Jon H

The Marmot GrandMontet is on SteepAndCheap right now - big red puffy belay jacket for only $159. Get it while you can!

it's a non-sequitar? Hugh, if that was intentional, it was hysterical.

Hey Archie, I'm kind of a n00b here ( <-- see, it says it just over there to the left!) so I'm not familiar with the extent of your injuries. If you're physically capable, is some form of water aerobics a possibility? Zero impact, flotation benefits, warm water, usually has hot aerobics instructors , etc. I know a number of people who have used it as therapy and/or to recover after injuries. Regarding diet: My personal philosophy is called "the caveman diet" - if it didn't exist 4,000 years ago, I try to not to eat it. This basically means lots of fresh fish and chicken (always grilled, olive oil instead of butter, etc), occasional beef, fresh fruits and veggies, only whole grains (i.e. true whole grain bread, the crumbly, thick, doesn't-last 24-hours-outside-of-a-fridge because-it-has-absolutely-no-preservatives-bread). Snacks are nuts and raisins. Of course I don't stick to this 100% or I'd go out of my mind, but it's a very good guideline. Make sure your portion size is appropriate for your daily caloric expenditures and you'll be fine.

I can usually bang out about 20 on a normal day and 25-28 on my best days. Last year when I was really putting in the effort and training hard, I was doing reps of 30 and just breaking into one-hand pullups - about 3 on each arm. Can't do a single one right now though. As a reference: 6'2", 185lbs, 5.8-5.9 trad leader in the gunks (5.9-5.10 everywhere else) and hard 5.11 sport leader at major East Coast crags (NRG and Rumney, mostly). Follow WI4, never done any lead on ice though. Age 25, been climbing on and off about 8 years. Been climbing ice for about 2 weeks.

That was beautifully vulgar. Thanks for an entertaining TR!

Ha, that's almost as good as my standby (and not very politically correct, sorry) "Arguing on the internet is like racing in the special olympics... even if you win, you're still disabled"

FALSE. Stop spreading misinformation before someone dies. Ropes are rated by the manufacturer for very specific uses. Straying outside those approved uses is asking for disaster.

I realize that the Strike was an afterthought when the original Viper was designed, but the attachment system is... for lack of a word... terrible. I've been trying to install this damn thing for the better part of an hour. The two holes in the steel band simply can't line up without just the perfect modulation of pressure from your fingers, but soon as you place the strike piece on top to install it, you are no longer able to hold the steel band properly. I've tried wrapping the whole thing in electrical tape to hold it steady, but that's no good (adds too much thickness). Tried using pre-tensioned fishing line to line the holes up (from the top, non-threaded hole around to one of the stamped cutouts in the band), but the screw and/or the sharp edge of the band cut the line before I'm able to get the screw seated. Any tips? PS - Who knew they were sold one-at-a-time? I just used up a store credit of $15 at backcountry.com - imagine my dismay when only one shows up at my door. WTF. No way in hell would I spend $15 each on these if I knew that ahead of time. A piece of injected molded plastic and stamped steel band? BD's cost on these is 10-12 cents. I get more and more pissed off every second I think about this.

The new offerings from Stoic (The housebrand of Backcountry.com) are nothing short of amazing. Impeccable construction, excellent fit, etc. The only test remaining is actually getting them out in some real inclement weather. I've been too busy with work and havent made it outside since the weather got real cold. However, around town, they've been fantastic. This weekend I've got a 2 day tour coming up, and also a day of ice climbing in the catskills. I'll come back with a full report afterwards. They're also pretty damn inexpensive - definitely better than Mammut or Arcteryx.

Anyone used the Mountain Hardwear Hydra yet? The "buzz" is good, but haven't seen a single actual user review yet.

Wow, great work!