A quickdraw (also known as an extender) is a piece of climbing equipment used by rock and ice climbers to allow the climbing rope to run freely through bolt anchors or other protection while leading. The straight gate carabiner is clipped to the protection; a bent gate is used for the rope. Quickdraws are manufactured with either a solid carabiner gate or a wire carabiner gate for its lighter weight.
During the past few years, while I have been constantly getting better in climbing, I have been tempted to try and test different kind of climbing shoes. My first pair as a beginner was La Sportiva Tarantula, which was a great pair of shoes for my first “baby steps” in the climbing activities. Upon that, I have tried various other models, such as the Anasazi VCS by 5.10 and the Simond Rock+. While I have been extremely happy and satisfied with the Simond Rock+ i wanted to try a pair of shoes a bit more aggressive and upon several months of research, I have decided to get my feet on the Otaki, by La Sportiva.
Is just the second Christmas day and this time we decided to visit for a second time a crag that is located in the region on Argolis, and specifically in the municipality of Ermionida. This crag is rather infamous and is rarely visited due to the difficult approach. This crag is the Rock of Ages.
Rock of Ages, is a nice little cliff in an idyllic setting and highly recommended for those more interested in their surroundings than pushing up their grades. A small ravine with lush vegetation, good rock and varied climbing give a very pleasant day out.
Continue reading “Climbing in Rock of Ages – Ermionida – Argolis – Greece”
In the last few years, the market has been flooded with many new climbing shoes models, and actually many new brands too. In fact, Black Diamond, in the last year developed new series of climbing shoes and amongst others, also developed the Black Diamond Zone.
The Black Diamond Zone are climbing shoes that combine the strengths of the Momentum, comfortable shoes for beginners, to those of the Shadow, the most aggressive shoes of the entire Black Diamond line.
It is therefore an excellent intermediate shoe, with the upper made with Engineered Knit technology: a highly breathable fabric and coated in the places where it is needed. You will therefore have a perfect shoe for prolonged use in the gym but also excellent for the crag: thanks to this technology, in fact, the shirt is thicker in certain points and less in others. In this way, its shape will be very long lasting.
Ermionida is a municipality in the Argolis regional unit, Peloponnese, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Kranidi.
Ermioni is a small fishing town of Ermionida (Argolis) at the east of Peloponnese. The traditional taverns, the cafes, the paved streets, the beautiful houses and the crystal clear beaches around this area are some of the reasons this town is an interesting summer destination of Peloponnese. While travelling around this area you will have the chance to admire the olive and the pine trees and plenty of bays with turquoise water but also plenty of climbing crags.
Continue reading “The Ultimate Guide of Climbing in Ermionida, Argolis – Greece”
We are at the beginning of November, and in Greece we still have splendid weather, actually great conditions for climbing. As I have been visiting the region of Ermioni often, I came to know that besides all the other climbing crags of the region, there is a tiny crag nearby Dardiza developed by Hans and Jeannette Weninger.
Although, I do not see the real point of why having bolted routes on this short crag, I have decided to visit the area and give it a try.
Continue reading “Climbing in Dardiza – Ermioni – Argolis | Greece”
Here in Greece, the weather condition (mid October) is still really nice and warm and while we are waiting for the first cold days and the first snows on the high peaks of Greece, we decided to go for some sport climbing in a superb location general and multi-pitch climbing, in Leonidio.
The first day, we visited Douvari Sector, which offers plenty of routes on various degrees of difficulty, but the second day, we have visited for first time, perhaps the nicest sport climbing crag I have ever been, the Mini Canyon Sector.
Continue reading “Climbing in Leonidio – Sector Mini Canyon”
A quickdraw (also known as an extender) is a piece of climbing equipment used by rock and ice climbers to allow the climbing rope to run freely through bolt anchors or other protection while leading. The straight gate carabiner is clipped to the protection; a bent gate is used for the rope. Quickdraws are manufactured with either a solid carabiner gate or a wire carabiner gate for its lighter weight.
Continue reading “Climbing Technology – Lime Quick Draw Long Term Review”
In this blog, besides all my outdoor activities, I also do some gear reviews of gear and equipment I personally use and have used. One of the most essential pieces of gears for climbing and mountaineering activities is a harness. In the past, I have done a preview of the Petzl Altitude Harness and this time I will do a full length and long term review of the climbing harness by Mammut, the Ophir Speedfit.
Ever since I started my outdoor adventures, and especially climbing, I was always excited to repeat famous climbing routes that were first ascended by legendary greek and not only climbers.
All these years, I have been on several mountain peaks and lakes, I have climbed traditional routes, I’ve pushed my limits in sport climbing, I trained in Dry Tooling and of course I have done my favourite -of all- activity, winter mountaineering.
Having acquired all the knowledge (via dedicated mountaineering and climbing schools) and extensive experience (via the expeditions I have participated), it was about time to have a first ascent too.
Continue reading “Monsters of the Wind | Climbing the South-West Ridge of Mount Ortholithi”
