D4 Big Wall Gear Update

…winding down Australian production…

It has been a great process these past four years designing new portaledges and creating small production batches to continuously improve and innovate the portable ledges (portaledges) used for climbing and other purposes. However, it has gotten too complex to expand production, as designing and producing high tech outdoor goods, where the materials need to be imported, and the product mostly exported, is challenging.

The good news is that everything learned here, along with expert feedback from climbers all over the world, is available online at bigwalls.net, and as things progress I plan to create a more clear manual on how to design and produce high quality portaledges.

So it’s very unlikely I will have more D4 Delta2p’s for sale from Australia, as I am working on a final production batch, and most of these have already been spoken for. I can and will continue to make custom portaledges upon request for expeditions that really need an advanced tool, and currently have two Delta3p’s available, and am planning to supply these to cutting-edge expeditions that need the most robust and functional three-person single point hanging tent system possible. If interested, please email deuce4@bigwalls.net

I plan to work on my writing again, and hope to first revise a long article I originally wrote for Ascent, 1999. I have shared this mail list with my Substack blog, here is the link: https://bigwalls.substack.com/p/coming-soon?r=bftho&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&utm_source=copy

Thank you again for your interest in my design work, it has been a pleasure.

Kind Regards, John Middendorf

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Batch of six D4 Delta2p’s all boxed up and ready to go!

We have just completed six D4 Delta2p ready-to-go prototypes.

There has been a lot of interest, so availability is as follows:

1. Loyalty offer: $1275 USD shipped.

   If you have bought a D4 portaledge before (I.e, from our original Kickstarter, Durango Sewing Solutions, Runout Customs, or from our Tasmania prototype shop, the price for a new Delta2p is $1275 shipped anywhere in the world from our Tasmania shop. Contact John at deuce4@bigwalls.net if you are interested in this offer (or just respond to this email).

2. Expedition discount 10-15% off

   If you are going on an expedition 2021, we offer a significant discount (10-15%) off the retail price—email John at deuce4@bigwalls.net with details by March 1. We are looking to receive feedback and photos with this offer, such as Chuan’s in the Sichuan (below) who reports, “The most wonderful ledge ever”.

3. Retail on Bigwallgear.com $1825 AUD plus shipping.

   The Delta2p will be posted on the D4 Shop page next week.

Building this batch of Delta2p’s has been a team effort in our Tasmania shedworks, with Anna and Hannah and Carl doing the excellent patterning and sewing, Simon and Alex mastering the tube bending, and Danny helping with the final assembly and QC. There is a ton of work in these, and as they are a new revolutionary big wall portaledge design, it is important to read the manual, seam seal the ledge prior to use, and practice on the ground. Once, done, you will find, as Pete has in his great review posted on the Facebook Big Walls Forum, that it is the best design for vertical camping ever. Or, as Ryan says, “So much easier to belay with your head away from the wall. Worth the price of the ledge on its own. A whole new perspective cantilevered out like this”.

See the Delta2p page on BigWallGear.com for more details (design info also on bigwalls.net)

P.S. We are also near completing work on a limited-edition Delta3p. These will not be cheap, as have required specialised tools for the larger 35mm curved tubes (and precision bent by Malcolm and team), and are BIG! (see @bigwalldeuce on Instagram for the building and the finished first prototype for more details). Price/cost still unknown, as development is ongoing.

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D4 Delta2p Portaledge Available now!

It’s Tasmania Summer, and the climber/crafters are back in town! Climbers crafting Delta2p ledges for climbers.

Order at the BigWallGear D4 Shop Page

Currently we have four D4 Delta2p’s in stock, and we plan to make seven more by the end of the month. These had crafted portaledges, made by climbers, for climbers. This current John Middendorf design (a designer of state-of-the-art portaledges for over 35 years—see Wikipedia) incorporates many new innovations leading to a truly revolutionary portaledge. The design fulfils the designer’s long-term dream and is the result of years of tinkering in a Tasmanian shed to create the world’s next-gen portaledge (read the original Business Insider article from 2017 which set out this goal). The Delta2p design has already been used on cutting-edge high altitude remote big walls, as well as extensive use (and abuse) on the hard granite of Yosemite and other big wall areas, and all feedback has been clear: this is truly the best portaledge ever, and the way portaledges should have been made all along.

