Review: Black Diamond Ion LED Headlamp

Review: Black Diamond Ion LED Headlamp (2014)

Today we write you from the bottom of a dark cave, surrounded by bats, wearing Black Diamond's newest iteration of their Ion headlamp. It's cold and weird down here, but visibility is high and spirits are soaring thanks to BD's new microlamp offering. The Ion headlamp was designed to be a "just-in-case" backup headlamp, boasting stripped down size and minimal features with full lumen power.

Black Diamond Ion Headlamp 2014

The Ion underwent a total overhaul from its 2013 model. The 2013 Ion model, all things considered, looks and feels like some corporate-branded swag from an industry conference. It kinda feels cheap. The brand new Black Diamond Ion Headlamp is a whole different beast.

Lightweight, stripped-down, and with brand new touch-sensor controls, the lamp is a pretty bold move on Black Diamond's part. It's the smallest headlamp we've ever seen. People call it a "micro" headlamp, and we think that's accurate. The whole lamp is not significantly bigger than the AAA batteries inside it. It's about the size of a golf ball, if you squeezed the golf ball into a rectangle shape.

The 2014 Black Diamond Ion Headlamp has a unique touch control system that is unlike any other lamp we've seen. It has several light settings on it that are all controlled by touch, instead of traditional buttons. You swipe your finger across the surface of the front of the light, and various different swipe motions have different effects.

The 80-lumen Ion has seven different light modes: white light, white strobe, white adjustable dim, red light, red strobe, red adjustable dim, and lock. All of these modes are accessible with different touch motions on the face of the lamp. The touch motions are described in detail in the Ion's instruction manual, and it will probably take you about 15 minutes to get comfortable with all of them. Without the tactile feedback of a clicky button, you have to just know the commands. Don't expect to be able to operate it with winter gloves on, by the way. 

The battery life on this headlamp is really short. We got about 12 hours of intermittent use out of it; maybe less. It's only got two AAA batteries in it, so we didn't expect it to last forever. After testing all the touch controls at home, it only lasted for one night of camping. I'd keep some spare batteries around if you plan to use it often. 

The Black Diamond Ion 2014 is a lightweight, compact emergency headlamp that will far exceed your expectations. Its performance is great for such a small lamp and its beam looks like one from a much bigger lamp. That said, don't expect to make this your full-time lamp. 

The Bottom Line

Black Diamond Ion Headlamp ($22.95 on Amazon) is a small, lightweight headlamp that functions as a backup to your full-size headlamp. It provides ample light for camp tasks or night climbing, but don't expect it to match your regular headlamp in brightness or battery life. The price is right for this little guy, though. It's small and cheap enough to carry as a spare in your camping kit for emergencies. The touch control system is innovative and intuitive once you're used to it. 

Ariel M. Castro
Rugged Innovations

Review: Belay Shades Belaying Glasses

Review: Belay Shades Belaying Glasses

Today we set our steely, Eastwood-esque gazes on a really interesting product that I don't think many people have been exposed to: belay glasses. Belay glasses are pretty ingenious. They are regular glasses with the lenses replaced with upward-pointing prisms. The prisms bounce light from above you into your eyes. Your optic nerves sends the light into your brain, which interprets the light into an image of your sweaty climbing partner spending 45 minutes projecting the crux moves of a "totally sandbagged" 5.11a. C'mon dude, the sun is setting. Belay Shades are designed to protect the belayer's neck by preventing them from having to keep their head pointed up while they watch their climbing partner. It's a low-tech gadget with big benefits.

Belay Shades getting their moment in the sun. Owens River Gorge, CA.

We've been wanting to try these for the longest time and finally got our chance. Belay glasses have been around for a while in various forms. We've heard of old school climbers making homebrew pairs out of busted sunglasses and mirrors from their girlfriends' makeup kits. Belay Shades are a streamlined, evolved version of this. It's a high quality product and despite the fancy optics, pretty rugged! As you all know, we here at Rugged Innovations are decidedly unkind to gear. Why? Because we take big falls all the time, and expect our gear to be able to keep up with us. It's a reasonable expectation for high-performance gear and we push it to the limit.

Belay Shades are tough little suckers. We wore them off and on for about 5 hours in Owens River Gorge while belaying some friends. We also dropped them several times and were generally pretty irreverent with them -- it's not our job to babysit gear. They didn't scratch, scuff, bend, or break. We all gave them a whirl and loved the ability to keep our necks attached to our body during a long belay session. These guys save your neck, I'm telling you. Anyone who's belayed for an hour or more at a stretch can tell you it's brutal; by the end of it you are moving your head into all kinds of weird positions to try to use different muscles. Belay Shades 100% alleviate this issue for sport cragging. 

Objects in Belay Shades are stronger than they appear.

Belay Shades are unique for a couple of reasons. One thing we like about them is that they use prisms and not mirrors. The prisms can't bend, move, or get out of alignment with respect to your object of focus. The optics have no moving or folding parts to calibrate. Another thing we liked about Belay Shades is that they are built out of real glasses. If you look at the belay glasses made by other companies, they are constructed out of cut aluminum pieces and end up looking like Robocop's snorkeling equipment. Belay Shades are made out of glasses -- actual human glasses. Belay Shades are, in my opinion, the least dorky belay glasses on the market. No one is going to win fashion awards when they're wearing any belay glasses, but Belay Shades are the least obtrusive.

These Belay Shades are incredible for sport projecting. They completely eliminate the sore neck issue because you don't have to look up at all. You can have a clear view of your climbing partner the whole time while having a clear view of your immediate surroundings.

