What's your go-fast system?

Here's the question: You're a rope team of two, looking to do longer free routes. Think Res Arete/Inti Wantana, Epi, Iron Messiah,the complete Exum Ridge, etc. Have you found a system that enables speed but still provides hydration, fuel and warmth. What do you and your partner carry in the way of food, water, lightweight descent shoes, warm stuff, misc. junk like headlamp and space blanket blah blah blah... Also how do you carry it... in a fanny pack, a small traditional pack, just dangling from the harness, CamelBak type rig? - Anything different for the routes that don't return to the start of the route?

I recently did Royal Arches and tried a CamelBak and fanny pack combination. In the fanny pack I carried a 60m 6mm tagline to enable 200' raps using our single lead line, plus a windshell and some Clif Bars. The CamelBak was maxed with H2O and headlamp. Worked well but not super happy with it.

My wife has the Bullet Pack and uses it as a diaper bag (it's mine now!)

Thanks!

Just don't eat Taco Bell bean burritos before you head out. That should help out a lot!
I also find it helpful to stash a Starbucks double shot in with my stuff; it helps with the go-fast part of it.

I agree with the BD Bullet Pack. I really like mine because there is no mesh on the outside to get torn to shreds in chimneys. Very durable. It's usually the right size but sometimes I can find it a hair small so I'm thinking about upgrading to the BD Hollowpoint. We're talking 1220 cu. in. versus 980.

I also carry a 60m small-diameter (7mm) tag line for rappels.

I usually like to approach in my big boots but when the climb includes a walk off, or if all the approach gear needs to be dragged up the climb, I like my 5.10 Guide shoes. Comfy, lightweight and good traction.

I've got MSR water bladders of various sizes (2-6 liters) with a hydration hose attached. Quite durable and small. The 6 liter (1.5 gallon) is reserved for those scorching summer climbs in Red Rock.

I like the Bumblebee tuna fish salad kits and a handful of Clif Shots, some with caffeine. Cherry tomatoes and an apple are tasty and provide hydration, too, but there is nothing like chocolate to lift the spirits.

I almost never take rain gear out unless storms are forecast here in Vegas, but a recent stormy descent from Black Orpheus showed the value of a small stash of emergency supplies. I had the rain gear and headlamp, but lacked the urgently needed space blanket and lighter. Some bail gear is always good to have on hand too - webbing and old biners or rings.

John

I'm old school and tend to go pretty light. I basically carry everything I need on my harness, in a couple of small stuff bags. I have a headlamp and knife in my chalk bag. I carry two or three litres of water. Drink one litre on the way in or gulp at the bottom. Carry one off my harness and drink the other on the way out. Use double ropes. If the weather looks like it might change, always rap off before it gets too late. Sometimes it backfires and you walk out in sunshine.

Never heard of the blade in the helmet - pretty cool. I have been keeping a mini-micro mag light in my chalk bag for the past few years. It takes one AAA battery and the "off" position enables the unit to be completely sealed due to rubber gaskets. This keeps the chalk dust from getting into the housing. You do have to scratch the caked chalk off the lens before use though, but no big deal. I always carry a headlamp in my pack but frequently start a 2-to-3-pitch route in the late afternoon as the last climb of the day, gambling that I'll be back down before dark. That little light has helped those few times I gambled wrong.

I have one of the Trango Piranha Alpine Knives. Its only 19gms and fits in the zip pocket of a chalkbag along with the Black Diamond ION. It rips thru stuff likes it's unreal.

steve p wrote:..... Have you found a system that enables speed but still provides hydration, fuel and warmth. What do you and your partner carry in the way of food, water, lightweight descent shoes, warm stuff, misc. junk like headlamp and space blanket blah blah blah... Also how do you carry it... in a fanny-pack, a small traditional pack, just dangling from the harness, CamelBak type rig? -

I'm still learning but since I have been working on speed these days, as training for the bigger climbs like Epi...

Here's what has worked for me.

I hydrate, "fuel up" before I leave my home, even if I don't feel thirsty and/or hungry i.e.,

A few hearty cups of water and rice milk.
A light breakfast (cereal or a small breakfast sandwich)
2 cups coffee (caffeine addict)

By doing this "newer" ritual of mine, I've found I don't have to carry as much food and water up a long, multi-pitch climb, as it can sustain me for up to 8 hours, with the exception of a few gulps of water here and there.

I have an R.E.I. Flash pack that is mega light-weight and fits my bare necessities which is...

• One Bumble Bee Tuna kit.
• 1-1 1/2 liters of water (depending on weather) in a CAMELBAK (Not impressed with Platypus water bags; rat chewed a hole in it too easily and a friend of mine had a new one that leaked)
• Nuts and chocolate (in a small ziploc)
• Ibuprofen and compact first aid stuff.
• Tissue
• Pocket knife.
• Call me anal, but two headlamps (just in case someone drops or forgets theirs)
• Starbucks double shot (sometimes)
• Sunscreen stick
• Lipstick and small mirror
• Lightweight windshell rain jacket (depending on forecast)

I've done most of my walk offs in my climbing shoes in Red Rock because I hate carrying shoes up. The few times I did carry up shoes, they were super-light-weight, cheap-ass tennies strapped to the back of my harness.