As we cut no corners, use the best materials, and take the time to ensure every aspect of the ledge is top quality, these hand-crafted portaledges go pretty quick, so if you are interested in one, please order soon. If you see the order button change to “out-of-stock”, please email and I can give you a bit of advance warning for the next batch if you have specific plans this spring. I do offer up to a 15% discount to friends as well as big wall (or tree) climbers who are planning trips in the very near future, who can provide photos and feedback—email me at deuce4@bigwalls.net with your plans and we will see what we can do.

Exciting news includes further testing in some of the world’s more remote places, as well as extensive use in the important aerial protests taking place in Tasmania and other places in Australia to preserve the dwindling native forests so our children, and our children’s children, can still see some of the most amazing and unique ecosystems on Earth. It turns out the cantilevered delta-shaped ledge is also the best and most stable design for tree camping as well as big walls, and aerial activists have been living for weeks in severe weather and in complete comfort high up in the canopy defending these beautiful forests in the new stormproof D4 Delta2p.

Our only social media is Instagram @bigwalldeuce where D4 design work often gets photobombed there, so if you are interested in news as well as the design process of D4 portaledges, follow John Middendorf there. A Delta3p and a Delta1p are also in the works. Thanks for your interest!!

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D4 Design studio has been busy!

The D4 system of portaledge design is proving to be the fastest, lightest, strongest, simplest framed portaledge system ever.  The latest D4 inspirations are the new tapered frame designs.  All D4 designs are now open source (Creative Commons with Attribution) and tons of new info for designing and building your own D4 design portaledges is on the following sites:

• http://bigwalls.net  (general big wall reference for 30 years)

• http://bigwallsforum.com  (forum to share DIY big wall info)

• http://bigwallgear.com (all the lastest fashions in portaledge design).

(yeah, pretty much all the "big wall" domains).

Delta2p News:
The Delta2p has been used on a remote high altitude big wall by Chuan He who provided very good reviews and writes: "My partners are include Bin Sun and Rocker who is the photographer. We feel the (new route on Putala) is about 600m, 5.9+, A2+, 15 pitches. It took us 5 nights on the wall. Wet and frozen wall cause hail on the first day and heavy rain on the fourth day inspired us to keep fighting."

Haig Rice used the Delta2p for a Salvos Sleep Out high above Hobart.  And the Delta2p was featured in the Australian print magazine Wild during a Tasmanian forest aerial blockade.  See bigwallgear.com for more pics on the Delta2p page.  The Yosemite testers have been awesome, and huge kudos for the product feedback, which is just making the design better.  

Next batch available Spring 2021, but note: if you are doing an interesting trip that needs this cutting edge tech, get in touch at deuce4@bigwalls.net and maybe I can get one made sooner, especially if it will get used with fotos and feedback in time for the next batch!. Custom design work and consulting available too.

OPEN SOURCE NEWS:
Below a list of some of the D4 design features, new to the world of portaledges, and the basic principles (updated on bigwalls.net).
All D4 design info and plans are available online.  The D4 system is really the best system to make a collapsible ("porta") ledge, so it's best if all the manufacturers move to this better design.  
D4's motto is "Better Design for Better Climbs"™

Delta 1p Open Source
Adding to the D4 portaledge design family is the new Delta1p.  This is a very efficient, light ergonomic, and fast set-up one-person portaledge design.  Videos of instant set-up (less than a minute including tensioning the bed) on instagram @bigwalldeuce
Full specifications are posted on bigwalls.net.  Fun with this design included coming up with a new D4 tensioning system, which  went from very vague idea an amazing way to tension the big end of a D4 delta frame. Full Details.  

Activism:
D4 continues to support peaceful protest in the rainforests of Australia, a dwindling resource.  An article was published in Forbes (google "forbes portaledge").

Do-it-Yourself (DIY) Portaledge designs:
John Middendorf continues to support DIY builders with portaledge design information.  The latest is a series of videos  to make a simple, $100 portaledge using only locally available aluminium tubing and inexpensive but high quality eBay tube benders.  This DIY ledge design is similar to the old A5 design, but with curved corners, and does not feature any fancy D4 features, like D4 joiners or hybrid-diameter frame, but it is a simple, easy-to-build first portaledge project.  Tube bending is a bit of art and a bit of engineering, lots of info posted on http://bigwallsforum.com

If you have time, check out the Bob Brown Foundation's coverage of the Big Canopy Campout this weekend.  Saturday night Aussie time 6pm, there will be live coverage of the event.

