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RafalA

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Everything posted by RafalA

  1. Lots around here climb on Cobras! But Nomics do make life easier
  2. Mike Lai, it sounds like you are not actually an ice climber. It is rather hard to re-design an item, or improve upon an existing design of, that you yourself don't have direct experience with, and a proper understanding of how it is used. The current crampon attachment methods - all strap, strap + heel bail, all bail - work just fine. The problem is standardization and continuity of design across manufacturers. You may wish to look into the GSb (Grivel Scarpa bail) system of a few years ago for one such idea that didn't take off. As far as using magnets to 'locate' the crampon on the boot sole, this is a good idea in theory, however your magnets would have to be incredibly strong to resist both the backward forces from kicking in the front points as well as the lateral forces exerted on side-points when torquing into cracks, or even side-stepping. You may have noticed that most crampon heel pieces have two small up-turned tabs to prevent the heel piece from sliding off the boot sole. Something similar for the front would be cool, but I am not sure how you'd implement it to work with all boot sizes and sole widths, shapes, etc. If you want to improve crampons, I'd say look into improving the front bail / boot slot interface - either by having multiple bails to fit different sized and shaped soles, or a single, adaptable, universal bail. I am open to a new attachment system, but there are a LOT of climbers, not to mention boot and crampon manufacturers you'll need to convince that it's better. If you want to design a whole new crampon, I'd like a crampon with modular front-points a la the Petzl Lynx; a front-point-section configuration similar to the Grivel Rambo 4 / BD Stinger (prominent secondary front points); the secondary points swept back, again like the Rambo / Stinger / Petzl Dart\win; tertiary points similar to the Stinger (swept back); interchangeable rear heel pieces (aluminum and steel); and, of course, a bail system similar to the Petzl Lynx that would be compatible both with bail-less 3-season alpine boots as well as fully-welted ice boots. Oh, and light weight as well. And an effective anti-bot (Grivel has the best ones). And if you could figure out a good way to switch crampons from dual to mono configuration on the fly, without tools, that'd be cool too.
  3. Damn, those picks looks sharp Dane. Make anything that improved the ice performance?
  4. Going through the rack, eliminating cams I use less than the others. No falls, all show some use but a lot of life left. All bought within the last two years. BD C3 #000 (grey) #0 (green) #1 (red) #2 (yellow) - very minimal wear - $45 each BD C4 #0.3 (blue) - a bit of use - $40 Metolius MasterCam #2 (yellow) - lightly used - $40 Fixe CCH Alien Black - like new - $60 Colour-coded DMM Phantom biners - all minimal wear or like new - 2x purple, 2x silver, 2x blue, 2x red, 1x green, 1x yellow - $5 each Yellow Camp Nano 23 - shows a fair bit of use - yellow - $3 Please PM here. Happy to ship!
