Niche or weird climbing gear

Not my picture, but Rolo Garibotti's Ice Axe wings for climbing rime ice mushrooms.  I like the idea of a piece of gear that is made for one specific mountain group and makes a significant difference in chance of success.

Passive pro: Trinuts and coconuts.

Active pro: How about this?:

https://kalquin.com/

Tom Randall’s homemade belay device, "The Trad Dad 2000" as shown in Ryan Devlin's video from The Struggle Podcast

Exiled Michiganderwrote:

Passive pro: Trinuts and coconuts.

Active pro: How about this?:

https://kalquin.com/

Pics of the first two? 

Exiled Michiganderwrote:

Passive pro: Trinuts and coconuts.

Active pro: How about this?:

https://kalquin.com/

Woah this thing is kinda sweet! Seems like it’s got some of the same design DNA of the angel cam with the stem and load bearing piece being separate, but more akin to a link cam in size/range.

Has anyone out there actually used one of these? they are currently out of stock. 

Caleb Hilswrote:

Pics of the first two? 

Here's a couple trinuts. I found this pic on Reddit

Cosmic Hotdogwrote:

Here's a couple trinuts. I found this pic on Reddit

Woah! Those are crazy lookin, when could you use those? Also I tried looking up coconuts and all I got was equipment to harvest coconuts lol

MP Thread on Blue Water Stoppers, aka Coconuts

I seem to recall there was a type of releasable tricam/abalov thingamajig at one one point . . . I think it had some sort of hydraulic mechanism that would relax the tricam when you pulled a trigger so you could clean it easier.  But I can't find it anywhere online now . . . or maybe I dreamt it.

Exiled Michiganderwrote:

I seem to recall there was a type of releasable tricam/abalov thingamajig at one one point . . . I think it had some sort of hydraulic mechanism that would relax the tricam when you pulled a trigger so you could clean it easier.  But I can't find it anywhere online now . . . or maybe I dreamt it.

I’d be very very curious about this, was considering designing a retractable tricam a bit ago

Exiled Michiganderwrote:

I seem to recall there was a type of releasable tricam/abalov thingamajig at one one point . . . I think it had some sort of hydraulic mechanism that would relax the tricam when you pulled a trigger so you could clean it easier.  But I can't find it anywhere online now . . . or maybe I dreamt it.

Ed Hwrote:

Exiled Michiganderwrote:

I seem to recall there was a type of releasable tricam/abalov thingamajig at one one point . . . I think it had some sort of hydraulic mechanism that would relax the tricam when you pulled a trigger so you could clean it easier.  But I can't find it anywhere online now . . . or maybe I dreamt it.

this? 

The Edelrid Bivo.  
Quite possibly the worst camming unit ever made.   I was working the mountain shop at the old Sport Chalet in La Canada when these came out.   I don’t think we ever sold them for full price and in the end they ended up in a box in the back room.   I ended bringing a few home but never used them.  

On the topic of weird nuts, Bi-Caps must be mentioned.

Ed, your photo isn't what I was thinking of (cool though!), but I finally found it!

Page 2 of this thread (Downbeat Climb Gear / John Walters (England) Hotnut #1, 2017):

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/201786845/retractable-tricam?page=2 m/topic/201786845/retractable-tricam?page=2 

It doesn't look like any hydraulic mechanism was actually used upon finding it again; I think those red, plastic tubes made me think it was somehow using fluid to release the camming unit when I first saw this photo.

Exiled Michiganderwrote:

Ed, your photo isn't what I was thinking of (cool though!), but I finally found it!

Page 2 of this thread (Downbeat Climb Gear / John Walters (England) Hotnut #1, 2017):

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/201786845/retractable-tricam?page=2 m/topic/201786845/retractable-tricam?page=2 

It doesn't look like any hydraulic mechanism was actually used upon finding it again; I think those red, plastic tubes made me think it was somehow using fluid to release the camming unit when I first saw this photo.

That’s fantastic! I was the original author of the post that that image was placed on!

This is a Choiunard nut tool from the 80s. It was never much of any good as a nut tool and it constantly snagged my leg loops or any slings it got near. It used to have a wrist loop but it was too small for me to get my mitt through it, lol.

It found a 2nd life in my tool box. Its good for what it wasn't good for in climbing - snagging wires and such, pull thru's, etc. And you can thock someone on the head with that thing, and they WILL notice.

wivanoffwrote:

Feeding or taking rope must be awkward.  

Is there some type of belaying that doesn’t involve giving or taking slack?

Live Perchedwrote:

Feeding or taking rope must be awkward.  

Is there some type of belaying that doesn’t involve giving or taking slack?

That's not how it was used. You clipped it to your harness and it was supposed to provide a reduction in force at the climber. It had nothing to do with the belayer. The belayer belayed normally.

Kong Kisa. Another force reduction device where it will pay out a length of rope. Either one her harness to reduce forces on the belayer or as a reusable screamer.

Cherokee Nuneswrote:

This is a Choiunard nut tool from the 80s. It was never much of any good as a nut tool and it constantly snagged my leg loops or any slings it got near. It used to have a wrist loop but it was too small for me to get my mitt through it, lol.

It found a 2nd life in my tool box. Its good for what it wasn't good for in climbing - snagging wires and such, pull thru's, etc. And you can thock someone on the head with that thing, and they WILL notice.

I had forgot about those.

Where do you put the racking 'biner?