What are you all using for a bivy when big walling?

Hey all,

I hate wearing a backpack climbing so I end up using my harness for everything + pockets for some small stuff. I have a beater puffy jacket and a Houdini but I’m kind of looking for an upgrade for my warmth layers. Looking at a Nano Air Hybrid or if anyone else has another recommendation for a lightweight, very packable, can hang on a harness and is abrasion resistant. The tech face series from Patagonia are great for abrasion but not packable at all. I’d like the best of all worlds. Or sell me on the best climbing pack of all time lol…

Man I’m just getting pretty fed up. Checked the comments today and it’s looking like they’ll delay it again.

And it’s kinda unreal to me that they expect the 22L pack to retail for $400 after all this. Like there’s just no way this bag is 2-3 times better than any other high end multipitch bag on the market?

Idk, I’m worried they’re blowing smoke up our asses and have reached too high to develop something too complex, and I’ve burned two years waiting for my backpack with neat straps.

Anybody commiserating? Anybody have more context/better understanding on what they’re actually doing?

Edit: my own crappy grammar

Wanted to share about a major objective I accomplished this past weekend.

Since I started climbing back in 2020, I have always been extremely drawn to climbing trad, I am utterly obsessed with it. 2 years ago, I found this video, Ten Gunks 5.10s in a Day (youtube.com), and just thought it was the most epic goal to accomplish. Not only can you manage climbing decently hard, but you have to use a level of proficiency to manage time, skin, stoke, and pump. So, at the beginning of 2024 I hatched the idea that I wanted to be able to climb 10 classic Gunks 5.10s in a day. My rules were, I had to lead them all clean, no pink-points, yo-yoing in the case of a fall was ok, and routes had been rehearsed throughout the year.

The weather this past week was perfectly stellar for my first attempt. My best buddy aggreged to come out and belay me through my goal. He also climbed every route. The crowds were heavy at the Trapps, but we powered out to our first climb and started on the wall at 10:30 am. The following routes went down in this order.

Teeny Face - 3 star 5.10a

Feast of Fools - 4 star 5.10b

Never Never Land - 4 star 5.10a/b

Coexistence - 4 star 5.10d

Star Action - 3 star 5.10b

Mother's Day Party - 4 star 5.10b

MF Direct - 4 star 5.10a (technically a variation, but you climb it and tell me what you think! This route came with an epic foot pop and totally exposed campus move to save the perfect track record for the day)

Beatle Brow Bulge - 3 star 5.10a - This route has seen some recent bad accidents and had me really spooked. After 8 successful sends, the wheels were starting to wobble a bit.

Retribution - 4 star 5.10b - Took the first real whipper of the day when a foot popped at the crux. Lowered to the ground and got started back up and sent next go.

Nosedive - 4 star 5.10b - shouts out to the group pushing their grade and trying hard in the dark. After a whip and some gear breakage I offered to yo-yo up the route on their highpoint so we could all go home! I pulled the crux above gear, so I think it freakin counts.

Honorable Mention - P38 - 5.10b - Tried on sighting this route as our #9 send. I was spanked and shut down and made to feel like a child attempting to climb for the first time... Luckly my all-star belayer was able to build an anchor, clean the gear, and save the entire day. Absolute legend!

Looking for climbs in the Indian Cove area where I can set up TR solos. Pixie Rock has a bunch but are there others? Doesn’t need to have bolts, just access to the top.

I have been trying to find a pattern like this online for hours and all I really keep finding is swiss seat instructions. Does anyone know what this pattern is called and/or where I can find this pattern? Any input is appreciated.

Iv been climbing for a few years and have got quite into trad climbing but don't have any gear for myself (iv just been stealing my friends rack) and I am looking at getting my own stuff. The problem is I have only ever bought full price gear from shops but I have been told you can get stuff cheaper online. Does anyone have any recommendations for websites that sell climbing gear that do good deals. (I'm in the UK)

Rock Wars, Long Wall, RRG

Any advice for a solo trip for a brit to the big old US? Wanting to visit the creek and yosemite. And have no idea how to start planing.

For our high school Capstone Project, we are required to engineer a device that could help solve an issue that many people encounter (Me and my Team are in a STEM Academy, hence the Capstone Project needing to be related to engineering). Our team have decided to make a device that could help to more efficiently and cost effective solution to clean rope as research has shown that dirty rope can be weakened by up to 30%, we would really appreciate it if people could fill our form as we need survey response to get an idea about how impactful our product could potentially be that would be greatly appreciated.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdd1sGDmNUuz4WSae17u4uFL6ShPLzMv8A1jv92B95qJeRCgQ/viewform?usp=sharing

This was my first summer trad climbing. I live in Laramie and caught the Vedauwoo bug hard. I’ve led maybe 10-15 routes so far. If anyone has opinions on what direction to go for wide gear (big cams/BBs/etc) please share :)

I’m a newer Trad climber in New England looking for an excuse to buy a #5 or #6 cam.

What are some approachable, easier, and fun offwidth routes in the area I can practice technique on?

I’m a new trad leader and got an awesome deal on some lightly used Metolius Master Cams, #2-8, with doubles from #2-5 (so two yellow, two orange, two red, two black, one green, one light blue, and one purple).

What else would you buy to start filling out a double rack? I was considering more Master Cams, but one of my climbing partners is adamant that I should be buying double-axle cams instead for their greater range. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I also know that I need some smaller sizes, especially after borrowing some smaller Totems and seeing how versatile they are. What are your favorites? I’ve heard the smaller Master Cams get stuck very easily because of their smaller range, so I was looking at other brands, but open to any suggestions.

For context, I mainly climb on granite and limestone in the Southwest, US.

I’m looking for a climbing backpack with the following specs:

•	Capacity: roughly 45L to hold trad gear and rope
•	Features: Hydration sleeve or side pockets
•	Access: Back panel access

I’m considering the Mammut Neon 45, Patagonia Cragsmith 45, and Osprey Zealot 45. Any other recommendations? Thanks!

I’m slowly building my Trad rack, for mainly UK climbing. I’m now looking at buying some half ropes. It’s my first set of half’s, and I’m slightly concerned about going too skinny from the point of view of feeling confident with my Son controlling the rope.

Currently two options I like the look of are the triple rated Beal ropes, either the joker (9.1mm) or the opera (8.5mm). I’m likely to use them almost exclusively for trad as a pair, but may on European trips bring the pair but use just one for multipitch sport. Has anyone used both, which one would you go for??

A buddy of mine and I are new to Trad and are planning a Joshua Tree trip in a couple weeks 

Looking for some easy but fun climbs that have anchors and easy gear placement 

Also if anyone has any ideas of gear we must bring that would also be super helpful! 

Thanks!!