I have the Petzl Attache and the DMM Big Boa, the Boa is my main belay biner.

It depends how you're using the rope. Lowering off anchors can induce a fair bit of twist. Try rappelling off it a few times, you can knot the ends, but don't knot them together. That seems to get a lot of the kinks out of ropes.

That is a question that is highly debatable. It is mostly agreed that wiregates are easier to clip, and don't exhibit gate slap. FYI, gate slap happens when you hit the back of the rope 'biner on your hand or a wall and the mass of the solid gate makes the gate itself open up, wires have less mass and it is nearly impossible to reproduce this under normal falling conditions.

However, solid and bent gates are stronger overall, and I don't really think much harder to clip under most circumstances. I have a mix of both wire and solid gate biners on my rack.

Wire gate biners are also supposed to be better for ice climbers because you can get them open easier if they freeze. I'm not an ice climber and therefore cannot independently confirm that, but it makes sense to me as an engineer.

Hope that helped, Climb On.

Do you mean the breaking stress? Strain is defined at change in length divided by the original length. Stress is Force divided by area. However, most climbing gear is simply rated by force required to fail it, with a safety factor. Meaning they do away with the known value of area for the end users.

On the lower left of this PDF, you will see a small little diagram that says 15kN. That seems to be the best I can find for you.

http://www.petzl.com/files/all/technical-notice/Sport/C.%20HARNAIS%20ESC%20C00500-D.pdf

First off, I am assuming you mean you want to top your mast, and not just hang over for balast. So, you should pick up two of these, one right handed, and one left handed. You will also need a harness, two slings, or one sling and a foot loop. You will also need carabiners to attach those things to the Ascender.

Some people would leave it at that, and trust that the Ascender is enough to keep you in place at the top, and in all likely hood, it will. I think that most people would want some kind of other back up system at the top. What does the top of your mast look like, is there anything else to tie off to? What size boat is it?
Foot Loop: http://www.backcountry.com/petzl-footape-adjustable-foot-loop

Haul Loop: 12kN-rated.
However, still exercise caution when using it for anything where a life is at stake. The haul loop is meant for hauling, even when it is rated at 12kN.

Outside of hauling purposes, I would be sketch about doing anything much more than rappelling with this loop, and I would still run a sling around my body to the loops in the front as a back up. I would NOT belay or fall from the haul loop.

For the record Sue, a micron is 10^-6 meters.

I also pack my sleeping bag in a StS eVent bag. Its a fantastic bag.

The Backcountry.com Tech Specs have this to say:
"Access Types: Top, side"

You are correct Raoul.

Nate,
You pose a difficult question since you are considering two awesome packs. I am an Atmos 65 Owner, and I can understand why you would worry. However, I think I have learned how to pack better, and bring less non-essential things since I have owned the Atmos 65. That said, I think if you have any doubts that you want more room, upgrade. Also, compression sacks are great for clothes and tents no matter what pack you choose.

Cheers

Tena,

I have two sets of Oakley shades. On the Montefrio's the stems (bows) are fixed in place with a typical hinge assembly. However, the Half Jacket's bow's are indeed able to pop off of the frame, as you say keeping them safe. This has absolutely kept my Half Jackets safe on multiple occasions. I have opened the bag that they are in to find five pieces (Frame, lenses, and bows). However, I would never claim "unbreakable". The lenses are quite destructible, and you can most definitely break the bows if you really wanted to.

"Joint collaboration with Wild Country to standardise colour recognition (DMM make the light weight, coloured Rocks for Wild Country)." As cited from http://www.dmmclimbing.com/productsDetails.asp?pid=5&pid2=11

So, that said,

Here are the size charts for the Wild Country Rocks: http://www.wildcountry.co.uk/Products/PassivePro/Rocks/

Climb On.

As usual, I agree with Phil. If your primary concern at the moment is rain, you should most definitely invest in a rain cover.

This bag is Unisex.

Tami, the thing about most compression bags is that you can buy them big and, not to sound obvious, compress them down. So that means that you can buy big and be good. For these granite bags, I suppose the 22L bag would be plenty big enough for your sleeping bag. Be sure to check out the other compression sacks to make sure you find one that sounds like exactly what you want.

Cheers

98% Sure in the Montbell lexicon, that U.L. stands for UltraLight. I believe that it represents their lightest gear and clothing.

According to Coleman:

"To Charge Battery:

When the battery is fully discharged, it will take 10 to 12 hours (on average), but may take up to 16 to 18 hours, to fully recharge it. To obtain maximum performance, charge for 18 hours for the first three cycles. Always charge the battery immediately after use whenever possible. Charge indoors using a household source."

So it sounds to me like you must charge it the first three or so times with the 120-volt adapter on a household plug, and for quite a long time. So, I don't know if you are doing those things, but they also note that "a small light located on the body, next to the adapter cord hole, will glow when the charger is connected correctly. If the light is not on, the blender is not being charged." So you should check for that.

