UKC

Why don't you, (ukc) instead of pushing articles on £35 chalk bags the size of bivvi bags, and Ti camping dishes that cost £130, put a few pennies into jimtit to test the theory behind a lot of what we do. I'd like to know whether the shoulder straps of a particular backpack are strong enough to use as a chest harness. And no f*cks are given about some fancy bowls to eat supernoodles out of.

It feels like I'm on a mailing list from amazon.
What else trumps Organic climbing trousers and trophy bowls?

And I'd also be interested to see a pair of shoes tested that are good to climb in, yet don't let you slip on your arse the minute you step on a grass slope on the walk to the car park. Much more useful that re-inventing chalkbags full of sock things imho.

In reply to zimpara:
I can't imagine why anybody would buy a £35 chalk bag, but I think some of the gear reviews are pretty 'down to earth' (funny seeming phrase on a climbing website) to be honest.

In reply to zimpara:

You haven't quite got the hang of 'advertising', have you.

In reply to zimpara:

advertisers paying for press releases == free website for users

In reply to Paul Phillips - UKC and UKH:

I'm fine with that. But the R&D guys need lining up and filling with lead. Did they really think a £35 chalk bag would fly? Jesus! People won't even pay £45 for a grigri! And that's one of the best bits of kit going.

In reply to zimpara:

Zimpara words fail me. I want to direct some really foul language your way, but I won't. How would you feel if you were one of those 'R&D guys' reading your post about having them shot? Get a grip, go climbing and stop posting endless dislike-bait on the forums. Thanks

In reply to zimpara:


That'll be news to Petzl. Have you any idea how many there are out there?

In reply to zimpara:

The new GriGri+ is gonna be £85 and I think Petzl have a pretty good understanding of the market so people are paying that much.

In reply to Paul Phillips - UKC and UKH:

Which is the same as people using an £8 classic ATC instead of the more expensive £18 XP or a £24 reverso. There is no reason apart from money or rather refusal to spend it/not having the money to not use an XP! First person you want to ask is jimtit.

But a chalkbag, yeah Would spend £35 on that!

In reply to zimpara:


Life is generally more fun if you're cheerier in approach.

In reply to zimpara:

That's a free-market economy for you. Some people will pay 'extra' for what they want, others won't. Id never pay £35 for a chalk bag but I have no doubt that plenty of people will.

In reply to Timmd:

Hmmm, maybe I will get one then

In reply to zimpara:

A fool and their money and all that

In reply to zimpara:


Given your (apparent) parsimonious - why on God's earth are you buying a grigri when there are better alternatives available at half the price? Given other thread contributions in this area by your good self (e.g. how you wouldn't climb with someone who didn't use a grigri) I can't help thinking you have shares in Petzl!

In reply to zimpara:


The grigri, one of the best bits of kit going!

What on earth do you think makes it so special?

In reply to zimpara:

Right, now then, I'll say this only once so listen up good. Cos holy cow you seem to have very few clues on how the climbing industry works. All that bullishit clothing, and stupid chalk bags, and tat which you loath which sells for £35, is the only reason you can buy a Grigri, extenders or cams. The very very simple fact is that all that tat is where these companies make their money, and climbing hardware is basically the weakest in terms of profit margin and hence the companies profitablity would be very poor if they only sold the bits you personally deemed to be good. There are variations on the theme. Military contracts, industrial equipment toname but a few. But the overriding theme is that climbing gear does not make you much money. For the lead requiring R&D teams to receive money to develop better stuff, they NEED to sell that stuff, otherwise you'd whine like a little girl even more. So if you don't want to buy a 35 quid chalk bag, then don't. I am fairly convinced that the company selling it will give to use your terms, give very few f*cks.

In reply to beardy mike:


I think finally we have to award Zimpara a perfect 10/10.

In reply to zimpara:

Is Zinpara a real person? I'm starting to think he is actually a plant by UKC to get people talking on the forum more. Similar to how Microsoft built an AI that just trolled people on Twitter endlessly.

In reply to jsmcfarland:
Very real. Do you wanna see my dog rock climbing in the gower? Might get her a chalk bag, when I have £35 to spare
Yeah... back in your box

In reply to zimpara:

To be honest I don't think peoples values are screwed in climbing any more than other walks of life. It amazes me how much people are willing to pay for totally impractical denim jeans (basically workware for railway navvies in the 19th century), or dishwater coffee in a paper cup - but each to their own.

In reply to beardy mike:

Thank you!

Mick

In reply to BnB:


After all the hard work he's put in... t'would be almost churlish not to.

Mick

In reply to beardy mike:


I'd leave it at that, saves on typing.

In reply to Mick Ward:

It's a bit like when we took a freshers trip to the Lake District and one of the kiddies asked when we were going to see the glaciers. Ahhh bless...

In reply to beardy mike:
I'm often amazed at how good value climbing hardware is compared to bike bits.

A simple CNC'd piece of aluminium for a replacement gear hanger can cost the same from a shop as nut on wire you can trust your life with, or twice as much as a 'biner that's been 3 sigma rated and carefully developed.

Compared to the price of bike bits and the economies of scale involved in that industry, climbers are very lucky I think in how good value hardware is.

Guess I should go and buy some 'life style' bits and pieces that I don't really need.

In reply to Timmd:

You owe it to the free market, the R&D companies, and my dog! Go now and splash the cash

In reply to GrahamD:


....That are already shredded all over as if been attacked by a petrol strimmer and faded by a thousand summers . ( i.e. ready for the bin)

In reply to zimpara:


Not visited any euro sport crags then?