Having said that, there are a few considerations when wearing Belay Shades. The most obvious is that when you are wearing them, you can't see what is directly in front of you without moving your head around a bit. This makes them not necessarily appropriate for multipitch climbing where you have to keep an eye on your anchor and make small adjustments often. They also are not great to wear for really long periods of time. I got a bit dizzy after wearing them for about an hour straight on a really, really long pitch we were working. Then again, if your climbing partner is spending 60 minutes on the wall, you should probably consider getting them a sponsorship or introduce them to endurance sports.

We have to say, we love the Belay Shades ($44.98 at their site). They are exactly what you want from a pair of belay glasses and then some. They come with a cloth carrying bag, a beefy padded hard shell protective case, a cord to hang them around your neck when you're not using them, and a little microfiber cloth to wipe them down when you inevitably kick some dust up onto them. It's quite a package, but the product itself is what sells it for me. They protect your neck during long belay sessions and are, in my opinion, the best option on the market. We dropped them a few times on rock surfaces from about waist height and the lenses had nary a scuff. Verdict: rugged as heck. For serious sport climbers and single-pitch tradders, these are pretty game-changing. Once you try them, you will not want to go sport climbing without Belay Shades!

Have fun!

Ariel
Rugged Innovations

The Best Beginner Climbing Shoes: Low Price and High Quality

The Best Beginner Climbing Shoes: High Quality, Low Price

There are lots of different types and styles of climbing, but climbing shoes are a universal fact of life. Unless all you do is ice climb, you're going to need some rock shoes. We've reviewed a lot of shoes here and there are many great options, but as a beginner climber there are a few facts of life that should guide your decision. 

Price

The cost of gear is a concern to all of us. Climbing ain't cheap. As a new climber, you're going to destroy your gear until you learn proper climbing technique and develop good habits for taking care of your stuff. Even if you can afford to drop some serious cash on climbing shoes, I really don't recommend it for your first pair. 

New climbers who are still learning footwork are going to heavily favor certain stances. Because of this, they tend to quickly wear out and rip through the rubber in specific areas of their shoe, like the toe. I've seen this happen to a lot of people and unless you're gifted or great on your feet, you should probably consider your first pair of shoes to be essentially disposable. I do not recommend you go out and spend $150+ on a pair of 5.10 Blackwings or La Sportiva Miuras. You are going to destroy them and waste your money. I really recommend your first pair of shoes be a very modest pair of shoes. If you can find a pair of hand-me-downs from a climbing friend, give 'em a shot if they fit you. You can ask around at your local gym or put up a flier, check Craigslist, or go to the annual REI yard sale.

If you want to pick up a new pair, there are plenty of affordable options. Technology has advanced so quickly that you can get an incredible pair of shoes for less than $100. In my opinion, one of the best options is the Five Ten Coyote VCS ($68.98 on Amazon) -- the gym nearest to me uses these as their rental shoes and I've worn them many times. These are the best value climbing shoes I've tried, hands down. The quality on these shoes is incredible for being ~$70. Even on the worn-out rental models that have been used and abused by hundreds of people, they perform well. They hold an edge and have a great stiffness support in the arch. Most importantly, they're comfortable! You really can't go wrong getting a pair of the new 5.10 Coyote VCS.

Fit

One of the most important element of climbing shoes is fit. Because of this, I definitely recommend you try before you buy. There is no industry standard for climbing shoe sizes between manufacturers, meaning that a size 7 from one company can feel like a size 10 of another. The only way to know is to try them on. If there's an REI or EMS in your area, go into the store and try on a few different pairs. Many climbers choose shoes that are a few sizes down from their street shoes, but this is not something you should worry about as a newbie. Get a pair that fits you perfectly. Keep in mind that climbing shoes are supposed to be tight, but if they're really tight, you're going to be in so much pain that you won't be able to learn fundamental footing technique.

The shoe should feel snug everywhere, but not constrict your toes or pinch when tightened. Certain shoes have a heel cup that balloons out and leaves a little air pocket, creating a gap between your heel and the inside of the shoe. This drives me crazy, but a bunch of people don't seem to mind because it's a characteristic of one of the most popular rock shoes ever. This may not be a concern to you, but it's worth examining to determine your preferences.

You may have noticed that some rock shoes have a steep downturn starting at the heel, driving through the arch, and continuing to the toe. These shoes are meant for precise, strong footwork on hard, overhanging routes and boulder problems. The amount of downturn on a shoe is referred to by many climbers as its "aggressiveness". As a new climber, you probably won't need an aggressively downturned shoe. In fact, you probably don't need any downturn at all.

As you advance and get better at climbing, you may find yourself gravitating towards tighter shoes to improve the mechanical advantage (wiki) of your feet relative to surface area of the foothold. In the past, climbers would downsize heavily to compensate for the amount that rock shoes would stretch over time. With current advances in material sciences, heavy downsizing is not necessary to ensure a good fit. Let me be clear: only downsize heavily if you know exactly what you are doing. Let me be more clear: new climbers do not need to downsize their shoes. Get a shoe that fits. 

Durability

You might as well accept that you are going to absolutely mangle your first pair of shoes. The toe is going to blow out way before you are ready to spend another ~$100 bucks. That said, not all shoes are created equal, and some shoe rubber is way tougher. 

In my experience, the best shoe rubber is used by La Sportiva. I've had two pairs of La Sportivas and the rubber is crazy good. It's just unbelievably long-lasting. I've had the same pair of La Sportiva TC Pro shoes for almost 3 years without blowing a toe. I've taken it up (and back down) thousands of vertical feet without even a slight cut in the rubber. I really can't say enough about it. I am constantly impressed by it. 

