Favorite Gear Management Hacks

Marc Hwrote:

You payed it back by not making us read the full “obviously.”

You paid him back by making us read "payed".  :-P

My nut tool is attached to a retractable tether called a “Key Bak” which is normally used for keys. Works well for using the nut tool on route without having to move it around or risk dropping it.

Links on Amazon to the Key Bak I use

Pat Marrinanwrote:

Why though

Because years of climbing in the Creek have conditioned me to consider myself "run out" when I have a bomber cam at my knees.

phylp phylpwrote:

Store your head lamp in a just-the -right size hard plastic snaplock storage container.  Tape your extra replacement batteries to a little piece of cardboard and store it in the same container.  Will never be accidentally turned on.

To avoid accidentally turning my headlamp on, I flip the last battery backwards. Then I don't have to carry the batteries separately.

My other headlamp tip is to have two headlamps when camping: one that never leaves my climbing pack, and one for use around the campsite/tent/etc. Avoids the issue of forgetting to put the headlamp back in my pack in the morning for the next day's climbing.

While that may keep your light from visibly showing if it is accidently turned on, it probably isn't going to stop your batteries from draining.

slimwrote:

While that may keep your light from visibly showing if it is accidently turned on, it probably isn't going to stop your batteries from draining.

Hmm. Interesting! I haven't noticed this to be the case, but maybe I've just gotten lucky and not accidentally turned it on while using this trick. I swapped to a headlamp that has an on/off lockout function a while back, so the one where I mostly used this trick hasn't been in my pack for a while now. Maybe I'll measure the voltage of some batteries and then let them sit "on" for a bit and see what happens. Potentially would be dependent on the specific headlamp model anyway, though.

Anna Brownwrote:

My nut tool is attached to a retractable tether called a “Key Bak” which is normally used for keys. Works well for using the nut tool on route without having to move it around or risk dropping it.

Links on Amazon to the Key Bak I use

Upon getting married.... my wife did the same thing to mine. Just saying.

Pedaling slack to prevent a tendonitis flareup. Nanotrax and a footloop on the brake strand of the Gri.

On a big ledge or with a bomber hanging belay, I'll attach the PCP to my belay loop and lean back with body weight instead of pedaling. This allows you to take both shoes off. Redirecting the brake strand of the PCP is sometimes ergonomic, sometimes not.

Ultralight walkoff shoes for the strong-ankled. Plus you get to look like a groovy youth pastor from the late 90's.

Tie a knot in the end of your climbing shoe laces so you can pull the laces completely loose making it easier to take your shoes off and on. 

slimwrote:

While that may keep your light from visibly showing if it is accidently turned on, it probably isn't going to stop your batteries from draining.

If you have a lamp with an even number of batteries in series, flip half of them.  Otherwise wrap a small length of tape around a battery.  You can put this on the end of any series battery for lockout, then re-wrap it around a battery when using the lamp.  If you don't want insulating adhesive on the battery put a small piece of paper or doubled back tape just where it covers the battery end.

A small piece of paper or plastic between the battery and contact works well also, it is just hard to keep track of when not in use.

Desert Rock Sportswrote:

Re: hanging bottles. I tend to use a clove or constrictor hitch, then a few overhands opposite it. Then a slightly long loop, and do a overhand on a bight in the middle 2 give 2 places to clip to if I want it to ride higher or lower. I keep a dedicated locker for it to my chalkbag belt. Plastic Arizona Tea bottles are a good size, a bit on the big side, but nice for longer multipitch in the desert where I'm not carrying a pack up due to chimneys... I keep some spare cord of this size where I store my gear so that when selecting the rack I can do the same for a partner if needed.

I like using a 1/2 quart bottle (pint?) with a built-in handle that's hollow. Trader Joe's sells carrot juice and lemonade in them. No need to fuss with cord, just put a carabiner through the handle.

Like this, only half the volume

Bump

Packing my pack in the order items will be needed. Kind of obvious, but ranging from water accessible on the approach, rope tarp above the rope if cragging, up to quite a bit of time saved on bigger climbs and especially not having to explode your pack in the winter.

F r i t zwrote:

3) Storing cams in their own rope bag inside the pack. Instant tarp for sorting, keeps cable wires from committing sudoku. 

Missed this the first time around. I thought that a brilliant mistake! Then I see where you said you did it intentionally. Either way it's pretty funny!

I put children's books (goodwill or garage sales) at the bottom of my crag pack. I think it has greatly extended the life of the pack. 

Kenneth Campbell wrote:

“ 3) Storing cams in their own rope bag inside the pack. Instant tarp for sorting, keeps cable wires from committing sudoku. Since I normally roll with quints or sexts of the fun sizes (0.5 and 0.75), I clip each cam group to an HMS locker. Easier to deal with than a sling or clipping them to each other.”

seppuku not soduku. Unless your cam wires are playing pattern games…

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/commit-sudoku

"3M NextCare Gentle Paper Tape" as mid-marker.  Needs replacing often but doesn't get stuck in belay devices because it's thin.

Serge Swrote:

"3M NextCare Gentle Paper Tape" as mid-marker.  Needs replacing often but doesn't get stuck in belay devices because it's thin.

A body of mine pulls white threads through his rope for a middle marker.  Works great and visible from very far away

Isaiah aka Zay Foulks wrote:

Rack your gear gates-out, and the spines will lay cleanly against your hips, creating less cluster.

And you won't look like an idiot.

That Honnold guy has always struck me as a total gumby.