tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14697721.post116197957050577009..comments2023-10-09T05:25:15.055-07:00Comments on Gravsports: Black Diamond Gear Loop Testing and thoughts.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14697721.post-79698494937731634952007-03-07T12:58:00.000-08:002007-03-07T12:58:00.000-08:00great story about Todd's accident, and how to prev...great story about Todd's accident, and how to prevent it happening again! One thing you haven't mentioned is to build in a backup to the harness itself. I learned this trick from a well known climber here in Seattle - Larry Kemp. Larry taught me to use one inch webbing for wearing my chalk bag. Tie it with a water knot around your waist. When you tie in, belay, or rappel, clip or tie the locker or rope though the normal harness points, and the chalk bag sling. It's a back up harness.<BR/>When I'm rapping, sometimes it weights the chalk bag sling directly, so I clip a locker from the chalk bag sling to the rappel locker to put some slack in the back up, and weight the harness properly. It works like a charm and would have saved Todd, as well as several other people.<BR/>Mark Webster<BR/>www.websterart.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14697721.post-1162247162160952582006-10-30T14:26:00.000-08:002006-10-30T14:26:00.000-08:00Right on JD, good to see a solid rant!I agree that...Right on JD, good to see a solid rant!<BR/><BR/>I agree that climbing is ultimately about getting out and doing it with buds, a lot of the rest is ego and not as much fun. Ultimately we as climbers shape our own experiences, so if something is getting us down then we can either change the structure or change our involvement with it. I like to climb with some of the "best" climbers, and also some of the, well, not-so-best, grin, it's all about what attitude they bring to the climb and what it feels like out at the crag or wherever.<BR/><BR/><BR/>I'd like to think I'm pro-climbing first and a "pro" climber second. The climbing I do for me, the posing I do after a climb is the professional "work" part. That's why I call myself a professional poseur, grin, there are no professional climbers. It's not like we're fixing pipes or building anything while we go climbing, it's about going climbing 'cause it's more fun than working at the desk...<BR/><BR/>Keep the rant alive.<BR/><BR/>WGWill Gaddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16296395814043276606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14697721.post-1162226729568583392006-10-30T08:45:00.000-08:002006-10-30T08:45:00.000-08:00Ahh – this is what I love – coffee, reading posts,...Ahh – this is what I love – coffee, reading posts, surfing about DH bikes, and reading the usual trash about climber’s egos and such – or the usual posts about routes, then repeat posters slagging and tanget-ing. <BR/><BR/>Kolin’s report on gear is what should be posted – helpful information from a source with professional credentials.<BR/><BR/>It does “tweak” me that Skinner’s partner has expressed to the media that Skinner’s harness was worn … We have and do, climb with old stuff, some gear better than other gear – and even the Professional athletes – they actually may be the worst – good thing I’m a sidekick …<BR/><BR/>If the two tie-in points were worn and a belay loop failure, then the tie-in points should be broken and “released” the loop. The fact of a belay loop releasing all on its’ own is one of those accidents that leaves climbers baffled, engineers running programs and Lawyers leaping tall building to get to the harness manufacturer and to the “victim”.<BR/><BR/>Here’s an analogy I have used to explain this event to my family and non-climbing friends (yep I actually have them). Brakes and wheels on your vehicle – worn brakes lead to a few things – poor stopping distance, noise, and if very bad, seizing onto the rotor – this is bad – but does stop your vehicle very well – however, it won’t move after. Do worn braked lead to your wheel falling off your vehicle? NO – this is a separate issue, poor quality nuts or bolts – weak axle – basically failure of equipment/parts that would happen regardless of worn brakes. The fact that reminds me of this – I saw a 2006 Toyota Tundra crew cab on the street – dry roads – driver, who knows, but seemed as he was going at a curb and decided to simply run over it – this is a big-sized 4x4 truck – his front right wheel came off – the tow truck driver stared at it with bug-eyed amazement.<BR/><BR/>The fact that a belay loop fails and releases from the harness is simply that – it would release regardless of worn tie-in points or brand new ones. KN and such – yeah! Pretty hard to create that much force on a rappel even if you are the size of this pages blogger!!!!<BR/><BR/>The fact that Skinner’s belay loop failed should be investigated and the results will help the engineers for future modifications – if required. The results of why the loop “released” will not help his family, friends deal with the loss. Accidents totally suck in any form of daily life, but climbing ones often hold the ultimate loss. <BR/><BR/>As sport climbers, where falling is part of the “process”, we ask a lot of our gear, knots, webbing, bolts, rope, carabineers, devices and partners – these all combine to keep us from hitting the ground. Gravity is gnarly and when you add in a sport that tries to defy it, when accidents occur, they are often nasty with the best results long-stays in hospitals and the normal results are often fatal.<BR/><BR/>Compare this to DH/Freeriding, where speed, stunts and testosterone combine for stellar wipeouts often leading to hospital visits. But when gear failure happens, the hospital visit is the norm.<BR/><BR/>As for the gear issue, you are fully sponsored and should not have “crappy” gear – in fact, it should be the best, as you represent the companies whom support you. How would it look if your Fusion’s looked like Buszowski’s? Yeah! The man can use’em like no one else, but he likes the look of them, beat up, understated. On that note, they pretty much give you a glimpse of what his garage looks like! <BR/><BR/>Let’s get one thing straight – CLIMBING IS DANGEROUS – ACCIDENTS OFTEN RESULT IN DEATH – we read this many times, but often ignore it – many of us have been “lucky” and many of our FRIENDS have not – this part really SUCKS and causes huge damage and turmoil to those who lose their loved ones.