April 26, 2014

Dr. J's Dodgy Elbows

Rock climbing season is upon us in most of the US. For many climbers that means it's time to aggravate old injuries. Everyone says that elbows are the most common body part to suffer from a climbing overuse injury and that certainly seems to be the case in the Eastern Sierra right now. I must know at least four climbers who are currently complaining about their elbows, some of tendonitis, some of tendonosis.

A great resource for climbers who are suffering from or looking to prevent these types of injuries is this article from the website of Dr. Julian Saunders, an Osteopath and former sponsored climber. He explains what tendonosis and tendonitis are, what causes them, and what to do about it. As a bonus, his writing is also kinda funny.

April 4, 2014

Repairing Holes in Packs and Pants

I can rarely escape a season of ice climbing without some damage to my climbing pants. Crampons are not kind to soft shell gear (or hard shell gear for that matter). Jackets and backpacks receive similar rough treatment from rough alpine granite in the summer.

Some duct tape fixes the damage on the spot, but usually doesn't last and often leaves behind some adhesive. Tenacious Tape will last quite a bit longer (including multiple trips through the laundry) but isn't particularly abrasion or cut resistant. 

The best long-term fix I've discovered is Seam Grip. It comes in a 1oz. tube and can be found at any halfway decent gear shop.