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• QC Lab: Old vs. New Gear Testing

  KP and the QC Lab crew answer four consumer questions about the strength of old, new, and old-new (yeah that’s a thing) gear. Mehr erfahren >

• QC LAB: Gear Doesn't Last Forever – CRAMPONS

  Our QA engineers take a look at the realistic life span of a crampon. Mehr erfahren >

• QC LAB: Gear Doesn't Last Forever - SLINGS and QUICKDRAWS

  This month, KP and the crew present Part III of their Gear Doesn't Last Forever series (check out Part I and Part II), where they investigate the complex world of slings and quickdraws. Enjoy. Mehr erfahren >

• QC LAB: Gear Doesn't Last Forever—Ice Tool Picks

  This month is first part of a series the QA engineers are doing on gear lifespan. Gear, no matter how well designed and constructed, doesn't last forever. First off, they'll focus on ice tool picks. Mehr erfahren >

• QC Lab: Girth Hitching a Stopper

  In this post, KP weighs in on a weird one, but curious nonetheless. What happens when you girth hitch a stopper to a bolt hanger? Mehr erfahren >

• QC Lab: How Sketchy Is a Sharp-Edged Carabiner?

  I've yanked a lot of worn, sharp-edged biners off of routes, and I've tested a lot of them. It's not the ultimate strength that makes me the most nervous; it's the risk of cutting a rope. Mehr erfahren >

• QC Lab: How strong are Himalayan fixed lines?

  Our QC Lab posts aim to answer some of climbing's most common gear-related questions. This month features fixed ropes from the Himalayas. Mehr erfahren >

• QC Lab: The Electric Harness Acid Test

  This month, the Quality crew investigates a mysterious harness failure and dives into the effects of chemical contamination on climbing textiles. Mehr erfahren >

• QC Lab: Autoblock Misuse

  Lately I've been getting quite a few questions on the use of the Black Diamond ATC-Guide and/or similar "autoblock"-style belay devices—and another installment of QC with KP was born. Mehr erfahren >

• QC LAB: Can a hot belay device melt my rappel slings?

  Our QC Lab posts aim to answer some of climbing's most common gear-related questions. This month—how hot do belay devices really get? Mehr erfahren >

• QC Lab: Can I Use a Sharpie to Mark the Middle of my Rope?

  Here's the question I get asked/emailed probably more than any other: "Can I use a Sharpie to mark the middle of my rope? "My answer: "I don't know." Mehr erfahren >

• QC LAB: Choosing the Right Tool for the Job - Carabiners

  Our QC Lab posts aim to answer some of climbing's most common gear-related questions. This month we talk about carabiners. Mehr erfahren >

• QC Lab: Connecting Two Slings Together

  Our QC Lab posts aim to answer some of climbing's most common gear-related questions. This month we talk about connecting slings. Mehr erfahren >

• QC LAB: Daisy chain dangers

  I see it all the time. People at the cliff with one or two daisy chains girth hitched to their belay loop or tie-in points, and using them as a personal anchor system when at an anchor. Wrong. Mehr erfahren >

• QC Lab: Risiken von durch Seilreibung eingeschliffenen Karabinern

  There was an accident a few weeks ago at the Red River Gorge where a climber fell going to the second bolt and the rope was cut completely through by the fixed draw's sharp-edged, rope-end carabiner. Mehr erfahren >

• QC Lab: Draws in a Gym

  As you know, I've tested many fixed quickdraws from sport routes from all over the country. A while ago a gym owner asked me about replacing draws at a gym and how they compare to draws outside. Mehr erfahren >