Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
BLUEBLOCR
Social climber
joshua tree
|
|
|
Feb 23, 2017 - 08:57am PT
|
bed bug bump
|
|
'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
|
|
|
Feb 23, 2017 - 09:17am PT
|
The bed clue is in my post above. Did everyone [except Deucey] miss it?!
|
|
Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
|
|
|
Feb 23, 2017 - 09:36am PT
|
Just thought you were drunk typing again. So Dyn-ee-ma material? Ripstop reinforcement I assume? Years back I got some great 500D material with Dyneema ripstop in it, very low stretch, burly, and just enough texture to not be too damn slippy. Can't find it anymore, sadly.
You can still get 400D diamond ripstop, but as best I can tell it is really just decorative and not and not very rip-stopping, and not less stretchy than pack cloth.
Looking forward to hearing the details of whatever wonder material John scared up. Negotiations with the spouse about getting portaledge #6 is going about as well as I expected. Might have to sit this one our for a year or two.
Edit 1:
So maybe like this 210D stuff? Maybe you found a ~400D version of it I hope?
Edit 2:
Pattern looks more like this ROBIC stuff, which is not Dyneema from what I can tell. Still looks like good stuff:
Edit 3:
Here is Regan's photo side by side, seems similar in weave.
|
|
deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 23, 2017 - 12:00pm PT
|
Materials are in flux, these are prototypes, after all. Next protos will be ready for action soon, one for my big wall revival next week on Mt Buffalo.
Here ya go, sleuths!
|
|
Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
|
|
|
Feb 23, 2017 - 12:50pm PT
|
Hi John,
I'm following this with great interest! I have always been interested in picking up one of your old A5 singles because it was long enough to fit my 6'8 frame.
Will the D4 fit me? Or am I going to need a custom ledge??
Thanks for revolutionizing the industry! Again!!
|
|
BLUEBLOCR
Social climber
joshua tree
|
|
|
Feb 23, 2017 - 01:58pm PT
|
Looks as tho a 4-1 suspension with nylon fins connecting to the bed. With an extra center fin to possibly reduce spreadage?
Do I win a sticker😀
Looks bitchin,btw!
|
|
'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
|
|
|
Feb 23, 2017 - 02:22pm PT
|
^^ Ka-ching! Blue gets a gold star.
|
|
Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
|
|
|
Feb 23, 2017 - 05:07pm PT
|
In my Portaledge Fails collection is a Ferrino brand monstrosity, basically a bad A5 knockoff that uses extra thick fabric in weird places, and wimpy plastic buckles (one failed one which made the original owner want to part with it for a song, and now it lives in my basement). It is heavy as can be, with the stupidest haulbag conceivable. Plenty to ridicule, not limited to a 5 buckle center fin!?!?
BUT, it does have a design tweak I think is worth considering.
Notice anything upside down and backwards? The buckle for the bed tensioner is on the bottom, AND is on the ledge floor instead of on the ends of the bed (strap sticks out of ends of the bed). Why do I like this?
1) Smooth floor, no straps and buckles under your head.
2) With the positions of the buckle and the strap swapped you tension by pulling the strap away from the ledge instead of awkwardly away from you towards the center as the A5 and pictured D4 prototype do. So you can brace one hand on the ledge frame while yarding the bed tight.
Their updated one has a laughable take on the spreader bar... FAIL.
|
|
deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 23, 2017 - 09:26pm PT
|
^^^^^
Is that a joke?
You should hacksaw the extra length of the corner eyebolt--that will get caught on things for sure. Then a quick file job.
Oh my.
Ps--we tried underneath buckles back in A5 days, but a few of us didn't like it in actual in-field use, as it is harder to re-tension as might be convienient from time to time. So we went back to on top tensioners.
|
|
Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
|
|
|
Feb 23, 2017 - 09:44pm PT
|
Euros man. Euros.
More of the atrocity:
Thanks for the background on the buckle location, I've never lived with the downsides. Makes sense.
|
|
deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 23, 2017 - 09:46pm PT
|
^^^^^^
Don't show that stuff to me, it makes me cry when I think of poor souls actually using that on a wall.
|
|
Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
|
|
|
Feb 23, 2017 - 10:04pm PT
|
The knotted webbing and 2 failed buckles tells an epic bad night of horrors someone endured. I think I paid $300 or so, and in retrospect I probably got ripped off almost as bad as the original owner. But who doesn't need third expedition fly in their collection I figured? I need to fix up the suspension and pass it along to the next sucker.
The haulbag (haulBAD perhaps?) is garbage can sized. As best I can tell the intent was to just shove the fly in next to the ledge, and hope you didn't drop it while fishing out the ledge itself on fair weather nights. Vinyl reinforcement is on the INSIDE of the haulbag. WTF?!? Can't help thinking it was done for fashion sense. It reeks of a good backpack designer being handed couple bad pictures and being told to "Make one of these, but better, and by Monday."
The fly is REALLY nice, with mesh pockets for stowing stuff, but made out of VERY heavy materials (aluminized too). Weirdly it has big tigh-down loops out of 1.5" webbing that are about 12" long, and sprouting out of odd locations (like halfway down the wall/door side seam).
Whole rig weighs in at 28.5 lbs for ledge/fly/haulbag. Truly a masterpiece.
|
|
mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
|
|
|
Feb 23, 2017 - 10:39pm PT
|
But my A5 single is just hitting its prime?
Heh
Looks great John, glad you are back in the mix.
Cheers
|
|
John Mac
Trad climber
Breckenridge, CO
|
|
|
Feb 24, 2017 - 07:43am PT
|
John, What are your plans at Mt Buffalo. Are you going to do a route on the North Wall? Ozymandias? Must still be pretty warm down there.
Moof ... I thought the BD ledge was heavy!
|
|
'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
|
|
|
Feb 24, 2017 - 09:53am PT
|
OK, guys - time to get on to John's next innovation. I am not sure above if anyone has guessed, or possibly even seen, but time to put it out there: the corners.
So ..... what has John done with the corners, that is absolutely different from every portaledge ever made? [so far as I am aware]
What kind of corners are hidden in the photo of the frame that Marek is attempting to deflect, without any apparent success?
John has spoken of the horrific "open corner" design, and its inherent stability. I have always hated that open corner design, because I have never found it any easier to assemble or take apart a portaledge that has open corners.
John has also revealed that he is not using block corners either! So what has he done?
Blue noticed and commented on the suspension system, which is barely visible in the photo above his post on the previous page. Have a look at the suspension system, and then ask yourself, why does it avoid the corners?
The magic number is no longer six, it is four. Why?
Finally, when is a corner NOT a corner?
If you are feeling flummoxed, then perhaps you need to ask Wolfman Jack. The Wolfman already revealed the truth a few pages above. [HINT]
[I used to be a Wolfman, but I'm all right now-ooooooooooooo.....]
|
|
John Mac
Trad climber
Breckenridge, CO
|
|
|
Feb 24, 2017 - 02:04pm PT
|
That's what I'm thinking as well. No joins on the corners.
|
|
DrBen
Trad climber
|
|
|
Feb 24, 2017 - 02:15pm PT
|
Looking forward to seeing these new Portaledges. If I'm reading it correctly you are saying they'll be ready in September John?
|
|
deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 24, 2017 - 02:23pm PT
|
We are making a limited first batch of 28 ledges for September, 2017 shipments. These will be sold at a significant discount to get us started. We're hoping to sell out of Batch #1! Then major production planned for 2018 delivery.
Make sure to sign up for the Kickstarter newsletter (Kickstarter goes live on March 1) to get one of the 2017 batch:
http://eepurl.com/cDn3kT
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!