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laplaya
Sep 6, 2001, 5:07 PM
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I am interested in any home-spun gear inovations that climbers out there are using. please post or private message me about any aiding gear that you have come up with, are using, or want to come up with (see a need for, but nothing available) I am curious and think that there are many things that haven't been thought up yet or things that have, but are not in stores. I am also interested in paterns people might have for making gear.
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passthepitonspete
Oct 10, 2001, 6:27 AM
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Hmm, nice idea re. using the Tibloc as an adjustable daisy. You should also have a Kong-Bonatti adjustable fifi (about $6) on the slipperyest 6mm (not 7mm) cord you can find. Absolutely essential.
"Innovations" like Chongo's 2:1 Hauling Ratchet or other cool ideas like how to "flag" your ledge during hauling so you don't have to put it up and down should really be common knowledge becuase these ideas are the better way, yet very few wall climbers know how this stuff.
Here's an innovation nobody knows about either:
The "WALL FLOWER"
Traditional Big Wall Technology would have you bring up a "poop tube" on the wall which becomes rather smelly, and extremely heavy to carry down.
Instead, use the Wall Flower! Get yourself some regular heavy-duty paper grocery bags and dump into those. Rip down four sides and fold back before using, make sure you hit the bottom! Dump in a half cup of kitty litter, then wrap the thing up on itself. Attach it with a slip knot to a designated Poop Line (any 1/4" cord or so will do)and dangle it thirty or forty feet below your haul load. Every day, your Wall Flower will sprout another petal (or two if you're climbing with a partner) The $#!&e dries out in the sun, it doesn't smell, and on the summit, you can legally burn it in a pre-exisiting fire pit.
I cannot believe the number of climbers I see using poop tubes. Duh. I believe Poop Tubes to be Traditional Big Wall Technology. If you do not know exactly what I mean by Traditional Big Wall Technology, then please click here and hit PgDn four times.
Problems with the Wall Flower:
Wind - the kitty litter makes the bags pretty heavy, so wrap em tight and they won't blow around [quite].
Hauling up slabs - can wear holes in the bag. Oh well.
Rain - look, just don't climb in the rain, eh?
The Wall Flower is not a panacea, but I do believe it to be the Better Way.
Dude, I've got SO many innovations, tricks and ideas, you wouldn't believe it. Name your big wall or aid climbing problem, I'll find you a solution.
Cheers,
"Pass the Pitons" Pete
aka Dr. Piton
P.S. You can click here to see a photo of a newly-blooming Wall Flower.
[ This Message was edited by: passthepitonspete on 2002-12-16 19:51 ]
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laplaya
Oct 13, 2001, 6:15 PM
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That's Awsome Pete! I am definately going to try the "wallflower" and the burning you crap on the sumit adds the perfect final touch. I am intrested in all of your inovations...you should publish a book!
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passthepitonspete
Oct 14, 2001, 1:16 AM
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The book has already been published:
The Complete Book of Big Wall Climbing
by Chongo
I'm the editor.
Yep, the wall flower has its own unique fragrance.
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elcapbuzz
Dec 11, 2001, 2:06 AM
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HHaaaahaaaahaa, HHHAAAAHAHHHAAAAAHA. That was me and my brother, laughing so hard it brought tears to our eyes. We were watching you (dr.p) and Nick getting hammerd on by his Wall Flower on the Sea of Dreams. We got a big kick out of watching the wind whip the hell out of you with poop bags. Hahaha. Dude, if the wind can blow me out of my portaledge, what will it turn your Wall Flower into. Hey, you have a lot of great ideas, but I don't think the Wall Flower is one of them.
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passthepitonspete
Dec 11, 2001, 4:59 AM
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Ah dude, now *I'M* laughing so hard! Yeah, you're right! The problems with the wall flower are rain, slabs and wind. The extra kitty litter for weight works most of the time.
Unfortunately you are an eye-witness to one of those other times! And I'm sitting here pissing myself because you are OH SO RIGHT!!
Damn, it's good to have someone who actually climbs around here!!!!
This is me:
This is my wall flower:
Bastard, ya drank all me beer!
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elcapbuzz
Dec 11, 2001, 6:26 AM
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That's what happens when you invite a couple of pirates onto your ship, mate. You get pillaged, arrghh. I thought that was the point of the, party. To drink all the grog, arrghh. Anyway, that was a classic moment on El Cap. The best moment is when my brother Gabe and Nick hauled Chongo from the Contintal Shelf to join in, on the act. He was yelling, "Ahh man, this is great, I'm ascending El Cap and I don't have to do anything". With all of our ropes combined we had nearly 1000 vertical and horizontal feet fixed. Nice job by the way, the Sea is one of my favorites on the Captain.
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farmerc
Aug 13, 2002, 3:34 AM
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alas, i am but a theorist, but if you are looking to avoid a bulky poop tube and the potential nastiness of the wallflower, i understand that a dry bag that kayakers use to keep gear (duh) is a good alternative. treat it the same way you do a poop tube, but (empty) it ways much less than the tube.
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bu1ckid
Sep 10, 2002, 12:39 AM
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Registered: Jun 14, 2002
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i like to make my own gear, so far i`ve made a portaledge, chrome moly tubing with billet aluminium corner blocks and cordura for the bed seems to work really well, belay seat, using 3 strips of aluminium covered with foam and cordura very comfy and folds up small, haul bag, this didn`t work out to good as the material i was sold wasn`t thick enough, but my latest project is a set of russian aiders, which i`m hoping to finish this week, as i`m of to the verdon to play on a 1000` a4
got to get back to the sewing
cheers
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twrock
Sep 10, 2002, 7:19 AM
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Other than the Wallflower (which owing to it's reported high potential for failure hasn't convinced me it is the better way) or a small paddler's dry bag, any other idea for a sewage management system? I used a Rubbermaid screw lid container once but found that the leaking smell was not acceptable. The classic poop tube is just so heavy. Maybe some kind of basket and rain cover for the wallflower is in order, but that is really starting to sound complicated.
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glockaroo
Sep 10, 2002, 3:48 PM
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When we did the Nose we used a drybag for the poop. It was fine for a day or so until it got some small holes. The resulting smell was quite bad.
I think a workable solution would be to use 2 drybags, one inside the other. The outer bag would provide physical protection so that the inner bag can remain sealed.
The 2 bags would still be lighter than a PVC tube for the same volume.
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rickoldskool
Sep 10, 2002, 6:53 PM
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Registered: Apr 25, 2002
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Hey maties, Want to get rid of the stench? Here's the secret. Crap in whatever your using and sprinkle laundry detergent on it till it looks like a sugar coated donut. Use the kind with bleach, it has the little blue crystals in it. No smell, nothing, nada, zilch, REALLY IT WORKS!
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brisboy
Sep 11, 2002, 2:37 AM
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Registered: Sep 3, 2001
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no offence pete but the wall flower isn't exactly the best idea you have ever had, it is very suseptiable to damage
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apollodorus
Sep 11, 2002, 2:57 AM
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The only thing I didn't like about the Wallflower is burning them at the summit. You have to stay upwind. And use as little duct tape as possible. You have to pull the tape off and open the flowers (YIUCK!); you don't want to burn the plastic duct tape, eh?
One of my crazier ideas for homemade gear is here:
http://home.pacbell.net/takasper/slcd/valleygiant.html
They work for me.
[ This Message was edited by: apollodorus on 2002-09-10 20:05 ]
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