  5. The best way to get ice performance from a fusion is to sell it and buy nomics Got Nomics, but am really liking the Fusions on rock... and not about to carry both for mixed Headwall missions
  6. Good to know, John! Been wanting to make the Fusions a bit better on ice :-)
  7. Just a tad. High clearance 4x4's have been routinely getting stuck by the blue bridge :-)
  8. A bit of input from a local... It has been unseasonably warm and dry for the past three weeks or so. Not much snow, no rain, etc. A lot of sun, though. We had +6 in Canmore yesterday - people were walking around in shorts. The ice is getting very sun affected, white, delaminating. It is wet everywhere. As posted above, a good chunk of Cascade fell off on Sunday, and everything else is looking similarly iffy. Current recommendations for this weekend, around WI4, (in no particular order)would be: Professors, Louise, Moonlight/Snowline, Wilson Major, Murchison, Guinness climbs (Guinness Gully, Guinness Stout, High Test). If you can get into the Ghost (which is a bit adventurous in these warm temps...) add: Kemosabe, Malignant Mushroom, Wicked Wanda, Sorcerer. Personally, Wilson Major is one of the coolest spots I've been to this year, and if avy conditions remain acceptable, I highly recommend checking it out: http://www.thealpinestart.com/2013/02/trip-report-mt-wilson-climbs/
  9. Please PM here, leave a post or e-mail rafal dot a at gmail dot com. Thanks! Cassin X-All Mountain tools, with X-Dry pommel and hex keys. In great shape, used for a few weeks but they're not my style. Picks have been gently touched up, and the shafts have some scratches from drytooling. Light, versatile tools. $320 obo 2x Camp Orbit dual-action autolockers (twist and pull). I've decided I like screwgates better. In very good shape. $7 each Outdoor Research StormTracker gloves, Men's Medium. Worn once for about 5 minutes, but my gut feeling about them being too big proved true. They're a Medium but they fit large. $60 obo Arcteryx Vertical SV gloves, Women's Small In very good shape, my wife has decided she doesn't like them. I'd keep them if my hands would fit inside! $150 obo Outdoor Research Alibi II gloves, Men's Medium Sticky-palm drytooling gloves, again, they're Medium but fit a bit large. One small nick on the right index finger, shown in photo. Not sure how it got there - snagged a sharp rock? $50 obo Black Diamond WindWeight gloves, Men's Medium Warm, windproof gloves that I find myself not using anymore. In good shape. $25 obo Arcteryx Venta LT gloves, Men's Medium Very good shape, don't fit me very well. Windproof, with a reinforced leather palm. $40 obo Petzl Belay gloves, Men's Medium Tough, durable, leather and synthetic gloves. Great shape, I haven't used these much. $20 obo
  10. The Lynx are designed asymmetrically to follow the curve of the boot sole. Try them as they are now - you might need to adjust your kick a bit, but once you get used to it, they are more solid and easier to kick with than crampons where the points go straight.
  11. Cool, thanks for the report. Nothing I haven't heard about, though!
  12. Everything located in Canmore, AB. Happy to ship, or hold for pickup. Everything best offer - need to clear some space for all the new goodies! Best to PM me here, thanks! Wild Country Astro biners - 30x - 7 in draws, rest loose - in used condition, but far from worn, ice and alpine use only - $5 per biner 8 left Scarpa Rush 27.5 - used for about 14 days last season, a couple of days this season, moulded once, great boots but going with a bigger, stiffer boot this season - $400 obo shipped Arcteryx I-340a size Medium - like new, it's seen some ice but that's about it, I prefer my M-280 - $100 Osprey Hydration blader 2L - as new, used a few times but it doesn't fit into the top pocket of my pack so I've replaced it with a foldable one - $20 Arcteryx Epsilon Hoody size Medium - like new, used a few times but prefer my Acto instead, hood is helmet compatible, very breathable but not super windproof - $140 Black Diamond Blaze pack - as new biking, hiking, running pack - $60 Black Diamond Flex Bars standard length - never used, turns out my crampons came with a pair of these already - $10 Arcteryx Khazri 35 - awesome pack, very comfortable, feels bigger than its 35L, in very good shape but just got a Mutant for Xmas - $60 Edelweiss Dyneema 7mm 60cm slings - 4x - very good shape, two years old, ice use only - $7 each SOLD Ocun Dyneema 8mm 120cm sling - very good shape, two years old, ice use only - $10 Trango Equalizer sling thingy - cool little piece, self-equalizing Dyneema sling, rarely used - $20 Black Diamond Hotwire biners- 5x - very good condition - $5 each Wild Country Xenon biner - used for racking stuff only - $5 Camp Nano 23 biners - 2x - like new, used for carrying gloves etc, only - $5 each Black Diamond FreeWire biner - a few scratches, used for racking only - $4 Lucky biners - 2x - lightly used, a few scratches - $4 each Simond Jumbo paddle biner - great shape, used for racking screws but turns out I do prefer my ice clippers instead - $5
  13. Not sure why you guys are bushwhacking in double boots to begin with... "For what those boots cost they should be able to withstand one day of bush wacking. If they can't then wtf good are they as a climbing boot?" I can only presume that they climb very well, though I don't have a pair so can't tell you for certian. If you want to bushwhack, go get yourself a pair of full-leather hunting boots. They'll survive many a day trudging through bush, but won't climb worth a damn. Match the product to the intended use. I don't use my 6000s on hikes, and neither do I use my Escape hikers when I go climbing...