Sometimes devices like this with built in batteries, the factory will put in little plastic tabs that separate the contact and the battery for shipping and initial storing. Look for something like that perhaps. Let us know what the solution was if you find it.

Good luck tracing the problem down.

For reference, you can find a copy of the owners manual here:
http://search.coleman.com/cgi-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=0&page_id=6750&query=blender

I own 4 other Garmin devices and I can tell you, they make the absolute best GPS gear on the planet. I checked out a few other review sites and this is a fairly highly regarded. I also read that you should definitely update the firmware and maps from Garmin.

Bottom line, this unit is waterproof and will get you where you need to go. Sounds like a win to me. No need to spend more money in my opinion.

~65L or so is a good size, I would absolutely get a couple compression bags for the trip too. Most importantly, don't over pack. Gear junkies want to bring something for every possible occasion. Try to keep it simple, you don't need a new shirt for every day, and you certainly don't need that many pants.

That said, for my money, I would spend a few more bucks and go with the Osprey Kestrel that is on sale this week: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Osprey-Packs-Kestrel-68-Backpack-4000-4200cu-in/OSP0185M.html

Thanks for the great follow up guys. Another solution here is instant coffee. It may not be the world best cup of coffee, but I find that french presses in general don't make the best cup either.

If nothing else here, I think you can safely say that coffee is an open-ended discussion here, and that there are many options available to you. I would take the time to research all the options for what fits your current gear best.

Cheers

You may want to check out the Nite Ize "S-biner": http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Nite-Ize-S-BINER/NTZ0009M.html

Its not a standard carabiner, but people seem to like them. Several types are available on Backcountry.com

After reading through the manual briefly, I believe you can only pair the unit with one watch at a time, so if you were planning one running together with one unit giving both watches data simultaneously, it sounds like that won't work. Of course if you are using it separately, you can simply re-pair it to the other watch and whichever of you needs the GPS is good to go.

Good luck, and if you end up buying this and discover that you can in fact pair it with two watches at once, please come back and let us all know.

Unfortunately the answer is No, this whole press is plastic. For a few dollars more, this Primus product can be used with direct heat: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Primus-LiTech-Coffee-Press-Kit/PMS0047M.html

also, this GSI Percolator might fit the bill for you: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/GSI-Outdoors-Glacier-Stainless-Percolator/GSI0130M.html

I believe you can remove them for travel purposes.

Medium is likely the right choice, especially once you get the thing pass your butt/hips. The nice part about buying it from backcountry is they will exchange if it is too small.

I concur. The beauty of Titanium is that it is intrinsically non-stick as far as foods are concerned, and you are using Titanium on Titanium, so no worries.

Dine on.

Hey Jeff, I too was only able to get a meager amount of information on the dongle that this unit supports, however... if you check out the picture I attached from the Brunton product page (http://brunton.com/product.php?id=636) you can make an educated guess.

To me, it looks like you can remove the cable Brunton sends along with the unit. The especially good news is that the main USB port on the Freedom is a good old standard USB-A plug, or what I suppose Brunton have chosen to call "Computer USB." This is almost guaranteed to be what is on the end that isn't connected to your phone/gps/ipod.

That said, as Phil said, check out the reviews over at REI. I don't especially like cross linking on competing sites, but this device costs a pretty penny and the reviews there are mostly negative and warrant reading.

Good luck finding the right device for you.

Since we are talking about a piece of (relative) safety equipment, the question you pose a difficult to answer. There is the absolute "will it work?" (ie: assume Wild Country was conservative in its rope tolerances and the 8.3 is a go), and there is the "it kind of works" (ie: it will take a bite of rope but there is little to no camming action taking place).

The bottom line is this, 0.2 mm is very small, and this great hidden gen of hardware could likely be a great addition to your kit. So, I wouldn't be afraid to buy one here on BackCountry, and check it out at home or at the gym where you can safely test it out. Heads up though, DO NOT load it with any substantial weight before checking out the next paragraph

The FIRST thing you want to make DAMN sure of is that there is that the cam is sufficiently displaced so that when you place a load on the rope man that the cam is in place because of the pinching force on the rope and not because the cam lobe has hit the stops. This is critical because you don't want to be climbing your rope with just the little teeth. That would be, one, horribly unsafe and, two, probably destroy the rope.

When used properly, in my experience with it, this device does not shred the rope at all, and is safe.

I hope that answers your question enough. I can only testify for as low as 9.8mm with this device, but if you look for the things I mentioned, and everything checks out, you could be the proud owner of a Ropeman MkII. If you find that this device does work for you, I almost guarantee you will buy two.

Climb On.

Garrett, I totally agree with Andrea. You are probably ready to move on from calling yourself a beginner, and move into the next level. If that sounds like what you're into, then I think these shoes can certainly help you do that. As has been stated countless times below, yes, these are fairly aggressive shoes and can take some getting used to, but you can get them in a more comfortable size. This sacrifices performance, which some would argue negates the point of buying these shoes.

