UKC

Looks like offset nuts will keep being made but by DMM.

http://www.mtntools.com/cat/rclimb/nuts/dmmalloyoffsetnuts.htm

In reply to Timmd:
Thank the lord for that! Nigh on essential for peg scars. Good work DMM.

Neil

In reply to Neil: I'm reliably advised that this is going to happen but not yet and prices are TBC. Mountain Tools appear to have been a bit over-eager to spread the news!

In reply to Timmd:

We need Simon Marsh (DMM) to give us the lowdown!

In reply to sandywilson:

I believe I was the reliable source in Martin's post and so his comments are correct.

We are aiming for Decmber on the Brass nuts and March for the Alloys.

The tooling on the Alloys needs a lot of work and we want to lighten the larger sizes.

It is likely the prices will rise.

Regards

Simon Marsh

DMM International

In reply to Simon Marsh - DMM: great news- really useful bits of kit- nice to know they'll be around in future

In reply to Simon Marsh - DMM:


Excellent. They're better than Wallnuts!

In reply to Timmd:
what are peoples thoughts on the alloys when comparing them to say wallnuts, or rocks.

I'm certainly going to be buying the brassies as my next set of micros as they are tiptop.

In reply to Simon Marsh - DMM:
I've already seen some offsets badged as 'dmm hb offsets', so what is that all about?

Stevo

In reply to CurlyStevo:

I think you will have seen the old HB Offsets labelled differently.

It is just the retailers attempting to show that the product is continuing, even if the branding is changing.

The DMM versions do not exist yet.

Regards

Simon

In reply to CurlyStevo:

They're better. I use mine more than the alternative Wallnut size.

In reply to CurlyStevo: an excellent supplement to more conventional shapes- go where other nuts and cams just don't sit, especially usful on granite or peg scared routes.

In reply to Simon Marsh - DMM:

I've read in a few cycling magazines that there's more demand on metals like titanium and aluminium and steel because of China and other places,is this likely to effect climbing gear prices?

Cheers
Tim

In reply to TobyA:

Care to expand on that ?

In reply to Timmd:

Tim,

The short answer is yes.

Aluminium rose 20+ % in the last 12 months and steel by around 65%. Our Industrial customers mainly use steel products and so have already seen fairly hefty price increases across the range, but this was accepted because all the manufacturers were forced to put the prices up. Another reason it was accepted was because the Industrial guys are much more aware of what is happening in the market than your average climber and so saw the raw material prices increase and knew that we and our competitors would have to increase prices.

Thus you will probably see prices increase across the board on metal climbing products.

This shortage of metal is having another effect - the metal manufactures are having a hayday, because they can sell everything they can produce at good margins. However this means they are less interested in producing esoteric alloys in weird dimensions for the small guys like us.

i.e. We have taken on the HB brass nuts and we need some high quality Stainless wire for these nuts. We know the grade we want, but it took a long time to find it and we had to go half way round the world to source it. We could have specified a standard stainless wire, but the standard, easily available variety is 30% weaker. 30% on an Offset/RP 2 is a critical amount.

And then people moan about the price...

Regards

Simon Marsh

DMM International

In reply to Timmd: Is it just the Offsets you have bought or have you taken the whole company on? And does this mean some of their other products will become available with time?

In reply to Simon Marsh - DMM:

Simon,
Thanks for the reply and all the other information. It's a shame to see prices are going to go up, but your explanation may remove some of the pain!
Sandy

In reply to mike kann:

Mike,

We bought some bits and pieces, but the Offsets are the most interesting item as far as climbers are concerned.

It is unlikely that many other items from the HB climbing range will be produced again.

Regards

Simon Marsh

DMM

In reply to Simon Marsh - DMM: Just interested because I did my university discertation for them and I know they hold a patent on an expanded range cam which never got produced. Would be interested to see if it could be developed any further, especially with the new wave of large range cams coming out - its got the old grey cells ticking over again...

In reply to Simon Marsh - DMM:

Excellent. Thanks for making my next big wall easier :-D

In reply to Simon Marsh - DMM:

Just as well. The cams were crap.