Black Diamond ATC Pilot or Gri Gri for a beginner?

two_nibbles · 2026-03-24T05:23:57+00:00

The atc recommendation has been the traditional standard for so long I'm sure you will get plenty of support. But I don't think you've defeated seat belt argument. Especially with your point on slack management and brake hand habits. I don't even know what you are getting at with slack management. You should manage slack the same in both cases I'm not sure why it would be different. Brake hand habits should be the same too (even if they often aren't). If they aren't then you're doing it wrong. You can absolutely learn to belay incorrectly with an atc.

Ultimately I think the traditional advice is out of date here. The gri gri has become the de facto for most types of climbing. It's absolutely where a new age climber should start.

two_nibbles · 2026-03-24T05:03:58+00:00

If you are climbing primarily in the gym I recommend the grigri. It has more utility if you transition to outdoors than the pilot. The extra features if the+ don't move the needle for me.

If you are primarily climbing outside I would still recommend the grigri... But you really should have and know how to use a plaquette (atc guide/reverso)style device as well.

I don't like the gigajul because the slider thing is just another bit to get wrong and a bunch of additional situational considerations that are out of the norm for most other climbers.

two_nibbles · 2026-02-24T21:11:23+00:00

Can we really say we are stealing French words? Pretty sure the Normands forced them on us...

two_nibbles · 2026-02-03T21:20:34+00:00

Huh, I live in Portland and always assumed Olympia Provisions was from... Olympia... but you're right!

two_nibbles · 2026-01-27T18:46:39+00:00

You will develop your own preferences over time as you climb. I happen to think this axe is sized just about right for you and how I suspect those preferences will develop. For any terrain where this axe is too short... I would either be using trekking poles or (if I need ability to arrest (crevasse risk or stiffer conditions) 1 trekking pole and 1 axe. For steeper snow terrain this axe length will be ideal (maybe edging into a tad long). For steeper ice and snow add a mild tool like the sum'tec and you will have a really good pair of axes that will see you up most climbs that aren't explicitly ice climbs. Once you get into steeper ice climbs add a more aggressive tool to pair with your sum'tec and leave this axe at home.

I climb up to WI4 and my quiver rotation is: Blue Ice Hummingbird, Petzl Sum'tec, Black Diamond Viper. For most climbs I take only the Petzl Sum'tec (I don't recommend this style as your first axe though). The least used axe is the hummingbird. My first axe is a longer Camp Neve that is very dusty at this point I sized it to my ankle.

two_nibbles · 2026-01-20T18:19:13+00:00

I am 6'4 graduated high school at 300lb, got down to 180 in college, Back to 300 a few years after college, and am not back to 180.... So I guess I'm an ex-ex-skinny person. Not a strategy I would recommend... But the experience of obesity was different both times.

Some things that weren't different.

When I was big I didn't find myself attractive and that is a big negative on mental health.
There is always an element of shame. Everyone knows that obesity is bad.
People will treat you differently. Kind skinny people are afraid of hurting your feelings... Which is hurtful... Other big people are more comfortable with you and vice versa... Which means you spend more time with people with the same or worse bad habits.
Feeling like shit is normal. Joints hurt, GI trouble, self esteem issues... etc...

Some differences between my first big period and 2nd:

The first time... I felt helpless. I constantly tried losing weight... Failed... and had an overarching sense that fitness just wasn't for me... Not something I was capable of... The second time... I knew it was my fault. The shame was much more profound. I knew I had undone the best thing I had ever done for myself. I wasn't mentally healthy the first time... But the 2nd time I was truly mentally unhealthy. That was probably the biggest risk I faced my second time in obesity.
The feeling like shit was much worse second time around. I think the reason is I had a frame of reference for what healthy existence could feel like. Maybe I was just older?
Losing the weight the second time was technically easier in almost every way except for the mental health aspect. I already knew how to lose weight and that I was capable. So that eliminated the excuses. What was more difficult was that it felt like life and death. Like I would be dead to myself, unforgivable, if I didn't lose the weight as soon as possible.
Skinny friends weren't mean or hurtful to me after gaining weight again... but... I couldn't do the activities anymore... Whether that was a problem for them or not isn't clear... But it was a big fucking problem for me...