That's it for now.  Thanks for catching up this far! If you don't want this kind of news of D4, I understand and will not feel jilted in you click the unsubscribe link.  It has been a fun and creative time developing the D4 portaledge system.  Check out  progress on instagram @bigwalldeuce

Cheers and Kind Regards,
John Middendorf
--from the worldwide D4 headquarters in sunny Tasmania.

Delta2p's available this month.

SEPTEMBER AVAILABILITY:  We are beginning to ship, from Australia, the first of a batch of 16 of the new D4 Delta2p portaledge.  As they come off the sewing machines ready to ship, I will update the Order Page on the BigWallGear webpage.  I only ship DHL international now, which costs $235AUD (about $170USD), but DHL is fast (about one-week delivery) and is the most reliable tracked shipping from Australia (Australia orders shipped Aus Post).

If the ledges are shown as "In Stock" and you order one, I will ship within a day or two, so you'd have your ledge in about 10 days.  If the page says "Out of Stock", check back as we will have new stock each week--two or three Delta2p's will be ready to go each week if all keeps going well in the D4 Tassie innovation shed!

The Delta2p, a John Middendorf 2020 design, is proving to be a jump in portaledge innovation, with its unique "Perpendicular to the wall" layout.  In addition, its "Delta" shape solves a long-standing problem of getting the bed tight in both directions by tensioning a single cam buckle, making setup quick and easy.  See Deploy Video here.

It has definitely been a Tasmanian team effort creating this batch, with a team of talented climbers and portaledge makers helping with the production.

Our early 2020 test models have now been tested on the vertical in many exciting places, and everyone agrees on the major innovation of the "perpendicular to the wall" layout--it is a major jump in platform stability and system integration, making the cluster at vertical hanging belays much easier and more efficient.  The other major innovation is the new delta shape, which combined with the D4 patent-pending bullet joiner system, makes for the simplest ever ledge to deploy, and of course is also more ergonomic, with both people head to wall, feet out. 

Important reading for those interested in this new technology:  D4 Setup Manual.

As always, we only use the finest materials, workmanship and bomber design, as we know from experience that portaledges are tools for the vertical that need to be dependable.  More info on the BigWallGear website, and any specific questions, feel free to email me at deuce4@bigwalls.net (and especially if you have a super cool expedition that you really need one for, and I can see what I can do!).

Cheers, John Middendorf

New D4 Delta2p ledge

Hello all--

Just want to let you know the past year I have been working on a radical new portaledge design for two people, where both people can have their head to the wall.  There are a lot of advantages in comfort in this design, one of the best is that you always have a solid backrest (the wall) to lean if you want to sit up in your sleeping position. It's also really easy for each person to exit the ledge without a lot of weight shift or crawling over a partner. This new style of portaledge has been a dream of mine for many years, around 20 years ago I made a folding prototype, but it still needed work in the way the frame and suspension work together.

I am happy to announce that my new design, which I call the Delta2p (Delta shape, 2 person--I also plan a 3p version) has exceeded all expectation in terms of ease of setup and stability, thanks to many new portaledge design aspects I have learned with my other D4 design innovations during the past 3 years. It is also light and strong, with a six-piece curved-corner, hybrid diameter frame wth the D4 patent pending bullet joiners, which packs to 36" and is taco-proof by design.

I am looking for product testers who are interested in buying a ledge at wholesale: folks who will use the ledge in the coming months, spend time playing around with it even if not on a wall, and can send photos and feedback. I plan to build a small batch of 8-10 "pre-production" Delta2p's for such folk to get more feedback for the final production version.  At least four are already spoken for.

Let me know if you are interested (respond to this email), and where/how you would plan to use it, ideally wit pictures of intended big wall objectives.   I am offering this initial batch for $900USD, plus $125 international shipping ($50 for Australian orders). Product testers need to understand that this is a prototype, and that I always stand by my products and will fix, refund, or replace any defects in my design or manufacture, but also to be prepared to deal with any issues--I personally think that this design will be the future of portaledges, but have learned in my 30+ years of designing and dreaming of portaledges, that new designs always take some getting used to, and that there are always tweaks on the path to perfection. Next availability will likely be spring/summer 2020 at the earliest.