<BR/><BR/>Back-up of back-ups? Yep, making me pissy – this is a good one. I’ve had a few battles with ACMG guides on the usage of a back-up on a back-up – this simply states that the 1st one is NO good and that the original system WILL fail! I am not stating that back-ups are not good – crap, you don’t use just one anchor point – 2 points for anchors minimal. Of course, like life, this is subjective – simply be reasonable – if your choice was 2 lodge-pole pines about 2” in diameter or a 20’ Sequoia?<BR/><BR/>I considered Skinner a good friend – I spent about 4 years climbing with him and the crew in Lander, Wyoming during the early 1990’s – it was one of the best areas and times for climbing – hard routes, full-on wilderness, and none of them BOULDERITES or SLCers - whining about temps, hikes, pockets … except CG came, got a good kicking and left. Yep, a transgression …<BR/><BR/>The accident ought to remind all of use climbers that we are fortunate to be climbing and some of us have been lucky with “almost-accidents”.<BR/><BR/>The following is of no direct relation to Skinners Accidental death and a transgression from the original post – THE INDUSTRY IS FAILING:<BR/> The fact that many climbers feel the need to trump others with feats of bigger balls, by using less gear, moving quicker over slow terrain; using or not-using bolts, pitons, jumars, fixed lines, ladders, aid - pulling on gear all in the name of a faster free ascent – simply go to the bar, whip it out and start measuring – this will save a lot of time and trouble. <BR/><BR/>The frequented reports of X and Y doing a quicker ascent of a route they may have done hundreds of times is LAME, the seldom reports of climbers doing their hardest send for the first time is COOL, no matter the grade. First Free Ascents of big aid routes is full-on WICKED, this is climbing to a free climber. On this, why is this more impressive and acceptable, than someone repeating a sport route the same way?<BR/><BR/>Climbing used to be about freedom, evolution, movement – now it has become a method to make money (EVEREST) at any cost – to inflate oneself and degrade others. We all used to hope that professionalism would lead to a better climbing industry – one that would propel vision and levels, plus open the industry up to a larger field. Now we have climbers who get known for repeating a route faster on every ascent of the route they have wired. But we do have 15a and V15 – pretty cool. We have athletes who push their discipline to new levels and bring in more climbers. We have Sharma – stupendously good, but I will note that deep water soloing is cool, but very limiting to most of the climbing world and showing them that climbing is not really dangerous – as you can repeatedly fall from 65 feet and not get injured. This is not Sharma’s fault – so I better say what I want: THE CLIMBING MEDIA IN NORTH AMERICA IS DOING CLIMBING A DISSERVICE. <BR/><BR/>The media reports on events like this and others only show what 1% of the climbers (if that) are capable of doing. To show/report events that are higher caliber grade/effort/skill wise show evolution and dedication and attraction, but if these events are not readily accessible for the general climbing industry, they become a disservice – elitism. We need the industry to show and feel the passion for climbing, while providing access for the general climber. The industry needs respect – snow-sports got it, even though boarding has the drug/sex persona, but the general boarder can try PRO riding style on a smaller scale – smaller drops, speeds … the snow industry PROs have the ability to generally show they are accessible for the general rider – climbing does not have this – the small percentage show access, the majority show elitism. Climbing needs to show more of what climbers are about, not just what they are capable of doing. <BR/><BR/>The companies need to strive to do this – most have climbers running and working in them – and those that recognize this will not only do well financially, but will grow the industry. This goes to those who think they will make money in this industry – FIRST thing, build on climbing, provide dedication and passion – this will be seen and in turn will provide financial gains – which in turn will help grow the industry more, alongside your company. BDEL has done this the best and are where they are because of commitment like this. PRANA is another who exemplifies this as well. <BR/><BR/>Many companies, some I’ve been involved in recently, have not succeeded – because they chose money first and foremost in an industry where money is scarce. I had tried to instill the motto/belief - build it and the rewards will follow - show true passion and dedication to the industry itself. This industry is NOT like other industries where money rules. The climbing industry needs money, but like climbers, relies on dedication perseverance and honesty. We need a bigger funnel to survive and grow.<BR/><BR/>This is why the media currently sucks – they have the ability to be the biggest part of increasing the community, but rely on old, dated and elitist principles. If they read more internet forums, after filtering the BS, they’d realize that the world is keener on grass-roots events than “Dudes – ascent of .16a - 800ft water solo - at 8,000m – wearing nothing at all, then repeating it for the 100th time faster by 1ms”<BR/><BR/>Climbing is awesome, but I must admit that after 5 months of no-climbing, and DH/Freeriding – I realized that those people have fun, support others, actively help their bros who may be sending the biggest drop that they have not yet done, and when sent they are psyched to get their bro to send it. Think of it this way, the more PROs, the more filtered out the a-hole-pros become and then the general public sees passion, dedication and the “want” to “get-amongst-it” – they see that they can do this – the best thing I have got out of the DH/Freeride scene. I never hear “how-many-tries”? How long you ‘been working this? I am not talking about myself, but the DUDES trying to send the biggest drops and stunts dealing with each other – a refreshing view of sports.<BR/><BR/>JD LeBlancAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com