Love my rope pack!,  Monday, 03 December 2007 I am a purely rec climber, and always hike somewhere to climb, often many miles. Therefore I wanted a rope bag to fit the bill, and bought this. After a couple dozen climbs with it since spring, it still looks new (except for all the patches I've sewn into it..), and shows no sign of excessive wear. It's not the most comfortable pack I've ever worn, but it's also not the worst. The straps could be padded a little more, and it's comfort truly depends on how well one packs the contents in terms of what is rubbing up against your back as you walk. I can actually stuff my 150' rope, tengu saddle, two saddle bags with gear, helmet, and folding cube into this pack and head into the woods. (It took a couple of tries at first to get it all to fit well, but now I've got it down). A trick I also use is to wear a hip pack that holds my water bottles, lunch, and field glasses. The rope pack then rests on the hip pack and acts like you are wearing a pack with a waist belt built in. It works quite well! It's not really the most practical pack (I use a regular frame backpack when overnighting), but it's still pretty cool and a great way to get into the backcountry to climb.

 I always use these.,  Monday, 03 December 2007 It's funny how perspectives work. I was taught how to climb originally by an arborist who used these all the time, and so I learned how to climb using these all the time. They are my defacto ends for DRT climbing, and I love how they work. The angles involved to open them are specific enough to make me feel like the odds in having them open by accident are pretty high, and I have never had this happen once in all kinds of conditions. I really appreciate how the working end is different than the ring, so that the rope is always separated from the fastening end and is therefore never subjected to unnecessary friction and wear. They are in the same weight class as most of my locking biners, so that has never been an issue to me. They are made from the same materials as most non-steel carabiners, so their life expectancy can be considered the same.

 Best Gloves Ever,  Thursday, 08 November 2007 I used to put my gloves on, and take them off, and put them on again so many times during a climb to tie this or untie that or clip this that it wasn't unusual to drop one at some point or another. Those days are long gone with my Ironclad Framers. I can easily manage all of the tasks that are part of my climb with my gloves still on, and for some reason that really makes me happy. I like simplicity. I know my hands are going to be sheathed, and the design is intelligent enough that there is even an absorbent terrycloth part of the glove to wipe my brow with. They're comfortable, and can even handle a rappel. Two thumbs
(and four fingers) way up!

 Origami Kudos,  Thursday, 08 November 2007 I actually have the regular "Fold and Hold" cube, (wanted to try the $16.00 version first), and can say wholeheartedly that this is an amazing product. I end up folding mine one fold more than is even shown in the catalog (and use a small clip to keep it closed), and have taken it aloft many times. But on the ground is where it really shines. Flip flip flip and you've got a quite sizable open bucket to pay out your throwline from, and you really appreciate the size when you're flaking your line back in. Then fold it back up and it stows very easily in my rope pack. I'll never go back.

 Old School Rappel,  Thursday, 08 November 2007 For the old fashioned rappel enthusiast, this is about as pure as it gets. There's nothing quite like the simplicity of an 8 to sail down a rope from height, but you had really better know what you're doing because this is a completely unforgiving device. I like to tie a prusik self-belay above my 8 as a backup plan just in case, because you never know and it's better to be safe than sorry. I would agree that the 8 is large and bulky, but it does fit in a saddle pouch so I usually forget I have it until I need it. Ultimately a fun tool.