Five Ten is also known for its really grippy and long-lasting Stealth C4 rubber. I have worn a few pairs of 5.10s and I appreciate their longevity. Evolv, on the other hand, has horrible rubber in my experience. I had the toes on a pair of Evolvs blow in the first week of owning a pair. On a separate pair, the edges wore out within 3-4 months and are now totally rounded. 

How to Choose Your First Climbing Shoe

First things first! Determine your budget. If you're broke, ask other climbers for their hand-me-downs. Most people who have been climbing for a long time have a trashy pair of old shoes in the garage. You can probably get an old pair for free or very cheap. Keep in mind that there's a reason why those shoes are under a pile of shovels and rakes in the garage -- they either suck or are totally destroyed. Beggars can't be choosers, though! Rock climbing gyms often have a corkboard where people put up classified ads. You might be able to find a great deal for under $50 there!

If you're willing to pony up a little more, you can find all kinds of great shoes. My favorite beginner shoe by far is the Five Ten Coyote VCS ($68.98 on Amazon). It's a durable workhorse shoe with serious edge potential. These shoes will grow with your climbing skill.

For a little more money, you can pick up La Sportiva Tarantula (price varies on Amazon). La Sportiva's rubber is known for being long-lasting and durable. This is a slightly longer-lasting shoe that will also keep up with you as you advance your climbing.

Hopefully you have the resources now to make an educated decision about your first pair of climbing shoes. Shoes are an important and highly personal element of climbing. Experiment a lot and see what works for you!

Ariel Castro
Rugged Innovations

Book Review: Climbing Anchors, by John Long and Bob Gaines (Falcon Guides)

Book Review: Climbing Anchors, by Falcon Guides
By John Long and Bob Gaines

Let's talk about the book Climbing Anchors, by John Long and Bob Gaines. This book is so absolutely necessary for outdoor climbers that is should actually be considered gear. If you haven't read this, put it on your summer reading list immediately. I want a full book report from you when September rolls around.

Climbing Anchors, by John Long and Bob Gaines.

The book starts simple and then delves deep into advanced strategies. An anchor is one of the most critical elements of rock climbing. It is also one of the most common causes of catastrophic failure. Contrary to popular belief, most climbing accidents do not occur as a result of gear breaking. They are caused by human error; either a poorly placed piece of protection, an improperly built anchor, or a lapse of judgement where a person puts trust in something that deserves none. In other words, most climbing accidents are preventable. This book attempts the limit the danger of human error by educating climbers about best practices for rock climbing protection, anchors, and other field-tested safety methods.

Part of the "How to Climb™" series, this book starts from the basic elements of placing protection and works its way to advanced topics. It ranges from purely theoretical (the analysis of fall forces, direction of pull, holding strength of gear) to purely practical (how to pillage a route of protection left behind by previous parties).

The authors, John Long and Bob Gaines, have been teaching climbing for longer than I have been alive. These guys have entire lifetimes of experience individually, and together their expertise is incredible. Their credentials go back years; go ahead and Google their names. They follow explanations and pictures with real-world anecdotes. Together, they recall climbing stories both triumphant and grim. They write with the urgency of men who have lost dear friends to accidents that their knowledge could have prevented. They also have certain dark humor to them; like ambulance drivers who have seen things. They don't always paint a pretty picture, but that's not what their book is about.

This book is great for beginner to intermediate climbers. It discusses some fairly advanced anchor building, but it's all laid out in plain English and described clearly. Even if you've never had to build an anchor or rarely lead, it can give you the ability to double check placements and anchors and verify their safety. It also goes into great detail about different bolts, their history, and relative strengths. This allows you to climb a sport route and determine the safety of the permanent bolts. In other words, you do not need to be a trad leader to benefit from this book.

For more advanced trad climbers, this book still has plenty to offer. I have been climbing for many years, but I still learned some very basic techniques from this book. Everyone has a different pool of knowledge to draw from, and learning 1-2 new ways to set up a certain anchor could save your life. As Long and Gaines point out, there is no climbing anchor that is best in every single case. Each anchoring situation is unique, and anchors must be built on a case-by-case basis. Flexibility and knowledge of alternatives are critical to make sure you are able to consistently create solid anchors.

John Long and Bob Gaines' book "Climbing Anchors, Second Edition", produced by Falcon Guides, can be bought new on Amazon for $10.30 at the link below. That's a bargain for something that you can read in your spare time and could save lives. Check it out!

 

Be safe.

by Ariel Castro
Rugged Innovations -->

Fear and the Psychology of Rock Climbing.

Fear controls us. Our thoughts, actions, and emotions are driven by - among other things - billions of years of evolutionary adaptations. Fear is a survival mechanism; a trait that, whether you believe it to be learned or genetic, is directly responsible for our very existence. One of the reasons we exist today is that our ancestors used their fear to help them survive long enough to procreate. If our genetic predecessors hadn't been afraid, we would've gotten eaten by a saber-tooth tiger or something. Your genes would've been killed off in the Triassic period and you wouldn't be reading this. Let's take a moment to thank fear.

Confronting her fear. Lover's Leap, CA

When I first tell someone that I'm a serious rock climber, I usually get some variation of the same response: "I could never do that; I'm afraid of heights!" People assume that since I put myself in dangerous situations, I am either immune to fear or naïve about the dangers I face. This is false.

Rock climbers, alpinists, hikers, outdoor adventurers, and extreme sportsmen don't ignore fear. In fact, we have a stronger relationship with fear than the average Joe. Think about someone living an average suburban lifestyle. They are not exposed to fear regularly. Unless they have had some unusual circumstances in their life, it is unlikely they have ever been in direct mortal danger.

