trainwreck Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 I know not everyone uses the plastic jobs from BD and Petzl, if you're not, what are you using? Why? Quote
summitchaserCJB Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 Does it matter? I just use a normal wiregate. Quote
John Frieh Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 After breaking 2 in a fall and loosing all the screws racked on them (I think you heard about it Grant) I switched to WC anodized heliums + those old yellow plastic "rubber bands" that Arcteryx use to offer with the Verro harness (am I dating myself? ) to keep them in place on my harness. I've done almost two seasons on them and though yes they weigh more than the plastic ones I no longer have to worry about having to bail on a route because I lost all the screws. I've found in combo with an ultralight harness using metal instead of plastic the overall setup doesnt feel that heavy on my hips I think the anodized is key as it allows you to quickly identify which biner on your gear loop has the screws especially in situations where you can get get a clean look at your harness. If all your other biners are anodized (mine arent) get a color that is different the rest. Lastly I like the clean nose the WC helium has as I can pull the screw off cleanly and quickly. I friend of mine uses two single BD wire ovals as he can rack his entire rack on just those two and seems to really like it. Quote
montypiton Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 Both OP and Wild Country make large carabiners with extra-wide gate openings. I rack screws on these without issue. Advantage is that I can use the racking carabiner for anchor or pro as well, which you can't do with the plastics pieces of shit. I hate having things hanging on my harness that can't be used to anchor or protect me. Quote
layton Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 John, you're in the Yellow Rubber Band club too!!! I think those are still the best racking option - I use a bent gate petzl spirit biner. DANE! Do you do plastic injection molding or know what kind of rubber that was? ~10 years and still holding strong on those bands I got with my Verro harness (which BTW is still the best harness ever made). Quote
John Frieh Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 Do you do plastic injection molding or know what kind of rubber that was? ~10 years and still holding strong on those bands I got with my Verro harness (which BTW is still the best harness ever made). If you go to a place that specializes in zip ties I think you can find something that will do the exact same thing... if not better. I thought the Verro was a better trad than snow/ice harness with the oversized front gear loops for larger racks... still a great harness for sure. If only they would make the 350a with oversized front gear loops... now that would be swwet ... Quote
John Frieh Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 Guess I should point out that putting a full strength biner on a low strength gear loop (the 350a) is kinda of overkill on my part... if I could find a superlight super large biner that could handle rock impacts I'd switch to that. Havent seen anything yet though... Quote
Dane Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 Couple of off hand thoughts/remarks meaning no respect to other's posts. I have cut up and used shoe laces, wrist loops and the gear sling to get off climbs. So not everything is full strength on my "rack". Plastic racking biners are no big thing to me. I like how well they work... for me. Taking 40' whippers at the beginning of the serious climbing on a alpine route and loosing your entire rack of screws I might take as a devine act of intervention and not gear failure. Have to wonder the end result of having aluminum biners in the same position though? Physical injuries or just no lost screws? The things I ponder I have however now seen a couple of climbers unable to keep gear attached using the plastic biners. After some thought I "think" it is because they are not getting the biners locked down tight as required on the harness, as in a harness slot, intended for the racking biner's use. That results in twisting the wire gate out of position on the biner when pulling gear off as the result and the unintentional loss of gear coming shortly behind that. I've also seen climbers that couldn't hang on to their own dick if it wasn't attached. My answer is use a harness designed to hold the plastic biner. And have yet to have a problem. I also carry rap tat these days and try really, really hard not to fall off things:) If I thought I might fall I'd rack differently for that pitch. Old school may be but stuff would go to a gear sling if I had any doubts. Half of it does anyway, so again, no big thing. I do like the plastic for racking my tools on decents though and in that case would like to see more durability. No hurry to get rid of the plastic part (I do replace them at least once a year which I think helps on the gate reliability) but if say, BD, would make their racking biner slightly bigger, same claw on the back fro slotting oin the harness and mades from aluminum I'd buy the first two available. Harness? I really like the Petzl Hirundos for ice and alpine. Quote