On the topic of sizing, I'll say this. I was climbing in 42's (LaSportiva Barracudas), tried on a 41 in the Miura VS, which was a good fit and would have likely broken in and turned into a good multi-pitch shoe. However, I was buying agressive and went down to a 40. They hurt like hell for a few weeks and then after the broke in and are now great for sport and gym climbing.

Climb On

US.

Cheers

Check out the video below Will, you can see there the handle is the top of the unit where the ridges are.

Yup, all leather shoes will stretch out a bit, so buy them tight and push through the initial pain.

Product Name: Cocoon Egyptian Cotton *Mummy* Liner

Mike, the short answer is no, I would just use a knife and be done with it.

The reason is Polyethelene, as used here is a foamed thermoplastic, with a melting point around 220-260˚F, so if you try and take a lighter to the edge you will just make it hard and crunchy. You could try to use a lower temp heat device, like a curling iron or a heat gun, but I don't see much point in trying. I don't think the pad will absorb any extra moisture through the cut edge.

Can you post a picture of the weld on the ring? I'm an engineer and I'll let you know what I think about it. That said, keep in mind, it isn't specified that this is a man-rated piece of gear. So, I don't know that I would use it for an aid step, but I'm sure it does it's intended job well. If you are really sketched out by the ring, then just get a bolt cutter and replace it with a nice safe crab.

And I would assume the hole in the buckle is likely weight savings.

Bluegill, check this link out, from Marmot on their temperature rating:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTSDzVs_asE

Check out the Petzl Elios, that seemed to sit pretty well on my head without looking too dorky. I have a Petzl Ecrin Roc, and that looks silly, but its easy to adjust so I keep it for anyone I climb with that needs one.

The reason climbing helmets sit so high is mostly that our main concern isn't bashing our head against the wall on a fall, but rather that pesky flake that your climber just broke off, or the head-sized rock the occasional homicidal mountain goat just kicked off at you, coming from above you. Especially when on belay, with a rock screaming towards your head at a billion miles an hour... Ker-chunk its embedded in your head, at best you're just bleeding, worst, dead on contact... Very comforting for your climber, hah :D So, wear a helmet kiddies!

No, but they are all shiny and awesome :D So, don't stress about it too much.

2.5 US cups = 20 US fluid ounces, and do you mean like a pop-can stove burning denatured alcohol?

Andre, I have a pair of muira vs's, which are very similar in sizing to the solutions. From what I the folks that i climb with, I have heard that the muira and muira vs are pretty darn similar. So, following the logic train there, I would say its safe to say that you are safe picking up a 42 solution. Keep in mind that the safe size isn't always the agressive size. If you are getting a pair of solutions, you might as well go down another half size or so. And my best advice, is if possible go try on the shoes. Hope that helps. Cheers

Already in stock:

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/CAM0212/CamelBak-Zoid-Hydration-Pack.html

I would look at a pair of TC Pro's.

I'm not sure how well the pulley here would hold up, but your bigger problem is going to come from using your dynamic climbing rope to lift weights, most of your range of motion will be expelled into streching the rope. Also, you are putting alot of cycles into your rope.

I would suggest using a dedicated pulley: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Black-Diamond-Pulley/BLD0112M.html

and a length of static rope. I don't know how practical that is for you, but I think you will save yourself a lot of headache in the long run if you don't use your climbing rope for this.

Jump on the Backcountry.com live chat. The link is in the upper right corner of every page.

Unless you have a local cobbler that would take a look at them for you, that is not worth sending to a cobbler to fix, at least not yet. I know many people just put a little dab of superglue on flaps like that. If you have had these a while, I would go the glue-at-home method, but if they are relatively new, you might just live with it unless it gets bad enough to send to a cobbler.

22 kN along the main axis.

Yep, I can try these on locally. Thanks for the input.

You may also want to check out their stove FAQ:

http://cascadedesigns.com/MSR/FAQ/Stoves

Graham,

This is more of an issue for MSR directly, since you have had yours for years. I doubt it is under warranty, but you can check with MSR/Cascade directly here:

http://cascadedesigns.com/Service/Warranty-and-Repair

I have never heard of a Tracker failing. Definitely a call BCA thing.

Customer Service:
email: info@backcountryaccess.com
Phone: 303.417.1345

As I understand it, they are Swiss Designed.

I would try Arc'teryx Warranties: 1-888-326-9900, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM PST
Monday - Friday

That is great information Costa Czar. +1

It does not, and its 21 pounds to boot. So good luck carrying that under your arm for a half mile with all your tackle and rod... But you could easily rig up a couple straps to this thing to make it backpack-like. I am always a fan of modification's and add-ons.

If you are going to be on the water, i would suggest going with polarized lenses. They are a little more expensive, but it will cut down on glare and therefore eye strain.

Kathy, this should have you covered: http://www.backcountryaccess.com/english/research/documents/StashSquallOwnMan0809.pdf

Making coffee with a percolator is a bit of a craft. It is totally dependent on the coffee, the amount you use, and how strong you like your coffee. Once it starts boiling, you just have to experiment to find the perfect combination.

