gear notes
Woolies and Stripes posted by Kym
Woolies are back. We have tops, bottoms, socks, hats and more. Also "Stripes underwear" Toasty warm and heaps of fun.
Bamboo T-shirts, oh so soft! posted by Joelle
We have just received a shipment of bamboo and organic cotton t-shirts for both men and women. These are selling for only $19.95 with your choice of three different colours. Come by and try one on. They are super comfy!
Backpackers Checklist posted by Valhalla Staff
Backpacker's Checklist
If you are inexperienced, or your trip will challenge your level of knowledge, consult an expert. Many websites and books are available with specific location/conditions information. Your local hiking club, search and rescue groups, and outfitters are full of knowledgeable folks. Visit your favourite outdoor shop for specific "how to" information on fitting your pack, pitching your tent, breaking in boots and the many advantages of technical, light weight quality gear.Essentials
Hiking boots (comfort and durability first)
Backpack (sized to fit)
Knife or multi-tool
HydrationShelter
Tent (with full-coverage fly, cooking and gear vestibule)
Ground Sheet (generic or tent-specific, optional)
Spare tent pegs & guyline adjusters
Sleeping bag (sleeping bag/hostel sheet, optional)
Sleeping pad
Pillow (TIP: use your Dromedary or Platypus bladder inside a fleece stuff bag or sweater)
Hat or toque (50% of heat loss through your head, even in summer at altitude)Cooking
Stove and fuel
Lighter (or matches)
Cookset
Utensils
Insulated Mug
Water Purification and/or iodine pills
Pot scrubber & dish soap (biodegradable)
Packtowel
Food & Drink mixes (in freezer-sized zip-lock bags, nalgene, tupperware)
TIP: use film containers for spices, coffee or tea, matches, etc.
Make detailed meal lists remembering that you are going to be working hard and eating lots. Consider dehydrated meals (these days, dehydrated food is tasty and of all varieties)and drink packs.Clothing
Waterproof/breathable jacket (with hood) and pants (optional)
Windpants (preferably nylon or synthetic-blend) (convertible-optional)
Fleece top, tights and toque "wicking, quickdry next-to-skin layer"
Mesh briefs (optional- cotton will never dry)
Gaitors (essential for sand and wet grass or undergrowth)
Socks (synthetic or wool hiking socks, and wicking liner socks)
Shorts (optional)
T-shirt (wicker not cotton)
Mesh stuff sac for organizing clothesPersonal Protection
Allergy kit (special medicine if required)
First-Aid kit
Sunscreen (bug repellent combination, optional)
Bear spray (bear banger or bells)
50' cord to cache food & as tent guyline
Brimmed hat
Sunglasses (UVA and UVB protective)
Fox 40 'pea' less whistle
ALWAYS advise your friends where you are going and when you will be back. Sign in (and out) at trailhead registry. Consider brushing up on your first-aid skills. Discuss any medical conditions and treatment with your partners.Essential Accessories
Candle lantern, or headlamp
Toilet Paper (in a ziplock bag)
Trail or topographical map
Kit Bag (personal hygiene)
Pack rain covers
Spare plastic bags (garbage or freezer sized)
Compass / Altimeter / G.P.S.
Walking poles (pair)
NEVER take equipment into the backcountry that you are not familiar with. "Set it up, try it out, break 'em in" at home prior to your trip. Set your tent up and wear your boots in.NOTE: tents are flammable, never cook inside your tent.
Winter Camping Notes
Winter camping requires additional clothing and gear, and a lot more planning. Errors have potentially more severe consequences. The activity determines what you do and don't take. If you're going out after vertical ice, substantial climbing gear weight will eliminate any frills. If you're going ski/snowboard/snowshoe mountaineering, you'll need all your 'up & down' gear, your rescue equipment plus your winter camping gear.Remember that it gets darker earlier, and you will be inside more. Your batteries will not last as long in the cold yet you will need your light more (consider a battery pack next to your body, or use lithium batteries that perform better in the cold.)
Air-inflatable sleeping pads may not be your best option in the winter, since they will not self-inflate when very cold and the moisture from your breath will freeze inside the pad.
Gloves, balaclava, warmer socks, and additional layers of underclothing are all necessary.
Terrain may require plastic shell mountaineering boots, and possibly supergaitors with or without insulation for additional warmth and weather protection that they provide.
A four season tent is designed to withstand more severe wind and snow loads, should have at least one vestibule, and may require extra guylines and snow stakes.
