Two Ideas for Products

Putting these here if anyone has any recommendations. I can't seem to find anything quite like this, but it's possible it's out there.

1) I know this has been beat to death, but a waterproof approach shoe with a heel welt that can take a crampon. 

2) A summit pack (i.e. a BD Bullet pack) with a rope carry system. Nothing more annoying than hitting the summit and coiling the rope into a backpack to put next to or over my summit pack. A simple strap on the outside of the pack would solve this.

If anyone has seen anything like what I'm describing, let me know. 

Just winging it here, but...couldn't you just sew a rope strap onto a pack?

Presumably, if I knew how to sew. I also think everyone who climbs with a summit pack and a rope would prefer a way to attach the rope to said summit pack once it's time to walk off. 

I have seen tons of packs with rope carry straps, Typically a strap under the hood which holds a coiled rope to the top of the pack. I think many climbing specific pack from BD have this, including the Speed, which I am looking at right now. 

Also, the La Sportiva Trango TRK is a reasonably light weight, durable hiker which will take a hybrid crampon. I use them with my cyborg crampons on non-technical approaches

BD Speed 22 is a pretty good compressible summit pack with a rope carry. A lot of the other do-dads are pretty easily stripped when not needed.

TheBirdman wrote:

1) I know this has been beat to death, but a waterproof approach shoe with a heel welt that can take a crampon. 

I don't know if they make them anymore but I have a pair of GTX Salewas (http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/salewa-mountain-trainer-approach-shoe) with a heel welt that takes my petzl crampons set up in hybrid mode.  

In my opinion, a pack needs to be larger than a bullet to comfortably take a rope. Lightweight shoulder straps on tiny packs don't cope with the extra weight.

a back country snowboarding pack has two lateral straps across the backside that take a rope quite well.  The northface patrol does this well, and I have used mine for winter and summer.  I just drop that name because I have one.  There are tons of packs that can do this.

Emmett Lyman wrote:

BD Speed 22 is a pretty good compressible summit pack with a rope carry. A lot of the other do-dads are pretty easily stripped when not needed.

I own a Speed 22 which is awesome. The BD Blitz 20 is a stripped-down pack which also has a rope-carry strap for those weight weenies. It weighs about as much as a climbing harness at 398g. 

TheBirdman wrote:

Putting these here if anyone has any recommendations. I can't seem to find anything quite like this, but it's possible it's out there.

1) I know this has been beat to death, but a waterproof approach shoe with a heel welt that can take a crampon. 

there is already a solution-- water-proof running/hiking shoes and aluminum crampons. You're not climbing water ice with it, but works well for its intended purpose

Xam wrote:

I don't know if they make them anymore but I have a pair of GTX Salewas (http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/salewa-mountain-trainer-approach-shoe) with a heel welt that takes my petzl crampons set up in hybrid mode.  

Salewa says this is not a heel welt and will not take a crampon...I take it your experience is different.

1. The closest thing I've seen is the coming Scarpa Atom Tech (more trail runner), the Scarpa Ribelle (Rebel) Tech (mountaineering, 500g, 2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmXuSXm8wiw

The Scarpa Ribelle (Rebel) Lite (Mountaineering, 2018, 650g): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYGR_C5AKoc

and the current Salomon X Alp Carbon 2 (500g). I love the Rebel Pro and Ultra, and I will get a pair of the Rebel Techs.

2. The Patagonia Linked 16L has a rope strap, as does the Tufa Mochilla 21L (Durable Dyneema Version)(Lightweight Hybrid Cuben Version) if you want a slightly larger pack. Each rides extremely well while climbing.

TheBirdman wrote:

Salewa says this is not a heel welt and will not take a crampon...I take it your experience is different.

It will not take an AUTOMATIC crampon. It will take a non-automatic crampon, like this: 

https://www.backcountry.com/grivel-air-tech-light-crampon

again, it depends on what your application is. If it's crossing glaciers etc... then the set-up i describe works well. If you're talking about real ice climbing than caveat emptor. 

