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The cold world of skimo & alpine climbing

The cold world of skimo & alpine climbing

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Seriously? You talking about Umbilicals again?



The Joke Slinger...gunning.



I try not to cruise the Internet climbing forums these days.  I read about crampons "breaking" because the owner has no clue on how they actually should be attached or to what kind of boots they were designed to be used with.   Or for that matter how a crampon is actually suppose to work.  Different from crampons, actually breaking.  Be nice if some would actually gain that education prior to bitching about it in public.  Everyone wants a voice on the Internet!

Life use to be so simple.

I asked Grivel some time back to produce a simple leash with the ability to girth hitch both ends.   I could even live with the swivel harness attachment as is.   Or even all three ends needing a girth hitch.   Not that the idea will ever go anywhere.  Now I am beginning to understand why.  I really should stay out of Internet climbing forums! 

In a few short years..the idea of actually incorporating umbilicals in your kit is common place.  4 different makers producing more than 4 options now.  So they seem to be a success at retail.  Even if the really "good" climbers on the Internet never drop a tool or need an umbilical, I do and you might :)



Jon Griffith photo of Ueli Steck soloing the Ginat


Here are some previous thoughts on umbilicals out of a dozen or so posts here on the subject of umbilicals.

Call it a PSA.

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2013/02/another-critical-look-at-ice-tools-and.html

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2012/03/umbilicals-again.html

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2011/01/ice-tool-umbilicals-repost.html

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2010/04/bd-testswarning-on-umbilicals.html

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2011/02/curious-case-of-commercial-umbilical.html

Nice thing about alpine and ice?  Darwin's theory generally plays out quickly.  Thankfully.




7 comments:

Michael said...

I suspect you have it wrong, I would assume that one tool is girth hitched, one has a biner, and the swivel goes on the harness.

Still kinda funky design though

Dane said...

Speaking of the Grivel dbl spring leash I assume? 2 biners, one with a swivel attached, and one end a simple girth hitch? Yes that is exactly how it was intened to be used. Swivel and locker goes to the harness. Girth hitch one tool for relaibility. locker to the other tool for ease of removal. Locker and swivel to the harness. I don't see it as funky at all.

Michael said...

Yes, was this post edited?

Dane said...

Yes, I did edit the post. I had originally quoted a question from an Internet forum asking how one might use the Grivel dbl Spring leash with a girth hitch required and the resulting answers. Took a full page of wrong answers to get anything even remotely resembling yours.

I thought better of quoting someone simply trying to ask a question and edited my original blog post. No reason for me to be a dick about it.

Tim Brose said...

Dane,
what would you recommend for the new Quarks as far as umbilicals? I like the thought behind the Blue Ice setup, but not sure if I can use that?

Dane said...

Hi Tim, From what is currently available I would use the Grivel dbl spring leach with locking biners for both tools and a girth hitch to the harness. No swivel and no unrelaible wire gate biners clipping metal to metal.

Tim Brose said...

Dane,
Much appreciated! Thank you.