This isn't an indictment of American society; quite the opposite. The Industrial Revolution, the germ theory of disease, and other relatively recent advancements have made our society as safe as any has ever been. Our society is so advanced that we have eliminated all of humanity's natural predators. The evolutionary irony of the relative safety of advanced nations is that contemporary health and safety issues are results of inactivity (cholesterol, high blood pressure, stress, anxiety disorders, diabetes, obesity, etc) rather than activity (violence, accidents, becoming prey, etc). Over billions of years, our ancestors adapted to be able to avoid "active" threats. This is why we are fast, strong, clever, patient, social, and have a strong fear response. We have not yet adapted to the passive threats of the 21st Century.

We have collectively forgotten what fear is. When I tell people I free climb, they don't want to imagine what that might be like. They mention their fear reverentially, "I couldn't handle that!" They are so unaccustomed to this primal instinct that they think I'm crazy for willingly subjecting myself to it. People are afraid of fear itself.

As a climber, it's hard to explain our relationship with fear. We think about fear all the time - it's an ongoing conversation with no conclusion. Whether you're free climbing or free soloing, there comes a point where you are out of sight and earshot of any other people. Nothing is more alienating than being exposed, cold, and faced with certain death if you make a mistake. No one can hear you, see you, or help you -- this is an entirely personal journey. You must find a way forward, mentally and physically.

You come to terms with fear at the end of your wits. There's no audience. There are no cowards or heroes 500 feet up a granite wall. It's a liberating feeling; knowing that your struggle is totally off the record. You have to make an honest assessment of your abilities. Maybe there's a difficult move that requires full commitment and you know that a half-hearted effort would result in your death. Can you execute? Can you? When the stakes are that high, the psych-out factor is huge. You think about your life, your family, your spouse crying at your funeral. You're still young. Dying is not on the agenda for the next few decades. Thoughts like that flood your mind, but they don't change your predicament. You move on.

There is a moment of silent intensity. You encounter an ancient ferocity that our society has forgotten. Your heart chugs wildly and you shake and quiver and scream.

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer" - Albert Camus

Your genetic ancestors fought their way across the millennia by surviving moments like these. The adrenaline-fueled instances last only seconds, but they imbue you with a sense of spatial agency that lasts a lifetime. In my life, I occasionally struggle to find confidence. I fear failure, abandonment, alienation and disapproval. I will always fear those things, and I will always fear heights, falling, and death. Rock climbing doesn't change that.

Rock climbing reminds me that I am capable of facing these fears when it matters most. It forces me to quickly differentiate between a real fear and an insecurity. Through struggle, it humbles me. Through success, it empowers me.

Be safe.

By Ariel Castro
Rugged Innovations

For additional reading, check out the following:
Nicros - Improving Concentration
The Rock Warrior's Way: Mental Training for Climbers

Rest and Recovery for Rock Climbers: Live to Climb Another Day.

Rest and Recovery for Rock Climbers: Live to Climb Another Day. 

Let's talk about rest and recovery methods for rock climbers. Optimizing your downtime allows you to return more quickly to the sports you love. This article is the second of a three-part series that focuses on getting climbers to take care of their bodies. Part one is called Simple Nutrition for Rock Climbers: Eat Better, Pull Harder and talks about some small, easy ways to clean up your diet while climbing.

Rock climbing takes a huge toll on your body. Hard climbing introduces thousands of microtears to the tissue of your muscles. Tendon injuries are common in the hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, and elsewhere. The skin on your hands can end up looking like it's been cheese grated. Dislocations of the shoulder, and weirdly, knee, are quite common. Broken bones can occur during falls -- I saw a woman take a hard fall in the gym and instantly develop what can only be described as an "accidental second ankle". Experienced climbers rarely suffer dramatic injuries like that, but repetitive motion and overuse injuries are common.

There are lots of ways you can help your body recover from the stresses of rock climbing. The best kind of recovery is also the hardest: time. Your body needs time to recover. The easiest, fastest way to let your body heal from its injuries -- be they big or small -- is to rest. First, you need to lay off your injured body. Let's talk about sleep.

1. Sleep

Getting enough sleep makes you a better climber... and better at pretty much everything else, too. This is not up for discussion. Everyone knows it's super important to get "enough" sleep. How much is enough? Conventional wisdom says to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep. You are not a conventional person, though. Conventional people sit in cubicles and listen to The Eagles. Our kind is a different breed. We climb sheer faces, scale massive mountains, and pull ourselves up ice spires. Conventional wisdom can suck it. We need more.

All the research I've seen shows that seven to nine hours of sleep is not enough for an athlete who wants to be at the top of his/her game. A study done by Stanford University for the really-ambiguously-named journal "Sleep" shows that increasing the amount of sleep had a positive effect on athletic performance in college basketball players. Another study done on Stanford athletes (swimmers, basketball players, and football players) corroborates the previous finding. In our previous article, we (hopefully) convinced you that, as a rock climber, you are an athlete. All these studies about sleep apply directly to your life, your performance, and your ability to send. In his book called "The Athlete's Guide to Recovery: Rest, Relax, and Restore for Peak Performance", the author Sage Rountree goes over some great ways to optimize your rest days.

To summarize, rock climbers need to sleep more. To that end, you probably should drink less. Don't kill the messenger.

