Short clips
Trailers to full length videos and stand-alone quick tips; everything we make that is under 60 seconds
Choosing the Right Tent at a Glance
While I look at a lot of different metrics when choosing to buy a tent (peak height, length, water pressure test results, etc.), once I have made the purchase, there are a few I want to be able to find at a glance so that I can choose from amongst my various tents as I select one for a particular trip. Here's what I mark on my tent stuff sacks to make this easier.
Preview to: 3 Ways to Escape a Climbing Belay on Moderate Terrain
When moving quickly through moderate terrain, we might be using the rope but not be using standard climbing anchors. When we aren't pitching it out, we can still have a climbing fall that might require us to escape the belay in order to hold our partner in place while we render aid. The full video gives three examples of how we can do that when we are using terrain or body belays by anchoring to the principles of any belay escape.
Adjust Your Boot Fit from Uphill to Downhill with the Turn of a Dial
Some climbers love BOA lacing systems - using a cord and a dial (or two) to tighten the boot as opposed to regular laces. Some climbers don't trust the durability of the system. But if you are one of those climbers that use BOA systems, that ease of adjustment can make protecting our feet when moving downhill as easy as a few cranks of the wheel.
Preview to: Eight Lessons to Help New Climbers Climb a Snow Couloir Safely
This last spring and summer, my kids finally had the experience, technique, and the physical size to utilize appropriate equipment that allowed them to climb steeper couloirs - snow gullies - safely. But those things are only part of the equation. Being aware of different risks and mitigation tactics are necessary, as well. The full video provides eight tips that helped us, and may help any other new climbers, approach snow climbing season with care.
Don't Make THIS Mistake with Your Lead Belay Position
Last week we provided a short about managing slack when providing a lead belay (https://youtube.com/shorts/NO2jBlNbJNo). Well another part of that equation is not wanting to step too far away from the wall, or we may create other problems!
Preview to: Can You Block Lead from a Climbing Rope Anchor?
There are occasions when we may want to use the climbing rope as the soft good in our climbing anchor. And there are occasions when we might want the same lead climber to climb multiple pitches in a row (block leading). What happens when we want to do both? The full video walks through that transition when having the rope we need to take up with us being used in the anchor.
How Much Slack Is Actually Safe for Climbing?
While it is helpful to have rules-of-thumb about many things in climbing, like slack management when belaying, the realities are usually more complex. From moment to moment on a climb, the risk that is most significant can change. Constantly asking ourselves what is the most significant risk is a key for not only belaying, but climbing safely, overall.
Why Do Climbers Trust This Simple Knot? Preview to a Flat Overhand Deep Dive
The Flat Overhand Bend, also called the Offset Overhand Bend, has gotten a bit of a bad reputation, sometimes being called the European Death Knot. But reputable organizations, like the American Mountain Guides Association, actually recommend this knot for double-strand rappels. So, the full video goes deeper into the pros and cons of this knot, how we tie it, when we can use it, and when it might not be as good of a choice.
One Way I NEVER Use a Quick Link on a Climb
As we've discussed in a previous short, I do carry a quick link on my bail carabiner for a number of reasons, but to use it to bail from a sport climb isn't one of them. Here's why.
Preview to: Four Methods to Escape When Your Rope Is Damaged!
When we have a damaged section of our rope and need to rappel (abseil) off the route, we can either go through a procedure to pass the knot while on a double-strand rappel, or we can switch to a single-strand rappel and avoid the knot pass altogether. But our setups into a single-strand rappel come with tradeoffs. The full video walks through four methods along with some pros and cons for each.
Avoid This Mistake Climbers Make with Two Rope Rappels
When we are rappelling off of two ropes, we need to identify the pull strand and the rappel strand at each transition and then remember that designation when we reach the next rappel station. This simple trick can help us keep the full strand identified, even if we should forget.
Preview to: Can You Rock Climb Efficiently as a Team of Four?
Given how often I and my twin sons climb together, we've had to get fairly efficient at belay stance transitions. One such transition that (hopefully) happens almost every climb is the transition from climbing to rappelling down the route. If we can make these transitions fast and safe, we save time to climb more or more readily beat the weather or darkness setting in. The full video goes into detail on one climbing-to-rappelling transition that works for a team of three.
Is the Quick Link on My Climbing Rack Actually a Multi-Tool?
I like the cheap price and small aperture opening of a quick link to help create rappel anchors for alpine route descents. But the reasons I started carrying one, and the reasons I most frequently use one on a climb might surprise you.
Preview to: How Fast Can Three Climbers Go From Topping Out to Rappelling Down?
Given how often I and my twin sons climb together, we've had to get fairly efficient at belay stance transitions. One such transition that (hopefully) happens almost every climb is the transition from climbing to rappelling down the route. If we can make these transitions fast and safe, we save time to climb more or more readily beat the weather or darkness setting in. The full video goes into detail on one climbing-to-rappelling transition that works for a team of three.
What is This Warning for my GriGri Belay Device, and Why Should I Care?)
Our Petzl GriGri belay device instructions warn against using HMS carabiners for fear that they become cross-loaded. But we're not concerned about the forces breaking the carabiner, device, or harness belay loop. We are concerned about hindering the camming action.
Preview to: How Do You Know Your Multi-Pitch Climbing Partner Is Safe?
My twin boys are new multi-pitch climbing leaders. That means they need to trust each other and I need to trust them, as well. How did I enter them into this new climbing discipline? The full video goes into detail around some of the work around exposure to, practice of, and eventual attempts at leading multi-pitch that are relevant to any new multi-pitch leader.
Sidestepping Downhill Will SAVE Your Quadriceps
Descending from mountain summits can feel like an endless set of steps that can greatly fatigue our quadriceps (thigh muscles) above the knee. By switching up our plane of motion, we can recruit other muscle groups to help give our quadriceps a break.
How Fast Should We Ascend if We Want to Acclimatize? Preview to a Deep Dive
Whether going from sea level to moderate altitude or from moderate altitude to high altitude, our bodies need time - and water - to adjust and adapt to the reduced oxygen we will take in. The full video gives an overview of the physiology, the potential illnesses, and the preventative tactics that all come into play when we experience significant altitude changes.
Protect Your Following Climber on a Traverse Crux with This Important Tip
Traversing pitches bring risks that more vertical climbing does not. As a lead climber on a traversing pitch, we need to think not only about protecting ourselves on the crux but our follower, as well, and we each have different needs for gear placements.
1 of 3 Methods to Avoid Speed DESTROYING Rope Issues on a 3 Person Climbing Team
With twin boys, this dad spends a lot of time climbing in a team of three, and we most frequently use double ropes. Double rope systems can create tangles that can dramatically slow the team's progress. So, here is the first of three techniques that help us avoid or quickly resolve rope management issues. The other techniques are in the full length video.