duncan... > Forum Messages

Feb 15, 2026 I've had a C4 Camalot slide out of a parallel sided slot in Welsh slate when I gave it the slow steady pull test. Not what you want to happen whilst teetering on small foothold… View Message

Jan 25, 2026 I’ve seen non-anodised aluminium bail carabiners corrode badly within a year on a sea cliff. I wouldn’t trust an aluminium rivet after a matter of months.  View Message

Jan 21, 2026 Lots of good recommendations already. Beyond the classics already mentioned here are some other suggestions: I really enjoyed Valley of Giants, an anthology of writings by… View Message

Jan 11, 2026 Why collagen? It's just a rather expensive way of obtaining poor quality protein. Same with BCAAs for that matter.  View Message

Jan 4, 2026 There are doctors and doctors. A primary care physician in your part of the world will be an expert in dealing with chronic multi-pathology ill health in people who, sadly, hav… View Message

Jan 1, 2026 Happy New Year everyone, from Spain!Me on a 5.10 at Mula, near Murcia in the south east of the country.  View Message

Dec 30, 2025 As life unfolds taking a six week or longer climbing trip may become much harder. Squamish is an easy option for a relatively short visit and will still be there when you have… View Message

Dec 23, 2025 AAJ 1986 says it lies between Tangerine Trip and Zenyatta Mondatta joining the final pitches of the latter. Sounds like it could be their original name for Lost in America?  View Message

Dec 18, 2025 Most 9b (5.15b) ascents here: https://climbing-history.org/list/5/hard-sport-climbing-ascents 16 9bs so far in 2025 which suggests someone somewhere will have climbed a 9a… View Message

Dec 9, 2025 I wouldn't plan too much in advance. It will all make a lot more sense after you've been there for a couple of days. There are many sectors and the most appropriate ones will d… View Message

Dec 3, 2025 Their ascent is acknowledged on climbing-history.orgClint's list is a great resource and I look forward to it being updated and more easily accessible.  View Message

Dec 1, 2025 I own The White Cliff but not Nowt But a Fleein' Thing, mainly as I have climbed a lot on Gogarth but hardly at all on Scafell.  I think it is very good indeed. There is a… View Message

Dec 1, 2025 As a Brit. I fiddle with brass wires, usually carry a few as they weigh next-to-nothing, and very occasionally fall on them. Like Brian says, sometimes they work. They are ofte… View Message

Dec 1, 2025 Nick, thanks for the suggestion on duct tape alternatives. There is precisely zero chance I will be trying The Bells in this life but I recently acquired one of those Punky hoo… View Message

Nov 29, 2025 Deeper dives into the background to the ascent. In the one of these Rob discusses how much pre-practice he does: some but not so much as to remove all uncertainty. Rob doe… View Message

Nov 29, 2025 The following geeking-out is all speculation but it is a cold and wet Saturday at the end of November and not much climbing happening here! As background, I've not done The Bel… View Message

Nov 28, 2025 Lovely film about Rob Matheson's ascent of The Bells, The Bells! (5.12b X) at a spritely 74 years old. View Message

Nov 3, 2025 $300   I use INOV8 X-Talon 225s for exactly this purpose (Size 9 is 225g = 8oz). Very grippy sole for earth, sand or gravel; rubber is 'sticky'; not much cushioning o… View Message

Oct 30, 2025 I am both short and long-sighted. I have lenses with one prescription optimised for 3-5' distance so I can see footholds and the next handhold ideally and everything else clear… View Message

Oct 19, 2025 Topic-adjacent... you all likely know this but the Scarpa Mago is probably the nearest currently available shoe to a Testarossa: both Heinz Mariacher creations, somewhat downtu… View Message

Oct 14, 2025 I had my Testarossa v1s done by Llanberis Resoles in Wales. They came back with a sole marked "La Sportiva Original Spare Part." The resoled shoes retained their shape, includi… View Message

Oct 12, 2025 I can't see it. It would be a real shame if it was unretrievable. The Frank Sacherer thread, for example, was a treasure trove of stories. I should have saved it somehow.  View Message

Sep 19, 2025 You appear to have misunderstood impact force, ~7.7kN for this Mammut. Breaking load of a 9.5mm dynamic rope is typically ~22kN. Even allowing a conservative 40% strength… View Message

Jul 20, 2025 As others have said, it is wise to draw up a short list of possibilities rather than plan a definite schedule and be flexible in your plans according to the weather. As a first… View Message

Jul 7, 2025 To expand on Daniel's comments, The Open Book may be the first route to have been given the number 5.9 and is possibly the first route of that difficulty in the US but har… View Message

Jul 6, 2025 I've tied in incorrectly. I got distracted whilst tying a figure-of-eight and did not completely rethread the knot. A one-third rethread is quite strong enough to tow the rope… View Message

Jul 1, 2025 Nick on Brazen Buttress (E2; 5.10d), south Pembroke. Burly climbing on steep but highly featured limestone.Iain on Barad (E1; 5.10b) in north Pembroke. He’s heading up an… View Message

Jul 1, 2025 After a period of relative peace and quiet there are more than 60 spam messages this morning. Whatever you were doing it has stopped working. View Message

Jul 1, 2025 The Afrikaaners whose most significant contribution to western culture was Apartheid?Whatever happened to E pluribus unum ?(Jim, I’m interested to know where yo… View Message

Jun 21, 2025 The peg is on Impact Day which  Lexicon crosses at this point. Impact Day is a Dave Birkett E8 (about 5.13  R)  from the 1990s. Fixed pitons were perhaps mo… View Message

Jun 13, 2025 The luxury chalk parody has been done already #ldnclmbrNo organic lemur collagen, no sale. View Message

Jun 6, 2025 At the risk of sounding patronising, the first two sentences are high school Biology. I didn't want to dilute my message by stating the obvious.You appear to be assuming that g… View Message

Jun 6, 2025 In general, I think obsessing over food for any reason is an extremely bad idea. I've been around climbing long enough to have known quite a number of people with serious eatin… View Message

Jun 5, 2025 "Locnar", you seem to know a lot about collagen and physivantage, why do you need to ask about flavours?It's depressing hucksters like Hörst have the remotest credibility.… View Message

Jun 1, 2025 Various quite good limestone trad. routes:How many can you guess? View Message

May 30, 2025 Swelling in the feet, ankles, both, or further up the legs?I have perma-swollen feet and ankles due to a failing lymphatic system. I wear below-knee compression stockings nearl… View Message