Fuse, Chaos & TC Pro – Where Are They Now?

Much like a rising a rock star, new gear comes out of the box all shiny and ready to take on the world, but over time is worn down by the stress of performing well, and usually ends up a shell of it’s former self, relegated to the bottom of the gear bin. Something we feel strongly about here at SplitterChoss.com is finding gear that not only works well out of the box (most does), but that holds up over time and gives lasting value. As such, this is the start of a new column that will look at the gear we’ve been using for an extended period of time and find out, just like those beat-up rock stars, where are they now?

Petzl Fuse Rope

This was our first “skinny” cord, and our main rope over the course of the last year. It saw time at City of Rocks, Red Rocks, the Black Canyon, Indian Creek, and many more. This is the smallest diameter cord we’ve ever owned, and after a year of use, I’ve fallen in love with skinny ropes. Even a 9.8 feels like a fat cable after using this thing. Aside from the City of Rocks trip, where the rough granite fuzzed out the sheath quite a bit, this rope has held up really well. It still feels reasonably good, and hasn’t developed any major problem areas. We’re getting a new cord for the new climbing season, but I’ll still continue to use this as a second tier rope for top roping, easy routes, etc. As a side note, we mostly use it with our Cinch, but I’m sure many folks just use a Gri Gri.

Black Diamond Chaos Harness

This is hands down my favorite harness. I’ve recently spent a lot of time hanging on ropes for extended setting sessions at the local gym, and it never ceases to amaze me how comfy it is. It’s light as well, and as my first harness with the pre-double backed buckle, I’ve come to really dig this feature. It’s one less thing you have to worry about in the safety chain, and in my book that’s a good thing. I figure I’ll probably get another year out of it before replacing it with another one.

La Sportiva TC Pro

These have become my favorite pair of shoes, second only to the mighty Muira. Apparently Tommy Caldwell and I have similarly shaped feet, because these feel like they were designed just for me. Every time I slip them on it puts a smile on my face. Now that they are broken in well, they not only edge like fiends, but are great for just about every thing else. I recently climbed a bunch of routes that required techy footwork, and these performed flawlessly. I hope they never get rid of these shoes.