WELL THEY’RE DIFFERENT SPORTS SO OF COURSE THEY NEED DIFFERENT GEAR
JASON C
WHAT YOU NEED FOR JUGGING 3km OF FIXED LINE ON OXYGEN AND WHAT YOU NEED FOR AN ALPINE-STYLE ASCENT ARE NOT THE SAME. SUPERFICIALLY THINGS MAY LOOK SIMILAR, AND IF YOU’VE COME FROM THE COMMERCIAL 8000m SCENE IT MAY BE TEMPTING TO STICK WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, BUT THE DIFFERENCE ON A ROUTE LIKE K2’S NORTH RIDGE (OR ANY +7500m PEAK CLIMBED WITHOUT THE FULL GAMBIT OF COMMERCIAL ASSISTANCE) IS ENOUGH TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF A TRIP.
ONCE, ALL 8000m GEAR WAS EXPEDITION GEAR MADE FOR THE DIFFICULTIES OF HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBING, BUT AS THINGS COMMERCIALIZED, THE INDUSTRY STANDARDIZED & THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE GREW, THE NATURE OF THOSE DIFFICULTIES CHANGED AND THE COMPANIES THAT MAKE THE STUFF SIMPLY COMPLIED. NOW DAYS THE MAJORITY OF GEAR FOR 8000m PEAKS GOES TO A CONSUMER MARKET NOT CONCERNED WITH THE DETAILS OF ALPINE-STYLE CLIMBING.
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WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
AS PER THE QUOTE ABOVE, THE TWO STYLES OF CLIMBING ARE AS DIFFERENT AS FOOTBALL IS TO CRICKET WITH ABOUT THE ONLY COMMON ELEMENT BEING THE ENVIRONMENT IT TAKES PLACE IN. SOME BASIC DIFFERENCES ARE;
- COMMERCIAL GEAR IS MADE FOR LONG PERIODS OF BEING STATIONARY; ALPINE GEAR IS DESIGNED FOR CONTINUOUS MOVEMENT
- COMMERCIAL GEAR IS MADE FOR LARGE GROUPS TO SHARE THE LOADS OF; ALPINE GEAR IS MADE FOR 2-3 PEOPLE TO CARRY
- COMMERCIAL GEAR IS MADE FOR QUITE BASIC CLIMBING; ALPINE GEAR NEEDS TO BE DEXTROUS & MORE PRECISE
- COMMERCIAL GEAR IS MADE FOR SIMPLE FUNCTIONS; ALPINE GEAR IS MADE FOR A WIDE SPECTRUM OF TECHNIQUES
- COMMERCIAL GEAR IS USED IN LARGE, COMFORTABLE CAMPS; ALPINE GEAR NEEDS TO WORK IN MINIMALIST, CRAMPED CAMPS
- COMMERCIAL GEAR CAN BE USED AS PART OF A LARGE, COMPLEX ‘SYSTEM’; ALPINE GEAR NEEDS TO WORK AS A SINGLE STREAMLINED UNIT
ADD IT ALL UP AND A SET OF GEAR FOR A COMMERCIAL TRIP TO SOMEWHERE LIKE EVEREST STARTS TO LOOK QUITE DIFFERENT WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR.