2. Recovery and Alternatives

Nothing can scratch that climbing itch while you're recovering, but there are plenty of fun ways to keep your body and mind in shape. The perennial rest-day favorite is slacklining. Have you ever tried it? I used to think it was stupid. "I'm not gonna do that ridiculous Cirque Du Soleil shit" - Me, more recently than I care to admit. A climber friend showed me how to do it, and slowly I was able to walk across the line. I couldn't even stand on the thing the first few times I tried. Give it a shot! It's not going to replace climbing, but it takes a great deal of balance and focus. More importantly, it gives you something to do at the rock climbing gym while your friends are climbing. Slacklining keeps your mind and body busy so you don't get tempted to climb hard and re-injure yourself.

In addition to slacklining, everyone recommends yoga as a great "rest-day" exercise. I had never tried it, so I put on some athletic shorts, signed up for a yoga gym, "Vegas Hot", and gave it a shot. I tried three different programs: Hot Mat Pilates for 60 minutes, Hot Yoga for 60 minutes, and Hot Mat Pilates/Yoga Mix for 75 minutes. The Hot Mat Pilates 60 was brutal. The room is pitch black and kept at 105 degrees Fahrenheit and 40% humidity. You do aerobics mixed with static poses for the entire hour, sweating more than you have ever thought was possible. It was fun, but there's nothing "rest-day" about it. You do plyometrics, isometrics, and everything in between. Let me be clear: hot mat Pilates is not a rest-day exercise. It IS a full day's workout in itself.

Hot Yoga 60, on the other hand, is perfect for rest days. The heated room was great for my sore muscles (from the previous day's Hot Mat Pilates). The poses are all fairly static and do not require a great deal of strength. I found the hip mobility and stretching exercises to be very helpful because my hips are some of my least-mobile joints. Increasing hip mobility can increase the ease of really athletic climbing moves like high-steps and heel hooks.

Hot Mat Pilates/Yoga Mix 75 was one of the most athletically challenging things I've ever done in my life. It was also in the 105 degree room at 40% humidity. The Pilates part was intense cardio; burpees, mountain climbers, explosive squats, you name it! I started getting lightheaded about 50 minutes into it and almost fainted. My hands and feet started tingling and I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I sat on my mat and sweat for the remaining 25 minutes. I am in fairly good cardiovascular shape and work out about 4-5 times per week, and I couldn't do it. Once again, not a rest-day exercise. Don't try this at home. Stick with a yoga beginner's class if you can find one.

I found this video on Reddit of some yoga made specifically for climbers. It's not as intense as a yoga class, but it'll give you a good idea of what to expect:

There are a few other ways I take care of my muscles on rest days. I have a foam roller that I use for massaging my muscles. It's a simple tool, but it really helps me recover faster from intense workouts. Intense workouts cause damage to the tissue of your muscles. When you massage your muscles, you stimulate blood to flow into those muscles, helping them recover faster than they would otherwise. Also, it feels great, and is significantly cheaper than getting a professional massage every week. Mine is a slightly more "deluxe" model that has different areas that simulate palm, finger, and fingertip massages. My foam roller is a Trigger Point "The Grid" Foam Roller, $39.95 on Amazon.com. Seriously, buy one. There are cheaper options if you shop around a little bit; you don't need the fancy kind to get the main benefits of a foam roller.

Heat lamps, hot tubs, saunas, and steam rooms also help your muscles recover. "The therapeutic effects of heat include increasing the extensibility of collagen tissues; decreasing joint stiffness; reducing pain; relieving muscle spasms; reducing inflammation, edema, and aids in the post acute phase of healing; and increasing blood flow. The increased blood flow to the affected area provides proteins, nutrients, and oxygen for better healing."

3. Injuries

I am not a doctor, so I am not going to give out any medical advice. However, I have been injured plenty of times and have some anecdotal experience I'd like to share. I've had tendonitis, sprains, tennis elbow, and all kinds of other common climbing injuries.

When you have, say, tennis elbow, it's easy to stay off it for a week or two when it still hurts. The problems occur during that third week, fourth week, fifth week, and onward. After the second week or so, the pain starts to go away. Your body thinks it's ready to go again. You get bored. Your friends call you and want to go on a climbing road trip. At this point, it's really easy to put more strain on your body and make the injury significantly worse. You need self-control. Let your injuries heal for significantly longer than you think is necessary. It sucks, but it's one of the only ways to avoid re-injury. Tendon injuries can take months to totally heal. Lay off it.

Serious injuries require the attention of a doctor. Neglecting them can make it worse. If you can, try to see a doctor who specializes in Sports Medicine. These doctors have seen many cases of the types of injuries you are likely to have and know exactly how to get you back in action again. Don't expect fast results, though. Healing takes a great deal of time.

There is such a huge amount of literature available on the internet about healing, recovery, and injury prevention for rock climbers. Here's some additional reading:
The Stone Mind - Injured Reserve
The Stone Mind - You Need To Rest
Dream in Vertical - PDF of Shoulder Workouts for Climbers
Reddit - An excellent discussion on "Climber's Elbow" prevention and healing
LiveStrong - Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
LiveStrong - How To Make Muscles Recover Faster

Rest up!

by Ariel Castro
Rugged Innovations

Simple Nutrition for Rock Climbers: Eat Better, Pull Harder.

Simple Nutrition for Rock Climbers: Eat Better, Pull Harder.

This article is the first of a three-part series. It discusses simple nutrition, eating habits, and other ways that rock climbers can improve their performance by thinking about their diets. The second article discusses rest and injury recovery for rock climbers. The third article will talk about supplements and other ways to maximize your training. Remember: I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. If you have serious dietary needs, talk to a professional.

Some healthy food options from the ol' RI icebox. Not pictured: beer. 

Rock climbing is an intense physical sport. You spend an afternoon in the local rock climbing gym and leave feeling fine -- maybe a little pumped in the forearms. The next day, you feel like a truck ran you over. You're sore in muscles you didn't even know existed. What gives?