layton Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 I have to use the rubber band to keep the screws near the front on my harness. I'm left handed and keep most of my screws on the left and f'ing Arctyrx has the clipper so far back on the left side I can't even see the damn clipper. Quote
layton Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 oh, I've also had my clipper biner break with just normal climbing. Maybe it was an old model but it was an untrustworthy piece of shit. I use the ice clipper on my right side for screws too and waaay back on the left so I have an empty clip for my tool. Quote
Dane Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 I find then a POS but so far a delicate, but a realively trusty, POS Handier than you would think, no question fragile, but worth keeping on my rig till something more durable and equally useful comes out. Left side too far back? Shit, and I was just thinking I just needed to drop a few # to get it around. Quote
G-spotter Posted February 27, 2010 Posted February 27, 2010 Simond makes, or made, a metal racking doohickey: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Simond-Ice-Screw-Rack/SMD0022M.html Quote
G-spotter Posted February 27, 2010 Posted February 27, 2010 Still in their catalog here: http://www.simond.com/fiche-A|SIMOND|10100RACK-020101070000.html Quote
Matt Kidd Posted February 27, 2010 Posted February 27, 2010 Simond makes, or made, a metal racking doohickey: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Simond-Ice-Screw-Rack/SMD0022M.html Interesting idea. Curious how it would sit on gear loops and how wide apart the biners are spaced. Seems like the gates shouldn't go as low as they do... Quote
rhyang Posted February 27, 2010 Posted February 27, 2010 Looks a bit like one of these - http://xray.bmc.uu.se/markh//climbing/iceclip.html A few years ago in Cody an older ice clipper broke while I was on rappel. Fortunately it was near the end of the rap, and there was just soft snow below, and only an ice tool was hanging on it. I've heard of these things breaking on other folks too. I've started using wiregates instead (BD hotwires + the rubber things the ice clippers came with). Quote
Gunkiemike Posted February 28, 2010 Posted February 28, 2010 I have a couple large wiregate Wild Country biners on my harness. A rubber band from the broccoli and some lashing with thick nylon cord and they've been great. Large enough to hang my Quarks off even with a screw or two in there. I've seen too many broken BD clippers to trust them for much. Quote
Bogen Posted February 28, 2010 Posted February 28, 2010 Still in their catalog here: http://www.simond.com/fiche-A|SIMOND|10100RACK-020101070000.html I had a couple of these. They work fine, but I found that they dug into my hip quite painfully after a couple hours. Quote
Jon H Posted March 2, 2010 Posted March 2, 2010 Broke a BD Clipper a couple weeks ago. Had a tool hanging in it and it snagged on rappel and twisted - snapped the clipper instantly. Luckily I was able to get the tool back before descending any further. I went home and made two of the DIY "Simond" clippers that RHYANG linked to about 2 posts up and so far, I think they're great. Quote
pac man Posted March 2, 2010 Posted March 2, 2010 Does anyone know where to get the Simond Ice Screw rack or equivalent? I've been looking for a bit and when I asked the Ouray climbing shop, they said Simond isn't distributed over here anymore. Thanks in advance. Quote
Jon H Posted March 3, 2010 Posted March 3, 2010 Does anyone know where to get the Simond Ice Screw rack or equivalent? I've been looking for a bit and when I asked the Ouray climbing shop, they said Simond isn't distributed over here anymore. Thanks in advance. I'm 99% sure I saw it in the Campmor (NJ) store this season so you might try their website. www.campmor.com But seriously, that thing costs something ridiculous like $40. Just make your own. It takes 8-10 minutes, seriously. http://xray.bmc.uu.se/markh//climbing/iceclip.html Quote
G-spotter Posted March 3, 2010 Posted March 3, 2010 If people like dane are making their own picks cause bd ones break so much it shouldn't be much of a stretch to make your own, duplicating the clipper-biner shape (flat spine, gate opening big at bottom, concave top for sorting on) in something stronger. i'm sure there's lots of people out there who would pay $100 for an unbreakable ultralight carbon fibre racking biner Quote
wdietsch Posted March 3, 2010 Posted March 3, 2010 Does anyone know where to get the Simond Ice Screw rack or equivalent? they come up on eBay once in a while .. I believe there was one posted up last week Quote
Dane Posted March 3, 2010 Posted March 3, 2010 Anyone used the "big bro" version of Petzl's Caritool? That was going to be my next purchase. Available in two sizes: - CARITOOL (P42): maximum load: 5kg, weight: 25g - CARITOOL L (P42 L): maximum load: 15kg, weight: 60g Quote
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