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A 10 lb baseweight for Alpine Climbs


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  • #1276836
    David Ure
    Member

    @familyguy

    Neat video on Mountain Hardwear's involvement with Ueli Steck. A 10 lb baseweight for extreme alpine climbs. The tent is 2lbs, 8 oz (for 2) and will be available for 2012.

    http://www.himalayaspeed.com/the-gear/mountain-hardwear/

    #1760288
    Robert Cowman
    BPL Member

    @rcowman

    Locale: Canadian Rockies

    the new packs are under 24oz for next year

    #1760289
    Robert Cowman
    BPL Member

    @rcowman

    Locale: Canadian Rockies

    It's hope for the future from the mainstream brands to provide what this community is looking for.

    #1760453
    Brian Lindahl
    BPL Member

    @lindahlb

    Locale: Colorado Rockies

    Awesome! Not just for alpine climbing, but for 8000m peaks, love it!

    #1760460
    Brett Peugh
    BPL Member

    @bpeugh

    Locale: Midwest

    Sounds great for anyone up to about 6'. Mountain Hardwear stuff is not made for the tall.

    #1760462
    David Ure
    Member

    @familyguy

    I find that their clothing fits perfect for me – 6'1" with long legs and long arms. I have never been in one of their tents, however. I think you are a lot taller than me, however.

    I like the fact that there will be continued lightweight choice and that MH may be avoiding becoming too much like TNF.

    #1760471
    Alasdair Fowler
    Member

    @messiahkhan

    Locale: Newcastle, UK

    My dad uses a fair bit of Mountain Hardwear gear and he is 6'6", so it certainly works for some tall people.

    #1760561
    Brett Peugh
    BPL Member

    @bpeugh

    Locale: Midwest

    All I know is that I have not been able to find a jacket from them that has fit in the last 6 years and I am only 6'5", 230#s. Even some of the XXL stuff was too short in the body.

    #1760563
    Robert Cowman
    BPL Member

    @rcowman

    Locale: Canadian Rockies

    My friend who`s worked for MHW since the year it`s started is 6'5" and it fits him in the xxl. tents, not so much…

    It doesn't fit me though, to short in a medium, way to boxy in a wide. but that shell looks sweet for ice climbing

    #1760657
    josh wagner
    Member

    @stainlesssteel

    man that guy must be the most fit person alive! glad to see a big name making some light stuff :D

    #1760694
    David Ure
    Member

    @familyguy

    MH told me the tent in the video is 81" long. Although the walls look reasonably steep, this would be too short with a high loft winter bag from touching the ends which may, or may not be an issue. So the same length as a Black Diamond First Light.

    #1760695
    Robert Cowman
    BPL Member

    @rcowman

    Locale: Canadian Rockies

    well Steck is like 5'9…. the floor seems to be removable so you can dig out the bottom for more space.

    #1760698
    ROBERT TANGEN
    Spectator

    @robertm2s

    Locale: Lake Tahoe

    In my not-so-humble opinion, Mountain Hardware’s suggestion that their super gear has contributed to Ueli Steck’s accomplishments is utter nonsense. They specifically hint that Ueli’s gear has surpassed Reinhold Messner’s gear. But when he soloed Everest without bottled oxygen, Messner used:
    1. Custom-made titanium crampons to his specific measurements.
    2. A custom-made titanium ice axe to his specific measurements.
    3. A custom-made tent to his specific measurements that was too small for him to stretch completely out.
    4. A custom-made sleeping bag filled with Eider down.
    5. A custom-made full-body suit including integral hood filled with Eider down.
    Ueli Steck could probably not afford such super-light gear. Look to his physical condition to find the source of his accomplishments, do not look to his gear, IMHO.
    "The Common Eider, Somateria mollissima, is a large (50–71 cm body length) sea-duck.
    The eider's nest is built close to the sea and is lined with the celebrated eiderdown, plucked from the female's breast. This soft and warm lining has long been harvested for filling pillows and quilts, but in more recent years has been largely replaced by down from domestic farm-geese and synthetic alternatives. Although eiderdown pillows or quilts are now a rarity, eiderdown harvesting continues and is sustainable, as it can be done after the ducklings leave the nest with no harm to the birds."

    #1760702
    David Ure
    Member

    @familyguy

    "In my not-so-humble opinion, Mountain Hardware’s suggestion that their super gear has contributed to Ueli Steck’s accomplishments is utter nonsense."

    No where do they claim that.

    But I think you are missing the point. UL gear from a mainstream manufacturer is something to discuss. As is a 10 lb base weight for alpine climbing.

    #1760703
    Robert Cowman
    BPL Member

    @rcowman

    Locale: Canadian Rockies

    Ueli steck is sponsored by Volkswagon/Audi, and is one of the most famous Swiss personalities right now, I'm pretty sure he could afford a $5000 eider down suit… And mountain hardware is Columbia so I'm pretty sure his pay scale is pretty high up.

