UKC

OutDoor Show 2010 - CLIMBING HARDWARE and Jim Titt on Design

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
 UKC Gear 02 Aug 2010
[The new Petzl Grigri 2, for use with 8.9mm to 11mm ropes, progressive descent control, 20% lighter, 25% smaller., 2 kb]In this third Friedrichshafen OutDoor Show report we look at hardware: the new Wild Country Helium Friend, Petzl's evolved GriGri2, Black Diamond's ingenious Gridlock Carabiner, DMM's two dimensional belay plate and a whole array of carabiners and quickdraws.


We also bring you an insight in to designing climbing gear by Jim Titt which we hope won't be of interest just to engineers.


The curves are based on fractal theory which is effectively what gives you the meanders in a river, they provide the slowest flow for the most water volume which is the same as the highest friction for a given rope

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/news.php?id=2910

 ChrisHolloway1 02 Aug 2010
In reply to UKC Gear: Good article, really good read
 d_b 02 Aug 2010
In reply to UKC Gear:

The bit about the new belay plate is the highlight of the article for me. I'm looking forward to Jim Titts article.
In reply to UKC Gear: that new WC sport draw is a bit of a joke isn't it? surely they have just made some fat dogbones and whacked a wild wire and an oxygen onto it...and whats all the big deal with special belay kras all of a sudden! still those metolius bravo krabs come in some nice colours
 TobyA 03 Aug 2010
In reply to dunkymonkey17:
> that new WC sport draw is a bit of a joke isn't it? surely they have just made some fat dogbones and whacked a wild wire and an oxygen onto it...

Well, if you want a sport climbing krab, they've made a really nice looking one haven't they? Seems like a sensible addition to the range and a good competitor to the fantastic BD sports QDs that use the same pattern.
 Paul Robertson 03 Aug 2010
> The curves are based on fractal theory which is effectively what gives you the meanders in a river, they provide the slowest flow for the most water volume which is the same as the highest friction for a given rope
>
Is this actually a quote from Jim Titt? It sounds like complete bollderdash to me.

Still very interested in the chicane design and looking forward to the article.
 jkarran 03 Aug 2010
In reply to UKC Gear:

Good little piece from Jim, I look forward to the rest of it, I'm sure it'll be as interesting as ever.

Those Mammut and DMM bent gates look good. And Metolius steals the show with the best anodizing

jk
 3leggeddog 03 Aug 2010
In reply to UKC Gear:

Will the spangly new sticht plate be available in both right and left handed versions? The curve in the x plane makes it unidextrous (is that a real word?)
 petellis 03 Aug 2010
In reply to jkarran:

> Those Mammut and DMM bent gates look good. And Metolius steals the show with the best anodizing

Looks great but I think its powdercoat isn't it? It comes off if you so much as look at it.

mike swann 03 Aug 2010
In reply to 3leggeddog:
> (In reply to UKC Gear)
>
> Will the spangly new sticht plate be available in both right and left handed versions? The curve in the x plane makes it unidextrous (is that a real word?)

I can't see that. Looks completely ambidextrous to me.
 hexcentric 03 Aug 2010
In reply to UKC Gear:
I like shiney things as much as the next magpie but there is just nothing new here at all.
Okay maybe a Grigri that can *officially* handle a Joker is a good thing but everything else is just 10 year old kit in a party frock.
 d_b 03 Aug 2010
In reply to hexcentric:

Yeah, but you might be able to pick up some cheap extenders as all the gullible people upgrade to next years model...
 jimtitt 03 Aug 2010
In reply to Paul Robertson:
On reflection maybe I could have written that better!
When I started on the curves I used simple radii and then marked them with paint and observed where the contact was. The curves where then adjusted to give more even contact to reduce wear. At some point we noticed they where resembling recurring curve patterns and so it was easy enough to base them on fractal theory which is a tool to use for this kind of stuff. The connection with rivers is a good example of natural physics developing the most efficient ways of doing something. If you have a straight river the water runs through a high speed (or low resistance for our belay device)whereas with a lot of meanders it flows more slowly for the same volume of water (or more resistance for us) until in the end you have too many or too acute curves and the river will jump across them, not what we want with a belay plate either!
The curves as they are now are quite complex to avoid any possibility of twisting the rope and to get the most effect in the shortest length but they work which is what matters!

Jim
 Paul Robertson 03 Aug 2010
In reply to jimtitt:
Thanks for following up.
I'm sure the chicane is a great piece of engineering design, and I look forward to reading the article.
If we ever meet I'd love to discuss the maths in more detail.
 cha1n 04 Aug 2010
In reply to UKC Gear:

When will the grivel dogbone covers be available? I might be able to make use of some of my unused, slim dogbones!
 nictheclimber 06 Aug 2010
In reply to jimtitt: any ides as to when the chicane will be available to buy???
 3leggeddog 06 Aug 2010
In reply to mike swann:

The one in the photo looks curved in the x plane (horizontal, left to right) creating a C shaped curve. This would favour a right hander, dead rope in RH. I would imagine the S curve created by LH use will alter the properties, greater friction but grabby on paying out perhaps?

Jim is probably the best man to answer this
 petellis 06 Aug 2010
In reply to 3leggeddog:

Surely the left and right side of the belay device are mirror images. If this is the case when using a single rope you can have a left of right hander depending on which side of the device you use.
 jimtitt 06 Aug 2010
In reply to nictheclimber:
No idea when it comes out I´m afraid, that´s a DMM thing!

As to it being handed, the two sides are mirror images but in reality it doesn´t matter as the rope goes straight into the curves at the start. It just looks a bit different on the pictures, you can use either slot for a single rope and can´t tell any difference.
Beta Climbing Designs 10 Aug 2010
In reply to jimtitt:

Great article Jim.

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...