A transceiver, avalanche probe, crystal card, and snow shovel are absolute necessities. Learn to use them correctly by taking an avalanche self-rescue course. Always be prepared to turn back if weather or snow conditions are not right.
Reprinted from Valhalla Pure Outfitters head office website.
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Strength Versus Lockability posted by Valhalla Staff
Care and Information: Carabiners
Design of carabiners is driven by strength versus weight on the one hand, and ease of use versus lockability on the other.
Design Discussion
Oval carabiners have been the most popular design since their large, symmetrical interior space holds lots of gear and they work well for carabiner brake rappels. "D" shaped carabiners are also very popular since they have a high strength-to-weight ratio as their design shape places the majority of the load on the carabiners strong spine. Asymmetrical "D" carabiners are smaller at one end than the other to conserve weight, and are often available with bent gates which facilitate clipping the rope in. Many of the modern ‘superlight’ carabiners are usually asymmetrical "D"s. While these are often strong, the narrow diameter rod works as an edge to fray ropes, reduces gate-open strength, and shortens the useful life of the carabiner. Locking Carabiners have a mechanism that locks the gate closed, either a threaded collar or spring-loaded auto-locking. Locking carabiners can be oval, "D" shaped or HMS (pear shaped). "D" and HMS locking carabiners allow several ropes to be clipped! in at one time, making them ideal on your harness or with rappel devices or belay plates. When you are depending on one carabiner only, such as attaching a belay or rappel device to your harness, or tying into a belay anchor, ALWAYS use a locking carabiner. A carabiner with the gate open typically has about 30% - 50% of its rated gate-closed strength. When a carabiner slaps against the wall during a fall, the gate can open momentarily. If the load hits at the moment the gate is open, the carabiner may fail. Using carabiners with strong gate springs or locking collars helps reduce this problem. Likewise, if the rope tracks back against an improperly placed or jammed bent gate carabiner, it could pop the rope out by temporarily releasing the gate. NEVER clip into fixed protection directly, always use a quickdraw or runner. Carabiners loaded on an edge will break at a very low load.
Since modern climbing often requires numerous short falls before success, carabiners (and all your gear) are often worn out quickly. Carabiners are most often made of aluminum, so when they come in contact with steel bolts and pitons, they tend to become grooved and nicked. Retire upon signs of wear. Use steel carabiners if you need exceptional strength AND weight is not a concern.Maintenance
If your carabiner gate becomes sticky, clean with non-corrosive solvent and lubricate with dry graphite. Your rope will last longer if you use bigger, heavy-duty carabiners which will also accommodate large diameter ropes. Avoid use of carabiners that have burrs, nicks or coating chips as your rope will be abraded.
RETIRE your carabiners once you notice signs of wear, or after a hard fall.
Climb safely! Learn to climb from an expert. There are certain techniques that promote safety—use and always practise them. Use common sense.| © 2006, Valhalla Pure Outfitters all rights reserved | Copyright Notice | Privacy Policy |
website © by new horizons websolutions inc.Technical Clothing: Care and Information posted by
Care and Information: Technical Clothing
Lots of technical clothing is over-engineered to ensure adequate performance in even the worst possible combination of events. If your needs are for extreme protection on big-mountains, be prepared to buy at the top of the price level. But if you need a shell for walking or riding to work, adequate performance may be available at intermediate price points. Consider your needs prior to purchase to avoid disappointment later on, and take the time to become informed.
FIRST LAYER (100)next to your skin
The FIRST layer against your skin must work in cooperation with your body’s natural heating and cooling processes. Wicking, passive or dynamic, is the key "moisture management" characteristic to expect of your FIRST layer in cool or cold conditions, and in all conditions for aerobic or active users. Wicking keeps your skin drier by aiding your body’s release of moisture (up to a litre per hour) that in turn cools muscles that are burning calories. There are two ways you can make clothes wick; either by treating the fabric with a ‘finish’ that promotes wicking, or by making the fabric with yarn that has inherent wicking characteristics. Improved ‘dynamic’ wicking can be achieved by creating a ‘polarity’ between the outside and inside of the fabric. This push/pull characteristic can be created by knitting the face with hydrophobic yarn and the interior with hydrophilic yarn, or varying the density and surface area by constructing a very dense face and leaving the interior brushed or loose. These various technologies will make a world of difference if you are not yet familiar with ‘performance underwear’.
