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Lycra still rocks!

Original Post
Dane · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 562

That is correct! If you haven't used lycra on rock or even better the newest Euro stuff in the alpine or ice you have no clue on what you are missing. Troglodytes that don't yet climb leashless need not apply, you can move along now :)

Yep, those are Nomics on moderate alpine terrain, soloing in ski boots and risking life and limb with a another BD stainless horizontal failure. Ya gotta dig the matching top and glasses though, right ;)

Euro trash on a alpine winter summit in the Cascades

Discuss? Or disgusted :)

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,492

Now get that harness up over your hipbones and you're all set...

mtn smith · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 0

I have always wondered why we winter climb in baggy, poorly fitting pants. Those look awesome. A well cut neoshell pant/tight with some waterproof fabric in the butt and knees would be perfect.

Dane · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 562
Gunkiemike wrote:Now get that harness up over your hipbones and you're all set...
Dude, the harness is on top of my iliac crest. If it weren't and then cinched tight the harness would be at my ankles @ first step. Hard to imagine by the pose I know but there is a ripped set of abs under that pregnant roll of fabric ;)

Interesting combos of power stretch type fabrics in pants and jacket. Wind resistant panels in the pants, net pocket on the leg and zippered pockets else where. Kevlar reinforcement in the lower leg and a snappy, high tech gaiter sewn on. For me an amazingly good fit. Jacket is similar but lacks a second chest pocket, and what would have been easy to add, a back pocket. It could use both. But the jacket is much better than I thought it had any right or I expected it to be. Gear you never notice in the field. That rocks!

Much like things were 40 years ago...just a high tech full circle in many ways.

Jan 1973 Canada, -30C
Dane · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 562

Helmet? check
stretch soft shells? check
state of the art ice tools? check
rigid boots? check
spiffy gaiters? check
wind layer on the chest? check

Ray Pinpillage · · West Egg · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 180

Yuck

Dane · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 562
Ray Pinpillage wrote:Yuck
which? the wool or the lycra?
Mike Belu · · Chicago, IL · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 135

I recently bought some new softshell pants. In order to get the waist to fit, the legs got snug. So, I might be sporting the Eurotrash look in the future. Maybe i'll put like an 18 sausage in there to freak people out. Also, when meeting new climbers, I'll talk with a fake German accent with poor grammer. Just to keep people guessing.

Guten tag, bitches.

H BL · · Colorado · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 95

Pull your leg loops up really high and throw a sausage in your pants you'll be good.

I like a closer fit pant for ice but no thanks! Although I wish I could find my photo of me climbing the the Grand back in the early 90's. Lycra all the way!!! But it was black. LOLOL!! I look at that photo of myself and laugh now.

Maybe it's true in climbing fashion as in regular fashion, trends come back around??? Oh, and I think those colors clash.

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,492

This was taken more recently than I'd like to admit.

Ah, springtime ice...

M Sprague · · New England · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 5,090

There is a certain group in NH that seem to be trying to bring back the bright tights thing. I think they go way out in the woods and break them out then do manly things like shoot guns and do ground up hand drilling. As long as they stay 5 miles away I am ok with it.

matt davies · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 25

Looks like a Rando that got WAY off course

Avi Katz · · Seattle, WA · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 260

As a former competitive swimmer I've spent a huge amount of time in Lycra and Spandex.

Now as a climber I wear jeans or Carhartts..

I'd like to revert back to my natural Lycra clad state, where can I get a pair?

mtn smith · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 0

There should be a happy medium between spandex and snowboarder-baggy pants. I like the integrated gaiter approach of the dynafits a lot. Snowcuffs blow but these look useful.

Anyways, Dane what kind of tape are you wrapping your tools with?

M Sprague · · New England · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 5,090

Lycra to tools, this is going bad to worse!

Dane · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 562
Ryan Hill · · Denver, CO · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 30
runningfunky.com/

In case anyone gets inspired.



I can't say how it will stand up to sandstone, but they were comfy as hell for 30+ miles.
Dane · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 562

Teaching an ice climbing class in '88.
In the mid '80s, rock or ice, I wore them everywhere short of Denali.

rock'in lycra on the mtns '88

Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280
Goldsmith wrote:I have always wondered why we winter climb in baggy, poorly fitting pants. Those look awesome. A well cut neoshell pant/tight with some waterproof fabric in the butt and knees would be perfect.
that would be the perfectly designed mid 60's Bogner stretch ski pants. They were warm and fit tight. Wish I had my 50 yr. old pair yet! My old lycra is pretty thin and cold, but could be used if I lost about 4 inches on my waist. Meanwhile, how about ice climbs in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt do ya?
shorts weather
A Schriner · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 5

@goldsmith
The softshell pant with waterproof butt and knees you mentioned is exactly the pant that I wanted too - so I just sewed some. Schoeller softshell and Gore-Tex on butt, knees, and the bottom 8 inches of each leg, gusset crotch and articulated knees. Semi-snug fit. They rock.

Alternatively if you can run a straight line on a sewing maching it would not be too hard to snug up the lower leg area of most commercially produced single layer pants (insulated versions start to get a little more complicated, but I think those are rare as real climbing pants...).

Anyways, you can wear carrharts or a nightie out there, and if you're climbing hard and moving fast, you've got my respect.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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