    So what if they make that claim. its a marketing statement. Ueli is the superior gear compared to Messner. he did beat his Eiger record already and is setting up new records all the time right now.

    A mainstream brand is pushing the bounds of minimalism/UL in a industry driven by features to sell to multiple types of customers. I'm looking forward to climbing with some of the products.

    #1760709
    ROBERT TANGEN
    Spectator

    @robertm2s

    Locale: Lake Tahoe

    MH says, "Steck’s style of Alpine Speed Climbing requires new equipment—gear lighter, simpler and more efficient than anything before." You can't see the implication that Steck's style (i.e. his performance) "requires" MH gear? If the gear isn't contributing to his style, why does it "require" it?
    MH contuinues: "To develop this next generation of alpine gear, Steck teamed up with Mountain Hardwear’s product development team." Next generation? Next generation? Bah Humbug! Have you ever used Cilo Gear packs, made out of non-woven dyneema? His boots are "lighter, simpler and more efficient than anything before"? La Sportiva boots, including the $1,000.00 / pair Oly Mons have been around for years, and MH has better boots? Bah Humbug!

    #1760710
    David Ure
    Member

    @familyguy

    I look at it the other way – Ueli is helping MH to manufacture lighter, alpine assault gear. I got the impression that MH was thrilled to have him provide input for the new line of gear.

    #1760744
    Gabe Joyes
    Member

    @gabe_joyes

    Locale: Lander, WY

    Looks awesome, way to go Mountain Hardwear

    #1760746
    James holden
    BPL Member

    @bearbreeder-2

    yet he still uses a jetboil in the himalayas ;)

    #1760817
    David Ure
    Member

    @familyguy

    I was waiting for that, Eric…..;)

    #1760820
    josh wagner
    Member

    @stainlesssteel

    I look at it the other way – Ueli is helping MH to manufacture lighter, alpine assault gear. I got the impression that MH was thrilled to have him provide input for the new line of gear.

    i viewed it the same as fam guy.

    #1760845
    larry savage
    Spectator

    @pyeyo

    Locale: pacific northwest

    The nature of hauling climbing gear and ultralight has been my paradox for years, and as a mostly solo entity it is even more so. I obsess for days over including a few more biners or a solo belay device. One of the funniest looking packs I every took off with was an ultralight model strapped to the hilt with a rope, daisy chains, and a pile of hardware, I shared a ferry up Lake Chelan with a group of newly converted ultra-lighters and their tsk-tsking and looks of disdain haunts me to this day. I looked like what I imgined an old traveling pot mender/cobler must of appeared in old Europe but all I was trying to do was transport it all to a base in one trip.
    The point is there are more than a few of us always looking for new products to bridge the gap between all out climbing equipment and the ultralight world.
    Thanks for the information.

    #1760893
    Rakesh Malik
    Member

    @tamerlin

    Locale: Cascadia

    "newly converted ultra-lighters and their tsk-tsking and looks of disdain haunts me to this day"

    Some of us do the ultralight thing in order to facilitate other activities. I get people making comments about all the gear that I carry… until they see the photographs. Then they become envious ;)

    #1760907
    ROBERT TANGEN
    Spectator

    @robertm2s

    Locale: Lake Tahoe

    Re: “I'm pretty sure he could afford a $5000 eider down suit.” If he can afford Eiderdown, why doesn’t he use Eiderdown garments, instead of the cheap, mass-produced stuff that Mountain Hardware churns out? (I’ll tell you why he uses the cheap, mass-produced stuff that Mountain Hardware churns out, instead of custom-made titanium ice tools. He uses the cheap, mass-produced stuff that Mountain Hardware churns out because he is too poor to be independent of sponsors, and he can’t afford to special-order Eiderdown sleeping bags. Sponsors lined up for Reinhold Messner’s endorsement, but poverty never forced him to suck their toes and use their cheap, mass-produced stuff on actual expeditions. I’m not being negative, am I?)

    #1761060
    Robert Cowman
    BPL Member

    @rcowman

    Locale: Canadian Rockies

    Yea Steve house, Tomaz Humar are/were also poor and apparently bad climbers because they didn't use custom gear. Will Gadd is to,I mean Red Bull what company is that? Patagonia is mass produced and so is Lowe alpine and arcteryx gear. you know why they use that gear, because they can get anything in life they want paid for so they can keep climbing and training, not being a dirt bag struggling.

    I checked out the workbook for next year, and the apparel has pockets and features. only Ueli's gear is the super stripped version of the "custom mass produced cheap crap" that is mass marketed….

    the packs and tent seem to be the same though with no features.

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