Skip Gundlach wrote:
Well, up the mast, anyway!

This has probably been covered to death, but I think I recall discussions in
this space before about improvements on the typical bosun chair to the
effect of good mountain climbing gear.

Looking at climbing harnesses on REI, a frequently mentioned retailer of
such stuff, the harnesses I see don't look the least bit like I'd have
expected.

Are there any here with experience in this sort of gear? What should we look
for for up-the-mast use (in place of the bosun chair, of which I have a fine
one, but this is supposed to be far superior in comfort and safety)?

Thanks.

L8R

Skip and Lydia, off to the boat on Friday to work during the holiday week


If you want a climbing harness get one designed for big wall climbing.
Misty Mountains Cadillac model is nice
http://www.mistymountain.com/harness.htm

Black Diamond makes nice harnesses as well
http://www.bdel.com/gear/harnesses_overview.php

Make your prusiks from 5/16" nylon braid or stiff 3-stranded nylon. Do
not use webbing material, it slips.
You might try Intermountain Sports (or maybe its Inner Mountain sports)
as they seem to be the latest caver supply place. The place to buy
cave stuff used to be Bob & Bob but I have no idea if they still exist.
You could sew your own, I did and it has been in and out of the deepest
pits in the world under gawdawful conditions. Use one of those sewing
awl things with a bobbin in it (Brand Name is "The Speedy Stitcher").
BE CAREFUL and dont be a dead macho moron.

wrote:
Make your prusiks from 5/16" nylon braid or stiff 3-stranded nylon. Do
not use webbing material, it slips.
You might try Intermountain Sports (or maybe its Inner Mountain sports)
as they seem to be the latest caver supply place. The place to buy
cave stuff used to be Bob & Bob but I have no idea if they still exist.
You could sew your own, I did and it has been in and out of the deepest
pits in the world under gawdawful conditions. Use one of those sewing
awl things with a bobbin in it (Brand Name is "The Speedy Stitcher").
BE CAREFUL and dont be a dead macho moron.

If you use webbing it's a different knot.
Check out:
http://www.chockstone.org/TechTips/prusik.htm

Gaz
Who would rather use ascenders.