Laughingman

Anybody else use the Metolius "Supercams" I am debating picking up a gray one. For the weight it seems ideal for the alpine (I have seen several videos in which Steve House sports one on the side of his rack).

Are the larger size TCU's (2,3,4) "better" then the smaller sized powercams? (1,2,3) Also I am looking for Cams more for Alpine climbing then yosemite. So aliens don't seem like the greatest option to me.

As much as been talked about in terms of small cams (like the Tcu) but is there a problem with medium sized U stem cams? I was thinking of buying powercams 3,4,5 and possibly six. Also has anyone actually used the new helium cams?

Yeah I've rolled mostly with nuts in the past (most of the routes I did tended to require very little protection anyways). Also are the bigger Tcu cams "less" likely to walk then smaller 4 cam versions?

"I would choose a set of cams that is very common around where you climb." I came from a "classical mountaineering" background (NOLS and so on) so I mostly climbed classical alpine routes, however I am getting to the point in which having a few cams will be handy. Thus I am looking for "common sizes" for general alpine routes in the cascades.

Have you read this comparison? Indeed I have read the comparison however the review did not talk about the quadcams.

Hi am in the process of putting climbing rack together. I've looking to buy 3 or 4 cams to start off (already got passive stuff covered). I am wondering what peoples opinion of the new Wired Bliss cams are? Also how do they compare to the Metlious Powercams or DMM CU4. Also I am wondering what sizes would be handy to start out with.I am looking for input before making this investment so any advice is appreciated. Note: C4 cams don't "feel" great in my hands. Also the fact they are made in china creeps me out. If anybody can convince me otherwise I am willing to listen.

The cold cold world valdez (made in the USA) pack is great for climbing.

"krokodil" I have learned also has a very high death rate most addicts die within 3 years.

True but opiates give you a slightly "better" life life expectancy then krokodil.

I told you man don't google image it, you will be kept up at night.

Recently I saw an documentary called "SIBERIA: KROKODIL TEARS" it gives a bleak story about how a new heroin substitute called "Krokodil" that literally eats your skin off is invading southern russia. Siberia: Krokodil tears Don't google Krokodil you will see many photographs that will keep you up at night Note: VICE TV is boss they go across the world to the most screwed up places and interview real people checkout the Vice guide to North Korea and liberia

PHD (the british company) makes a down blanket weighing 13oz, looks like it may fit the bill for the intended purpose. PHD blanket They also make the "Minim Ultra Down Sleeping Bag" weighing in at a ultralight 345g (12oz) (They make some super cool stuff)

Best of luck in your long road to recovery, my thoughts go out to you. Such a deeply personal issue must be hard to talk about, let alone on television. I applaud your effort to go and speak about the issue. Best regards Zach

Your in luck a company named Oware sells two variations on the two person bivy (one with zippers one without) at 12oz it seems like a good deal. Here is the link oware

Im sure they "could" but they don't have a oligarch to pay for such expensive a endeavor.

Strangely, Andy Kirkpatrick recently attempted Troll Wall, he fixed lots of pitches. I didn't here a outcry from the climbing community. When a russian team climbed the Trango Towers in August the Alpinist read, "Russians Siege Trango, Put Up New Route". If a western team had done the same climbed it would have called capsule style.

For the ultimate "high top" rock shoe Boreal makes the "fire invernal guetre" a insulated shoe designed with super masochistic big wall climbers in ultra cold conditions (think 20,000 feet+ on himalayan big walls).

Boreal still makes "Ballet gold" shoes, they are really hard to find though. I got mine second hand. Also there is a czech company called triop that makes a high top (never used there shoes before). here is the link triop

Got to agree with Julian on this one, the central question we should be asking is what is a acceptable location to do full on siege-style aid climbing? Also according to some people on the Jannu expedition, some ropes were removed from the wall. Nick Totmjanin ( one of the summiteers) is quoted as saying: "I went down from the top last. We took down seven ropes above 7400, the portaledge of camp 7400, two ropes above 7000, tent and equipment of camp 7000, the portaledge of camp 6700, some ropes between 5600 and 7000, tent and equipment of camp 5600. We have taken downwards a maximum possible at one time.” Still that leaves 1000M of fixed line of the mountain that is never in good taste(I hate trash on mountains just as much as the next guy). I also suspect at the bottom of the "big wall" they may have ditched a lot of the gear they stripped from the wall.

I was alluding the fact most big wall climbers in the United States have never done technical aid climbing at 20,000ft+ with a full big-wall rack in horrid conditions and still have have the will to get up the next morning and do the exact same thing. Even give the money and time "most" Americans would quickly give up on such a exposed line on such a big route such as the Jannu. If high level alpinists want to prove that the Russian Jannu ascent is "irrelevant" to modern climbing, they should prove it, go out and climb it in light and fast fashion.

Currently I think there are very few people in the United States who have the background to do "himalayan big walls". Guys like Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk are examples, but they are few and far between. Most of the big wall climbers out of yosemite are not used to the harsh conditions russian big wall dudes are accustomed to. Here is a article about the ascent Jannu

FRED = BOSS

I know I am going to be flamed for saying this: Personally, I don't have a problem with the "style" the Russians climbed the Jannu (Not to say I "liked" the style). I just wish they did not leave as much trash on the wall (something like 20+ fixed ropes and several camps). I figure if light and fast proponents want to complain about the style the Russian climbed in then they should go out and prove that It can be done in light and fast fashion (To my to my knowledge Nobody has repeated the route). Also I read that Ueli Steck tried to climb the Jannu North face twice in 2002/2003 if anybody can translate this article that would be helpful Jannu Nordwand

I am under the impression many of the "russian big wall project" climbs are done in places that don't really necessitate free-climbing (20,000+ feet from sea level in Millet everest boots) Is this true? Also has the "russian big wall project" been scraped? Last I checked It was financed by one of the big oligarch (Not khodorkovsky) that are increasingly becoming an endangered.