Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
tolman_paul
Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
|
|
|
Mar 31, 2009 - 03:27pm PT
|
Russ,
Is there any problem with the solvents in the plasti dip weakening webbing?
|
|
Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
|
|
|
Mar 31, 2009 - 03:27pm PT
|
Hey, go old skool:
|
|
tolman_paul
Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
|
|
|
Mar 31, 2009 - 03:48pm PT
|
My fist set were old school over handed 1" tubular webbing.
What I found was, the loops don't want to stay open, so getting your foot in the aider can be a challenge. The knots jabbing into your ankles don't feel good. I don't recall how much the A5 aiders were, maybe $35 for the pair? Anyhow, money very well spent!
|
|
wayne w
Trad climber
the nw
|
|
|
Mar 31, 2009 - 03:51pm PT
|
I use a Yates speed stirrup on one leg (only because the other leg is toast). I had to replace one when it began to slip a bit after lots of pitches, but you will eventually have to replace anything if you use it long enough. I love the thing, and can't imagine climbing without it.
|
|
JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
|
|
|
Mar 31, 2009 - 04:20pm PT
|
To keep my old school etriers open, I cut hollow one-inch webbing into about five-inch lengths, and slipped those over the loop to form steps.
My next set, though, I just used solid, and thereby stiff, webbing.
John
|
|
Russ Walling
Social climber
Upper Fupa, North Dakota
|
|
|
Mar 31, 2009 - 05:07pm PT
|
Paul: not that I've ever seen. Of course since this is the internet, and I have no source, so you'll just have to take my word for it (yer gonna die)
But over the last 25yrs or so I've used it on just about everything, including a core shot in the middle of a big fat static line..... I would not advise coating your belay loop with the stuff though.
I'll dig through my aid bin and if I can find something with plastidip on it (I recall a daisy chain??) I'll pull test it along side a fresh and similar unit and report back.
|
|
xtrmecat
Trad climber
Kalispell, Montanagonia
|
|
|
Mar 31, 2009 - 05:11pm PT
|
I am the black sheep here for sure. I started out with my home tied 1" webbing, and soon had to have something that would stay open and allow my foot in easier. So along came the pair of BD etriers, 5 and 6 step. Did a few pitches in them and they were better but following was a pain to stay in the right rung jugging and what not.
Bought a pair of Met easy aiders and daisies and have not looked back. Wore em out and got another pair. Bought a backup pair to take on solo trips and don't even take the BD's off the shelf anymore. I do not understand why they aren't used more by others, as they sped me up, solo or partnered, leading or following.
Bob
|
|
John Mac
Trad climber
Littleton, CO
|
|
|
Mar 31, 2009 - 07:50pm PT
|
Fish Smart Aiders. I really like them and don't understand why more people don't use them.
|
|
squishy
Mountain climber
sacramento
|
|
I vote for Misty Mountain, and of course the home made aiders...
|
|
Gunkie
climber
East Coast US
|
|
Mine are really fuzzed and I probably got them in 1989. I don't do as many walls as you guys, but these have gotten up a couple of grade Vs and VIs in the valley and bailed off many more.
I think mine are actually A5. Would they be considered collectors items now?
|
|
mooch
Big Wall climber
The Immaculate Conception
|
|
Damn, Ed beat me to it.
Frost Knot.....no pain, no gain! ;)
ssshhhh.......I use Yates Speed Aiders. Don't tell the old skoolers.
|
|
Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
|
|
Anybody ever make aiders like this?
Kind of like two but with only one biner.
Zander
|
|
tolman_paul
Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
|
|
The problem with that design is there are times where you want to put one foot back to push your hips into the wall, and one foot against the rock to keep from spinning.
And you can put two aiders on one biner, so no savings there.
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
Before buying aiders , take off your shoes and "climb" up them starting with the lowest rung. Ideally the step spacing matches your comfortable climbing motion while standing in balance on either foot.
Make sure that you have enough length to be able to reach at full extension and still be able to step into the bottom loop. If you are top stepping you need to be able to transfer laterally without stepping down.
I use a single side-to-side 5 step in each hand with a third bundled. Keep it simple.
|
|
Strez
Trad climber
CA
|
|
I learned to big wall climb with the Yates speed wall ladders and loved them. Before buying these I borrowed and tried a few different kinds of the traditional etrier styles. I much preferred the ladders since I didn't have to fish around to get my foot in the loop - the spreader bar and ladder design make it very easy to get your foot in place quickly and accurately. Also, the elastic strap to keep your foot in place when jugging is great.
I also tried out the regular Yates Big Wall ladders (with the fat 2" steps), but found them too bulky and heavy. The speed wall's 1" steps worked just fine for me with hiking boots or climbing shoes.
|
|
LuckyJack
Trad climber
Novato, CA
|
|
|
Apr 10, 2012 - 01:18am PT
|
I led my first aid pitch this weekend, so I figure I'm the newest aider expert around here. I had practiced aiding up my homemade bolt ladder for the past few weeks in my partner's scetchy, old, misshapen, twisty, inside-out-half-the-time, etrier-style aiders and was looking forward to getting some aid practice in Yosemite this past weekend. I went to the mountain shop and tried out both the Metolius etrier-style and the Yates Big Wall Ladder. The Yates ladder put me off a bit with its over $50 price tag, but it seemed really bomber. I asked both the guys behind the counter which they prefer and they both seemed to think the ladder style was a weird trendy fad that never really made sense to them. The $37 etriers seemed really appealing. They let me hang them from a rope in the shop and my partner and I both thought the Yates ladder was superior. I dropped my credit card on the counter and got a pair, feeling like I never regret paying for the best, and often kick myself for saving money on second-best. After half a day of practice in them, my seasoned big wall partner went back to the shop and dropped over $100 of his own on a pair of Yates Big Wall Ladders. To a beginner, they seem superior in every way to etrier style aiders. I can climb them without looking at my feet, as opposed to spending seconds or minutes trying to get my toe into just the right spot. If I'm going to spend the better part of a couple days in them this summer, these are the only aiders I can imagine using.
|
|
mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
|
|
|
Apr 10, 2012 - 01:44am PT
|
Since this has been bumped, for aid walls, definitely ladders. And another big vote for Fish ladders, whether 3/4 inch webbing or pay the couple bucks extra for more cush from 1 inch. Like some poster upthread, I have one ladder and one matching Fish light aider on each biner. Four is definitely a bit more of a cluster but less strenuous overall. For a mixed wall (Nose), three aiders, one per biner. You can leave one behind when going free and still have two left in case that doesn't work out as planned... The aiders with lots of short steps are not good at all, if you are wearing approach shoes or boots, it is too much fiddling to get your foot in. The spacing of steps on the Fish aiders (which matches the ladders exactly - perfect!) is right. It makes you make bigger steps up thereby saving time every single placement. To me, the solid plastic spreader bar at the top seems essential. I have other Misty Mtn. gear and think it is fantastic (best big wall gear sling by far), but their ladder lacks the spreader bar, which is a great handle and helps get your foot in when top stepping.
Go Fish!
|
|
WBraun
climber
|
|
|
Apr 10, 2012 - 10:42am PT
|
Rolls eyes ..... :-)
|
|
briham89
Trad climber
los gatos. ca
|
|
|
Apr 10, 2012 - 12:04pm PT
|
yates ladders... got them and haven't looked back to the days of untangling and untwisting my old etriers. They are a bit heavier but i think it's worth the weight
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!