Examples: Polartec® M100, Polartec® or BiPolar® with lycra or ESP® yarns, CoolMax®, ThermaStat®, Duofold®, Field Sensor®, MicroMax®
Design Options: form fitting to wick better, flat-seam construction for comfort, venting options like deep front half-zips, minimal pockets for comfort, thin or no collar, longer back to keep ‘tucked’ in.SECOND LAYER (200)
insulating layer
In cool or cold weather, the next layer is primarily for insulation value. Complex considerations are: how active or aerobic you will be, what physical condition you’re in, what weather you will face, and how warm you like to keep yourself. Generally, the idea is not to keep ‘the cold out’, but to regulate how much of your own heat you should retain. The ‘CLO’ value, or insulation ability of any insulator is a measure of how effectively the insulation traps air and reduces convection within the insulation, creating a thermal barrier. If your climate is moist and you are concerned about weight, look for light weight products that don’t hold moisture, like Polartec®, ECOfleece®, or BiPolar® fabrics. Down is the lightest and among the warmest insulators around, but is of little use if it becomes wet either from internally-generated moisture, or from the weather. Synthetic fibres like Thinsulate®, LiteLoft®, PrimaLoft®, and Polarguard 3D® are all efficient, robust insulators that !
can work well for you (be prepared for some compression over time with all fibres). ‘Wool’, the other ‘natural’, is an excellent insulator AND it can perform well in wet conditions. However, wool is much heavier than synthetics, more difficult to dry, and care can be a problem.
Examples: Polartec® 200 and 300, BiPolar®, ECOfleece®, Thinsulate®, PrimaLoft®, Polarguard 3D®, Down and Wool.
Design Options: Venting options like pit zips and flow-through pockets, pit zips that correspond to outer shell placement, flat-seam construction for comfort, tipped hems to cover kidneys, high wear reinforcements, water-repellent shoulder yokes, well placed pockets with secure closures, adjustable hem.THIRD LAYER
protective outer shells
In wet, windy, snowy, changeable or extreme weather, a protective layer must go over your first and second layers. Discussions about the third layer can be reduced to waterproofness, breathability and durability. If you are very active and aerobic, you will be primarily concerned with breathability and lightweightness. If the climate is wet or snowy, you will need waterproofness AND breathability. If you plan on carrying a pack, working (or playing) around equipment, or bushwhacking through the forest then durability will be a concern.
Generally, there are three technologies to make a fabric waterproof AND breathable:
1. Extremely tight weaves that shed naturally.
2. Coatings that go on wet, like butter on hot toast and actually ‘become one with the fabric’.
3. Laminates that are first either ‘peeled’ or ’extruded’, then glued onto the back of a fabric using heat.
The final results vary: coatings are generally ‘softer and quieter’ than laminates when applied to identical fabric. Stated another way: a coating can be applied to a much more rugged fabric and still be as soft and quiet as a laminate applied to a lightweight fabric. Surface repellency (also called DWR - durable water repellency) is applied separately from the coating or laminate. Surface repellencies are like ‘silicon’ spray that makes water ‘bead up’, and stops the fabric from soaking up water without affecting the breathability. Unlike the coating or lamination, surface repellency degrades quite quickly and can be easily reapplied in the wash.
BEWARE: water resistant is not waterproof! Although the words may look and sound similar, the performances are not. The cost of making a fabric waterproof (and breathable) is often 4 to 8 times more than water resistant.
Examples: neo-dri® (coating), 3-layer neo-dri® (laminate), Gore-tex®, Ultrex®, Super-Microft®, Ventile.
Design Options: proper wind and water protection over zippers and openings like necks and cuffs, venting options like pit-zips, venting pockets, Torso-Surround mesh liners, roomy fit with high-lift sleeves, adjustable closures, cinch waists, hems and hoods, hood visibility and volume adjustability, tipped hem to protect kidneys, high wear reinforcements, articulated elbows and knees, zippers that vent as well as open.
Cotton is a fair-weather friend: Throughout these discussions of technical fabrics and performance, we have never mentioned ‘cotton’. Yet we offer lots of cotton styles in our clothing. The reasons are obvious: cotton absorbs moisture, is almost impossible to dry once you leave civilization, and is a terribly heavy insulator. In short, performance is poor, and if the weather turns ‘ugly’, cotton will be the last fabric you’ll want to have on. However, 9 days out of 10, you’ll reach for cotton as your fair-weather friend for "around the ranch" or "down to the store".Care of Technical Fabrics
for Clothing:
Two reasons should convince you to take some time to consider the ‘care instructions’ of technical clothing:
1. if you follow them, your clothes will last longer and you can spend your extra money on other stuff, and
2. if you follow them, your clothes will work better when you really want them to.