I'm going to invest in a B.D. Bullet Pack, as my precious R.E.I Flash Pack has been ripped to shreds in chimneys. I'll purchase another REI FP, but only use it for face climbs.

I don't think I have done long multi-pitch climbs where I didn't have my "big pack" to come back to, so I usually have a bottle of Gatorade waiting for me at the bottom and a bit of spare water for the hike out.

"The Bumble Bee tuna kit" is this the one that comes with that anti-fish-breath mint???? I had one of these for lunch while doing the Pinnacle Ridge on Mt. Washington in NH a few years ago. My partners just stared at me while I laid it all out, mixed the tuna and assembled little sandwiches with the crackers. They totally appreciated the "AFB" mint!

steve p wrote:"The Bumble Bee tuna kit" is this the one that comes with that anti-fish-breath mint???? I had one of these for lunch while doing the Pinnacle Ridge on Mt. Washington in NH a few years ago. My partners just stared at me while I laid it all out, mixed the tuna and assembled little sandwiches with the crackers. They totally appreciated the "AFB" mint!

No mint in mine, just mercury, but I always have a couple sticks of EXTRA POLAR ICE GUM handy and my Tutti Dolci Apple Torta flavored/scented lip gloss from Bath and Body Works, if Jonny is my partner for the day.

For a knife I use the Utili-Key by Swiss-Tech. It's only a few ounces and is the size of a key (fits on a key ring). It has two flat screwdrivers, one phillips, a bottle opener (muy importante), and a 1.75-inch serrated blade. It's sweet!!

Hauling:
When both free every pitch, but more than a little gear is needed (Think Direct South Buttress, Diagonal Wall) or trying to blast a mixed line (say, D-7 at 5.10 C1 or Rainbow Wall at 5.9 C2), hauling may be necessary, especially if the descent doesn't return directly to the base of the climb. Take two packs: one small, that could be climbed with, and one large (30-40L) that you will haul or that you can put the smaller pack inside once you start climbing. You might also just clip it underneath the bigger pack for the harder pitches. The hauling system is light: A16 micro pulley (or Petzl pulley wheel -can be frustrating- or even a DMM revolver), Wild Country Ropeman MKII, Tibloc, and a couple extra biners. Using a skinny tag line <8mm will probably mean using a prusik instead of the Tibloc as a capture. This can hurt efficiency so measure it beforehand to be as tight as possible -and you'll have to use the A16 pulley. Leave the raincoat at home if you're in the southwest; you might get wet on the descent during a shower, but with synthetics it won't kill you. I've only ever used my W/B during retreats, when we shouldn't have started up the route anyway because of the late start or looming clouds. Now I leave it at home or at the car. Ditch your fleece for a light, synthetic, high-loft piece like a Patagonia micropuff. If anything says Fast and Light, and actually is lighter and smaller without sacrificing essential function, give it a try. Stay away from Schoeller: for its weight, it's not as warm as fleece/hi-loft, doesn't block wind and is only water-repellent. Schoeller is tough, but so is the Montbell Stretch Light Shell Jacket which weighs less than half the Mountain Hardwear Offwidth Jacket.

The fundamental method I use is to take a smaller pack which means I carry less or lighter stuff. If you can't fit it all, before you consider a bigger pack, see if you can get along without some of the "just in case" load or consider faster tactics to reduce gear needs. The reason I love in-a-day adventures is because I hate carrying crap.

"A rope, a rack, and the shirt on your back" is probably the most famous go-fast quote. Unfortunately most of us are not willing to go to that extreme on most big climbs where speed is an issue. Here are a few tips I have found that work in most free-climbing situations.

If swapping leads have both climbers carry their own food, water and clothing. Trying to follow a pitch quickly with a big pack, then lead the next is a sure way to slow you down. On slabby climbs wear a small pack, on vertical + terrain carry gear on your harness.

If climbing fast you should not need any insulating clothing if you can retain body heat. A rain shell and hand warmer will keep you warmer than a fleece and is much less bulky.

Hauling is not fast or light. It is easier to climb with some extra weight than climb and haul while you are belaying. If you think you need to haul you are probably bringing too much crap.

Blade in the helmet is a great trick. On longer outings I keep a big ziplock, (with a lighter, powerbar, little space blanket, and some TP in it), above the web suspension in my helmet. Only weighs a couple of ounces, so I never really notice it. Couple of gatorade bottles taped up with a sling for water, carried from my haul loop and that's about it. If I'm worried about getting chilled on the descent, I have a tiny patagucci jacket that will stuff into the zip pocket on my chalk bag. Weighs about 3oz.