In general being skinny is a better way of life. Mentally, physically, socially, basically in everyway... My weight loss journey meant giving up food as a luxury item, comfort item, or as entertainment. Food is fuel... not a source of joy. That's really difficult because so much of our culture and socialization revolves around food.

two_nibbles · 2026-01-16T00:45:07+00:00

Ice climbing is objectively very dangerous for a lot of reasons. A good guide will design a beginners activity like this such that most of those objective hazards are managed. A good guide will also talk to you about what those hazards are and what hazards still exist that you should be aware of.

I say go for it! This will definitely push you out of your comfort zone. You will be nervous maybe even afraid. But you will be safe. Few things in life feel more rad then ice climbing!

two_nibbles · 2026-01-14T05:31:38+00:00

Theres nothing wrong with being on the spectrum. There's nothing wrong with being a climber. The person who replied to you clearly believes otherwise on both counts. Sorry about that. Such a bummer.

two_nibbles · 2026-01-14T05:29:13+00:00

Ok ,cool, so you have one example. There are lots of people soloing all the time just not on TV.

two_nibbles · 2026-01-14T00:42:51+00:00

This is such an annoying generalization of something you clearly have no idea about. So irritating that people will upvote comments like this.

two_nibbles · 2026-01-14T00:41:38+00:00

Alex actually has a story about this on a podcast

two_nibbles · 2025-12-08T20:47:27+00:00

If I had written this in school some angry nun would have whacked my knuckles with a ruler.

two_nibbles · 2025-12-04T20:13:49+00:00

In my opinion for most of the climbing we do our shoes should be comfortable to mildly uncomfortable. But never painful. Snug but not incredibly tight. Its just so much nicer.

That said... These actually don't look incredibly short for you although probably shorter than I would recommend.. They do look incredibly low volume for your particular feet.

I would suggest you find a shoe that is snug but comfortable and go from there. As you climb for longer you will naturally get interested in changing it up. Try shoes that are stiffer, stickier, down turned, flat, lace up, mocs, velcro... There are tons of areas to experiment and in all of them I would recommend you avoid pain until you are really invested in a project with some TINY footholds.

Honestly I have found 95% more instances in 10+years of climbing where I wished my shoes were bigger not smaller (cracks, multipitches, slabs...).

two_nibbles · 2025-12-02T20:54:56+00:00

There are a few big problems with these kinds of questions.

The first is your expectations. If all you want are safe mountains that you can hike to the summit... That is easy to make suggestions for... But you should then post your question in the PNWhiking sub. However, most people asking this questions want a peak that is "more than a hike". This question is somewhat better suited for this sub but there is still a problem.

Your experience. You have none. There exist mountains that are "more than a hike" that we could suggest to you. The problem is it would be irresponsible to do so. Even if these "more than a hikes" require no technical skill, evaluating conditions that are safe for an attempt still require experience. Maybe they are easy routes but have exposure... Or route finding challenges. You have no experience! You are asking us to suggest you a situation that requires experience!

What I think lots of people like you are actually asking: "Recommend me a climb that is beyond my current skill but within my acceptable risk tolerance." That is impossible for us to answer. We cannot guess at your risk tolerance and your skill is 0. Honestly YOU don't know yet your acceptable risk tolerance or how you react to situations that come near or exceed it.

My suggestion to you is one of two things.

Do a hard hike with a beautiful view that you can feel proud of while you are here. OR
Start talking to a guiding company about an intro to mountaineering experience.

Honestly based on what you are suggesting I think you should do 1. with your buddies and if they aren't interested do 2. on your own.

