UKC

Hi All,

I'm planning on doing my dissertation on the performance of Warthogs in different topsoil conditions and since there seems to be very little research into it, I thought I'd ask people on here initially what they thought of them.

So firstly, what experiences have people had with them?

Has anyone had warthogs fail on them?

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Scott

In reply to benbers:

I've used them a lot, but mostly in the past, but never fallen on one. I have abseiled off one though. If you place a good one, then they seem intuitively bombproof, and they are hard enough to get out. But you do need deep turf, so tend not to be so useful on the higher grades (where there isn't such deep, and if there is, the climbers are happy without pro). The can be good on sandstone where the turf has deep soil underneath, or granite but it has better cracks in the rock.

In reply to Andy Nisbet: Like you, I've (thankfully) never fallen on one but in deep turf they seem good. I suspect I've mostly placed them on the vegetated schist crags of the southern Highlands.

If I was trying to study their performance I think I'd start looking at moisture content pre freezing & the role of repeated freeze/thaw cycles

In reply to benbers: Hi Scott

I bought a couple a few years ago & initially carried one on most outings but have only used it as intended as a top belay anchor at Ben Udlaih once which has a grassy top-out which is subject to a lot of drainage.

There appear to be unbreakable - you may find some failure rate data on the BMC website or you could check with the importer / manufacturer.

Good luck with your project, Dave

That was all very useful.

I think at present, I will propose to look at different depths and moisture content of frozen turf and possibly look at the effect in chalk (although I have no idea how to obtain chalk in that quantity!).
I'll look at falls from different heights and angles with that.

Thanks again for all the help, If anyone has any other experiences with warthogs, especially failures it would be greatly appreciated to post on here. I'll let everyone know when its done anything interesting that appears from the report!

scott

In reply to benbers: I think they prefer digging around in drier conditions, and their tusks are used for breaking open the soil so they can eat grubs and insects.

Never given one a specific task to do, so not never really had one fail on me though.

Hope this helps.

In reply to benbers: thinking a little more, I suspect some placements are into frozen tussocks of moss (Sphagnum) rather than turf/soil - another variable?

In reply to Chris F:


I once went into a popular high street outdoor shop in Aberdeen and asked for a bulldog (which was hanging on the wall behind the counter), the shop assistant looked and me, gave a chuckle and said "sorry did you say a bulldog?", I smiled and said that was indeed what I had asked for, he then looked at me as if I had escaped from the local psychiatric hospital and politely informed me they weren't a pet shop. Thankfully one of his colleagues (who was actually a climber) had overheard our conversation and came to help before either of us got exasperated!

Iain

In reply to Doug:
In the dim and distant past, I have used one in Mam Tor (frozen shale) as a belay. My second couldn't remove it.

In reply to Chris F:

I wonder if we can market that as organic and intelligent protection?

In reply to benbers:

The Mountain Technology Ones are good (the red ones). Cassin ones are to be avoided. They are made of weaker steel and you can actually pound them into a question mark shape without realising- they bend when they bottom out.
I reckon it's harder to get a good warthog placement than an ice hook placement so I sold my hogs and have a few hooks now.
I wouldn't like to lob onto either a hog or a hook.

In reply to benbers: I've not done the route, but apparently they are bomber in the shale on Breakaway. It's hard to believe anything offers solid protection on that route, but I have it on good authority that this is true.

I've used them several times in icy/turfy cracks in Scotland. They are bomber, I usually don't hammer them in all the way or they are impossible to get out again.

In reply to benbers:

i once relied on one in the lake district when i was leading and noticed my axe heads were loose to the point they were wobbling. knowing i didnt want to loose the bolts as i had another day of climbing ahead of me and the rest of that day, i quickly bashed in a warthog and two 'half in' pitons. this was my belay and my mate came up and led on, saving me reling on my axes too much and more on my hands!

so warthogs - lifesavers where nothing else will do!

Unless you do your own scientific research I think change subject. very little out there to reference too regarding chalk. Old piece of gear with not many makers around or research papers.

Ive placed them in both turf and chalk. Seen a friend taken falls on them and have lowered of them. In chalk I have noticed how the quality of a placement can differ depending on time and weather. The same placement can have been bomber the week before and feel scary the week after.

Just like screwsm I recon your problem will be that a warthog is only as strong as the material its placed in. Unlike nuts etc where sound rock shouldnt fail.

In reply to benbers:
I never leave home without them on turfy mixed climbs in Scotland.
I fell about 8m off the final corner of raw egg buttress on aonach beag the winter before last and broke a couple of bones in my left hand.
It was a warthog banged into frozen turf that saved me going any further though. trust them with your life!

In reply to benbers: a warthog was very useful after deciding to bail out of raeburns gully on lochnagar one winter. one of those days when an easy(ish) gully rears up and kicks your arse. banged it into the gully bed and abseiled off of it. don't leave home without one....

In reply to benbers:

i initially had a warthog for years and never used it for 3- 4 years, until one day i placed it , i placed it that well it would not come out , i searched in vain for a couple of years to find another one and alas i found one , what a relief, and over the last 8 or so years it has been used on a multitude of routes, i would not be without it on any winter route , my son in desparate for one if you know where we could stock up i would appreciate your advice

In reply to alpine69: Needlesports in Keswick sell them, and have them in stock according to their website:

http://www.needlesports.com/Catalogue/Winter-Climbing-Equipment/Ice-Protect...

In reply to benbers: Abseiled of two in top soil and fell on one on chalk, it held fast.Can be used as ice dagger's. Good for scratching back with.

In reply to Rob Winston: I always have a prussick loop ready to tie off a shallow placement of my warthogs. Half way in on good turf and it's a bomber - if tied off of course. Whilst heavy, I always carry two in the Lakes.

Glad I bought mine in the 80's cuz they're bloody expensive nowadays.

In reply to benbers:

A warthog would protect you better than a Bulldog. They are vicious f*ckers.