UKC

Hi Guys,

I am an Industrial designer, studying climbing and related problems.
I would love to know what problems do you face, in terms of gear, or physical limitations you face while climbing.
It would also help to know what you think is missing, something you feel the need of but isn't available or manufactured yet!

Thank you so much guys! Looking forward to your replies.

Cheers,
Bhoom

In reply to Bhumika Soam:
I'd like a robo hand exoskeleton to protect my tendons and increase my crimp power.

In reply to Bhumika Soam:


Recurring bouts of cowardice, which strangely coincide with a very strong desire to be [a] on flat ground and [b] in a pub or café.

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

Rope protectors you can pass when on abseil.

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

The perfect length of rope.

In reply to Bhumika Soam: You've got the wrong end of the stick mate. The point of climbing IS the problems - if you solved them all there wouldn't be any point.

In reply to Bhumika Soam: A gravity level adjuster box would be nice!

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:


And to add to this, I should say that the advancements to be made to climbing gear really are small. Paradigm-shifting gear comes along once in a while (dropped pick axes, crampons, cams.. bouldering mats?) but that doesn't happen often. Otherwise it's minor adjustments to existing gear.

That said, a total waterproof with breathability would be lovely, the jacket I spent £200 on, soaked through on me last weekend.

In reply to Bhumika Soam:
Okay I've got one.
First read this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_setae

Then see how it could be applied to trad climbing situations as rock protection. Blank faces that have been traditionally impossible to protect are suddenly just about the most protectible surface. The focus shifts from cracks, to flat polished bits of rock and the new climbing opportunities. The strength is phenomenal, and the ease of placement and removal that made cams popular - makes the new protection devices highly popular after an initial period of mistrust. Whole new climbing areas are investigated, then climbed - safely, and without bolts.
The protection devices are carried as rolled up mats - approximately 50cmx50cm to 60x60cm, in various sizes, and unrolled onto the wall (one-handed if you like) when being placed.
Indian Wall sees more ascents the following year than it has in 2 decades.

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

Being fat.

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

For hundreds of years climbers have been looking for a solution to deal with midges but no one has succeeded:
We've tried DEET, nets, citronella and just running away but nothing works.
Edward longshanks even tried setting fire to Scotland after having a bouldering session at Dumbarton but found it was too wet to burn.

Some sort of compact surface to air missile or a laser?

In reply to kwoods:

My friends new "£400 Arcteryx appeared to do that the other week - turned out he was getting wet from the inside ( sweating) when suggested he denied it at first then later agreed he'd sweated a bucket if beer !?

In reply to Bhumika Soam:
Toe nail clippers that catch the clippings. I watched a lad clip his claws on the crash mats the other day - ewwww.....

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

I'd like to see rope and sling manufacturers weave a warning theough their products, such that when slings and ropes get furry enough, the legend " Change me now or you're F€#ked" starts to appear through the fuzz.
This would have the happy side effect of stopping all those threads on UKC asking "when should I change my gear".

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

Everyone likes a good beanie with a bobble. Especially boulderers. And I like to boulder in a beanie as much as anyone else. The problem is, when I go trad climbing I feel obliged to wear a helmet. On cold days, it's often necessary to wear a hat underneath the helmet. Have you tried wearing a helmet over a bobble hat? It's quite uncomfortable and the helmet won't stay snug. The only current way to deal with the boulder bobble - trad no bobble situation is for the climber who wishes to practice both disciplines to have two hats. I would very much like a beanie with a removable bobble. I also feel for critical sends you could remove the bobble to reduce weight. For years boulderers have been free to remove their t-shirt; I feel having the opportunity to take your bobble whilst keeping my beanie on would transform my bouldering to the next level.

In reply to flopsicle:


This already exists: https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2...

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

We've had sticky rubber on the soles of shoes for ages now. It's time for the sticky glove!

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

A magic cure for polished rock.

In reply to gribble:


this already exists, it's called technique.

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

Youth juice!!!!..and be careful how you interprete that!!
Marriage and kids took the edge off for years...now they no longer an issue, cannot climb has hard as I did in my 20's..or consider..dyno juice!!..as my son who climbs much better than me..uses the statement.."just jump for it!!"...and I cannot!!! sob!!
Yours (tongue in cheek!!!)
Nick B

In reply to kwoods:


£90 karrimor Elite Phantom Jacket. Lots of little design flaws, but both waterproof and breathable! Not bad for the money...

http://goblog.co.uk/index.php/2015/09/27/review-karrimor-elite-phantom-jack...