Rock climbing can involve strength, endurance, and/or cardiovascular exercise depending on how it's done and at what level of expertise. It's pretty indisputable that climbing puts a great deal of strain on your body. So why don't climbers behave like athletes? Why do so few of us treat rock climbing like a sport? I've met hundreds of climbers. Very few treat climbing like a sport in terms of recovery, nutrition, and supplements.

A lot of climbers act like they're too cool to care about their body. They pound energy drinks to stay alert. They bring a loaf of bread, a tub of peanut butter, and a jar of jelly to the crag with them. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner! If you suggest healthier food -- actual food -- they scoff. And forget taking supplements to aid their recovery. In my experience, the average early-to-mid-20s climber guy lives on a diet of Monster Energy Drinks, Little Caesar's $5 pizzas, cheap beer, and bad sleep.  

There's bad news and good news. The bad news is that you will never, ever, ever reach your potential as an athlete if you continue treating your body like trash. Like, ever. The good news is that your can make small changes to your daily habits that will make a big difference in how you climb. 

Let's talk about food. Serious athletes have scientifically-rigorous discussions about macronutrients. Bodybuilding.com, despite the name conjuring up images of juiced-up fratboy meatheads, has a great deal of information about how to calculate your macronutrient split. For many of you, this information is total overkill.

There are simple ways to clean up your diet that do not involve having to read books about science or argue with people on the internet. One of the easiest ways to see quick results in your climbing is to start thinking about your intake of liquids. In my experience, many rock climbers are in a state of perpetual dehydration. Start bringing more water to the crag. Bring a gallon jug of water per person. Drink it all. If you're one of those people who only drinks water when it's available and directly in front of you, you should see improvements in energy levels and endurance within a month or so of consistent attention to your hydration.

Crag snacks!

Another easy way to treat your body better with minimal effort is to reduce the amount of sugary drinks in your life. Energy drinks and soda are full of sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup. This stuff is not toxic in itself, but most people overdo it. Any time you would have a Red Bull, Starbucks Caramel Macchiato, Coke, or other sugary drink, just grab a bottle of water instead. You will probably have carbohydrate cravings; try to ignore them or satiate them with a light snack.

Speaking of light snacks, let's talk about crag food. I've seen some pretty awful stuff. A Subway sandwich and a 30-rack of Pabst Blue Ribbon does not a Chris Sharma make, sorry brohams. Have some simple carbs before you start climbing to give you some energy. Here are some good, cheap, nutritionally-useful snacks you can bring to the crag with you. Print this list and stick it on your fridge:

• Bananas (20 cents each!)
• Apples
• Oranges
• Pears
• Berries of any kind (can get expensive, but I love them)
• Grapes
• Plums
• Peaches
• Broccoli
• Celery
• Carrot sticks
• Snap peas, string beans, etc.
• Avocado (A ripe avocado with a little salt is one of nature's best kept secrets -- a bit messy, though)
• Nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, etc.)
• Trail mix 
• Apple sauce
• Granola
• Beef jerky
• Cheese 
• Yogurt

Everything on that snack list is portable, quick, and requires less than a minute to prepare. Print it out and bring it to the market next time you go. When I am climbing intensely, I try to stop for a snack break every hour or so -- just a couple of bites here and there keeps me going. Snack bars and protein bars can be good in a pinch, but try to make sure they're not loaded with sugar and preservatives. Make sure you consume some protein after climbing so your body can recover and heal.

Everybody's metabolic needs are different, so see what feels best for you. I hope I gave you some good ideas and inspired you to clean up your diet a little bit! This article is written for the average dirtbag rock climber with very little knowledge of nutrition. If serious weight loss or fitness are your goals, there are plenty of resources on the internet. That rabbit hole goes infinitely deep. Feel free to do research, and contact me if you want additional information.

The main points I want to make are simple:

1. Nutrition matters for rock climbers: If you're not eating well, you will not perform your best.
2. Nutrition is not hard: There are easy, cheap, delicious ways to eat clean while you climb. 

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and am not licensed to give medical advice. I am just an athlete who reads a lot of stuff. Please see a doctor if you have any serious dietary inquiries.

Next week, we'll talk about rest and recovery. Eat hard.

by Ariel Castro
Rugged Innovations

For additional reading, please visit the following sites:
http://www.powerbar.com/articles/438/rock-climbing-nutrition.aspx
http://www.pacifichealthlabs.com/blog/climbers-listen-up-this-is-climbing-nutrition-sraight-up/

Anchor and Fixed Gear Replacement Movements sweep the U.S.

Rapidly deteriorating fixed rappel rings, bolts, and anchors are starting to become a major safety issue. Much of the fixed gear at America's favorite climbing crags has been around since the 70s or 80s. Young climbers are risking their lives by climbing on rusty equipment that's older than them. 

Rebolting of Birdhunter Buttress,
from AlpineInstitute.blogspot.com

There's often no way to know the condition of the anchors you will later abseil from. If you're climbing from the ground up you look to the skies and hope they're safe. The bolts can also be problematic. Even brand new bolts and anchors can be a hazard if they are not installed safely. Falls onto bolts can very easily generate thousands of pounds of force. Old pins and pitons are unbelievably sketchy, but we use them all the time. Sport climbers and trad climbers alike benefit from the replacement of unsafe gear.

I'm no physicist or engineer, but let's do some napkin math. A bolt is a 2-inch piece of steel that is drilled into a wall. It is exposed to snow, hail, acid rain, and UV light. Some of these bolts have been sitting around for 30 years. When rock climbers fall, forces can exceed 10 kilonewtons. A kilonewton is approximately 224 lbs. 10 kilonewtons * 224 lbs. = 2240 lbs. I don't think a rusty, 30 year old, 2-inch piece of steel can hold 2240 pounds of force, and I am not willing to risk my life to find out.

