Omega pacific is back, y’all

One of the best wall hammers ever made. At least for cleaning new routes. 

Tyler Stockdale wrote:

 Anyone have any specific omega items that they love?

Used to like using their SBG belay device.   http://www.verticalmuseum.com/VerticalDevicesPage/Belay/BelayTubePages/BelayTube0755.php

PTR wrote:

Used to like using their SBG belay device.   http://www.verticalmuseum.com/VerticalDevicesPage/Belay/BelayTubePages/BelayTube0755.php

Gotta say, it definitely looks cool! Looks like an early version of the Kong Ghost device.

Tyler Stockdale wrote:

Gotta say, it definitely looks cool! Looks like an early version of the Kong Ghost device.

That is a great device for super smooth rappels, consistent from start to finish.  Four different friction options. 

Tyler Stockdale wrote:

Hell yeah! Make cams explode again!

Cams by Michael Bay

Greg D wrote:

That is a great device for super smooth rappels, consistent from start to finish.  Four different friction options. 

I've been wondering about it! Might have to order one to check it out sometime.

Lol wtf I haven't been a guide in years bud. I have used link cams no doubt, not an experience I cared for but hey you do you man.

Crimpin, glad to see someone else who likes link cams. I have a set, and for route with gear anchors, I tend to save them so I don’t have to worry about not having the right size gear at the end of a pitch. On routes with bolted anchors I use them during the climb. I have fallen on all of them, no problems with them, and I fall a lot on gear because I enjoy climbing at my physical limit.  I have had them for so long I even replaced the slings on them. I have both a set of link cams and a set of ultralights on my rack though I wouldn’t have bought the ultralights if I had known their lifespan was only 10 years, but that is a whole another discussion.

So yeah, I would be stocked if they decided to sell a second generation link cams with improved features. 

like not exploding... 

Graham Johnson wrote:

I always liked their carabiners. Nothing sketchy about them. Even used their ice screws for a while as a budget option. My very first carabiners were op (JC) that I got at EMS on the upper west side. Still have a few! 

Really?

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2018/Omega-Pacific-Recalls-Carabiners-Due-to-Risk-of-Injury-or-Death#:~:text=The%202%2Ddigit%20lot%20code,replacement%20or%20a%20full%20refund

https://www.climbing.com/news/omega-pacific-notice-of-voluntary-recall/

Andy Bennett wrote:

Really?

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2018/Omega-Pacific-Recalls-Carabiners-Due-to-Risk-of-Injury-or-Death#:~:text=The%202%2Ddigit%20lot%20code,replacement%20or%20a%20full%20refund

https://www.climbing.com/news/omega-pacific-notice-of-voluntary-recall/

"Omega Pacific is voluntary recalling a small percentage of Five-O Screwgate locking carabiners built between November and December of 2004"

Not a great example if you were looking to shit on ALL their carabiners.

Just a cursory search will show similar results for just about every brand.
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2016/Black-Diamond-Recalls-to-Inspect-Carabiners
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2006/petzl-america-recalls-climbing-equipment-due-to-fall-hazard
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2011/photon-climbing-carabiners-and-quickdraws-recalled-due-to-risk-of-injury

What does one actually buy when purchasing a defunct and long out-of-business company? Some CAD drawings? Maybe some product laying around? Some old customer and supplier records?: The actual logo, the brand itself. 

Not much else, probably? 

Cherokee Nunes wrote:

What does one actually buy when purchasing a defunct and long out-of-business company? Some CAD drawings? Maybe some product laying around? Some old customer and supplier records?: The actual logo, the brand itself. 

Not much else, probably? 

That’s right.  You can add the tools to your list. Probably did not cost much for a brand which amazingly seemed to penetrate those gear shops which weirdly carried only BD’s whole line and OP link cams. 

Tyler Stockdale wrote:

Not a great example if you were looking to shit on ALL their carabiners.

Just a cursory search will show similar results for just about every brand.
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2016/Black-Diamond-Recalls-to-Inspect-Carabiners
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2006/petzl-america-recalls-climbing-equipment-due-to-fall-hazard
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2011/photon-climbing-carabiners-and-quickdraws-recalled-due-to-risk-of-injury

No, not the best I could do. In my 22 years of climbing, however, I do remember hearing about OP recalls more often than most other manufacturers, and especially for their carabiners. 

Tyler Stockdale wrote:

 Anyone have any specific omega items that they love?

Their last generation ice screws (the gold ones) performed as well if not better than anything else at the time.  When they were sold off at $30 it was a bargain unlike any other.

Good new everybody!

The machined, aluminum rap rings Omega Pacific made are second to only the welded stainless ones, but the O.P. ones are a heck of a lot lighter. I'd be happy to see those back on shelves. I've also bootied several very nice carabiners from them. They made some weird stuff, stuff I probably wouldn't use, but I like seeing the strange, fringe-hardware in the climbing world. 

Cherokee Nunes wrote:

What does one actually buy when purchasing a defunct and long out-of-business company? Some CAD drawings? Maybe some product laying around? Some old customer and supplier records?: The actual logo, the brand itself. 

Not much else, probably?

You forgot exploding cams!

Andy Bennett wrote:

No, not the best I could do. In my 22 years of climbing, however, I do remember hearing about OP recalls more often than most other manufacturers, and especially for their carabiners.

I could see that! They definitely have a reputation, and I admittedly have not been around long enough to have seen many of the OP recalls. 

It just made me laugh to read about a single batch of carabiners made in a month way back in 2006 :)

crimping. 40 years of climbing and i know damn well that stuff happens and cams don't always sit just perfectly and sometimes they shift. especially when folks are at their limit. haveing a complex piece of gear in the system that relies on one tiny pin to stay together and has a history of exploding is not in my playbook.