UKH

For the last four days the UKC team have been checking out the latest gear at the the Friedrichshafen OutDoor Show 2010.

In this first report, you can see the gear and outdoor products that won the Gold awards in the OutDoor Industry Awards - British companies Inov-8 and Terra Nova did great - and have a preliminary look at other products including Wild Country's new Helium Friends, Petzl's GriGri 2, and a tent by Edelrid that is based on a bouldering pad.

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=2876

In reply to UKC Gear: I want that tent for the KIMM....

In reply to lummox:

I'd be slightly worried about flashing people in a see though tent ...

In reply to UKC Gear:

Maybe it's just me, but I think most inov-8 shoes looks like someone designed them with the brief "make them look as horrid as possible"

In reply to UKC Gear:

Helium friends... the perfect compliment to my existing half set of tech friends? More info please!

In reply to jeffsheard:

Yes there will be. We are doing a series of mini-articles on several categories of gear.

In reply to UKC Gear: Shame the klättermusen stuff is always so expensive and impossible to get in britain.

In reply to es:

You get a 500g tent and get to moon people from inside when it's raining. Where's the drawback?

(Bet it costs a fortune, the Lasers aren't cheap anyway.)

Did Alpkit show any new stuff (or even go?)

In reply to UKC Gear:

I want to know where I can get one of those tick tests - I'll admit to being completely paranoid about tick bites and Lyme's Disease.

In reply to UKC Gear: It should be noted that the medical profession in the uk and america do not support the diagnosis of chronic lyme disease.

In reply to galpinos:

Yes Alpkit were there in force but not exhibiting. Yes we shall be showcasing some of their new products.

In reply to UKC Gear: Does anyone know when the Black Diamond GridLock carabiner will be going on sale, or is it already out. I cant find it anywhere. Should be a hell of a lot better than the DMM Belay Master Carabiner

In reply to harry-shutler:

Aye - looks trick doesn't it! Proper "why didn't anybody think of that before design eh...


I'm not so sure tbh, I reckon the belay master might be a bit less elegant but has some advantages over this. For some illogical reason I hate the newer belay master biner with the constriction in the spine though.

In reply to UKC Gear: It looks like the new friends have a thumb loop. Anyone have more info on them.

In reply to Aigen: We'll be running a series of news items about the new/updated products we saw at Friedrichshafen over the next few weeks (divided into categories eg. helmets, harnesses), so more info on everything coming soon.

In reply to harry-shutler: The GridLock isn't available till March 2011

Sarah

In reply to UKC Gear:

whos the blonde lass in the photo? wild country rep?

In reply to david morse: She's the German rep for Red Chilli.

In reply to UKC Gear: Whats the deal with the Ropeman Mk3? Wildcountery has a mention of that on their website but its behind a password wall.
The Helium Cams look nice, is there loop for thumb or the same as the current tech friends?

In reply to UKC Gear: The picture is deceptive due to the use of a fish eye lens. The cam is actually the new prototype Friend 12 - what else could obscure Patta's gob

In reply to tony:

http://careplus.nl/website.asp?l=en&lnd=no

http://www.handysize.no/

In reply to nomisb:

or

http://careplus.nl/website.asp?l=en&lnd=en

In reply to david morse: It's Zara Philips

In reply to UKC Gear: I hear WC has a new Ropeman out -- any word on how ut would be for simalclimbing?

In reply to UKC Gear:

If anyone wants to see what the new friends looks like Gripped.com has them on their webpage.

In reply to robpatterson5:

Same as Ropeman 2 perhaps? You place the ropeman inverted on what would be the belay, so that the ropes runs as the leader moves, but if the second does take a fall the ropeman will lock and hold the second and not pull the leader off. If the leader falls the rope runs through the ropeman and the second takes the force.

It's an advanced technique and best to practice: belay has to take both downward and upward pull.

I don't think WC would officially recommend this. But the Ropeman has many uses: emergency ascender, self-rescue, cravasse rescue

Features on new Ropeman3?: Now works on tapes as well as super thin ropes.

We are working on the Hardwear report now:

Here's WC release:

Ropeman 3
An all new design, the Ropeman 3 extends the original concept to make this the first Ropeman that can be used both nylon slings and ropes. The ability to use the Ropeman 3 on tapes means that it can be used to adjust belays very quickly and safely; increasing or releasing tension as needed. And as such simply means that the Ropeman 3 is the essential tool for guides, rescue and much more.

A new shape of cam and new forged side plates make it easy to place on ropes between 7.7 and 11mm covering all the major requirements for Alpine and all round work.

Mick