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GEAR SPECIFICS
A TRIP TO MOST BIG RETAILERS CAN FILL THE NEEDS FOR AN EVEREST OR ABRUZZI-TYPE TRIP IN A SINGLE OUTING, LIMITED ONLY BY YOUR CREDIT LIMIT. MEANWHILE GEARING UP FOR SOMEWHERE LIKE THE NORTH RIDGE OF K2 TAKES MORE INVOLVEMENT. THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ARE;
TENTS
ON AN ALPINE ASCENT THERE WON’T BE BIG VE25’S TO LIVE & SORT YOUR GEAR IN ABOVE BASECAMP, FACTOR ON SMALL 2 PERSON – POSSIBLY SINGLE SKIN – TENTS YOU NEED TO CARRY, PITCH, SUBSIST IN & TAKE DOWN YOURSELF. DON’T ASSUME DOING ANY OF THIS COMES EASILY. IN FACT, BEING ABLE TO GET A SHELTER UP, GET IN & LIVE THERE IS AS MUCH THE MAKE OF AN ALPINIST AS THEIR CLIMBING, AND IS VERY DEPENDENT ON THE TENT ITSELF. BEFORE CLICKING ‘BUY’ ON THE COOLEST HARLEQUIN COLOURED TENT ON THE NORTH FACE’S OR MHW’S SITE DOUBLE CHECK THAT IT CAN BE PITCHED AS A SINGLE UNIT, HAS WALLS THAT REACH THE GROUND (AND IDEALLY SNOW FLAPS), HAS POLES & SLEEVES TO SURVIVE WIND & HAS WAYS OF ORGANIZING GEAR AND COOKING WHEN CRAMPED INSIDE. YOU ALSO WANT AN EASY WAY TO TIE IT INTO THE MOUNTAIN ITSELF. ANYTHING BIGGER THAN A 2 PERSON MEANS CHOPPING WIDER RATHER THAN LONGER LEDGES.
BOOTS
HERE’S A TRADE SECRET; MANY HIGH ALTITUDE ALPINISTS MIX & MATCH THEIR BOOTS WITH CUSTOM OR OTHER-BRAND INNERS, OFTEN FURTHER ADAPTED TO GET THE BEST FIT. A REASONABLE FIT IS FINE FOR FOLLOWING A TRAIL, BUT THE MOMENT YOU START CLIMBING MIXED ALPINE TERRAIN YOU NEED SOMETHING DEXTROUS, AND THAT STARTS WITH THE INNER BOOT. SKIERS HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN THIS, WITH A HUGE ARRAY OF LINER OPTIONS & EVERY SKI SHOP DOING THERMOFORMING – BUT FEW CLIMBERS SEEM TO HAVE WORKED IT OUT, INSTEAD BEING DISTRACTED BY SECONDARY GIMMICKS AND BIG LOGOS. BUY THE RIGHT INNER, GET IT FORMED, THEN TAKE IT WITH YOU TO TRY ON THE SHELLS. YES IT ADDS TO THE COST, MAKE UP FOR IT ELSEWHERE.
CRAMPONS
ALPINE ASCENTS DON’T HAVE LADDERS OVER CREVASSES SO YOU CAN USE THOSE DEDICATED MIXED CRAMPONS AFTERALL. THE RIGHT BOOTS NEED TO BE OPTIMIZED WITH THE BEST CRAMPONS, OF WHICH THERE ARE LOADS ON THE MARKET. WHAT MAKES A GOOD ALPINE CRAMPON IS THE INTERFACE WITH YOUR BOOTS SO THERE’S GOOD CONTACT WITH THE SECONDARY TEETH – YOU’RE GOING TO BE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME STANDING ON THEM – AND DESIGN THAT’S EASY TO PUT ON ON A SMALL LEDGE WITH A LOT OF BULKY GEAR AROUND YOU. NON-COMPACTING DESIGNS WORK BEST, SOME GAFFER TAPE TO KEEP THE BAILS FROM FLOPPING ABOUT, TRIM THE STRAPS TO THE RIGHT LENGTH. DONE RIGHT, A CRAMPON CAN GO ON SINGLE-HANDED, ON ONE FOOT, IN SECONDS.
TOOLS
ALPINE TOOLS DO A LOT MORE THAN ACT AS A CANE IN ONE HAND AS YOU JUG WITH THE OTHER; THEY NEED TO CLIMB ICE & ROCK, CHOP LEDGES, MAYBE FORM A BELAY AND NEED TO CARRY WELL. FANCY MIXED TOOLS & STRAIGHT SINGLE AXES DON’T DO THIS. YOU NEED HAMMERS ON YOUR TOOLS (THE ADZES JOB IS DONE BY THE PICK), LARGE GRIPS FOR USE WITH MITTS AND IDEALLY CARBON SHAFTS OR A LAYER OF INSULATION TAPE. YOU WILL BE CARRYING TWO, SO BOTH NEED A CLIP HOLE IN THE HEAD TO RACK ON YOUR HARNESS AND CLIP HOLES IN THE POMMELS FOR LANYARDS.