Mur,
Actually gear stored in your helmet is a terrible idea! Check with any of the helmet manufacturers' recommendations. Helmet shells and suspensions are designed to facilitate dynamic compression. In the event of a hard impact anything within the compression zone will quite likely make a serious impression in your skull. Try pockets. Cheers philo

Heh, probably right Phil. I've taken some nice whacks, without any problems, (must have been the 2-ply TP). I guess I figure anything hitting me hard enough to cause full compression of the suspension is going to kill me with or without the helmet. Even if it doesn't, I'll be a good inch shorter. Guess it might be time to learn a new trick. Pockets? Hmmmm

It's good to see folks who understand that an ounce difference between one company's gear and another's is not what matters.

Kevin Stricker wrote:Hauling is not fast or light. It is easier to climb with some extra weight than climb and haul while you are belaying. If you think you need to haul you are probably bringing too much crap.

Doug Shepherd wrote:The biggest thing is efficiency.

The thing to focus on is systems and this means applying your ingenuity, knowledge and creativity to the demands of the route in question. Hauling has worked for us on long, hard, free routes, but will not always be right. Examine your capabilities, motivation, gumption and the route and adjust your setup accordingly. My motivation to carry less crap and move faster in turn fuels my desire to get around a route's difficulties with creativity instead of gear.

Doug Shepherd wrote: I second this recommendation for high-loft pieces, like the Patagonia Micropuff and Integral Designs PLQ jacket. On the other hand, I disagree about Schoeller. The MH Offwidth isn't made out of Schoeller, it's made out of a heavier stretch nylon that MH makes. I usually use my Patagonia Dragonfly (3 oz) as my shell piece, the main disadvantage being durability, but it is amazingly warm for how little it is.

Still, I'm going to stand by my support for the lined, stretchy, and windblocking MontBell Stretch Light Shell over any lightweight Schoeller because it is warmer, more windproof, lighter, and almost as durable. So, my final word of advice is:

Schoeller may have its applications, but I was just trying to point out the hole in the hype, to wit: Schoeller is less warm and heavier than fleece and does not block wind enough to leave your windbreaker at home.
On a scale with Heavier/Hotter/Less-windproof/Incredibly Durable on this end and Lighter/More-breathable/More-windproof/Almost as Durable on that end, we have:

1.Schoeller and knock-offs, around 20 oz. for lightest jackets in this category.

2. MontBell Stretch Light Shell Jacket mentioned above, 9 oz. and lined.
Golite Stratus Jacket 8 oz. (unlined, stretchy, windshirt, with hood)

3. MontBell Stretch Wind Jacket, 5.6 oz., (unlined version of Light Shell)

And pure windbreakers are even lighter (Montbell Ultralight Wind Jacket 2.6oz. and Golite Wisp 2.5oz.)

Nick Stayner wrote: 1) Where do you usually draw the line and say that a pitch is hard enough to ditch the CamelBak/shoes/whatever else you may be leading with? 2) As a second, what grade are you comfortable following with a large pack?

Nick, you are correct that "the answers are oftentimes unique to the route & personal comfort zones" and so I'm just going to answer "depends".

I think this is a very useful thread and we should keep it alive this summer, posting improvements and innovations as we try them. Also, this conversation could be had again in September as we evaluate our successes from the summer -and begin applying our new tricks to the fall alpine season.

Kevin Stricker wrote: .... If swapping leads have both climbers carry their own food, water and clothing. Trying to follow a pitch quickly with a big pack, then lead the next is a sure way to slow you down.

Great advice!

I've tried both ways on long routes.

I've found I can move much quicker and conserve more energy overall, if my partner and I carry our own pack (w/water, food etc.) the entire way, when swapping leads.

To follow fast with a "pack for two" and then to lead after that slows me down and depletes my energy, especially when my partner(s) and I have the tendency to combine pitches, whenever possible (also good for the GO-FAST system).

Kevin Stricker wrote:.... If climbing fast you should not need any insulating clothing if you can retain body heat.

I've also found that to be true.

I've found that the speed of climbing is often dominated by the slowness of changeovers. To that end, there are several things I do to minimize the changeover time.

1) Carry some food in a pocket and use a hydration bladder (at least in the summer). Eat and hydrate while belaying the second.

2) Use an auto blocking belay device so that you can do 1. It also makes it easier to take in rope quickly when the second is screaming up easy pitches.

3) Set up the belay anchor so that there is an easily accessible clip in point for the second to clip when arriving at the belay.

4) Never stop for breaks. If you need a break to rest, you are climbing too quickly and will ultimately be slower.

I've found that continuing moving without interruption is the key to moving quickly.

5) Don't take your time on things that can be done quickly, eg. pulling up the rope on the second. As soon as you are off belay you should be yarding that thing up. Then the second it comes taut on your follower, they are on belay and ready to climb.

6) Try to minimize the time any individual person is doing nothing. If you find yourself taskless, be asking yourself, what can I do to help now? In some cases you may have to delegate tasks to your less experienced climbers. Just keep them occupied!

Allan Jolley says that the goal is to always keep the rope moving.