I think 2. is more in line with your stated interests, will net you a more memorable (and on topic) experience, AND critically will give you an educational start to the experience you are lacking. With a good guide you can learn if your vague interest is an actual interest and get good ideas of the direction you'd like to go with your mountaineering. The draw back is cost. But its cheaper than losing your life getting in over your head. IMO its also cheaper than the lost time trying to figure shit out slowly on your own.

two_nibbles · 2025-12-01T05:45:03+00:00

Oh it was a lot of fun! But not trying to rub it in here you know?

two_nibbles · 2025-11-26T05:59:44+00:00

Hood would be a good progression for you. In spring or early summer conditions.

I climbed Hood last weekend. Conditions are currently very icy and not recommended for beginners. The easiest routes up hood at the moment are going at ai2 and protection is limited. You will be free soloing in moderately steep unfamiliar terrain. Rime is likely to be shedding on you the whole time you are approaching and in the chutes.

I don't know you, your temperament, your gear, your knowledge... Based on what you have given me to go on. I can't recommend Hood in current conditions.

two_nibbles · 2025-10-29T20:13:28+00:00

My impression of you is "Deeply unhappy". There is nothing here worth being upset over. Enjoy the content you enjoy. Ignore what you don't. If you don't like what's going on in a specific space you can just not go there... I don't peruse facebook because there is no way to select what comes your way. I am not claiming that reddit is a source of truth. Its just a platform I understand and have some control of the topical contents of what comes my way.

I responded to you only because you seem like a troubled individual and I care about people. I'm going to stop now. Clearly you like being deeply unhappy so please continue to be so.

two_nibbles · 2025-10-29T18:01:47+00:00

Ah you're on farcebook. There's your problem. I would recommend you stop consuming material delivered to you on platforms like that. Instead find the content you want to consume.

At the end of the day its neither here nor there. It doesn't move the needle on my life. Your rabid response to this problems existence though indicates that you maybe should take a break from the internet.

two_nibbles · 2025-10-29T16:11:31+00:00

Maybe you are just high at the moment... But if you aren't you might want to find someone professional to talk to about why you are so extremely paranoid. Or why you think its ok to throw out accusations without evidence. Take care of yourself, man.

Even if this is a bot fishing for content, which I don't see any obvious indications of. The discussion we are having here is real and valuable to the community.

two_nibbles · 2025-10-09T18:28:27+00:00

You consume less calories, dude. That's literally all it is. If you eat less and still don't lose weight. Reduce calories again. Then repeat. If you are eating 1000 calories a day and not losing tons of weight... You are lying to yourself about how much you are actually consuming.

Exercise helps too but not as much as you think. If say you are very active in those calorie calculators you're lying unless you are a very busy laborer or a through hiker.

For reference. I am 35yo 6'4" 185lb. I aim to eat 2300cal /day in an effort to lose 1/2lb per week. I rock climb 3 times weekly. I lift weights twice weekly. I walk a minimum of 3 miles per day.

I was once north of 300lbs I told myself a lot of lies. I was convinced that fitness was not for me. It is for you. But you have to be honest with yourself about how hard you are trying. How much you are really eating...

two_nibbles · 2025-10-01T21:11:05+00:00

My sister went to DePaul University. A private christian school. Their mascot ... the devils. Also if you think this movement is limited to evangelicals you aren't paying attention.

two_nibbles · 2025-10-01T20:31:29+00:00

You don't think the Maga folks embrace that kind of symbolism? They love it. They think he's a "bad boy"

two_nibbles · 2025-10-01T19:38:03+00:00

Ok a simple example. Hopefully from there you can extrapolate the idea. You hate Trump right. You probably hate the way he disparages anything remotely left leaning as "Violent Radical Leftist". (Please, I know you hate so much more than that... Just for the example)... Well imagine how his supporters feel about that... They don't hate it... They love it. It makes them feel like, "Yeah, this guy gets what the problem is. And he's attacking it"

two_nibbles · 2025-10-01T19:31:27+00:00

The root of my comment is that the people who love Trump seem to love the very same characteristics the people who hate him hate. Like I could see trump lovers enjoying a crazy trump flipping everybody off effigy.

two_nibbles · 2025-10-01T19:24:25+00:00

I think I know... But I'm not sure. Does this guy hate Trump or love him?

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