North Face fail

The North Face released their new summit series installments. Looking at the pictures of the L6 parka I found this.

(Edited to clarify the issue)

As explained by aikibujin:

"They are getting their belay loops in a twist (figuratively and literately) because the brake strand is positioned at the top instead of at the bottom."

Picture from Viperscale:

https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/mens-summit-l6-down-belay-parka-nf0a33pw

Looks fine to me. The belayer is probably hanging upside down like a bat, it's really hard to tell in those photos.

Hahahah.  Nice!

They get points for 1. including a photo of someone belaying in the first place and 2. having them actually using twin ropes!

Still a fail, though.

Ryan Van Dyke wrote:

They get points for 1. including a photo of someone belaying in the first place and 2. having them actually using twin ropes!

Still a fail, though.

Actually they are half ropes. You can tell if you zoom out cuz the ropes are incorrectly back clipped into alternating pieces

Fail....but that is a nifty jacket design with the bottom zip to give you access to your belay loop while still giving you plenty of cozy warmth on the hips.

I’m missing something, why is this a fail??

the joke's on you, OP.

Kevin Mokracek wrote:

I’m missing something, why is this a fail??

Technically it will work like a backwards gri-gri technically works.....just seems unnecessarily awkward to keep proper form and safety with it like that.

Kevin Mokracek wrote:

I’m missing something, why is this a fail??

That ATC may or may not be attached to his harness backwards.  Depending on whether or not he is batman and belaying while hanging upside down.  You chose.

there's nothing unsafe about how the atc is attached, it would just make paying out slack awkward. 

Very happy to see that someone is making a true belay parka again-- one that goes down and covers your butt, and with a zipper system compatible with a harness. They used to make them way back in the day, but seem to have gone out of style... 

Christopher Smith wrote:

Fail....but that is a nifty jacket design with the bottom zip to give you access to your belay loop while still giving you plenty of cozy warmth on the hips.

Super common feature on belay parkas!

Bottom up zippers are nothing new. They have been around for decades. My North Face Mountain Parka which is probably older than half the people posting up has that feature. 

As for the belay, it is fine. It is being used like a std. ATC with two ropes.

http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aakn_prd/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-bdel/default/dwc035a6a1/instructions/S16_Instructions/M10798_B_ATCGuide_IS-WEB.pdf

Still don’t see anything wrong or unsafe with the ATC. 

I’m with Kevin. 

I don’t see anything wrong with the atc setup. 

What exactly do you mean by backwards?

Christopher Smith wrote:

Technically it will work like a backwards gri-gri technically works.....just seems unnecessarily awkward to keep proper form and safety with it like that.

"Backwards" ATC works. Backwards Grigri doesn't. Two-way zippers have been around for years.

This thread reminds me of the time I was traveling for work and went to a local climbing gym. Climbed with some random guy at the gym, who insisted that I loaded my ATC-XP backwards, because "the brake strand is not going in the direction shown in the diagram!"

Belay device would still work, but it's not ideal, the other thing I find interesting is that they use a BD helmet and Petzel belay device, you'd think the same gear company would sponsor all the climbing gear for north face ads.  

I find it amusing that he is wearing a fully zipped parka, but no gloves

befozz wrote:

Belay device would still work, but it's not ideal, the other thing I find interesting is that they use a BD helmet and Petzel belay device, you'd think the same gear company would sponsor all the climbing gear for north face ads.  

Have you looked at the ATC user guide linked above?

Looks to me as if the pictured device is being used just fine in high friction mode.

Please correct me if I am missing something. 

I'll add this to the list of things I like to see discussed on MP.

The list also includes quads, bowlines, dogs, drones and music at the crag, OLH, shock loading and how to rack a biner. 

Beean wrote:

I'll add this to the list of things I like to see discussed on MP.

The list also includes quads, bowlines, dogs, drones and music at the crag, OLH, shock loading and how to rack a biner. 

Don't forget the Grigri and the EDK!