ambys

I'm considering launching a gear review site for people to review and evaluate all sorts of outdoor gear. Reviews would be made in the form of categorized blog entries (i.e. clicking "Crampons" would bring you to a list of all crampon reviews, written by various authors who've reviewed various products). There would be a bulletin board as well, through which any user of the site could comment on the review and the equipment that it evaluates. I like this idea because it keeps the site structured and somewhat professional, but also allows all users to contribute their thoughts. Right now I'm looking for people who would be interested in writing the "blog" type review posts. Any takers?

I'm interested... $500 is steep for me right now but I'm definitely looking into it. Is yours the regular (6') or long (6'6") version? Thanks, ambys

Well, I can say that it works great on the GPS I've got in my car. Since my first use it's never taken more than five seconds to pinpoint me.

FYI, this is more type of thing I had in mind. http://www.trackstick.com/ TrackStick Battery Life: 5-7 days Waypoints: ~4,000 at timed intervals. No screen or in-field features. The new SirfIII chipsets allow GPS receivers to save a lot of battery life because they remember where the satellites were even after the unit is turned off. Acquisition time is therefore significantly lowered. I would take my Palm TX out in the field and write custom software, but I don't think that it would operate at such extreme temperatures. The Track Stick looks as though it may be a good bet.

Data logging! What I want to do is bring a GPS with me that will simply log the waypoints of an extended trip, so that I can send it to my PC for reference when I get back. I don't need any navigational features (heck, I don't even need a screen!), but long battery life is a must for extended trips. I have a Palm TX and a bluetooth GPS module, so if necessary I could write some software that will do the trick (I knew that comp sci degree would come in handy ), but I thought I'd see if there's anything on the market that's suited for this purpose. Does anybody know of anything? Ambys

Nice post, but I chuckled at this

This is one of the few cases where a dog's IQ is higher than those of its owners.

I'm really glad you made this thread; I've had my own thoughts brewing ever since the December incident and I'm absolutely furious with the media coverage and portrayal of the climbing community. The broad suggestion that climbers be billed for rescues as a general practice is absolutely naive and if it were implemented would yield catastrophic consequences. First of all, let's not forget that SAR teams are run by volunteers; these are people who go out willingly looking to help other climbers. They're all climbers themselves, and they wouldn't be doing the SAR if they didn't believe in the cause, so the argument that you're putting them at risk holds no water, because they are there by their own volition not only as a member of a SAR team, but on a per-incident basis. Second, are we genuinely prepared to deny rescue coverage to those who can't afford it--whether their mistakes result from stupidity or just bad luck? I acknowledge that a mountaineering accident is not inherently analogous to a housefire, but if some idiot leaves the stove on overnight and his house burns down, it's not like the fire department isn't going to put it out. Third, do we really want to legislate a measure that will convince stranded climbers not to call for help? When somebody is literally in a life-and-death situation, do we really want them weighing the pros and cons before attempting to contact a rescue team? When I go climbing or mountaineering, I acknowledge the risks as best I can and accept the consequences of those that I take. Even when I have a locater beacon with me, I never take a risk that I wouldn't take without it. But if I do have a beacon with me and I find myself in a dire position, why in the world would I not use it? Going back to argument #1, the authorities and rescuers can and will decide for themselves whether or not to come get me. If there's a bad storm, they're going to wait it out anyway. I see absolutely nothing wrong with initiating a rescue, regardless of why it became necessary, so long as it is indeed necessary. Lastly, from an economic standpoint, "if it ain't broke..." It's not as if large sums of our hard-earned tax dollars are being redirected from critical national security measures. A friend at YOSAR told me that even when the military is involved directly that they don't mind helping out in the least. It's good PR, it's good practice for their helicopter pilots, and the expense within the defense budget is negligable. If people genuinely believe that climbers ought to be billed for rescues, then those people need to make their case, because frankly I don't see it.

I too am doing Denali this summer. When are you thinking about doing Hood?

Two years ago I was on the Easton Glacier and my buddy's Verizon cell... I think it was a razor... had zero service; I can't speak as to whether or not service has improved. That said, service is a lot more dependent on the carrier than the phone you use; though some phones may be slightly better than others, it really comes down to whether or not there are towers for your carrier in whatever area you're in. The G'zOne is great in terms of durability, but don't expect to have any improved signal, regardless of where you are.

Do you know if those crampons will fit the Scarpa Invernos?

Thanks so much, guys. I really appreciate the advice!

Thanks for the quick reply, guys! I'm looking at the "Denali" liner ( http://www.intuitionsports.com/page127.htm ). Would this be suitable and would you recommend it, or is there another one that would be better? Also, where's the best place to buy this stuff. Unfortunately I live out on the east coast, so internet is my only option. Thanks, ambys

Hi everyone, I recently acquired a pair of Scarpa Invernos on eBay and I really like them. They're the perfect combination of sturdy and flexible for my feet. My problem is that I am going to Denali this summer and I fear that the factory insoles will not be warm enough. I'm aware that there seems to be a warmer "aveolite" foam liner, but I can't find any place that stocks them, local or on the internet. Does anybody know where I can find these said liners? Or something that would achieve a similar ends? Many thanks in advance, ambys