What are B.A.T. Hammocks Worth?

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Mighty Hiker

Social climber

Vancouver, B.C.

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 18, 2007 - 02:41am PT

Comfortable for two adults, or four children, or combinations thereof. Even PTPP would likely approve of it, though it'd be a challenge to hang it on El Cap.

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Oct 18, 2007 - 03:23am PT

OMG Ken, you knew her too?

Be nice Ken. lol

Someone should find and post the great photo of the vertical ghetto on the FA of the NA.

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Oct 18, 2007 - 03:31am PT

Been in Slovakia for the last week and this thread is a good one to come home to. Too tired to say much, now, but will follow up manana.

BatSh#tJello

Chicken Skinner

Trad climber

Yosemite

Oct 18, 2007 - 10:59am PT

Here you go Ron.

Ken

golsen

Social climber

kennewick, wa

Oct 18, 2007 - 11:29am PT

Just for comparison purposes...

This is a Forrest Hammock, with a home made G Tex fly, circa early 80's. I bought the Fly from a great guy, Dean Hannibal who used it on the FA of a route on Mt. Geike (Canadian Rockies) with G. Lowe. I think Dean had the fly made for that climb.

Note those streamlined shoulder straps, guaranteed to not be too comfortable and guaranteed to make it way too difficult to pull your sleeping bag over your shoulders.

This pic was taken on attempt at N. Face of Mt. Hooker, 1984.

scuffy b

climber

The deck above the 5

Oct 18, 2007 - 11:46am PT

I had a cagoule made by Swallow's Nest out of Seattle.
Maybe that's what was meant by Swallow Mountain?
For some reason I thought there was a connection between Harding
and Mountain Master (from Fresno.) Maybe a connection between
Denali and Mountain Master?

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Oct 18, 2007 - 11:56am PT

Anyone have a copy of Galen's Vertical World of Yosemite? One of my favorite shots of Warren is from the South Face of Half Dome FA where his grisly mug is peering out from inside a Bat Tent porthole!

If you had the space, a truly hilarious wall climbers party game would start with the victim suspended at the end of a daisy chain. With no aiders, a stuffed sleeping bag and an ensolite pad the object would be to get set up for bed with the stop watch running for best time. Of course onlookers are free to poke and prod to induce a good spin or swing to further complicate the victim's travails and induce that wildcat in a barrel level of frenzy for the amusement of all!
At a Beanfest long ago, the reigning Beanmaster came up with this activity in the Alpine climbing category. The victim had to stand barefooted in a tub of icewater while attempting to tie several complicated knots wearing oversize expedition mitts all the while being pelted with more icewater by onlookers! Freakin' brilliant game! LOL
Zip, slide, click, click, clickety, click changed everything up there. Wall climbing would certainly be a lot less popular without Portaledges. Ahh, blessed relief from the nylon handrolling machine.

duncan

Trad climber

London, UK

Oct 18, 2007 - 12:05pm PT

Half-way up The Zodiac, November 1981. Troll hammock, the type used by Tasker and Bordman on the west face of Changabang. They must have been hard bastards. The spreader bars poking out beyond the attachment point were cunningly designed to suspend you away from the wall. Didn't work of course.

Rather badly focused I'm afraid, but I probably was.

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Oct 18, 2007 - 01:25pm PT

I bet that Troll Trough softened even them up a wee bit! LOL My first El Cap route was the nearly ledgeless Trip and boy, the hard flat ground never felt so sweet.

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Oct 18, 2007 - 02:09pm PT

Thanks Ken, but I heard it was the reverse;

(that Frost had fishnet stockings,...)

Chicken Skinner

Trad climber

Yosemite

Oct 18, 2007 - 05:07pm PT

Ken

Mighty Hiker

Social climber

Vancouver, B.C.

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 18, 2007 - 05:38pm PT

Thanks, Ken. Warren looks positively satanic. Pirate-like, anyway.

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Oct 18, 2007 - 09:32pm PT

Is that a Denali (BAT) sewn haulsack next to the Bat Tent? Could be the first commercially sewn one if so. Without the colors it is hard to tell, but it sure looks neat.

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Oct 18, 2007 - 11:33pm PT

The key to really hard alpine-style mixed climbs in the great ranges is a modified BAT tent. Along with a truly functional hanging stove (with heat-exchanger).

A safe and comfy bivy is had by pitching camp at the top of an ice slope, hanging the tent from steep rock and cutting a 12 to 18"-wide ldege, so you're mostly supported by the ledge but the outside shoulder and hip are cradled by the tent. Breathing holes with reticulated foam (like speaker-grille) at head and peak allow cooking inside with the hanging stove, even during a full-on storm, without closing the vents.

I could go on and on, but suffice to say, the art of the bivouac is as key to success as climbing skill, or even more so, in the high peaks.

-BasicallyAbsurdJello

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Oct 18, 2007 - 11:41pm PT

I dunno Jeff.

Sometimes I find that a bivy can be so comfortable that it can slow you down in the morning. I got my quickest starts from my worst nights.

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Oct 18, 2007 - 11:47pm PT

I'm talking the mountains, Ron, not rock walls in Zion or the Valley. It's not a matter of mere comfort.

See you Monday, when we can discuss this like gentlemen over a bottle of wine...

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Oct 19, 2007 - 12:20am PT

Don't get busted driving down with that bootleg euro wine. I can't bail THAT out.

Chicken Skinner

Trad climber

Yosemite

Oct 19, 2007 - 02:43am PT

Jello,

That is what made them so awesome. They felt so good to get in them and it was a natural alarm clock because, it felt so good to get out of them. I have the same experience with Porta-ledges nowadays. Must be getting old.

Ken