  14. I use the Phantom Guide all year round around the Rockies - high alpine in summer, ice and mixed all winter. They're a great boot: warm, comfortable, can hike all day long and climb exceedingly well. I don't know how cold I've had them, but it gets to -30 around here and haven't had any issues. For summer alpine with mostly rock I use the Rebel Carbon, but these are nowhere near warm enough for winter use. I've had them to -7 or so and standing around my feet did get cold. The climb mixed really well, though, but are not so great on ice where you have to kick for placements. I haven't used them climbing yet, but just got a pair of Phantom 6000s. Almost the same fit as the Guide, but significantly warmer. A touch bulkier, but the sole is the same size as my Guides, so not expecting too much difference in climbing performance. Also had the Mont Blanc and Freney GTX. Both much, much stiffer than the Guides and a very different fit. They're comparable in warmth, though not as warm as the Guides. The Mont Blanc feels like a rank - solid, as if you could kick them into anything. The Freney (now Jorasses) are pretty much ice-specific. Narrow, tight fit but a very solid frontpointing platform.
  15. Sent you an e-mail...
  16. What size is the Knifeblade? Will you ship to Canada? (Or I could pick it up at the Bozeman fest?) If it's a small, I'll take it.
  17. Sweet! Missed it last year, will have to check it out.
  18. Nice dude! Looks like the Pencil is almost in?
  19. Arcteryx Epsilon SV Hoody - medium - about 6 months old, lightly used around town, very breathable, quite windproof, somewhat water resistant, helmet compatible hood - yellow-green color (brimstone) - $120 Arcteryx Zenta AR gloves - medium - stupid warm (i.e. too warm for me!) Gore-Tex gloves insulated with 200g/m Primaloft (I think), lightly used for skiing on the hill, no marks - grey and black - $120 Arcteryx Khazri 35 pack - regular back length - amazingly comfortable pack, however not quite as good as the current NoZone series (but also not $200+!), used but doesn't show it - black - $50 Black Diamond Blaze pack - one size - designed for running, biking, skiing, etc. but too fanciful for my liking, virtually brand new - $50 Silvretta 404 bindings - regular size, fit boot to sz 11 (ish, depending on boot) - no issues, work as designed, not using them anymore - come with mounting screws - $80 Pics coming when I have a chance: Monday, perhaps. PM here or e-mail rafal dot a at gmail dot com
  20. The Ergo excels at overhanging drytooling, horizontal roofs and crazily featured ice. Not so much when things are below 90-degrees. The Nomic is an excellent all-around tool on everything from easy ice to hard mixed. You can even pound pins with them. I haven't used the Quark enough to comment. The Fusions are nice on rock, but their pick angle makes them literally bounce out of the ice. Mixed performance somewhere between the Nomic and Ergo. (i.e. better than one, worse than the other.) Cobras are great ice tools, and decent on moderate rock, but aren't aggressive enough for serious mixed. Imo, the Viper sucks at everything. Quantum Tech is another phenomenal ice tool that is decent on rock. Very light, though, and quite adept at piolet canne despite the large pinky pommel. It all really comes down to a) how many pairs you can/want to own and b) what your primary use is. If I were to have one pair of tools it'd be the Nomics with Ice picks and CT hammers.
  21. Carabiners are by far the biggest place you can save weight. Also look at belay device, lockers, misc, etc. Then I'd replace nylon slings with dyneema ones. After that maybe lighter nuts? Cams are hard to save weight on. Performance is better than weight savings here. One of the new, lightweight helmets can shave quite a few grams off, as well.
  22. Would you ship to Canmore, AB?
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