Idaho-Ian Lauer wrote:

I own a Speed 22 which is awesome. The BD Blitz 20 is a stripped-down pack which also has a rope-carry strap for those weight weenies. It weighs about as much as a climbing harness at 398g. 

Like this BD Blitz a lot, but it seems to be discontinued. 

TheBirdman wrote:

Like this BD Blitz a lot, but it seems to be discontinued. 

?  It was released as a new version Spring 17 http://gearx.com/blog/2017/03/22/black-diamonds-new-spring-climbing-gear/

 You can buy it on amazon right now....    https://www.amazon.com/Black-Diamond-Blitz-20-Backpack/dp/B06Y3MVT82

Seriously, dude, you didn't even try to find it. That took 30 seconds. Is this post just for us to shop for you?

also, free shipping...   http://www.backcountrygear.com/blitz-20.html?gclid=CNrP7YjvkNUCFUK1wAodj8gBrA

Idaho-Ian Lauer wrote:

?  It was released as a new version Spring 17 http://gearx.com/blog/2017/03/22/black-diamonds-new-spring-climbing-gear/

 You can buy it on amazon right now....    https://www.amazon.com/Black-Diamond-Blitz-20-Backpack/dp/B06Y3MVT82

Seriously, dude, you didn't even try to find it. That took 30 seconds. Is this post just for us to shop for you?

also, free shipping...   http://www.backcountrygear.com/blitz-20.html?gclid=CNrP7YjvkNUCFUK1wAodj8gBrA

It's currently out of stock on the BD website. Discontinued may have a been a jump but no, this isn't a request to shop for me. If it feels like I'm treating you as a personal shopper, feel free to stop responding and sharing links on where to buy it. 

TheBirdman wrote:

It's currently out of stock on the BD website. Discontinued may have a been a jump but no, this isn't a request to shop for me. If it feels like I'm treating you as a personal shopper, feel free to stop responding and sharing links on where to buy it. 

I'm just giving you a hard time, happy to help. 

Kyle Tarry wrote:

Why does it need a heel welt?  If you're using crampons on floppy approach shoes, just use universal (strap-type) crampons, not like you're going to climb ice with them anyway.  Otherwise, use a lightweight 3-season boot like a Trango or a Charmoz.

BD Speed 22 will carry a rope.  According to Outdoor Gear Lab, so does the Patagonia Linked and the MH Hueco.

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/climbing/climbing-backpack/patagonia-linked-pack-16l

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/climbing/climbing-backpack/mountain-hardwear-hueco-20

That Patagonia pack looks solid. 

In terms of a heel welt, I just think it's more solid. I haven't had success with strap crampons or micro spikes for what I'm talking about doing. I'm thinking of something like a Salewa Mountain Trainer GTX (the shoe, not the mid) with a heel welt. They market the Vibram sole as stiff enough to kick steps, yet it doesn't have a heel welt. http://www.salewa.us/en/mountain-trainer-gtx-men.html

There are a few mid-height shoe/boot hybrids that seem to work (i.e. the Five Ten Camp Four), but they tend to be large and heavy. I'm basically looking for a light and waterproof approach shoe, with a stiff Vibram sole that can take a hybrid crampon for the occasional steep and firm snow. Also, ideally they are small and light enough that when I'm actually climbing on-route, they pack away neatly. 

How about another product idea

Gloves with claws on the palm and fingers for ice. climbing.  Just slide them on and you're good to go.  Just don't touch your rope or harness or face or anything really.  

But it would be sweet. 

ZB 4yr wrote:

How about another product idea

Gloves with claws on the palm and fingers for ice. climbing.  Just slide them on and you're good to go.  Just don't touch your rope or harness or face or anything really.  

But it would be sweet. 

http://www.trueswords.com/ninja-hand-claws-pair-p-113.html

Just poke them through your favorite climbing glove. 

ZB 4yr wrote:

How about another product idea

Gloves with claws on the palm and fingers for ice. climbing.  Just slide them on and you're good to go.  Just don't touch your rope or harness or face or anything really.  

But it would be sweet. 

How about these?

https://www.amazon.com/Superstores-X-Men-Wolverine-Claws-Pair/dp/B00J7J1FHW