The 6 Cup is back in stock, for now at least

I think we may need a bit more information before we can help you. Are you planning on re-threading the hex nuts with cord (ie: replace the wire with cord) or are you looking to use this as a sling to carry a rack of protection?

Hop on the live chat and they will be able to answer that question for you. The live chat link is in the upper right corner of the page.

You'll be "that guy" but it should fit in an overhead bin. I got a moderately packed Osprey Atmos 65 in an overhead bin.

They will likely sell you twice the amount you are looking to buy.

For loose soils, it will work. For hard packed stuff, this will be terrible.

Its unlikely that you will be able to fix these,
Interchangeable Lens: No

How does your warranty look?

Here is a link to the screen house you seek: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Eureka-Hex-Screen-House/ERK0025M.html

I'm pretty sure its nylon or polyester. Either way, the sack would absolutely NOT suffice for a pot grabber, it would just melt.

I just held a lighter flame up to mine and it started melting like any low density plastic. So... empirical data backs up my statement. That said, this is a great little pot and I love the spork.

I have sent mine to The Rubber Room in Bishop, CA. If its not climbing season, they should get back pretty quick. Excellent quality on the repair.

Yes it does.

Well, they might stick with the gear included, but your best bet is to use masonry screws and/or cement anchors. They are designed for bricks and cement and will work better in the long run. You can find masonry hardware at your local hardware store Ace/Lowe's/Home Depot...

Dave, I guess that depends on your definition of waterproof. I would yield that it is water resistant for rain and my summary was hasty. However, when I think of "waterproof" I think of a dry bag--which this is not.

Yes, this is a great anchor. I have one attached to my harness at all times.

However, keep in mind that it is a static piece of equipment, and if you put a shock load on it, you can damage the anchor you are attached to. These are not meant for taking any kind of fall without something else to absorb the energy generated. That is what your rope is for.

Use this to make yourself safe at the top, then the best thing to do while bringing your second up is to stay tied into your rope and hitch yourself to the anchor via your climbing rope, that way if you fall, the dynamic rope absorbs the energy. Of course keep this attached as a back up. Just a suggestion though.

This is still a must by for me.

No, not even close to water proof. The shell may bead water, but I wouldn't even call that water resistant.

Frank, backcountry.com has a fantastic return policy, especially useful for sizing. If you think this is the bag for you, I wouldn't hesitate in buying it and trying it on.

If you need additional sizing help for packs, jump on the live chat. They are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful.

I personally like Osprey packs, but Gregory has been around virtually since backpacking was invented.. so your choice is understanable. Secondly, you would have to jump on the live chat to answer the price matching question.

You should be able to at lease supplement the battery with the panel to get additional time. Whether or not it will charge depends on the amount of power the trolling motor draws while operating. Say, if you get the 15W panel and the motor uses 10W, you will be able to charge and operate at the same time.

Yes, this should fit the Heli Pro.

Go with the La Sportiva sizing, it will be the most relevant.

These will barely charge a laptop, go bigger.

You want a shoe a little smaller than your street shoe. Sometimes half a size to a size and a half down. Depends on your foot really.

Tyson, sorry man, I read your question late yesterday and pad turned into bag in my brain. The two little webbing loops on the bottom would be great if you tie a loop of cording around your sleeping pad. That my suggestion at least. Sorry for the earlier confusion.

Harold, that sounds about how I wear this jacket. Say between 10F to 40F, I might get away with a T-shirt, sometimes with a henley or thin sweater like your dad. 10F and lower though a sweatshirt is pretty standard for me underneath it. You'll be surprised how windproof this jacket is, I know I was. So windchill isn't too big of a deal.

I would say if your dad is just looking for a jacket to bomb around town in doing errands and whatnot, its perfect. I really like this jacket. Its quite versital.

I got all the accessories from BC.com. Ordered winter 2010.

The zipper on the bottom is the sleeping bag compartment. Thats where most people stash their bag, sometimes I'll stash a jacket there too for easy access if the top is loaded.

There is no official brightness rating, but take my word for it. The spotlight if really really bright.

Here ya go: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Sigg-Traveler-Water-Bottle-06L/SIG0053M.html

The Men's version of this "Hydration Jersey" has a picture of the back side, I assume they are very similar. So that might help answer your question.

Here is the link: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/CamelBak-Racebak-Hydration-Jersey-Mens/CAM0280M.html

http://www.ospreypacks.com/Packs/KodeSeries/

They have a really handy flash application for checking out the pack.

Wow "Petzl Head Office", that is no way to treat anyone. Especially not on a gear website.

George, this is the second largest bag here on Backcountry.com, the largest being the Osprey Packs Argon 110 being slightly larger, and has a few more pockets and whatnot.

