I sent my AMGA rock-guide exam. Phew. Done. Well, not completely done, but at last certified in rock. Did my ski in February and hopefully hiking the Alpine in the fall…and then time to get into some post-graudate guiding!
My rock exam was in the desert outside Vegas. Before heading out there, to Red Rock National Conservation Area, I dropped by the SCARPA/Edelrid offices to chat about a writing project. Well, the generous folks over there (thanks Mark, Moritz, Sam, and Kim!) decided it was unthinkable to embark on a big objective without some new gear…and who was I to argue? Some monkeying around and wham–a box full of new gear to test.
I’ve never owned a single Edelrid product, which is strange because the German company invented the modern kernmantle rope in 1953. They’ve also introduced dozens of other technical advances, including the stitched quickdraw, dymamic ropes, and one of the first modern sit harnesses. SCARPA recently began distributing Edelrid products in North America, so I’ve had more occasion to check out their stuff. It’s all high end, as 60 percent of their gear is still made in Germany and they have a long history in the alpine. Here are a couple highlights from my rock exam:
The HMS Strike Slider (63g; $19.95) is a pear-shaped locker that uses an integrated, extremely low-profile locking mechanism. One slides a tiny, three-ribbed tab downward on the gate to disengage the locking mechanism. It’s spookily sleek, I gotta say. I showed it to several examiners and candidates on my exam and folks seem split 50/50–some didn’t think it as secure as a screw-gate while others shrugged and said, “Seems good to me.”
Slide down on this low-profile tab and the keynose opens. Sleek, sexy, and presumably secure
I used it in a variety of applications, from my main belay ‘biner to my third hand to attaching a quadolette to an anchor–bomber, no sweat. It’s particularly easy to work with, as it rotates either direction easily, even through a weighted sling. I spent a good ten minutes trying to get the thing to open “accidentally” in various orientations, without success. I’m still not going to say it’s my go-to belay ‘biner, but for anchors, back-ups, and critical clips, the Strike is a fantastic option. Lightweight (63g compared to 80-plus grams for some of my heftier lockers) and it handles smoothly–have a couple on your rack and see where they fit in.
For photos and the full article, visit
elevationoutdoors.com/blogs…
Continue with onX Maps
Continue with Facebook
