Scared Silly
Trad climber
UT
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Aug 30, 2009 - 08:42pm PT
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Interesting, I did not know about the Salewa being tested. Most of the Chouinard gear started being tested in the early 80s. I have a bunch stoppers and bashes marked tested via a sticker that is on the swag and under the shrink wrap.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Aug 31, 2009 - 07:57am PT
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Maybe Don Lauria or someone else here who worked with Chouinard in the late 60s
(early 70s?) can fill in the true story about those recalled biners.
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Oct 27, 2009 - 07:09pm PT
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Here is the Eiger Prototype hex #5, I do not know the year but the hex is in perfect unused condition. The friend that gave it to me got it in 73-76 in C4.
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Blinky
Trad climber
Hillsborough, NC
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Oct 27, 2009 - 07:24pm PT
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I remember Eigers and Libertys being pretty sub-standard compared to Chouinard. Haven't seen'em in a long time. I have an old Bonatti I keep my nut tool on.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Oct 27, 2009 - 07:51pm PT
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Chiloe: Yes on your input on tested Chouinard binners!!
In 1973 Bruce Franks, (currently the boss at Asolo/Lowe USA) sold me a rack of Chouinard D's that were stamped tested. He was leaving Moscow Idaho to become the first ever Camp 7 rep and was "lighting his load."
He explained that there had been a recall and test. He sent his batch in and got them back stamped tested: on the gates.
I was not aware of the smaller T test batch.
I suppose this makes any of the original untested Chouinard/Salewa D's from that period: "dangerous and collectable."
Damn! I don't have any!
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Pate
Mountain climber
The Ocean State
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Oct 27, 2009 - 09:46pm PT
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I'm still using a few of those 80s Chouinard Featherweights. When I need a ton of biners those tend to migrate from the bottom of the pile and slip onto the rack. They are incredibly light.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Oct 28, 2009 - 01:04pm PT
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Steve: I can't help you with Eiger history. I got into climbing 1n 1969 and climbing retail in 1973. I used to own one anodized Eiger that I kept with my boating gear.
I do recall that the first Chouinard rep in NW, Dale Day, had previously worked for Eiger and he was a S. Cal. boy. Dale was in Portland, last I knew: reping footwear to shoe stores.
I do have another Robbins binner to add to your photos. This was the solid one stamped 3000 lbs. that came out late 70's. I also have the identical product: stamped Salewa W. Germany on one side and 3000 lbs on the other. Which leads me to believe that Robbins was "private labeling" existing Salewa items. Both weigh 53 grams, while the hollow robbins is 44 grams.
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Tami
Social climber
Vancouver, Canada
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An Eiger biners are junk bump
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Rokjox
Trad climber
Boys I'dunno
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I thought the Eigers were better than the Robbins hollow jobs. They just creaped me out, I never wanted to climb on them.
But I don't climb on wiregates either.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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But I feel so manly when I break them with me bare hands!!!
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Well now-----we (Mr. Grossman & me at least) are still hoping that Lauria or -----------someone-----will tell us about Eiger----the company?
Then we will move brightly on to the "Royal Robbins climbing gear thread."
My favorite Robbins quote from a mid 70's newletter: "This importing stuff is really a can of annelids."
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Nov 13, 2009 - 12:30pm PT
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Took a while to find out more about Eiger USA history. Bruce Franks from Asolo & Lowe finally supplied to me the fact that Eiger USA was owned by Mike Sturm.
As soon as I did the Goggle search on that-----of course I ended up right back at SuperTopo where Ed Bannister had answered the question all the way back in Sept 2009.
From Ed Bannister on this thread;
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/948137/Gear_History_what_did_EB_stand_for
Mike Sturm, who originated the Eiger brand in the US
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 2, 2009 - 01:25pm PT
Mike Sturm was quite a guy, he had Stanley and later his son Peter Brozek in Pasadena make the Eiger and later the Liberty carabiner, what a piece of junk. When I went to work for Liberty as Technical product manager, I had KC Putnam deal with Brozek, I did not want to be associated in any way with that carabiner, and yes, if you still have any, take them off your rack.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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Mar 22, 2010 - 10:09am PT
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I didn't notice that anybody had posted one of
these rarities:
I guess I got my two bucks' worth out of this 'un!
Probably more like $1.25
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Apr 12, 2010 - 09:17pm PT
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I found my missing "highly collectable" Eiger biner. Thought it was on my "river rescue-old biner rack."
Turns out it was hanging with my pitons.
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Apr 12, 2010 - 10:39pm PT
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The locking Eiger carabiners were the bomb! Anyone have any they want to sell? I'll buy them for good money, however much that is I don't know.
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TomCochrane
Trad climber
Boulder Creek CA
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Apr 12, 2010 - 11:11pm PT
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Five Decades
Eigers, Bedayns, Chouinards, SMC, etc; but lost my army steels, Gerry, and Holubar. How about a Bedayn stamped YC that Yvon dropped on me.
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SuperTopo on the Web
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Let us know!