you have never seen a big bro?

not if used properly, on both counts...go with the 2x4's I guess or bolt the wall up

or consider learning how to properly set a big bro...and with one hand....such experience and knowledge will come in handy with big off width routes

Big Bros are spring loaded. If you can eye a placement and hang out long enough to place one, you can set it with one hand. Just set the extending side of the big bro on one side of the crack, press the trigger, and hold onto the Big Bro and guide the tube to its bearing on the other side of the crack. Spring tension should hold it somewhat in place if you still need to readjust the piece. Once in place, it will stay there as you scroll the wring lock tight - that or you can scroll it tight while still holding on to it. Any testing of the piece's security can then be done with your free arm.

Aren't you glad you don't need to use this? These probably aren't even big enough



Although, it may be a better option considering the price of the aforementioned Big Bros- $69 - $150

That is a hefty pricetag for one piece, although it is nice that Trango is sending the (dead) designer's royalties to his daughter's college fund.

Unfortunately Valley Giants cams only go up to 305cm (12") which would be a good but even more expensive (at $250 a piece for the largest). I'd go with Big Bro's then

I wouldn't trust any piece of wood hammered in with an ice axe. I think I'd be tempted to use a home made tube chock before resorting to wood, or just get solid on your offwidth.

CClaude wrote:Unfortunately Valley Giants cams only go up to 305cm (12") which would be a good but even more expensive (at $250 a piece for the largest). I'd go with Big Bro's then

Tom Kasper made a #16 Valley Giant specially for one customer. It's pictured on his website along with a plywood version that he made and used for aid on El Cap. I've cleaned the #12 following an easy free pitch. Clipped to my harness the thing was ridiculously huge, heavy and awkward, even collapsed. I just can't imagine carrying a 16" cam on lead, unless I was aiding and it was the only way.



http://www.valleygiant.com/VGhistory.html

Have you seen this? No personal experiense with it though...

40cm? Is it consistent in width? I'm not a climber, but I've seen other non-climbers chimney up 16" cracks with parallel walls, no gear. Tough if you hit a constriction, or have a wide chest.

The only pic I could find right away (tougher when it is dead vertical):

Nikolas_A wrote:Have you seen this? No personal experiense with it though...

They may only make sense as a piece to leave every so often. The three pieces cover the same range as Black Diamond Camalots (sizes 5 and 6). But with cams, you can walk them up the crack as you climb (as sort of moving pro)

I was curious, so I checked. You would need the #5 big bro, ~$180 US each, > 500 g each. If the crack is really 40 cm... if it's > 46 cm, you are out of luck with the big bro.

Recommendation for 16" chimneys: knee pads.

If it's that hard to get gear, I would just get some hardwood, bevel it a bit on each end and then stick those ends down as you pound it in. Like you said, you may look crazy, but wood is very strong when you use it the right way

MoapaPk wrote:Recommendation for 16" chimneys: knee pads.

16" is not a crack or OW. It is a squeeze chimney.
How certain of the rating are you if it hasn't been climbed?

How is the geometric form & such? This matters a lot regarding my suggestion, as some cracks are hard to fall out of, even if they are very hard to climb up.

I just checked that size for myself and thought about some of the chimney sizes that I've climbed in Yosemite. If this 16" is not an overhanging slot, not extremely flared & you can get all the way inside and have proportions at all similar to me (I'm 5'9"), then I'd say your body is your pro! Don't bother worrying about anything else as you are completely solid in there as long as you know proper chimney technique!

If your climb is at all like old school Yosemite 5.7-5.8, then I'd say develop technique such that you don't need pro.

First pitch of Doggie Diversions is 40' or so of 5.7 chimneying at about 16" and while I wouldn't solo many low 5th class routes, I'm happy as a clam in here without any pro for the pitch:



No pro was placed, but rope was trailed to belay my follower.


Third pitch of Flatus was another 30-40' 5.7 chimney. The piece I have below me here was the only one for the pitch, about 20' up and very optional (it was there & I had to traverse around a chockstone, so I might as well)


5.6 Chimney in the Caverns, trailing a pack. No pro in here for about 50 ft of horizontal & 30 ft of vertical chimneying.


More of the Caverns Chimney with no pro yet, but plenty solid.


5.7 chimney on Desperate Straights. A very small cam was below me here, the entry was closer to 8", gradually to 9-10", and was cruiser at 16" where I could no longer fall out. Went about 40' to first piece of pro once starting the wide.


The Remnant, Right (5.7) also starts more like 30" and tapers to about 9". No pro for the first 20' or so on this one, but totally solid.


Of course 16" is also sort of the size of the wider part of the flare on Ahab (5.10b, or 6b), although it quickly tapers to about 10" where your crotch is, and about 7" deeper inside, so you can't fit inside very well and it leans out, so you can fall out very easily, so on that one I would want pro! However, many climbers have led it fine without gear larger than 6". One solution for climbing this one solidly, I hear, is doing what is called the SideWinder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOr8CCip2fs#t=1m27s

as before mentioned, that is a squeeze chimney....I personally would be comfortable soloing it (we do it all the time...not an exceptional thing)...taking some regular small to medium gear in case I get a few crack feature opportunities inside