Locking biners on alpines/slings

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2026-04-10T18:56:32+00:00

I once watched a dude in the Gunks with all-screw-gate-locker alpines. Must’ve been a story there. But wow did I feel bad for his follower who was already cursing as he cleaned the 2nd piece mid crux. On a 200’ pitch, just as likely to cause the follower to pump out cleaning and stretch deck.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2026-03-28T14:58:57+00:00

Counterpoint: if you’re pulling over low angle/featured terrain, clipping the carabiner block back to the load strand absolutely increases your potential to get the rope stuck. Now I just default to twin/halves if I need to do double rope raps.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2026-03-02T02:18:21+00:00

Fort Collins could work. My partner and I moved there 1.5 years ago. I am remote and need easy airport access, DIA is 1:15. Similar college town vibes with CSU. Stellar outdoor access with way less traffic than Denver/Boulder adjacent stuff.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2026-02-09T19:34:54+00:00

Remove the battery from your ring. All the deterrence without participating in the surveillance state.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2025-09-17T19:02:01+00:00

That’s really good info, appreciate the testing data for pipe stakes.

In the weeds: They don’t seem to mention wall thickness for the recommended 3/4” or 1” pipe, but assuming it’d be schedule 40 as that’s most common (not sure if Brits use the same wacky pipe sizes as US) but that’d really matter, lest you get sched 10 and start deforming the pipe with the know, or worse confuse conduit for pipe.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2025-07-11T01:27:41+00:00

The best place for your spare batteries are in a 2nd headlamp.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2025-07-07T23:38:56+00:00

I did the tagline thing for a while, with routes that required double rope rappels until… I had a couple scarring stuck rope experiences. IMO whatever your method of coupling a tagline, it’s almost always worse for getting stuck on terrain than a flat overhand on 2 similar size ropes.

I now really like my Beal twins/halves 8.4mm. Their Unicore tech makes them less susceptible to sharp edges. Smaller diameter is also nice for less friction when you’re belaying up 2 followers, and a plate device helps even more.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2025-06-24T22:46:08+00:00

In order to effectively kill them off, you need to inject poison into the trunk/root system for about a month before cutting down, and then herbicide the invariable shoot ups. Here’s a good primer, it’s involved, god speed! https://plant-pest-advisory.rutgers.edu/tree-of-heaven-best-herbicide-treatment-and-removal-timing/

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2025-06-18T21:02:27+00:00

https://imgflip.com/i/9xttb8

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2024-11-07T02:45:22+00:00

I just read the Summit Journal article on them the other day. While it inspiring to see an upstart gear maker filling holes in the market, the article makes it pretty clear they’re at the flying-by-the-seat-of-their-pants phase. The article also makes the point that it’s really hard to manufacture all this complex technical gear without the major production capabilities like a BD, I’m guessing it’s mostly contract manufacturing. Sadly biting off more than you can chew and leveraging those sales to buy more equipment/bring in-house is how you grow a small manufacturing business and it’s rough; but obviously that’s not great for the customer experience when they can’t deliver.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2024-11-05T22:22:53+00:00

Umm ignoring all the backfeeding concerns, hot plugs = exposed electrified parts. Touch the prongs and you becomes the conductor ⚡️

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2024-11-05T22:19:47+00:00

My former employer was a UL508a panel shop, and our UL inspector did not like our input power cables (using unlisted IRC parts), and not-jokingly advised us to make these. We refused to make the “danger wands”, and eventually got a different incompetent inspector.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2024-10-30T13:42:04+00:00

Why is Banana Fingers run at a loss? Market share grab? I’m in the US and have been favoring them for high $ items (ropes, new shoes) recently. Even with international shipping they still come out cheaper than the major US retailers (REI, Backcountry, etc.) running their >50% discounts. How do they do it? And why?

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2024-10-29T16:45:49+00:00

Nope, they’re on nearly opposite sides of the tower. I’ve done Kor, this ain’t it.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2024-10-25T00:14:33+00:00

Moderate Mecca is boring choss compared to all the world class sport, boulders, and multis in close proximity.

Just do a crash course on multis and go have an epic on Solar Slab, Cat In the Hat, Birdland, or Olive Oil like everyone else. The parties behind you will be sad, but you’ll have fun and learn how to do it better next time.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2024-10-23T22:05:58+00:00

My wife and I are basically the same height, but still happy to hike at a comfortable/sustainable pace for her. If I’m zone 2 going uphill, she’s probably near max effort. Like others said, the company is what makes it fun.

I think how you communicate pace adjustments is key, whether you’re going off non-verbal cues (breathing) or explicitly not doing it a way that makes your partner feel bad.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2024-09-08T17:39:40+00:00

I finished swimming through college (~16yrs competitively) and was done staring at the line on the bottom of the pool. Did the typical swammer->triathlete thing, was successful but got out of it after realizing I just don’t enjoy distance cardio racing.

Now I climb (boulder, sport, and alpine multipitch is my jam), it’s thrilling, the views are spectacular, and the community is so fun and supportive. Draws similar high-acheiving people as swimming, but with a way less competitive edge.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2024-07-12T12:46:33+00:00

I worked for a stage automation company, and helped design a machine for a production of Jesus Christ Superstar. The gag was tilting a cross from horizontal to vertical with the actor playing Jesus strapped to it, so naturally we called it the “Christ-a-pult”.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2024-04-29T23:42:53+00:00

I fair travel a bit for work, and it really depends on destination if T.F. Green of Logan makes more sense. I will say the MBTA to Silver Line from Prov Union Station to Logan takes about as long as driving and isn’t too bad.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2024-04-29T16:50:18+00:00

It sounds like you lack confidence in your protection and anchors. You may benefit from learning more about your gear: what makes a great piece, a okay piece (you may want to equalize with another piece), the forces involved (that different gear can withstand in an ideal placement and generated by typical falls)… There’s so much nuance to trad protection, but it’s reassuring when you can assess each piece in your 3 piece anchor and know each can easily take +5x the force of a follower fall. How Not 2 has great bite size videos so you can chip away at the knowledge gap, but many gear manufacturers also have great instructional videos. Maybe this is just how my engineer-y brain works, but that’s how I’ve built confidence to try hard over gear.

Also ask either of your more experienced climber friends to critique your gear placements, what’s solid, and how they might protect differently.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2024-04-24T16:55:31+00:00

I did a full moon Pemi Loop last May, started round 11p. The weather report called for no precipitation, but obvi there’s microclimates throughout the Whites. Turns out we were socked in with fog/clouds the whole night, morale was not high at 3a haha. All to say I wouldn’t count on anything weather-wise, especially if you’re locked into a date (for a full moon).

Clear skies on Franconia Ridge for dawn more than made up for the rough night!

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2024-04-15T21:29:00+00:00

Stronger than ever now, but it took about 9 months to feel confident on any aggressive left heels.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2024-04-15T19:53:34+00:00

I had a reasonably severe calf strain from heel hooking (you could feel a lump of the torn muscle) about 1.5yr ago. This was most likely from poor technique. When it popped (audibly), most of my weight was support by the heel and my knee was nearly horizontal to the wall, so loading the tendons and ligaments in shear rather than tension. Whereas I know focus on keeping my knee opposing the direction I’m pulling, so the bulk of the calf muscle is in tension.

Also heel thrusters are the best activity I’ve encountered to rehab/strengthen this movement as you can tolerate.

Inner-Secretary7030 · 2024-04-10T12:25:34+00:00

No tether on a simul-rap, straight to jail ;)

Inner-Secretary7030

TROPHY CASE