A movement is growing in popular climbing crags across the United States. Grassroots groups and nonprofit organizations are starting to spring up everywhere. Sometimes, a small and dedicated group of local climbers will get together and pool their resources to refurbish just one local crag. In other cases, large nonprofit organizations like the American Safe Climbing Association, the Access Fund, and others will contribute time and resources to the cause.

These movements have also attracted the attention of companies. In 2003, Climbing Magazine, Petzl, and The North Face launched the Anchor Replacement Initiative. Dozens of big-name climbing companies like Black Diamond, Mammut, Metolius, Super Topo, and Mountain Project have contributed money and gear to these efforts.

To date, tens of thousands of old bolts and anchors have been replaced. Nonprofit groups are tirelessly replacing bolts and anchors on our favorite routes out of their own pockets. This type of selfless, pay-it-forward mentality keeps rock climbing fun, safe, and increases the sense of camaraderie between generations of rock climbers.

Get involved! Your time, money, or expertise can create a lasting positive impact on the climbing community. It might even save your life!

Stay safe.

by Ariel Castro
Rugged Innovations


For additional reading, please visit the following websites:
Anchor Replacement Initiative
American Safe Climbing Association
Access Fund and National Park Service Petition
Yank the Mank
Team Suck Climbing
BadBolts.com

Is this old trad climbing gear safe? A checklist.

Ah yes . . . old climbing gear. It's a rocky subject (kill me). On one hand, climbing gear is extremely expensive. On the other hand, climbing gear saves your life every time your body pulls its way up granite. Is it okay to cut a few costs with used gear? In this post, we will talk about the best practices with regards to old climbing gear. If you're smart about it, you can stay safe and save a few bucks.

At some point in everyone's climbing career, they are given, find, or buy a piece of used climbing equipment and are forced into a difficult decision. We all love free/discounted stuff, and climbing gear is extremely expensive. Speaking from experience, the average climber does not have a huge amount of money to spend on gear. A full rack can costs thousands of dollars. This brings us to the dilemma at hand; are we willing to skimp and be frugal on something that prevents us from dying? That's not a rhetorical question; it's something you must ask yourself.

Rugged Innovations has created a checklist for people who are wondering, "Is this used climbing gear still safe to use?" Ultimately, nobody can answer that question conclusively - there are too many factors at play. We hope you will use the checklist as a baseline for gear scrutiny. Put on your Inspector Clouseau hat, grab your magnifying glass, and get ready to take a long, hard look at some equipment!

"Is this used/old climbing gear safe to use?" A checklist: 

1. Software: 

- Ropes: 

Your rope is one of your only non-redundant pieces of gear. It represents a single point of failure and it's malfunction can lead to your death. This means it warrants extra scrutiny. The manufacturers usually recommend replacing standard ropes after 3 years of light use and after 1 year of heavy use. If you get a hand-me-down rope, and the person who gave it to you cannot speak at great length about how it was used, toss it. Pretend you're an HR recruiter and the rope just handed you a résumé. There should be no unaccounted-for gaps in the rope's "employment history." Ask them when they bought it, how often and where they used it, and how it was stored. If they hesitate or aren't totally sure, don't risk it! Don't be that guy whose frayed, fuzzy, Chewbacca-looking rope is giving everyone at the crag anxiety attacks.

If your rope looks relatively new, you know exactly how old it is (newer than 3 years), and you know that it was stored safely (No water, UV light, chemical damage, etc.), proceed to a manual inspection of the rope. This is very time consuming. You know what else takes a long time? Being dead.

Run your hands through every inch of your rope. According to Climbing.com, you are "feeling for “flat spots” (places where the inner fibers have deformed from repeated or high-fall-factor falls), “core shots” (nicks in the sheath that expose the core), and overall stiffness." If you find any of these, chuck it. A new Edelrid Boa 9.8mm Dynamic Climbing Rope - 70m costs about $170 bucks. 70 meters, too! Excellent price.

- Harnesses:
These are made of nylon with a structural webbing inside. This is similar to the rope in design (sheath and core) and also suffers some of the same problems: A) Non-redundant parts (belay loop), and B) The covering prevents you from visually inspecting the weight-bearing elements. Like the rope, inspect your harness with the utmost care. In particular, take a long hard look at the belay loop and tie-in points. If any of the nylon is cut or nicked, it's time to replace it. A new harness will set you back about 60 bucks. You can buy the Black Diamond Momentum SA Harness that we talked about in a previous post for $54.95.

- Quickdraws, slings, webbing, nylon, spectra, cordlette, etc:
This stuff is tough, flexible, and fortunately, usually redundant. Like your rope, it is vulnerable to nicks, cuts, frays. However, unlike your rope, it does not have a sheath on it. This means that the little cuts that can occur from regular use can greatly reduce the strength of the system. A little bit of fuzziness on the top layer is probably okay, but any cuts or nicks can be dangerous. This stuff is really cheap to buy new, so don't skimp in this department. A new dogbone costs $5-6, slings cost $10-15, and cordlette can be bought by the foot for great prices. Our last post discusses the Black Diamond FreeWire Quickdraw; it'll cost you $11.95.

We recently found out that some cam manufacturers will replace the slings on your cams for a very low price. This is great, because the software on a cam usually wears out much, much faster than the hardware. Cams and other hardware can be very expensive, so if you get acquire old set of cams, this can be a great way to breathe new life into them and save a lot of money. Later, we discuss how to look at your old cams to see if they're worth using.