DOWN SUITS
IT’S REALLY HARD TO GET DOWN SUITS DESIGNED FOR ALPINE-STYLE CLIMBING ANYMORE. ALMOST ALL OF THEM COMPETE IN THE COMMERCIAL MARKET WITH IT’S DIFFERENT DEMANDS, AND THE OFFERINGS THAT WORK FOR ALPINE 8000m ASCENTS GET FEWER EVERY YEAR. SOME SUITS RETAIN DETAILS FROM THE DAYS OF BEING MADE FOR ALPINE CLIMBING, OR THE EARLY COMMERCIAL TRIPS THAT ARE NEARLY UNRECOGNIZABLE THESE DAYS, BUT ONLY A FEW EXPLICITLY TICK THE BOXES
- FIT IS CRITICAL TO AN ALPINE SUIT. YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS YOUR HARNESS, SEE YOUR FEET & HAVE GOOD VISION IN ALL DIRECTIONS; BY BEING AIMED AT THE COMMERCIAL USER MANY SUITS DON’T ADDRESS THESE THINGS AS PRIORITY
- ALPINE-STYLE SUITS WORK BEST AS A TWO PIECE, SAVING THE WEIGHT OF CARRYING ADDITIONAL LAYERS & VENTING BETTER, MADE MORE CRITICAL DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME YOU SPEND MOVING. TWO PIECE SUITS ARE EASIER TO MANAGE IN SMALL TENTS, TAKE UP LESS ROOM TO CARRY & FIT BETTER
- THE ONE PIECE SUITS THAT WORK WELL TEND TO BE FROM SMALLER SUPPLIERS THAT HAVE MORE NICHE MARKETS AND/OR DO CUSTOM FITTING & DETAILS
OTHER CLOTHES
ON AN ALPINE ASCENT NEITHER THE NEED NOR OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE LOTS OF CLOTHES EXISTS. THOUGH COMPANIES MARKET HEAVILY TO THIS SCENE, WITHOUT ASSISTANCE TO CARRY IT, THE SPACE TO CHANGE INTO IT OR THE STRATEGY TO DEMAND IT, YOU BASICALLY HAVE ONE STREAMLINED SYSTEM THAT NEEDS TO DO IT ALL. THE REASON A HIGHLY ADAPTABLE TWO PIECE DOWN SUIT MATTERS IS IT LETS YOU TWEAK OVER TOP OF SIMPLE BASE AND MID-LAYERS. THE LIST COMMONLY SEEN FOR EVEREST-TYPE TRIPS TEND TO RECCOMEND A WIDE ARRAY OF ‘ACTION LAYERS’ BECAUSE THEY’RE BASED ON MORE STOP-START CLIMBING THAN AN ALPINE ASCENT THAT IS EFFECTIVELY EITHER CLIMBING AT THRESHOLD OR INSIDE A TENT. BASELAYERS FOR THIS NEED TO BE HIGHLY BREATHABLE WITH A WIND-BLOCKING SHELL, AND A TOP, LIGHTLY INSULATED MIDLAYER YOU WILL WEAR 75% OF THE TIME. ABOVE BASECAMP THE ONLY THINGS THAT GO ON AND OFF ARE THE SHELLS, TOP MID LAYER AND DOWN SUIT, SO THEY NEED TO BE EASY TO CARRY. THE SHELL FOR YOU LEGS NEED TO BE DURABLE ENOUGH TO HANDLE ABRASION FROM ROCK.
