Lending library for Bigwall gear?

Yo Gang,

Just in the research and exploratory phases here, but one of my goals with yosemitebigwall.com forever has been to create a lending library of bigwall stuff that doesn't get too trashed: Big cams, pins, ascenders, drills, hooks, heads (just pay for what you use), Double gear sling, hammers, etc.

I don't have any idea of how it would work best: if it should be a club you join for one-time $10-$20 fee for database maintenance and then you could 'borrow' the gear for a credit card deposit, just pay shipping? Or maybe do an online fundraising campaign to get it started with cash and gear donations and then just see where it goes? Brainstorm some ideas with me of how this might look.

I know from talking with many, many new bigwall climbers each year that the cost of the equipment skyrocketing as it has been makes it difficult for folks. Not having the right rack, because they spent all their money on ascenders,haulbags,etc, causes folks to nail when they could use an offset cam, so this is an impact issue as well. (if you don't think this is an issue follow a european team around the Valley sometime--nearly all of them nail way more than americans).

I hope our recent publication of the Complete Guide will dissuade anyone from worrying here that the cliffs will be overrun with newbies--like my friends at the weight room always said 'at the end of the day 50 lbs is still 50 lbs' ;)

Woot!
erik
erik@yosemitebigwall.com

Erik, I think this is a great idea, especially someone like myself who is looking to get into some big wall climbs.

- Maybe no first time fee for joining members, just donation based, or some small advertising.
- IMO deposit would work great for hard goods, may need small fee for soft goods (gear slings, haul bags, ledges, etc) + deposit.
- I'm sure people would donate their used hard goods
- Not sure how much responsibility the lending library would have if an accident were to occur.

Just some thoughts

Where are you located? I think a lot of people, especially Europeans would like to mail you the gear than paying airline luggage fee, no?

I LOVE IT!! I LOVE IT!! I LOVE IT!!
One of my biggest problems doing walls besides finding partners that appreciate the suffering is getting the proper rack together.

Seems a lot like a gear coop. Isn't there a gear coop in Berkeley somewhere? That me a good model for something like this to follow.

Annual Membership fee + (gear fee * days of use) + deposit
membership gives access, deposit covers possible damages, and the actual gear/day cost covers shipping and other "library" expenses.

I've got a few routes on my list that i would love to do this season and test out the "Library"

Do you have a thread about this on yosemitebigwall.com ?

Great idea. I think yearly dues makes the most sense.

Waht ever happened to the good old spend some time and make some friends in Camp 4?

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I googled Berkeley Gear Coop and couldn't find anything.

I was thinking maybe a yearly thing too, because most folks are only into bigwall climbing for a couple years. So like $10/year(or $40-50 for 30 years) and then the price of the rental, say $5/week for hammer, pins, gear sling $20 haulbag, Free - drill, pooptube

If anyone knows of any gear coops, even ones that share other types of gear, it would be awesome to see how this model is working somewhere in the world.

Keep it comin! Woot!
e

ps. Someone asked if I had this posted on yosemitebigwall.com. I don't have a forum on my site yet because it is another costly feature, and I'm more interested in things like this lending library. What my site does have is a cool Summit Register where you can write about and log each of your bigwall ascents. Once you log an ascent, a chronological list of all your climbs is created in your profile. So you can go to the Summit Register and click on a person's name and see all the routes they've done. Check it out!

yosemitebigwall.com/summit-…

This website started around Boston and is picking up speed. No reason why you couldn't upload your extra rack pieces and see what happens!

It only works if people use it: gearcommons.com/

that gear commons is pretty cool.

Will there be a home base that gear could be picked up from?
Could be a hostel outside the park for visitors to crash before a wall.

Gorrilla camping is getting pretty sketch these days in the valley proper. (read multiple tool encounters)

Like Yosemite bug, but the Yosemite Big Wall Bug!

I really like the idea. For someone who knows more about these things than I do, what sort of liability would be associated with something like this?

Pay as you rent or a yearly cap rental fee. Theres a wide range of climbers, but I can certainly tell you that no one is going to be happy to pay an expensive yearly fee if all they need is two ascenders a hammer and a haul bag. Would make sense to expand the service to have a wide range of options to maximize customer happiness and profit.

Good points. I lived in the Valley for 10 years, but now live in Colorado. But am a family man now so more responsible and able to ship things ;)

I agree that the best would be to just have a cheap rental fee, with a deposit for the gear until you return it ala a rental car. I'm in a better position to do that as I'll be accepting payments for the book on the website, so it will be easier to have credit card processing, ect.

I probably know 200 people who have complete aid racks, haulbags, portaledges sitting in their closets right now. I was talking to Tom Frost today and he applauded the effort. He agreed that some of that stuff 'lasts forever'.

Keep up the great ideas.