Good bender for 6061-T6 Aircraft tubing.  Oil the bender for best results.  Biggest die is 1.125", hard to find.  Comes with 1" bender.

Nice send Regan!

I was with you on the NA wall last fall.  My partner and I watched from a few pitches above as your jacket went sailing down the wall - square knot musta come undone in the wind.     

Strong work on the BUBS bro! 

First I want to underline my climbing experience since it is a center part of my review focus. In particular regarding the user friendliness of D4 design.

I have climbed since 2008 and have done much in multi pitch climbing, summer and winter. I did my first four true big walls in 2019 (grade 5 and 6 walls), I have had a great year and all four is completed with D4 product. Blåmann in Norway was completed with the octopod and Yosemite I had my D4 full portaledge. I have done one attempt on blåmann 2017 but the wall delivered a bitch slap telling us to go home and toughen up, also bring a better portaledge that is easy to use, especially when you are beaten up...

I have used Black diamond and always found painful to use. 2019 after hearing a friend (who is an engineer) talking about the new bullet design we tested the octapod on Blåmann. The deploying could be completed by one person with no hazel, friction free.., So what happened? on blåmann I did a buyer decision to go for the D4 on my Yosemite trip October 2019.

During my trip in the valley I climbed South face on WC, Lurking fear on El Cap and West face on leaning tower. On all three walls we were a party of three. We shared portaledge on WC and El cap. I admit, it was tight while sleeping but it was not a problem. The D4 size is big enough to sit all three and eat, play music and have a chat without find it unusual tight. Sleeping three is possible if you are prepared for it... had two night where we were only two where I could experience.   

If I would use one word to describe D4, it is "simple" and you want it simple on a big wall, it is hard enough as it is and you just want to enjoy the view , for me who is new to true big wall climbing I could alone assemble and fold it together, a very confident feeling!... This also ment more effective team. We could always fix one pitch before dark as the third person would   prepare camp. Also in the morning two could jugg up to start climb the next pitch as the other was breaking down camp below and prepare to haul.

The haul bag for the portaledge has a great design, it easy easy to roll the portaledge and stuff it in. The haulage has three compartments, one fore the fly, one for the portaged and the "stick" for the fly. The only weak point is, it gets easily worne out. One Washington column dragging on some of the slabbs I managed to ripp holes and it needed duck tape, now I have re-inforced so it is 50/50 silver and orange. Other textile would make it heavier but I might se a bigger problem dragging a portaledge on a slabb tearing holes..


Over all! the D4 is one of my best buys coming to climbing equipment! It gave a lot of confidens! Deploying hands sleeping in it! It has already good reputation, on west face some climbers were asking with excitement if it was the new"! D4 I have already recommended to some here in Sweden that I believe will or already has put an order!

Thanks! Barry and John! Your product is spot on!    

Yes, I think the wall is safer in winter season, specifically on the right part (right from Arch Wall).
BTW, I don't know anything about the new route of Big Andy...
Regarding Polish ascents. Since my solo in winter 2017 the only ascent was in the last summer: Norwegian Route, Gosia Jurewicz & Jozek Soszynski.
I didn't notice any winter ascents since 2017.

cheers

Hi Everyone,

I am big wall climber and soloist. My favorite places: Yosemite, Baffin Island, Troll Wall, Scottish Mountains, Polish Tatras. You can check my FB: https://www.facebook.com/MarekRaganowicz/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Intersted in chatting about walls, stories, people, gear...

Marek