snoboy Posted February 28, 2003 Posted February 28, 2003 Some ideas- Get a 5 step and a six step. Get all different colours. You should be able to put your foot in the bottom step and reach almost to your limit with the top. Then when you have a piece in high, you will be able to get your foot in it easily, and test the piece without getting above your last piece. Some people use 2 aiders, some use 4. Jeez, this is bringing back memories. I haven't aid climbed in a while. I think this summer is going to see me on the rock a bit more than last. Quote
sk Posted March 1, 2003 Author Posted March 1, 2003 we are starting with 2, 5 step... unfortunatly there were not alot of choices so I got what was there. It is at least a place to start. I joked with jk that It doesn't matter if both my aiders are the same colour... I can't tell my left from my right any way Quote
snoboy Posted March 1, 2003 Posted March 1, 2003 Muffy_The_Wanker_Sprayer said: we are starting with 2, 5 step... unfortunatly there were not alot of choices so I got what was there. It is at least a place to start. I joked with jk that It doesn't matter if both my aiders are the same colour... I can't tell my left from my right any way You can always pick up a couple of 6 steps later to make a set! "I joked with jk that It doesn't matter if both my aiders are the same colour... I can't tell my left from my right any way" All the more reason to have different colours... Quote
sk Posted March 1, 2003 Author Posted March 1, 2003 snoboy said: Muffy_The_Wanker_Sprayer said: we are starting with 2, 5 step... unfortunatly there were not alot of choices so I got what was there. It is at least a place to start. I joked with jk that It doesn't matter if both my aiders are the same colour... I can't tell my left from my right any way You can always pick up a couple of 6 steps later to make a set! "I joked with jk that It doesn't matter if both my aiders are the same colour... I can't tell my left from my right any way" All the more reason to have different colours... ya I was thinking that we could add more as we need Quote
Bill_Simpkins Posted March 31, 2003 Posted March 31, 2003 Muffy, Start on a straight forward crack with easy placements. Just get the system down until you are efficient at it. Aid climbing for me is mostly efficiency, organization and planning a couple of clips ahead. Also, practice jugging and cleaning traverses and overhangs. There are a couple good tricks for traversing like taking off the ascender and clipping it past the piece so you can clean it....stuff like that. Don't forget to tie in short while jugging! While juggin over lips removing a ascender and placing it past the lip works well. Learning to lead overhangs can be tricky and there are lots of good tricks to help, like lowering down to your next aiders. That is just one trick. There are many tricks to aid climbing and you'll discover many of them as you do it. I practice by tying slings to outside staircases(like at apartment buildings) and aiding up underneath. This has really helped with leading roofs. You can also do this to practice jugging roofs. Buy knee pads and wear leather gloves! Your knees and hands will thank you. Maybe start with a biner before you use a fifi hook until you get the leading sequence down. Buy a hammer even if you are clean aiding, since every piece is weighted, a hammer can be useful in removing that stuck piece. Take advantage of the fact you are connected to the system....use both hands and feet to do you tasks. Practice free climbing with your aid gear on...learn how to "tuck up" you gear so it doesn't get in the way. Good luck. Quote
Lambone Posted March 31, 2003 Posted March 31, 2003 Muffy, If I were you, ie. i was buying new aiders, I'd get the ladder kind made by Misty Mountain or Yates. They kick but over the traditional BD and Metoliuis 5-6 steps. If you are going for the BD's or Mets, get one 5 step and one 6 step. The six step aider helps when you need to bounce test a high placement. Now I use a 6 step BD attached to each daisy (metolius adjustable) and a free floating 5 step that I re-clip at each move. I like the three aider system better than the 4 aider one. Less clusterfuck potential. Good luck, if you come down to Ashland this summer I'd be happy to help you out. Quote
Wallstein Posted April 1, 2003 Posted April 1, 2003 Just a word about those metolius adjustable daisies. They are meant for body weight only. Metolius does not even give them a strength rating. Metolius says not to belay off of them and always use a full strength runner or the rope to clip into the anchor.See metolius page here. I had a friend blow a piece and fall onto his other metolius adjustable daisy and it broke leading to a 40ft fall. These style of daisy are definetely easy but not the most bombers piece of equipment. I reli to heavily on my daisies to trust the metolius adjustables. Using the flotable 3rd aider is the way to go. I don't use a full length aider but a 3 step (a former 5 that i cut up). This method is a little lighter and easy to store when free climbing. It sounds like you already bought some aiders muffy but, it you haven't i would recommend the 4 step metolius aider. It is just as long at the BD 5 step but it has sub steps. If you only use 2 aiders having the sub steps is very helpfull. I am sure many people would object to me saying this but, don't put your aiders and daisies on an oval. Buy some Petzl spirits or some kong keylocks or even some BD ones. The petzls are the best because they have the thinnest nose. This is very helpfull for removing carabiners from weighted slings or anchors. If you can find some Spirit lockers I would snatch them up as quick as you can. I don't think they have been made in 5+ years but they are the best carabiner for the end of your aider/daisy setup. Ovals are weak and hard to get in and out of wieghted pieces. Biner shift is not something that just happens, it happens when climbers stack carabiners the wrong way. Check out the kong adjustable fi-fi hook if you can find it. This is a good alternative to the metolius adjustable. Get 6mm cord for it and not 7mm like it says. Here's a link to pic of it. Its called the resting fifi. Quote
Lambone Posted April 1, 2003 Posted April 1, 2003 I agree about the lockers on your daisies. I use the big pear twist snap lockers. That way i don't have to worry about losing my aliens, cause I often leave the most common sizes for the pitch attatched to the biner. I lost an aider and a cam using regular biners. Only problem is that your thumbs get sore from opening the biner so many times in a day Quote
bigwalling Posted April 1, 2003 Posted April 1, 2003 The yates aid ladders are the best in my opinion. They are very easy to step up in. Also the plastic handle makes getting higher up in them quicker. Quote
Cliff_Tout Posted April 3, 2003 Posted April 3, 2003 So how 'bout a short shopping list for the aid climbing gumbie. Include brands/specifics. 2 ascenders, 2 daisies, 3? aiders, leather gloves and knee pads? Quote
Lambone Posted April 3, 2003 Posted April 3, 2003 Add to that list: Gri-Gri Fifi Comfortable harness lots more biners double shoulder racking sling stiff soled shoes these arn't necessities, but will inhance your enjoyment exponetialy some stuff to get ya started, there is allways more to get... Quote
ctuller Posted April 5, 2003 Posted April 5, 2003 Go to John Middendorf's site (He's the guy that started A5 products before selling it to TNF) bigwalls.net Tons of good info there to get you psyched to get on those big walls. gear list Quote
sk Posted December 5, 2003 Author Posted December 5, 2003 ctuller said: Go to John Middendorf's site (He's the guy that started A5 products before selling it to TNF) bigwalls.net Tons of good info there to get you psyched to get on those big walls. gear list thought this might help Quote
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