I rarely send people away from Backcountry.com, but since you are looking for such a specific application, you should look at Mystery Ranch Packs. These are the go to packs for the military. Here is a link to their largest packs. If you have the money to spend these are phenomenal packs and will likely be your best option. They are made right here in Bozeman, Montana.

http://www.mysteryranch.com/s.nl/sc.7/category.54/.f

I would pick right in the middle and go with 7.5, which is in stock. As long as you have good socks on you shouldn't get blisters or the like, and you will want these tighter than a street shoe, since approach can include some tricky scrables or short free climbs and the like.

That sounds like an accurate description of what the picture you described describes. I would agree with your assessment, based on my experience of blowing moist air/water through a crack, seriously.

Epic MS Paint! Haha. The technical manual for the pack lists those simply as "Four accessory tie-in points." So, like Geoffery said, get come shock-cord or just some static cord if you are so inclined, and tie some stuff to your pack :D

There is the link to the manual. Check Page three, balloon 7.
http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/uploads/black-diamond/files/MM6098_A%20Launch_packsWEB.pdf

Yes, physically it has room for all that.

Though my paranoia about my laptop and $150 texts being in with the bladder would keep me from doing so.

From what I've heard, they are quite similarly sized, but your best bet is to go to your local shop and try them out.

This helmet comes with a 1 year warranty from BlackDiamond.

Here is the link to the BD site:
http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/customer-service/warranty-repair

That is a downgrade in their status then :( a couple of weeks again the rep said sometime in January to look for more. Bummer.

I would agree with Jeff that you could use this on an open fire, but there are better options as far as pots go that would be more practical for open flame cooking.

This is nylon, and is going to make the noise you are looking to avoid.

I would recommend getting the pack you want and making sure it is hydration compatible if that is the key feature you are looking for. Water bladders are available separately.

The case backing looks to be a simple pry-off. If you have a small enough screw driver to lever it open, you can change the battery for just the price of the battery. Not sure what you need, but watch batteries aren't too expensive. Alternatively, you could try to take it to a jeweler to open and replace the battery.

Sorry George, this bag is Out of Stock. The only alternative I see on backcountry.com is the MadRock Chalk Pod. Alternatives do, in fact exist elsewhere though.

Here is the chalk pod: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Mad-Rock-Chalk-Pod/MRC0026M.html

http://www.ospreypacks.com/PackTech/HowtoPackYourPack/

Pretty classic packing technique.

Also, here is the link to your owners manual:

http://www.ospreypacks.com/download_document.php?documentID=109

Closed length for the Small is 3.9".

Cindy,

Yakima makes a Ski/Snowboard carrier for hitches. Its hidden in the Hitch Bike Rack section.

Here is a direct link to it:

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Yakima-HitchSki/YAK0167M.html

It certainly looks as though the slot on the back would take a coin as a wrench to open the case.

Also, You may need to push the "Start Button" to make it start charging.

1.) From a technical standpoint, Photovoltaic Cells (PV) work by the Sunlight (and Infrared Light) hitting the cell with Photons, which get absorbed into the material this thing is made of. The photons charge the electrons in PV cell, this charge makes the electron shells excited and unstable, and thus the atoms want to get rid of the extra charge in the form of electricity.

2.) This can be used anywhere there is sunlight or infrared light.

3.) The green light probably means you have nothing attached to it and it is shutting off. I don't know for sure, read the manual.

4a.) Yes, you need to expose it to the sun for it to do anything, there isn't usually enough energy in electric lightbulbs for these to work.

4b.)It should only take seconds for this unit to start charging once exposed to sunlight.

Indeed part of the pack, check out the exhaust vent grill on the bottom of the right hand side of the pack. The bright side is that you never forget your avalung!

Rick, you may be able to really strech that bungie on the outside to strap your snow shoes on, but you would be much better served to get some cord or a strap and use the daisy chains on the back as an attachment point.

This has a USB A (The full size, standard USB). Your cameras probably have a mini-USB B or A port, but your cable likely has the mini on one end and the regular on the other side.

The important question is whether your camera will charge via USB. If the camera takes AA batteries (even if you use rechargeable batteries) it is not going to work. It is more likely to work if your camera uses a lithium battery that you plug the camera in to charge.

The charge will be immediate, but it will be slower than plugging the device into a computer or wall socket to charge since there is less current being generated.

Also, Photovoltaic Cells (PV Cells) like this operate by converting the Photons from light into energy. When its rainy and overcast, the light from the sun is more diffused, and thus the photons are more diffused, and the device has less photons to absorb and convert into electricity.

Panels like these are good at converting Infrared Light and Natural Sunlight into energy, UV capturing panels are slightly different in design and relatively new and expensive. Meaning this is less useful in UV or low light conditions.

I cannot speak to its water resistance.

Hope that helps somewhat, good luck.

You may want to check that no debris got into the lighter. If there is something insulating the piezo from making a spark, that would definitely give you problems. Try using some compressed air to blow it out, don't use your breath to try to blow it out as moisture from you might make matters worse.

Is there gas flowing when you have the trigger depressed?

Kellen, like John said, check the sizing chart to the right. Packs like these are sized on the length of your back and the circumference of your hips rather than your total height and weight.

