function, but those Italians are stylish, so that's my answer. BTW the head looks like this:

Is that Esprit rope dynamic? Not thread drift at all y'all, definitely getting me thinking about what kind of system I'll eventually be using rope-wise. Thanks again! At the very least you've helped me figure out what to do with the Rando, think I'll be finding a 25m to 30m piece of pull cord, probably pretty skinny. No point in wasting $$ on another Rando. Thanks for the beta on the 6mm Wallstein. Seems like the Mammut Pro Cord might be a good but expensive option too, got the 6mm for a cordelette, it's definitely stiffer than perlon, had to do a short rap on one strand of it and it was just fine. This might be drift but gotta say the DMM Bugette is pretty sweet on the super skinny threads.

The colors are irrelevant to kind of fabric as are the logos. A while back BD changed the logos from Bibler to BD and also shipped production off to China (big surprise). Bibler logo tents will be several years old (even if new) now. Otherwise they are the same (except being imported). They never have and probably never will use eVent, visually there is no difference between FR and nonFR fabric, but I believe it's labeled differently. The two different treatments are why there are sometimes considerable differences in listed weights between the same model tent (the Tempest is an example of this) on different vendors webpages.

Well keep talking guys, found a deal on a Sterling Nano 9.2mm I couldn't pass up.....

Sweet thread guys! Thanks and keep it up...... Would anyone use a 4mm cord since it is just there for pulling the rope? What do you use: a 5 or 6mm or something else?

I hear ya both, my titanium pot is giving me the evil eye!

Yeah that Ice Twin cord has always had me ...! That's one reason I bought my Rando...... Have the 9.4 Stinger and LOVE it for rock, the problem is that's the only rope I have and I will NOT use a rock cord anywhere near picks and pons. So, being broke I need to find SOMETHING to climb on for the upcoming ice season and eventually alpine too. Can't afford two twins, but can barely afford a 50m 9.2 Sterling Nano for $145. The twins go for $160 on up each. I've always climbed ice on one line, so that doesn't bother me one bit, easier to belay too. The funny part is I'm always spending $$ to save weight (example=titanium pot), but this is less money and 18 ounces savings.

Not sure I can afford a 70m, nevermind 70m of 5.5 spectra cord! What's the weight per meter of the 6mm perlon? Can get a 50m 9.2 for $145 tho. What's rapping on 6mm like and how do you set up the ropes and pull on rappel? Already got a Beal Rando and LOVE it but it is a little short!

Yeah I can get a 50m twin rope cheap or just use 6mm cord when I want to have longer raps, seems like rope drag becomes a major issue the longer the pitch and the more it wanders. Thanks!

Thanks! I listed them in order, $$ talks bs walks!

Most folks bring a small shovel (link below) when either backcountry skiing (aka off-piste) in avalanche country (they'll also bring an avalanche beacon (not to be confused with a PLB) and maybe a probe) or winter camping (tent platforms, caves, etc.). Some folks carry saws but not many, shovels can do most things a saw can and one can use a ski pole, ski or cord to cut snow when block testing avalanche conditions. I mention this as I can't think of anyone who doesn't bundle this stuff. Shovel: http://www.backcountry.com/voile-xlm-shovel Beacon: http://www.backcountry.com/pieps-freeride-avalanche-beacon PLB: http://www.backcountry.com/acr-sarlink-view-406-personal-locator-beacon Probe: http://www.backcountry.com/black-diamond-quickdraw-guide-probe-300

Been thinking about picking up a 50 meter 9.2mm instead of a 60 meter mainly for ice and alpine because: 1. It's cheaper 2. It's 18 ounces lighter 3. I guess it'd be more compact and easier to handle. 4. It'd only be less than 10 meters shorter if I brought another rope for rapping. 5. Most ice and alpine routes don't require 60 meter raps (or even 30 meters) a ton or at all. Any thoughts?