Chapter 1- Sunny Uplands.
After spending a glorious summer traddng on the coast of Pembroke we decide a final hurrah in the Lakes and had the most fantastic day up on Gimmer before heading back down into valley for tasty pub grub, refreshing pints and most importantly (for the teenager) internet access. After updating his "status" and the other internet essentials he came across the lakeland revival website and found that one of the routes was on the scorecard and he could pick up a prize for it. We made plans to climb in Borrowdale the next day so we could swing into Keswick and hopefully pick up a goody.
Chapter 2- Three Days of Rain and a Lockdown.
It was a Friday and we woke to typical Lakeland weather but headed up to Keswick anyway in the vain hope that the weather would clear- it didn't. The weather couldn't dampen our spirits as we skipped along Keswick high street chomping on the finest Greggs pasties, window shopping and finally made our way to that superb climbing equipment emporium at the end of the high street. The teenager was right (not for the first time) and we were able to claim a prize for climbing. (Unlucky for him/lucky for me- the t-shirt was too big!) Whilst in there, dodging a heavy shower, I asked about a pair of half ropes (as Id spent all summer lugging our 2 sports ropes around). The popular choice was to get 50m length, to which I said I hadn't bought a rope that length for years and jokingly said something about, the last time I had owned one, I was still using solid stemmed friends and cowbells. Her reply surprised me somewhat as solid stemmed friends were still popular with winter climbers and it was suggested to bung them on eBay as someone may want them.
It was a Saturday, it was raining and a few weeks after the wash out at the Lakes, and we found ourselves, yet again, dodging showers but this time at an event in a quarry. Armed with the info I received from Keswick I resurrected the old rack from the pits of the wardrobe and had some of it test pulled at one of the stands at the event and to my surprised it failed at the labelled rate and not below. We had a conversation about metal fatigue etc, but the upshot was; even though old, after the test pull and a brief visual inspection, there was no real need to scrap it but ultimately it was up to the climbers desecration to continue using them.
It was a Sunday, it was raining and plans to get out were scrapped and a walk on the moor after lunch was arranged instead. I thought Id use the morning to advertise some gear I sorted during the lockdown. Instead of selling it as individual lots I, mistakingly in hind sight, thought Id build a rack for someone who may be starting out. Id never attempted to sell gear - gear (or even gear-gear) before -sold shoes that didn't fit and bouldering mats but never hardware. I didn't want to put it on eBay as I wanted to be transparent about who I was, the gear wasn't stolen and also, about the age of the gear etc. So i decided to put it on here, however I was concerned that there were no photos. So I took photos and put it on my social media. I had no idea of its worth so an investigation on eBay for lots and quickly noted a very similar rack (age and size) advertised for £400. I also looked back through UKC sales and saw a solid stem cam had recently sold for £15 (I have 5) so plumped for £200 the lot...
....I got absolutely battered.
Chapter 3, The Rack of Doom
Most of the comments were fair and just (I think we all have a duty to question secondhand gear - whether it's still safe to use or whether it's stolen) and I tried to justify my rationality having had it tested before advertising and knowing of its history. The comments were first for trying to sell a rack of this age, and also why I priced it as I did. Among it all, I did receive some very unkind, cruel, and, in my honest opinion, unfair accusations that I was deliberately trying to pass off unsafe equipment to folk starting out on their climbing adventure.
As you can probably tell from this essay I do overthink things. We are in a middle of a global pandemic, in a country that's in financial ruin, led by incompetent leaders but Im losing sleep because I keep rerunning conversation about the Rack of Doom. so to hopefully clear these demons I decided to write this and also to offer anyone how wants old friends, hex's and wires (although I think that I have given the wires away already) you are welcome to them - Just send an appropriate sized stamped self addressed Jiffy bag with a note with what you want and ill send it to you. PM me for my address. All I ask in return is you make a donation to CAC and/or The Andys Man Club.
Thank you, Jim