BackCountry.com cannot ship Oakley items to Canada due to contractual obligations as described in their help article on the matter, proveded here for reference:

http://bit.ly/7hsQqT

If you have a pair of Vipers, I would look to see if they have the placement holes as described.

There should have been a small folded sheet that has washing instructions with the Camelbak, which is quite a handy reference. Camelbak suggests buying their "cleansing tablets" and using their bladder and tube brush kit. Available for around twenty dollars and comes with two tablets.

There was a time before Camelbak had their magic cleansing tablets, and thus most people I know don't opt for that option. If you follow the instructions on this page:

http://www.camelbak.com/camelbak-101/cleaning-and-maintenance.aspx

and use their "emergency instructions," which is to use a tablespoon of bleach, you can save yourself a lot of money. I'm not aware of many microbes that bleach won't kill. Like they say, be sure to rinse thoroughly and run clean water through the tube and bite valve as well.

Hope that helps!

I do not believe that BackCountry will take paypal, but you would be better served to hop on the live chat and double check.

Boots would be tough to carry inside this pack; they would have to be pretty small boots, and then you don't really have room for much of anything else.

Yes, absolutely it will. The handle sits in the loop on the left side, and the blade sits in the outer most pocket of the pack. The tech specs need to be amended.

Oh, and the laptop pocket holds my 15" Mac Book Pro perfectly.

Brian,

No, these will not slip on concrete or asphalt if you are walking in mixed conditions. They might damage your office floor though, so it is indeed a good idea to remove them at the door.

Keep in mind though that your typical sidewalk and road surfaces can wear down the metal over time. They aren't hockey skates, so you don't need to worry about keeping these super sharp, but it is something to be aware of.

Use these and be safe out there! Good luck.

Yeah, this bag really expands pretty amazingly, My engineering bags were pretty stout and I managed to fit everything. This bag also gets really thin when you don't have much in it, and the bag itself is really light.

The shoulder strap is good, and its a great bag to throw stuff in and jet. However, keep in mind that messenger bags have one strap, and even with a waist strap, carrying a lot of books can get heavy.

My only complaint with this bag is that the waist strap is just webbing, so its not very comfortable.

That all said, its a great messenger bag for the price point, but I always wonder if I would have been happier if I had spend a little more and went with a Timbuk2.

I've yet to meet an owner of katana's that was dissatisfied. Secondly, were you looking at the Miura's or the Miura's VS? The VS have hook and loop closure, which is way more desirable.

I currently climb in La Sportiva Barracudas, and I'm looking at the the Miura VS for my next pair of rock shoes.

Sportiva shoes do tend to strech quite a bit, so buy small and let them break in.

Where it shows the four buckles in the picture, the left side has male buckles, and the right side has female straps. The four buckles are unclipped from the configuration shown, and they are clipped together to carry the board. Does that make sense?

287.40 USD is 200.86 EUR

Matteo,

These sound pretty good for your intended purpose. They will add some weight to your shoes, but hey, that will just add to your training right?

This is in fact a Voile Tourlight XL.

Here is a link to Voile's product page for this item: http://www.voile-usa.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=420-BL&Category_Code=Tech-Series&Product_Count=0

I would agree with Geoff, if its not specifically on their list, its probably ok--though ultimately its up to the Agents checking your carry-ons.

Hypothetically, note I am not recommending this :D -- you could just stick it in your pocket and walk through the metal detector. This has no metal in it, and as long as you aren't wearing skinny jeans, they would never know the difference.

There should be enough room to place a board bindings down toward the roof, that way you can stack boards bottom to bottom and carry 4 boards if you need to. Otherwise, it doesn't really matter if there is room. The wind drag difference will be negligible.

Kristen, its depends on the camera. Will your camera charge via USB?

Well Lynn, from what I've seen people get on the plane with, yes. I usually fly Delta/Northwest. I can get on with a lightly packed Osprey Atmos 65. The only thing is that if it will not fit under the seat they want it in the overhead bin. Good luck!

Like most tents with poles, you lay it out, place the ends of the poles into grommets on the corners of the tent floor and attach the clips on the fabric of the tent to the pole. Place it and steak it where you want. Put the rain fly on, and viola!

I have a Marmot Limelight 3. Its a 3 person, 3 season tent. No complaints with it so far.

Yes, you certainly can. However, not from backcountry.com

Range is only half the equation, navigating to the location is the other half. The tracker might not beat the M2 in raw reading distance, but in my experience nothing lets you get to the buried beacon faster than a Tracker.

Hey mate, looks like the Lumbar pack is the Brain of your pack. On the owners manual, look on page two, lower left hand side. You're looking for "TOP POCKET/LUMBAR PACK." Read everything under that. Sounds to me like you basically unstrap the brain and hip belt of the pack and use those in combination to make the lumbar pack. Heh, kinda like Voltron.

30L is starting to get smallish for overnight. Again, strap the tent to the outside.

