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Reviews by moss1956 (15)

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Cinch Belay Device popular Average Rating = 4.24/5 Average Rating : 4.24/5

In: Gear: Essential Equipment: Belay Devices & Descenders

The release lever is not on the left. 3 out of 5 stars

Review by: moss1956, 2007-07-14


The cinch is a gri-gri like device. It is easier for me to belay leaders with the cinch than the gri-gri, as I can feed out rope more easily. Lowering is touchy. I don't care for devices like this as they are best used with the right hand on the break, and I am left handed.


Miura Shoe (Manufacturer link) popular Average Rating = 4.79/5 Average Rating : 4.79/5

In: Gear: Shoes: Climbing Shoes: Lace Up

Miura 4 out of 5 stars

Review by: moss1956, 2007-02-04


I have two pairs of these. One at 44 and one at 43.5. I wear an 11 1/2 or 12 street shoe in US sizes, so I am sizing them down significantly. The 44's are really comfortable and don't pinch my feet at all. I wear them when I am climbing in the winter and need blood flow in my feet. The 43.5's are great when I am climbing at my limit.

The toe is great for small pockets, but not downturned so much that I can't smear, they edge really well, and they are sensitive. After the soles wore out the first time, I got them resoled with five ten rubber and they were even better.

I also have a couple pair of Katana's which are similar shoes. The Katanas are a great shoe when I am climbing with beginners and am going to have the shoes on for a long time, and be climbing easier stuff. The Velcro lets you adjust them to be sloppy when you are on belay. Oddly, on slabby stuff the Miuras are more comfortable than the Katanas.


Dynotron/LiveWire (Manufacturer link) Average Rating = 4.80/5 Average Rating : 4.80/5

In: Gear: Essential Equipment: Carabiners: Quickdraws

dynotron/livewire 4 out of 5 stars

Review by: moss1956, 2007-01-03


Everything everybody said was true... but,
1. Everybody owns them now, so you end up sorting draws at the end of the day.
2. The dogbones on mine are now fuzzy after a season of use.
3. The gold anodizing material has rubbed off the biners on rope end, and the biners on the bolts end have gouges in them....

so they aren't pretty anymore.


Spirit Carabiner, Anodized (Manufacturer link) Average Rating = 4.74/5 Average Rating : 4.74/5

In: Gear: Essential Equipment: Carabiners: Non-Locking Carabiners: Straight Gates and Regular D's

solid 4 out of 5 stars

Review by: moss1956, 2006-11-25


I made up a set of quickdraws using the Spirits for the bolt end. I bought a dozen to start with, but the gates stuck on two of them, so I got four more. I started out using Omega pacific JC's for the rope end, but after two years I switched to WC Heliums. I have been using them for four years now. They are easy to hang and clean because of the Spirits. Except for the defects in the original batch I have not had any trouble with them. The Heliums make them easy to clip too.


Booster III 9.7mm DryCover Rope (Manufacturer link) Average Rating = 4.09/5 Average Rating : 4.09/5

In: Gear: Essential Equipment: Climbing Ropes: Dynamic Single Ropes

Review 4 out of 5 stars

Review by: moss1956, 2006-10-13


I have been using this rope for about a year. It is great for leading. It handles well, its easy to clip, its light and it has a smallish diameter so there is significantly less friction than a 10.5mm rope. If you take a fall, it can be a little hard to get the rope untied. The couple of times I let beginners belay me with this rope it was dicey, they had trouble controlling the rope as they lowered me. After a year and lots of falls, I had to trim 15 feet from the ends, but now its ready for another year of abuse.

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