8 Responses to “FSTV Episode 3 – Arctic Ascent”

1. iggy says:

   January 24, 2019 at 05:55

   for all the latest tactical gear most of the climbing gear is over a decade out of date (leashes…you gotta be kidding), and yeah, maybe they are pro shooters but the climbing skill level is pretty bad.
   but it sure looks cool to the uninitiated.

   • jellydonut says:

     January 24, 2019 at 09:12

     Just like everything else, you can’t specialize. You can learn enough of one thing to do it, to have proficiency, and then move on to another thing. If you decide to specialize, everything else suffers.

     Good article on the subject: https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/skill-development-when-are-you-good-enough

   • corsair says:

     January 24, 2019 at 16:47

     While this clip looked like a bunch of first timers to ice climbing (lots of bad/beginner technique), it’s good to see outdoor skills get emphasized. While shooting is important (and fun), many times there’s an over emphasis and it’s to the detriment to other important skill sets.

     Need to see more guys on skis and less on snowshoes. With the mountain variety we have in the states, backcountry ski skills need to be emphasized. Used to see lots of USMC from Mtn Warfare School at Kirkwood and Mammoth skiing on their white rockets, looking like giraffes on ice skates coming down the mountain. Not so much any more.

   • chooch says:

     January 24, 2019 at 21:27

     Mr. Leashless, please initiate us….
     This is an ad by some folks who make clothing and some soft goods…I’m pretty damned sure they are doing this as eye candy to show the gear in the environment, not demonstrating TTP’s. I’m even more sure they realize that tactical water ice climbing is probably one of the least likely things to be done in a real world environment outside rescue work (e.g. Jack Tackle in AK range by Pararescue). Still, I’d love to hear about some of your FA’s, lemme guess, you’re the guy who did Latok I North Ridge in winter in his fuzzy bunny slippers.

2. Ray Forest says:

   January 24, 2019 at 11:54

   It’s cool but all I could think was that the production cost of that was not commensurate with its “sales power” for the individual products represented.

   • jellydonut says:

     January 24, 2019 at 13:16

     I would have liked to have seen more. The thumbnail looks awesome but the footage appears to just be First Spear folks renting some ice climbing gear and doing one wall of ice, then abseiling it.

     Note the plastic double boot with the size written on it in marker – doesn’t look like someone’s personal gear.

     • Lasse says:

       January 24, 2019 at 16:44

       If you want to watch professionals climb ice then there are better videos on Youtube. 99,9% of the time it won’t include tac gear or guns though.

       And it’s pretty clear for anyone who has ever climbed that these guys aren’t masters of ice climbing. Which makes sense since the words spoken in the video made it fairly obvious that they hadn’t done it before.

       • jellydonut says:

         January 24, 2019 at 17:06

         I’m honestly more interested in watching people that are professional in other areas learning it, as I want to get into it myself and I’d get more out of that than watching the hardcore climbing nerds and their bizarre terminology and adrenaline chasing.