You sure could. I would recommend strapping the tent to the outside, that is usually a lot more useful in terms of utilizing all of inside space.

There is nothing preventing you from putting hot beverages, its not bad for the lining or anything, but this is not an insulated container and its aluminum, so the outside will get quite hot to the touch if you put hot beverages in it. That also means that your beverage will not stay as hot for as long as it might in a thermos or other insulated container.

Kretzky is pretty on the ball there. You should pull up the BD sizing chart (http://www.backcountry.com/store/sizingchart.html?sizing_id=596) and measure your back as they indicate, then find the Convert on that page, its the 8th one down, to see if your back measurment falls within the range of the recommended pack size.

From DaKine's website, Kid's HeliPro:
Volume: 450 cu. in. [ 7L ]
Size: 16.5 x 9.5 x 3" [ 42 x 24 x 8cm ]

Most people use either sandbags or a "dead man".

A "dead man" is a bit antiquated term, but very useful. You tie a rope to something a little bulkier, like a small log, then dig a hole. Place the log in the hole and back fill it. If you have a bulky enough thing under enough sand, its not going anywhere. This also makes a good makeshift shore anchor for a light boat.

Sand bags would be just an empty bag you bring with you, with some grommets that you could fill with sand and let it sit there, heavily. You could probably use it as a dead guy too.

The picture I see above is Silver and Black.

Lorissa,

From the tech spec's: 4700cu in (77L), includes detachable daypack.

That looks to me like the day pack is inclusive in the 77L. So if the day pack is 19L, the rest of the pack is 58L.

Yup, you can see it in the picture above, its clear waterdrop shaped window. You can definitely see it in Logan's picture.

They certainly will as long as you are going Half-Jacket to Half-Jacket.

This is an out of stock version, here is the newest version: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Marmot-Never-Summer-Sleeping-Bag-0-Degree-Down/MAR0420M.html?RSC_ID=WR_MAR1134

You might want to look at getting a bivy sack for it if you want it to be water proof.

These would be ok if the kids have climbing shoes on. Start with some jugs, big knobby holds that are easy to start on. That helps build contact/grip strength. Also, encourage the kids to use their feet, that is key to teach young climbers.

John, from MSR's site, referring to the whole kit: Height: 5 in (12.7 cm) and the Diameter: 7.75 in (19.7 cm).

So, the Surface Area of the bottom is 47 sq. in (304 sq. cm).

There are technically two types of gate flutter. The first, as you described, is most commonly known as Shutter Gate, and indeed comes from the rope biner's spine hitting the crag in such a fashion that the moment the biner is open, the full force of the fall comes into effect....

Gate flutter seems far more unlikely to me. Gate flutter is when the movement of the rope though a carabiner creates a sympathetic harmonic vibration in the carabiner. Causing the gate to open and close slightly. I'm trying to think of a situation where a loaded draw with rope running through it would A.) see enough shock for it to come into play, or B.) have rope running though the first biner that will catch you have rope running through it before it is loaded with your fall. The scenarios just seem less likely.

That said, I agree with you that it is unlikely that the bolt biner will see enough force to open the gate. Your guy at the gym sounds like he was on an ego trip.

I know that they fit my '99 Cherokee XJ, and I just googled a picture of a '93 Grand, they look identical to me.

As the product description above says, "To determine which kind of Mighty Mounts you need, please call our awesome Customer Service department." Hop on the live chat, they are super knowledgeable.

PS: This is your 13,000 gallon replacement part: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Katadyn-Combi-Replacement-Element-Ceramic/EXT0025M.html

Another after thought:
If you are concerned about chemicals having leached into your water source, or there is a potential for chemical spills into your water supply, you might think about getting some of these pool testing strips: http://www.hach.com/hc/search.product.details.invoker/PackagingCode=2755250/NewLinkLabel=5+in+1+Water+Quality+Test+Strips,+50+tests

You just swab those in the water and they will tell you the pH level and whatnot. Your water is likely going to be chemically suitable to drink, but if it isn't, like if your water has a dangerous pH, it is doubtful that the carbon granules will react with enough different chemicals to bring the safety level of dangerous water to drinkable levels. At that point you should find a new water source, because your filter is just not made for that. If you just survived a hurricane, the last thing you want to do is chemistry right?

Jo, I think the answer depends on what exactly you need to filter out. Filters will screen out the stuff in water that will make you sick like Protozoa, and Bacteria. No filter will cover viruses, but that is not usually a problem with something a lake, and you would want to use chemicals to kill the viruses.

The carbon granules are mostly for improving taste and removing some of the chemically or minerally taste of water--much like a Brita or Pur filter you might use at home. The carbon has nothing to do with making the water drinkable, just tastey.

This filter has Ceramic Micropore filter, which is good for 13,000 gallons--not 30,000 as you mentioned. Still that is less than a penny a gallon at the current sale price of $128. That ceramic filter is the MAIN filter in this unit.

