Portaledges-- whadayalike?

[Matt]

Please tell me about your portaledge experiences:

 

1. What do you have?

2. What do you like?

3. Have you ever set up the fly? Is it worth it to buy one?

4. What problems have you had?

5. Sex on the ledge?

6. Can you think of any good design to paint on the bottom of the ledge?

7. How many of you have a ledge sitting in a corner of your garage that you never use?

8. What routes in Washington can you use a ledge on? Squamish?

9. Anything else?

10. Anyone want to go aid climbing in Yosemite in September?

 

 

[Dwayner]

1. What do you have?

Fish Double-Whammy

 

2. What do you like?

It's got "dorsal fins" you can raise in the center of the ledge to keep your buddy off 'ya.

 

3. Have you ever set up the fly? Is it worth it to buy one?

I think you're nuts to do without one. It's a tent, dude! With my FISH ledge, the ledge can be actually suspended from the inside of the rainfly which itself is directly attached to the anchor.

 

4. What problems have you had?

Practice first on the ground and then in a tree or off the ground. Don't try to figure it out the first time when you need it for real. Things can get awkward.

 

5. Sex on the ledge?

Don't ask don't tell. Furthermore, if you're concentrating on the climbing instead of such distractions, it ain't even an issue.

 

6. Can you think of any good design to paint on the bottom of the ledge?

Big Bottle of Mickey's.

 

7. How many of you have a ledge sitting in a corner of your garage that you never use?

It ain't used alot.

 

8. What routes in Washington can you use a ledge on? Squamish?

Anyone you want. The Tooth, for example. Upper Town wall at index is good if you get a late start and like to camp: climb a couple of pitches and enjoy the exposed camping. Probably not too many Washington climbs where it is a necessity, rather than a luxury.

 

9. Anything else?

If you're prone to motion sickness, you can actually get sick if the thing starts jerkin' or spinnin' in the wind. Also, coated rainflys can develop funk-smell. If there are gaps in the corner of the ledge bed, you can pee though 'em rather than snakin' your unit out through a porthole (if you're fly's got some). Stay tied in in your bag so in case the ledge (or the camhook you hung it off) blows, you don't hit the dirt.

 

10. Anyone want to go aid climbing in Yosemite in September?

What year?

 

 

 

 

[Lambone]

Hi Matt! Good to see your "face" here again!

 

I've got the BD double skylounge. Your more than welcome to take it for a test ride. It sits in my basement 98% of the year. But on those few trips a season it is well worth it!

 

Best things about it:

-It really is as easy as they say it is to set up. I can launch it solo and have it all tensioned in 3-5 minutes. Same with breaking it down. Even easier with a partner. The first couple of times doing it can be a bit awkward, but once you figure it out it goes like butter.

 

-The rain fly connection is sweet. You can leave your fly staged in the bag at night, and if the drizzle comes, just reach up, open the stuff sac, and you've got a tent.

 

-Other than that it is pretty comfy and bomber.

 

Drawbacks:

-Price...it's spendy. I got mine cheap.

 

-Weight...it's heavy, the heaviest. Kinda sucks to carry on your own. The benefit is that you can give your partner the shit bucket/poop tube to carry. Fair trade IMO. I sling a shoulder strap on it and tote it like Ace Venturas gatling gun in Predetor!

 

-The fly is coated nylon. So I wouldn't use it on a high altitude wall, or if you plan to be in it every night. But it's perfect for the rare summer squal in Yos. Definately carry a fly on a grade VI, and get the spreader pole.

 

Sex-

Mine is the recalled one, so I'm afraid to try that, lest break the rivets and drop into the drink. Someday I'll send it back...Plus my wife won't go near it.

 

Design on bottom-

How about dead body outline.

 

I'll be in Yos from mid june-mid july. We should hook up!

 

 

 

[dirtwigle]

What are you planning on doing? A couple of walls here and there in well known parks go big, get a double. A little heavier but if you are tall the extra room will be appreciated. If you are going all out and planning on taking walling to remote places trim down to a single. ALWAYS bring the bloody fly, compared to the rest of the shit you have to haul the security of a fly is well worth the extra couple of pounds. Without a fly look forward to a suffer fest when it rains, and it will rain. Also plan on condensation and get a light weight drip sac. Walling is not a light and fast endeavor. Unless you are doing high altitude walls don’t waist your money on a “breathable fly”, flies take a serious beating and often need to be replaced before the ledge will. If money is tight look for a used ledge, I sold my first one for a hundred fifty, that’s pretty damn cheap if you can find it. Now if money is no object, I hear the Metolius Double is pretty tits. Why are you curious about painting the bottom of it? For visuals or extra water proofing? This is the first I have ever heard of this. As far as the horizontal mambo is concerned I hardly wall climb with a partner let alone a woman so I’m not the guy to ask, but I do know this, there is no way in hell I am sharing my single ledge with a second person no mater what the manufacture says. Washington walls worthy of a ledge, the upper town wall is good for practice or just gettin high when your jonesing. Thin red line? Witch doctor wall? All said take the time and find the one that works best for you. While I know this probably does very little to help you, good luck and happy walling.