In reply to astley007:

Testosterone.....have a word with your doctor.

In reply to astley007:




If Stevie Haston could, you can

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

How to join two ropes together quickly and 100% safely for an abseil that will then not snag when you pull it.
A way of storing cams in a rucksack so the wires do not get bent. Must be light and take no space.

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

Ropes that don't magically tangle and knot together, even after careful flaking, similar to the headphone paradigm.

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

I keep thinking there must be a way to cross a cam with an expansion bolt and get something that goes in like a cam but then you turn a hand screw on the stem which would force the lobes so so it locks it in place very tight so it can't walk.

In reply to treforsouthwell:

Niiiice!

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

Fall fear, it's the one thing stopping me climbing the grades.

In reply to treforsouthwell:
Genius.

(Even if a bit like the old Viz joke, where the guy invents a cure for cancer in a single pill: basically, he's got the pill bit nailed, but just needs the scientists to stop arsing about and invent the drug which would go in it.....)

Plus, it's the springy bit which makes cams work.

In reply to treforsouthwell:

I thought that's why we carry hexes-weigh the cams down with them so they don't walk into the crack.

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

I want a cliffhanger style bolt gun,and a bigger pair of balls.

In reply to TonyB:

I can solve that for you,just cut a hole in the top of your helmet and let your bobble stick out .

In reply to Quiddity:


Or a hammer and a dissented crag

In reply to Martin not maisie:

As far as I understand it the spring keep the lobes against the rock. But if you fall on the cam the downward pull is translated into outward force as the lobes pivot on the stem.

What I'm talking about is having something that you tighten so give them more stability than the spring alone. If you fell the cam would still work as it always does.

Of course it would be more hassle to place/clean but you wouldn't have to use that bit for placements that didn't walk.

I feel like I need a napkin to scribble on..

In reply to treforsouthwell:

As soon as anything 'fixes' the cams....it's going to pull out though?

In reply to Timmd:

No he's talking about some kind of ratchet which prevents the lobes from compressing but allows the camming action to open freely. We're not solutioning here, purely gathering requirements.

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

A new shoulder. A new elbow and a new knee would be nice. When winter climbing I find it quite awkward to get gear from my harness due to the bagginess of my jacket. Because I have a few extra layers on, my harness has to be a bit wider so my rear gear loops end up being set back a bit making it very hard to get hold of gear on the rear loops. Ice screws eat my trousers. Some sort of universal shroud (maybe hyperlon )would be nice to protect your trousers slings and QD,s as you cant really climb with the rubber caps on your screws. I nearly choked once on route with a mouth full of caps when I forgot to take them off before climbing.

In reply to treforsouthwell:

Still genius, then.

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

i would like a beem me up scottie invented for when my backside is twiching and i want down pronto

In reply to Reggie Perrin:


A large klip-it butty box - mine fits snugly into the bottom of my sack and holds all my cams plus a few slings. Sorted!

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

Thank you so much for your input!

In reply to Bhumika Soam:
A lightweight balloon-filled vest, connected via a 50m hose to a helium can, and inflated with a press of a button when you come across a stubborn crux move.

Or would that be cheating?

In reply to Owen W-G:


Great thinking - but will the hose be disguised as a rope (and the can disguised as a boulder)?? Those is my suggestions innit.

And no. Certainly not cheating.

In reply to TonyB:


The obvious solution here it to have a climbing helmet with a bobble on top of it. Problem solved.
I'm sure Black Diamond and Petzl are on the case. The garish orange of the Sirocco helmet, but with the addition of a luminous green pom-pom. You'd be the bell of the crag.

In reply to TonyB:

Already done!

http://bobhats.com/who-are-we/4582755653

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

A mini drone with a speaker so you can continue to give 'advice' all the way up. You could flit from climber to climber along a popular crag.

In reply to treforsouthwell: Sounds like a car jack, which I have in the past used for pro. We now need a number of different sized car jacks!

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

just a thought that poppe din my head while thinking on this....

For lazy muscle training you've got those electric pad kids that exercise your abs while you're watching tv (never used em, I don't know if they're much good?). How good would a finger tendon exercise you could do with zero concious effort be? stick on a glove and carry o nwith your day while whateveris in the glove exercises your fingers enough to to benefit quicker but with low injury potential

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

I'd like a portable-auto-lead-belay please

In reply to Bhumika Soam:

Climbing trousers that have zip pockets, aren't nasty or more expensive than my car!