BASECAMP CLOTHES CAN BE MORE EASY, BUT AS YOU WILL BE CARRYING IT YOURSELF NEEDS TO ALSO BE MINIMAL. A LIGHT LAYER FOR WHEN IT’S WARM AND A LIGHT INSULATED LAYER FOR WHEN IT’S NOT WILL DO. AS TEMPTING AS IT IS TO WEAR YOUR HIGH GEAR IN BASECAMP TO SAVE WEIGHT, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO SWITCH OUT SO YOU CAN WASH STUFF. UNLIKE COMMERCIAL TRIPS WHERE THERE’S A LOT OF TIME IN CAMPS AND IT’S QUITE THE FASHION PARADE, OUR TRIPS TO K2 & TIBET MINIMIZE THIS, SO PRIORITY GOES TO YOUR CLIMBING GEAR
SLEEPING GEAR
+2kg -40C SLEEPING BAGS ARE MADE FOR POLAR EXPEDITIONS, NOT 8000m ONES. WITH LARGE TEAMS CARRYING EVERYTHING UP TO BIG CAMPS, THIS MAY NEVER BE A CONCERN TO THE COMMERCIAL CLIMBER, BUT FOR THE ALPINE-STYLE CLIMBER IT’S NOT REALISTIC OR NECESSARY. WITH THE RIGHT MAT UNDER YOU, SHARING A SMALL TENT, USING YOU DOWN SUIT TO SUPPLEMENT IT, A CLIMBER WILL BE FINE WITH A -10 BAG WEIGHING AROUND 1600g (OR TWO BAGS TOGETHER), SEIZED LARGE TO FIT INSIDE WITH YOUR SUIT ON. MATS NEED TO BE MIX OF CLOSED CELL AND INFLATABLE, SIZED TO FIT IN THE TENTS USED TO TOTALLY COVER THE FLOOR TO REDUCE CONDUCTIVE HEAT LOSS. A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TRICK IS TO TAKE A THIN SLEEPING BAG THAT ZIPS OPEN TO USE AS A QUILT OVER BOTH CLIMBERS IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL BAGS.
PACKS
YOU CAN TELL EVERYTHING ABOUT A CLIMBER BY THEIR PACK. ALPINE EXPEDITION PACKS ARE HARD TO FIND, WITH MOST LARGE 70L PACKS BEING FINE FOR THE EVEREST-TYPE TRIP, BUT THEY LEAVE A LOT TO BE DESIRED WHEN IT COMES TO ALPINE CLIMBING. MOST LARGE ‘EXPEDITION’ PACKS ARE MADE FOR HIKING AND THEY FAIL FOR ALPINE CLIMBING BY BEING TOO HEAVY, TOO WEAK & THE WRONG FEATURES. THE NATURE OF ALPINE CLIMBING IS VERY HARD ON A PACK, WITH A LOT OF ABRASION, A LOT OF HANDLING & A LOT OF BIG LOADS; THINGS THAT WILL RIP ANY GIMMICKS OFF THE OUTSIDE, BURST FANCY STITCHING, COMPRESS ANY SOFT FOAM, BEND OR BREAK ANY COMPLICATED FRAME & PUT HOLES THROUGH MOST FABRICS. WE WENT THROUGH A PACK A YEAR UNTIL SETTLING ON SOME OF THE FEW SMALL COMPANIES THAT MADE STUFF THAT WORKED. AN ALPINE PACK NEEDS TO CARRY A LOAD BUT IT ALSO NEEDS TO LET YOU CLIMB, SO CHUNKY HIP BELTS THAT GET IN THE WAY OF YOUR HARNESS & EXTERNAL POCKETS THAT ADD GIRTH ARE IMMEDIATELY OUT. ELABORATE FRAMES AND SUSPENSION CLOG UP WITH SNOW, AND MOST PACKS LACK GRAB LOOPS FULLY BAR TACKED IN SO THE PACK CAN BE CLIPPED TO AN ANCHOR. SPACE AGE NEW POLYMERS CAN SOUND LIKE THEY SOLVE ALL OUR PROBLEMS, BUT MOST ARE TOO THIN TO HAVE THE ABRASION RESISTANCE.
SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO OUR K2 TRIPS IS THE APPROACH UP THE GLACIER, BEYOND WHERE THE CAMELS CAN GO; THIS MEANS YOU CARRYING THE LOADS. BECAUSE WE USE CHEM BARRELS FOR THE PORTAGE (SEE BELOW), YOUR PACK NEEDS TO ACCOMODATE HAVING A 120L BLUE BARREL STRAPPED TO IT, SOMETHING NOT EVERY PACK WILL TOLERATE.
HARNESS & SET UP
ON THE ABRUZZI YOU NEED AN ASCENDER, A FIGURE 8, A SAFETY LANYARD, SOME SCREW GATES AND PRUSSICKS THAT’S ABOUT IT. MOST HARNESSES WILL DO SO LONG AS THEY HAVE SOMEWHERE TO CLIP THE LANYARDS, AND AS THINGS DON’T GET TOO STEEP, SKINNY WILL DO AS YOU WON’T BE HANGING IN IT. A HARNESS & SET UP FOR AN ALPINE ASCENT HAS MORE TO IT; TWO TOOLS MEANS LEASHES AND SOMEWHERE TO CLIP THEM LIKE AN ICE SCREW CLIPPER; YOU NEED A FULL SIT-HARNESS BECAUSE YOU MAY BE ON LEAD AND YOU WILL PROBABLY NEED TO REST ON STEEP GROUND; YOU WILL NEED AT LEAST FOUR GEAR LOOPS BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE ANOTHER ASCENDER (AND THE BINERS THAT GO WITH IT); YOU’LL HAVE A BELAY DEVICE (AND TWO BINERS); A V-THREADER, LOTS OF 5mm CORD & A KNIFE FOR THE MILLION THINGS THAT CROP UP; AS ALWAYS YOU WILL NEED A BUNCH OF WIRE GATES, SCREW GATES & SLINGS TO RIG YOURSELF SAFELY. AND THAT’S ALL BEFORE YOU ADD GEAR FOR THE ACTUAL CLIMBING.
BASICALLY, AN ALPINE HARNESS NEEDS TO BE A FULL HARNESS, A 100g SKI MO HARNESS WON’T DO. AS AN ANOMALY COMPARED TO DOWN SUITS & PACKS, SUITABLE HARNESSES ARE COMMON THESE DAYS. RELEASEABLE LEG LOOPS ARE A GOOD IDEA, BUT REALISTICALLY IT CAN BE EASIER TO JUST STRIP EVERYTHING OFF YOUR HARNESS ONTO A SLING SO YOU CAN SLEEP IN IT. A COOL TRICK IS TO TIE SOME SHOCK CORD TO KEEP THE LEG LOOPS UP BUT COMFORTABLE, THEN YOU CAN REMOVE THE REAR RISERS, MAKING TOILET TRIPS EASIER.
EATING WARE
HIGH ALPINE ROUTES ARE NOT THE PLACE FOR SILLY FOLDING BOWLS, SPECIAL TITANIUM SPORKS OR NESTING SETS OF COLOURFUL PLASTIC TABLEWARE. THE SMALL TENTS AND INTERIOR COOKING SYSTEMS MEANS EATING IS USUALLY AN EFFICIENT AFFAIR AND THE SIMPLER YOU CAN MAKE IT THE BETTER; A LARGE PLASTIC INSULATED MUG WITH A SCREW ON LID, AND A LARGE PLASTIC SPOON WILL DO. SIMPLE, BOMBPROOF & IDIOT PROOF, THESE THINGS DO AWAY WITH THE NEED FOR ANYTHING ELSE THAT REQUIRES MORE MOVING PARTS OR CARE; LEAVE ANYTHING THAT CAN SPILL, BREAK OR FAIL AT BASECAMP OR HOME. BRING AN EXTRA SPOON FOR GOOD MEASURE, HAVE CLIP LOOPS ON THE LOT.