[IceIceBaby]

1. What do you have?

I have the old Gramicci double ledge and the A5 single

2. What do you like?

I LOVE MINE…I also like the fish and the Metolius…but I HATE the BD…in my experience what a piece of crap

3. Have you ever set up the fly? Is it worth it to buy one?

On my Gramicci the fly is attached with beautiful 2 doors design (some what resembling the A5 expedition but a lot better design) and on my single A5 I bought it with a fly…is it worth it??? Like it said before u must be a head case if u don’t take one every trip with u Granted I only had to deploy it twice on my trips (both on cannon in the NE) but when the rain hit there is no where around it

4. What problems have you had?

Finding a good shop for minor repairs on my Gramicci and replacing the crappie A5 buckles (they started to slip after no time)

5. Sex on the ledge?

If only the ledge could speak (Gramicci) just don’t be shock loading and bouncing violently

6. Can you think of any good design to paint on the bottom of the ledge?

For Yosemite “If u can see it u way too close…get off my back biach”

7. How many of you have a ledge sitting in a corner of your garage that you never use?

Garage in typical NYC apartment…u on crack man…anyway for the lack of garage I have to take it out at least for a week (total days) every month from May to September

8. What routes in Washington can you use a ledge on? Squamish?

Don’t know it well but u can definitely use it on Index and the chief

9. Anything else?

If I have to get a ledge this days I will go with Fish double whammy

10. Anyone want to go aid climbing in Yosemite in September?

Yeah I wanna go but let see if my finance will let me

[Lambone]

Matt,

 

I've also used the Fish single ledge on a wall. It was nice, sometimes I had to fight to get the pipes together, other times it was easy...I don't know, some sort of zen thing I guess. Did'nt get to try in heavy winds which I was thankfull for.

 

IceIce,

 

How many times have you used the BD ledge? At first i hated it as well, because it is not straightforward to set up and break down unless you know THE WAY. Once you've dialed THE WAY, it is the easiest ledge to rig by far. We watched some guys spend two hours fucking with their A5 double while we spent 5 minutes getting our cozy home ready.

 

I love chillin on the ledge with only open space below. Definately my favorite part of wall climbing.

[specialed]

I've got the A5. Its super bomber and can apparantly withstand heinous storms and shit. However, its a beatch to set up. Though gets easier with practice. I climbed Zodiak with a dude who had the Fish. Its way easier to setup but not as bomber. If you just want to do big walls in the valley get a BD or Fish, if you've get heinous expedition plans to big ranges get the A5.

 

There's barely anything in the northwest that would require a ledge. There's few walls that are bigger than 10 pitches or so. So pretty much the best strategy would be to fix lines. Because.... HAULING SUCKS ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MATT_B]

Matt

 

I've got and old A5 double. I would recommend getting a double ledge unless you plan on doing a lot of soloing or have wall partners that already have ledges. The one big drawback to a double is the room. I'm 6' tall and my feet will hang off the end if I stretch out. You may feel like a sardine when sleeping but if it is only for a few days the suffering will be minor. With a little practice set up is not too bad. I have never needed to deploy the fly on a wall but always set it up with the ledge. If you don't and it rains at night you will be hating life! Sex on the ledge? If this ledge is rocken don't . . . . Ok I admit it my ledge doesn't rock. My poor ledge is sitting in the basement with 3 years dust on it. The truely sad thing is my buddies ledge is sitting next to mine with about 5 years of dust. Hopefully I will have a "coming out of retirement party" some time soon. Paint what you want just don't waterproof the floor or your ledge could become a bath tub. Routes you can us a ledge on in Washington? Take your pick but I don't think you realy "need" one on much if anything in washington. My take is if the route is relitively short or has decent natural ledges leave the portaledge at home. It will be 10+ pounds less to haul and down. Yosemite in September could be fun. Maybe if I actually do some climbing this spring.

[Attitude]

Climbing's Portaledge Review

[Dru]

Post deleted by Lambone

[Peter_Puget]

A ledge can be the difference between heaven and hell on a wall. But having spent a bunch of nights in a hammock, I can say that if $$ are scarce and you are only spending a night or two hanging they aren’t such a bad alternative to a ledge. For that matter if your partner has a double ledge you might think about buying one of the Fish economy ledges w/o fly and in the event of bad weather you can join your partner. Carrying two double wide ledges just adds a lot of weight. Expect to be cramped with two in a double.

 

Index has a bunch of fun aid routes but Squamish is the place. Uncle Ben’s use to have a ton of bolts at the Black Sickle to set up a steep hanging bivi. Humpty Dumpty and 10 Years After are good routes. After a few Squamish routes Yosemite or at least expanding flakes won’t be too intimidating.

 

I cannot imagine getting one w/o a fly unless it was a Fish econo ledge. One thing about Fish ledges, at least old ones, is that the tubes are held together with elastic shock cord which if broken would be a nightmare on a wall.

 

PP

[IceIceBaby]

Lambone,

What I disliked about BD ledge is

Corners or lack of

After a little while the corner webbing getting seriously abraded (big worried for such a crucial link)

The floor is resembles hammock rather then ledge (unless u put the fin up) it sags way too much

2 pp way too cramped in there

Fly sucks big time

Very hard to use the ledge interior room there are no daisy chains

Space to weight ratio….not good

[freeclimb9]

Portaledges are expensive and not always needed. Many routes have fat ledges for a bivy. A hammock is preferred for a long approach wall, too; They're light and small. The second can jug with a pack more easily carrying hamocks rather than portaledges. For the short-approach wall, you can rig a piece of plywood, or a chaise lounge chair into a serviceable ledge. Rent or borrow one. (BTW, I've had a Gramicci. It's okay. A5 ledges are the best, IMO.)

[Lambone]

IceIceBaby,

 

I'd say those are fair judgements. Although I've slept 20+ nights in mine and haven't had any problems with the corners or webbing.

 

I'm small, so the size doesn't bother me, I think it's fine, but I allways take the outside!

 

I'd like to compare it with the metolious...