Here's some links for getting your Black Diamond or Metolius cams reslung and/or rewired:

• Metolius - Metolius Cam Repair Form.
• Black Diamond - Black Diamond Cam Reslinging Information.

2. Hardware:

- Belay Devices:
Belay devices are small, metal, and extremely durable. They are another non-redundant element in your rack. Once again, exercise caution when inspecting a used belay device. There are many different kinds of belay devices, but there is one universal truth about them: whether you are using a tube-style device (like a Black Diamond ATC, Petzl Reverso 4, or Trango Jaws Belay Device), or a mechanical device (Petzl Grigri 2 , Trango Cinch , etc), climbing exposes your belay device to a great deal of rope friction. This means that after extended use, they can develop sharp edges where the rope slides through them. Eventually, this wears out the metal and sharpens it into an edge. This edge can cut your rope! If your belay device has any sharp edges or worn-out divots, dump it. Make a Christmas ornament out of it, or something. I dunno. Belay devices start at around $20.

- Carabiners:
These guys are pretty tough, given their size and weight. They are a redundant element of your climbing rack. They are usually rated to around 22 kilonewtons of vertical pulling force, but that number only applies if the gate is closed. If your 'biner isn't closed, it's only rated to about 7 kilonewtons. That is not a lot of kilonewtons. Make sure the gate on your old biner opens and closes smoothly with no sticking. If there is a groove in the carabiner from rope friction, chuck it; these grooves can get sharp and cut your rope. Any big nicks or dents in the carabiners should also be grounds for retirement. Use your judgement here. New carabiners start at around $6. A pack of six brand new, color-coded, wire gate Black Diamond Neutrino carabiners costs $34.95. A fancy Black Diamond Hoodwire Wiregate Carabiner costs $9.

- Cams:
This is an area where you can save a decent amount of money by using second-hand gear. Structurally, these pieces of protection do not deteriorate as quickly as other elements. Well taken care of, a cam can last a long time. However, you should still take a long, close look at your cams. First of all, hold the cam as though you're going to place it. Test the action. Does it stick at all? Is there any suspicious friction throughout the entire range of motion? If so, clean it thoroughly and try the action again. If it still sticks, you may need to replace it or have it repaired by the manufacturer. The problem with sticky action in cams is that it can prevent them from fully expanding into their placement when you load them. If you take a whip and your cam doesn't deploy properly, you are going to look like Wiley Coyote chasing the Roadrunner off a cliff. Meep meep.

Next, inspect the physical attributes of the cams. Check all the moving parts, including the lobes, the axle, the springs, and the trigger. Any obvious deformations should be cause for concern. The axle should be straight and without defects. The lobes can be slightly worn, but bends can prevent the cam from opening, closing, and rolling properly.

Cams often have slings attached to them. As mentioned in the "Software" section of this post, these slings can fray, cut, or otherwise deteriorate. This will happen at a rate much faster than the deterioration of the metal cam components. Fortunately, manufacturers like Black Diamond and Metolius (and possibly others) will resling and/or rewire your cams, extending their life. I will repost that information for your disposal: 

• Metolius - Metolius Cam Repair Form.
• Black Diamond - Black Diamond Cam Reslinging Information.

- Nuts:
Nuts, like cams, are (ideally...) redundant pieces of equipment. Another great thing about nuts is that they have no moving parts. They are very strong, sturdy, and can last a long time with proper care. There are a few things to look out for with old nuts. First of all, look for obvious signs of heavy damage. I have never seen the head of a nut break or severely deform, but I am sure it's happened. The wires on nuts are much more likely to cause issues. Although they are flexible and meant to bend, all it takes is one solid fall to heavily warp or gouge the wire. I have seen people climb on heavily bent wires, but I wouldn't risk it. According to Climbing.com, you can remove any burrs or frays in the wire with a metal file and nail clippers. Nuts start at $10 and I certainly wouldn't risk using a nut with a damaged wire. You can pick up a full set of really high-quality, light Metolius Ultralight Curve Nuts for $129.95.

Conclusion: It should go without saying that climbing is a risky sport, but even within the blanket term "risk," there is a spectrum of risk that we are all willing to accept. On the low end of the risk-preference scale, you have a gym rat in basketball shorts using rented equipment and toproping a 30-foot-tall "5.10a"... Let's call that a one (1). On the higher end of the scale, you have Alex Honnold free soloing El Cap in Yosemite. We'll say that's ten (10). We at Rugged Innovation fall at around a 4 or 5. This entire article was written from that perspective; we are willing to accept a moderate amount of risk to have fun or save some money. Please remember that your preference for risk may be very different than ours.

Climbing is a very dangerous sport. People fall and die every single year. If you want to reduce all your gear-related risk, buy brand new equipment! Better yet, take up a safe hobby. Netflix has thousands of TV shows and movies for you to get engrossed in. Reddit has enough pictures of cats to last a lifetime. As a rock climber, you should have an ongoing discussion between yourself, your climbing partners, and your friends/family about risk. I'm going to go hug my cat right now.

I beg you. I implore you. I beseech you. I, uh... I ask you really politely; please be safe.

by Ariel Castro
Rugged Innovations


For supplemental reading, please visit the following links:
Climbing.com: Tech Tip - Trad - Making the Call.
Climbing.About.com - Taking Care of Climbing Equipment.
TheBMC.co.uk - Tech skills: Retiring textile equipment.

p.s. A Reddit reader made a great point. When you DO retire climbing-specific gear (stuff you can't use for other, non-load-bearing purposes like a harness), make sure you destroy it! You don't want someone to find it and think it's safe to use.