PACKING
IN NEPAL OR PAKISTAN YOU SHOW UP WITH A 120L DUFFEL STUFFED TO BURSTING, HAND IT TO THE COMPANY, AND NEXT YOU SEE IT IT’S WAITING BY YOUR TENT AT BASECAMP. IT’S AN INCREDIBLE SYSTEM OF DEVELOPING WORLD LOGISTICS THAT EXISTS ONLY SOUTH OF THE HIMALAYA, MEANING YOU WON’T SEE IT ON OUR TRIPS SO YOU NEED TO PACK DIFFERENTLY. BIG DUFFELS WORK FINE FOR CAMELS – UNTIL YOU SEE THEM FORDING METER DEEP RIVERS WITH THEM. IF A CAMEL GOES IN, THAT DUFFEL OF GEAR BECOMES A DEADLY WEIGHT THAT AT WORST CAN DROWN THE ANIMAL AND AT BEST GETS CUT LOOSE TO SAVE IT. ON OUR K2 TRIPS WE USE CHEM BARRELS TO AVOID THIS. WE ALSO TRAVEL AT THE SAME SPEED AS THE CAMELS, MEANING YOU HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR GEAR EACH DAY, BUT THE MAIN POINT IS – BEYOND THE HOTEL IN KASHGAR THERE’S NO USE FOR DUFFELS. FOR THESE TRIPS THE IDEAL IS TO PACK INTO LARGE DRY BAGS OR STUFF SACKS TO GO DIRECT INTO THE CHEM BARRELS. BAGS PACKED LOOSELY FIT BETTER THAN TIGHT BALLS OF COMPRESSED CONTENTS (THINK SAND COMPARED TO ORANGES). MARKING THE BAGS SAVES A LOT OF TIME IN SUGHET JANGAL TRANSFERRING THEM TO BE YOMPED UP TO HIGH CAMP.
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WELL THAT SUCKS….SO MY EVEREST GEAR ISN’T GOING TO CUT IT?
MAYBE NOT, BUT YOUR GEAR FOR CLIMBING IN THE ALPS, SCOTLAND, ALASKA, THE TATRAS, JAPAN WILL WITH A FEW UPGRADES.
WHERE REAL EXPEDITION GEAR IS ALSO DIFFERENT IS THAT IT’S MORE STREAMLINED – YOU DON’T NEED TO SATISFY THE BALTORO FASHIONISTAS OR THE NAMCHE GEAR OFF, AND THERE JUST ISN’T AS MUCH DOWN TIME SPENT IN BUSY CAMPS TO NEED TO OCCUPY. ON OUR TRIPS TO K2 & TIBET YOU’RE PRETTY MUCH EITHER CLIMBING, RESTING OR PREPARING.
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OUR SOLUTION
WE UNDERSTAND THAT GEAR FOR OUR TRIPS MAY BE OUTSIDE THE STUFF PEOPLE NORMALLY USE, EITHER COMING FROM COMMERCIAL OR SMALLER SCALE BACKGROUNDS. IN AN EFFORT TO NOT LOSE MOMENTUM OVER THE GEAR, WE PARTNER WITH BRIGANTES & ELITE CLIMB TO REDUCE COSTS TO OUR TEAM MEMBERS. BOOKING ONTO A TRIP WITH US MEANS YOU ACCESS 10 – 50% OFF FOR THINGS LIKE DOWN SUITS, 8000m BOOTS, CARBON COMPOSITE TOOLS, HARDWARE – EVERYTHING ON THE LIST ALMOST. THE NATURE OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS MEANS WE ARE NOT BEHOLDEN TO SINGLE SPONSORS OR PRO DEALS, SO YOU CAN MIX & MATCH TO GET THE GEAR THAT WORKS FOR YOU.