The VERY first thing you do: READ the care instructions to avoid any nasty surprises. And remember that colours may bleed out of even polyester and nylon until after the first wash (especially black and red). If you have any doubts about bleeding, wash separately the first couple of times.
Shrinkage: Synthetics shrink just like cotton or wool. Nylon taffeta and taslan, polyester knits and fleece, and insulation will all shrink 2-5% without any heat other than a warm wash. When subjected to heat in the dry cycle, they could shrink A LOT. Any clothing with lycra, spandex, or micro-fiber content will shrink A LOT if the temperature gets too high somewhere through the cleaning process. In general, you will have better luck if you wash your stuff more frequently in COLD water and hang (or lay) to dry than if you wait until they’re really in need of a serious wash and feel you should use hot water (which you shouldn’t).
Detergents (NEVER) Soaps (YES): Detergents are rough on everything, including the environment. Use a mild powdered soap that works well in cold water. Keep your detergent for getting your sheets white again. Never use them on anything you value. Wash your neo-dri® products often to keep them free of dirt, oils and salt (salt is a desiccant and will wick water to it). Wash your technical underwear to keep them free of Body-Odour! From 1996 on, most underwear will have an anti-microbial finish to help combat the smell problem. We recommend adding a ‘surface repellency’ every fourth wash or once a year (whichever comes first) on your neo-dri® products.
Never dryclean your technical clothing. Drycleaning is a funny word because it isn’t a ‘dry’ process. They use solvents to lift oil that holds dirt, thereby cleaning without heat (great for silks and wool suits). Not only are drycleaners VERY tough on the environment, but the solvents can strip off everything else too, like your wicking agents, your surface repellency (DWR), the glue that holds your laminate onto the fabric, the natural oils on your wool sweater or down sleeping bag.
Spots: If you get a spot on an article of clothing, either learn to live with it, add another spot on the other side to balance the ‘look’ or try to remove it with a spot-remover that doesn’t require rubbing. Your Polartec® sweater will look just as bad with this horrible rubbed-up spot as it did with a spot. The type of spot-remover that you spray on, then drop into the machine to wash is the best.Confidence and Credibility:
At Valhalla Pure Outfitters, we design and manufacture technical clothing in our own factory in the mountains of Western Canada. And we guarantee our products! If a problem does occur, we can fix it promptly. Our commitment to ‘customer satisfaction’, quality and the outdoors is something you can count on.
At Valhalla Pure Outfitters, it’s to our advantage for you to be informed, to compare our designs, our materials and workmanship, and our product knowledge. We know the ‘outdoors’ and how to supply the clothing and gear you’ll need to have a successful adventure. If you have any further questions or comments, please ask your outdoor retail staff member or contact us directly.| © 2006, Valhalla Pure Outfitters all rights reserved | Copyright Notice | Privacy Policy |
website © by new horizons websolutions inc.Ropes: Care and Information posted by Valhalla Staff
Care and Information: Ropes
A rope is the last line of defense for a mountaineer or climber. Unlike other equipment, a rope is not backed up by other equipment, and absolutely cannot fail.
Dynamic and Static Rope
Characteristics
All ropes used for lead climbing are dynamic; that is, they stretch when a fall occurs, effectively cushioning the impact by dissipating the energy of the fall. Dynamic lead ropes are kernmantle construction, consisting of a load-bearing core (kern), and a protective sheath (mantle) around the core. The core determines the load-bearing characteristics of the rope, like maximum impact force before failing and number of test falls held. The sheath primarily determines the rope’s handling characteristics, especially over time. Static ropes aren’t climbing ropes (they don’t stretch), but are useful for hauling and toproping during rescue work and caving, and where there is no chance for a fall.Things you should know
Maximum breaking strength is the load whereby a single strand of rope breaks (free of knots and bends). The maximum breaking strength is reduced with the introduction of bends, knots, multiple falls, and rock or other natural edges.
Maximum impact force is the maximum load transmitted to the climber during a fall. UIAA certification currently certifies single rope maximum impact of 2640 pounds, and double rope maximum impact of 1760 pounds. Low maximum impact force ropes absorb more of the energy generated in a given fall, thus transmitting less energy to the falling climber and placed protection. The more stretch though, the higher the chances of hitting a ledge or the ground during a fall.
