DIY Pack Wheel for heavy gear

[Dan Cobb]

We were discussing these things over in rec climbing in a thread about climbing without a lanyard to save gear weight,...

...I have used mine with as much as a hundred pounds of rope and gear several times, when I had to hike quite a ways to a tree.

...my big DeWalt drill off my DIY modded RollGliss power ascender.

If you're rec climbing, a hundred pounds of gear seems insane. I'm not a rec tree climber, but a power ascender seems out of place in my vision of rec climbing.

Have you tried putting together a lightweight package for rec climbing that you can comfortably backpack? Do you have a good backpack that puts the load on your hips rather than your shoulders?

I tend to be a "bring the kitchen sink, and don't forget the garbage disposal, either" kind of guy, but I don't have a problem keeping things lightweight when going on vertical caving trips. You don't want a heavy pack if you also have to tote a lot of rope. (For caving, it's customary to coil ropes and wear them over one shoulder, cross body, as the rope(s) are not going to fit in a pack.)

 

[Burrapeg]

If you're rec climbing, a hundred pounds of gear seems insane. I'm not a rec tree climber, but a power ascender seems out of place in my vision of rec climbing. . .

Well, the load often includes a fairly sizable thermos of coffee, as well as a picnic lunch, and sometimes gear for two. At times even a bottle of wine and dessert if a certain friend is along. As to the power ascender, it makes the trip occasionally if I want to demo it for someone, but otherwise it usually stays home. However, at almost 70 in a few months, the day may not be far off when that is the way I will be able to keep climbing. I do have a minimal setup that fits in a backpack, if I know the particular tree I am headed to. But if not, then a slightly wider assortment of possible gear configs is sometimes needed.

 

[Dan Cobb]

Well, the load often includes a fairly sizable thermos of coffee, as well as a picnic lunch, and sometimes gear for two. At times even a bottle of wine and dessert if a certain friend is along. As to the power ascender, it makes the trip occasionally if I want to demo it for someone, but otherwise it usually stays home. However, at almost 70 in a few months, the day may not be far off when that is the way I will be able to keep climbing. I do have a minimal setup that fits in a backpack, if I know the particular tree I am headed to. But if not, then a slightly wider assortment of possible gear configs is sometimes needed.

Maybe @Winchman will share his secrets with you.

I can still do everything I did in my younger days, although it may take more grunting and groaning now.

P.S. If you have to trim weight, keep the coffee, ditch the lanyard.

Also, "certain friend"? I get your drift!

 

[SeanRuel]

This thread got wild since I last saw it

Myself, I've always been curious about these....

View attachment 84814

There was one of those at the camp on our last island job. I kept eyeballing it- finally decided to use it to shuttle gear to the barge landing- 2 trips maybe 1200 feet total travel ate up over 1/4 of the charge

They also move at a slower walking pace than I'd have liked, but beats carrying by hand

You'd need a lot of batteries to use it consistently through a day

 

[Winchman]

I try to park close to where I'm climbing. However, on the two times I've had to pack gear, I used a lightweight hand truck with a 30-gallon trash can bungeed to it. It'll stand up by itself, and I can pull it behind me with one hand.

 

[Pinhead Squirrel]

 

[Dan Cobb]

View attachment 84922

Wrap a short prusik on each handle and clip to your side D rings, letting it trail behind you? Or maybe just stick the handles in your side D rings if they'll fit.

 

[Pinhead Squirrel]

Wrap a short prusik on each handle and clip to your side D rings, letting it trail behind you? Or maybe just stick the handles in your side D rings if they'll fit.

That's a smashing idea , Dan
It really shows how smart you are !!

Or prusiks to the handles then in between the handles run the rope thru the plastic pipe.
Or heat it up entire one piece of plastic pipe then bend them to appropriate shape , also heat up both end and expand & flair it's diameter to fit into both handles .

Or simply weld the steel pipe to the both handles .

It's that's a one good push & pull cart it's gonna be !

 

[Winchman]

Mines weighs in at twenty pounds. Lowes had it on sale for $25 years ago, it's $99 now. The ad says it's good for 800 pounds, so I guess I'm all set for the next time I need to move my 750-pound lathe.

 

[Pinhead Squirrel]

Mines weighs in at twenty pounds. Lowes had it on sale for $25 years ago, it's $99 now. The ad says it's good for 800 pounds, so I guess I'm all set for the next time I need to move my 750-pound lathe.
View attachment 84929View attachment 84932

Get it from harbor freight . It's damn cheap there.
But who is going to move lath with only an dolly ? Can be done but I wouldn't recommend it . You do need ratcheting tie down to secure the load then maybe LoL

 

[Bart_]

Is that 3 wheel Makita wheelbarrow a whirring, gear reduced noisy machine? There's a guy in BC at Grin Technologies who stuck a hub drive on a wheelbarrow citing it's primary advantage as going uphill. But he's $$ components. The Dewalt option is probably out because of excessive gear noise.

 

[Pinhead Squirrel]

Is that 3 wheel Makita wheelbarrow a whirring, gear reduced noisy machine? There's a guy in BC at Grin Technologies who stuck a hub drive on a wheelbarrow citing it's primary advantage as going uphill. But he's $$ components. The Dewalt option is probably out because of excessive gear noise.

LoL I would like to see someone paid such a high price tag for it using an motorized wheelbarrow to just to carry a climbing equipments . ...LMAO

KRAZY foo .

LoL

Funny thing is that as you can see it on a video , that Makita thingy is ultra quiet.

Maybe I'll tore it up and use that motor with DIY belt drive system for as an ascender's motor. Better than any motorized ascenders in market . Better than Military purpose one even it might be . Mark this today's date . It might be coming out soon by me or this idea gets stolen by shady ASF Foos . LMAO

 

[SeanRuel]

Is that 3 wheel Makita wheelbarrow a whirring, gear reduced noisy machine?

I didn't think it was noisy, but I leave my ear pro clicked down pretty much all day ymmv

 

[Pinhead Squirrel]

How ' bout... 2 in 1 device like this ?
You can use it to carry your gears and also move some logs.

Btw, Tree Stuff "Nick Bonner" is such a Nice guy !

 

[SingleJack]

Variation on a theme:

 

[Pinhead Squirrel]

Variation on a theme:

Actually, that's looks much more close to realistic style approach to my eyes. Instead of being an too arrogant & waay " high " up in a head . LoL

 

[Pinhead Squirrel]

Then , this one was enough from the get go . LMAO

 

[Pinhead Squirrel]

Well then , I guess those Cambodian people are literally coming up in a game it seems like...

Here , Even the Cambodian people using that Makita Wheel Burrows .. this situation makes me think ... What's up with that Orange Fu*%face Von Clownstick with White frame make America great again Pack wheel....