This filter works exactly like the Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter, http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Katadyn-Pocket-Water-Microfilter/EXT0005M.html, which doesn't bother with the carbon at all. The carbon is a bit of a bonus. The Pocket, however, is constructed from aluminum which might be a bit more durable. I can't vouch for either unit in that regard.

I hope that was helpful. The bottom line is don't worry about the carbon, its not what is protecting you--the 0.2 micron ceramic microfilter is.

Well, technically yes, its effectiveness would be a direct result of how well you add it to your bag. As shown here < http://tr.im/GOVN > you can just zip tie the Avalung on. This raises all sorts of concerns for me though because they avalung is corrugated plastic, not terribly thin, and avalanches tend to be horribly violent and zip ties might tear your Avalung right off your pack. If I was going to retrofit, I think I would find some wide, heavy-duty velcro straps and tie it on with those, less likely to tear the plastic with more force distributed about. The other huge draw back is where to put the exhaust vent. You're likely to need to cut a hole in your pack so you can vent it out the back securely.

So, you can do it but if you are looking at a BD Ski Bag anyways, you might as well get one with the Avalung built-in. Good luck, and be safe with your homebrew method--make sure it works before you trust your life with it.

That is pretty much up to you Matt. You can place them as densely as you want. If they are more dense, you can get a lot of variety in a small area, versus spreading them out and getting some more distance with them.

Your best bet for getting a question of that nature answered would be to hop on the live chat and asking the customer service rep. Hit the Chat Now box in the upper right corner. Cheers!

From an "Outside" article (found at http://outside.away.com/outside/gear/gearguy/200205/20020506.html)

"...can be purchased with dual points or a mono point-the latter better on routes with small point placements where dual points may lever out the main placement."

I hope that helps, cheers.

The CAMP USA XLC 390 Crampon is $10 more and is designed to lock in to ski boots.

From the tech specs the volume is 1850cu in (30L).

Most helmets are unisex, as this one appears to be. The fit this helmet is not likely to be gender biased, or else they would have listed it.

The short answer is you should typically use a double as a double. Note that the impact force rating for this rope is 5kN vs most single ropes at around 9kN. If you're top roping it might not matter, but you may not want to take many 20ft whippers on this rope.

To simply answer the question, this draw is designed to use the wire gated side for the rope, which is really useful if you clip the draw onto the bolt, and then pull the rope up with just your hand to the hanging draw. A wire gate is easier slap the rope into than a regular bar gate.

That said, I usually clip the rope and then the draw, using the draw like a pulley for the rope. Since getting the rope into the hanging draw isn't usually on my concern list, I don't think I would pay $25 for this draw, but if you DO clip the hanger first, then yeah, great quickdraw. Also, as Silas Shirley said, it won't twist around on you.

I don't have any problems with the hip strap pads or the shoulder strap pads. Both are made with a honeycomb foam design and compress very well, and very comfortably.

I attached a pic of the hip strap construction.

I know myself, and a large number of climbers, feel a little sketchy about buying used climbing gear. It's would be one thing to buy from friend if you know the gear wasn't abused, but be careful buying six year old ice axes, even if they look new.

Indeed it is important to understand that beacons emit flux lines, the beacon can pick up on a flux line, but it doesn't natively know what direction the line is going, because it is part of a loop. (Check the attached pic from the Tracker manual.) As Evan said, watch that the distance isn't increasing. If it is, just turn in place and start going the other direction.

Here is the link to the owners manual:
http://www.backcountryaccess.com/english/research/documents/TrackerManualEng.pdf

As the folks below said, this is an avalanche transceiver, not some James Bond gadget. The only "vitals" beacon I have seen is the Mammut/Barryvox, but that beast is $450.

As was also said below, the DOES handle multiple victims. There are several methods to multiple searches with the Tracker, so be sure to read the supplemental info provided and practice!!

I have a Heli Pro II and it fits perfectly, extends about 3 inches past the top loop.

Yes, if you situate the hat such that the webbing does not rest on the button on the top of the hat, otherwise, no.

Wanted to follow up this question by saying that I bought the Ecrin Roc. Two things about it. This helmet does indeed sit high, at least on my head. I popped out one of the suspension webbing connections and the webbing is sewn together, so the height on which it sits on your head is indeed, as Bryan said, not adjustable. So, you're kind of stuck with how high it sits on your head.

THAT SAID, I really like this helmet. The speed adjust wheels make it so fast to pop this thing on your head and turn the little wheels till it is snug. Clip the chin strap and boom, you're done adjusting. The ventilation is really nice and breezy in the summer, and the headlamp clips work perfectly. Some reviewers have said this helmet is heavy on your head, but once I put it on, its so comfy I forget I'm even wearing it.

This helmet is a classic for a reason.

I use both these quicksilvers with the strait/bent gates, as well as wiregate draws. To me, the differences are subtle. Your ability to clip a bolt or the rope when lead climbing has a lot to do with your familiarity with the draw and your personally dexterit. I really like the bent gate when clipping the rope, that is a big positive. If you are looking to get your first set of draws, this is a great pack to get your rack started.