UIAA Certification: UIAA drops a 176 pound weight attached to an 8.25 foot piece of rope a distance of 16.5 feet. The rope is statically anchored, and must survive five consecutive falls for single rope certification."Flexibility and Feel" of Dynamic ropes: A stiff rope is difficult to tie into a knot. The more flexible, the easier to tie knots and have them stay tied. ‘Hand’ or feel depends on diameter, sheath weave patterns and tightness, yarn make and size, and ‘dry’ treatments affect not only feel but how well the rope resists abrasion. ‘Dry’ ropes generally wear better because they not only resist water (and weight gain in wet conditions), but the coatings make the ‘dry’ rope more supple so they slide over rock better and through carabiners with less friction. "Kinking" problems usually disappear after the rope has been used a few times.
Selecting a rope: Unless there is NO chance of a fall, choose a dynamic rope. Single ropes are most common, come from 9.8mm to 11mm in diameter, and are identified by ‘number 1’ on the rope label on either end of the rope. Small diameter (Less than 9.8mm) ropes are lighter in weight and clip into protection easier—preferred by expert lead climbers. Thicker ropes are stronger, last longer, and are easier to belay and rappel with—ideal for beginner to intermediate climbers. Double ropes (half ropes) and twin ropes are used in pairs ONLY. Double ropes are often lighter than a single, clip into protection easily, and have reduced rope drag.Maintenance and Care
Keep your rope clean: Dirt and oils shorten rope life. Never step on your rope. Pad your rope at possible abrasion points. Wash your rope in cold water, using soap NOT detergent. If you use a fabric softener, your rope’s flexibility will improve. NEVER bleach your rope. AIR DRY only away from direct sunlight. NEVER dry your rope in a dryer. Use a rope bag.
Keep your hardware smooth: Nicks, burrs, coating cracks and chips, and stress lines will all abrade your rope quickly (and may represent serious deficiencies in your hardware).
When to retire your rope: It is the responsibility of the USER to make the decision to retire a rope. Generally, you should retire you rope when you can see fraying of the sheath, if the core has flat or lumpy spots, or if the rope is becoming stiff. If your rope has held a long, hard fall it should be retired. As a guideline, retire your rope after two years of weekend use, up to 5 years at most since nylon deteriorates over time.Rappelling: Fast or bounding rappels, swinging, and some rappel and belay devices that place a sharp bend in the rope cause excessive wear. Avoid these techniques.
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER: Never lend your rope out—know your rope’s history. Never use your rope for anything except climbing. Never tow your car, lower furniture from the second story, haul stuff onto the roof, etc.
Learn to climb from an expert. There are certain techniques that promote safety—learn and always practise them. Use common sense. Always be prepared to cancel your climb if conditions are not right.| © 2006, Valhalla Pure Outfitters all rights reserved | Copyright Notice | Privacy Policy |
website © by new horizons websolutions inc.Sea to Summit posted by Joelle
Wow! Nothing but rave reviews on these goodies. Lightweight siliconized nylon helps to keep your gear sorted, organized and dry. Perfect for those obsessive compulsive organizer types! From super light roll top dry bags, to pack covers, to sleeping bag liners, Sea to Summit makes something sure to appease your inner gear junkie.
Basics To Keep You Warm posted by Kym Putnam
The Basics – long underwear
Synthetic or wool base layers in come in several differents weights, from silkwieght to expedition weight. With technical base layers, the principle built into the fabric works like this: The fabric touching your skin is hydrophilic (loves water) and drinks up the perspiration like a thirsty camel. The outer weave of the fabric has the ability to spread the moisture onto a wider surface so that it takes less body heat to dry it than if it was concentrated all in one place, like under your armpits. Remember when you are dry, you are warm. Very simple. As for socks and gloves this principle works to a degree but it’s more difficult to dry a sock in a ski boot and gloves and mitts usually have a waterproof liner so not much evaporation can occur. I always pack extra socks and gloves and change half way through the day. It seriously makes a world of difference to your whole body warmth. So, remember when you buy your next long underwear, ask some questions? Is it quick dry? How much insulation do I want, thick or thin? If you’re in the outdoors a lot you’ll probably need light-weight, mid-weight, and expedition weight. But when you buy the good stuff it will last you a lifetime. That is unless you just can’t resist and new pair of rainbow striped long johns, or that great new pink Patagonia capilene zip top.