Size is 79" x 56"/33", and weight is less than 8 kilos--very similar in usable space and weight as the D4 Alpine Double ledge.  Note that this design does not have the A5 divider fins--the delta shape allows the bed to be tightly tensioned, and although there will be some "friendliness" with two people, it is suitable for people who are happy with simplicity (less straps and tangles).

If you have been following D4, you will note that I live in Australia, and usually around this time, the end of the year, is when I start offering new designs.  This is for two reasons--1. it's summertime here! and the shop is warm (winters are too cold to make stuff), and 2. I work as a teacher during the Australian school year (Feb-Dec), so have less time during the main northern hemisphere bigwall seasons.

If you would like to see some of the Delta2p development, check out my instagram (bigwalldeuce) and facebook (bigwallgear). Also please follow my twitter (also bigwalldeuce) as I often seem to delete my Facebook and Instagram accounts, especially around election time, but plan to keep using twitter to keep up with events of the world.  I also plan to continue publishing open source info at the BigWallsForum.

You can see this new ledge's stability in Steve Pearce's video. (note this was the first 80% scale version, the current version is much bigger):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apR678UpA8E  You can also see the instant frame setup here (with fabric, there is always a bit more guiding of the assembly): https://youtu.be/sS31FEQ8TiE

Some photos also below.  Super thanks for your interest!

John Middendorf
D4 Portaledge/BigWallGear
_______________

 

D4 Octapod notice

The D4 Octapod has now been successfully used for dozens of fine adventures, but there have been two cases where the Octapod frame has bent in the field.  This can happen with two people when the ledge is not adjusted properly and the ledge is in an extreme "taco" (twisted) configuration.  The picture below shows a situation where the ledge is not adjusted properly when loaded:

When the ledge frame is twisted as shown in the photo on left, there is additional stress on the frame, and should not be loaded with two people in this configuration.  We recently had a similar issue with the first batch of D4 Alpine ledges, where the ledge was loaded with two people, the suspension was short, and the ledge went out of adjustment in a "taco" configuration.  For the D4 Alpine Double, we upgraded all ledges with beefier (thicker) tubing, which has now been tested in every possible worst case scenario, with no failure.

For the Octapod, which has been originally conceived as a "1.5" ledge with the added ability to hold two people, I would like to officially reclassify the first batch of Octapods as a light and compact solo ledge. There have been dozens of cases where the ledge has held up with no issues with two, three, even four people on the ledge without failure, but we like to make our designs completely "bomber" in all situations; hence the re-classification.

Ideal setups have the ledge flat, with the suspension lengthened evenly and as long as possible, and keeping the center of gravity as close to the middle of the ledge as possible.  More photos of correct setup with two people here:
https://bigwallgear.com/d4-octapod.html

We have experimented with using a square tube to create a more rigid, non-taco-ing frame, but this system is heavier and it turns out the "taco-ability" makes assembly and disassembly tons easier. Since the taco can be swiftly eliminated with proper suspension adjustments, several of our "square tube" testers have noted a preference for the round tubes.

We've also determined that the heavier PVC coated (blue or green) fabric that we have used for several models is no good for this design--the stiffer material cancels out the advantages of the quick setup system. We will not be making any more with the heavier, stiffer fabric.

Buy-Back Opportunity:
Because of these issues on the first batches of Octapods, I am offering a buy-back program if for any reason you are not fully happy with your ledge or feel it is not fit for purpose. If you continue using your ledge, it should be with the understanding that the Octapod can become excessively loaded with two people if care is not taken to keep the ledge flat. Future models (if produced) will have beefier tubes, as I generally design everything to be "bombproof" in all situations (though I am working on a new design that might supercede the Octapod).

I also have extra Octapod frame parts if anyone needs to replace a tube--please let me know by responding to this email, and I will arrange the shipment of your replacement parts ASAP.

Another request--many of you have sent excellent feedback and photos of the Octapod in use in all sorts of wild spots--wonderful. I believe this new concept of a smaller, more compact and lighter ledge will have many new uses for vertical adventurers, and your public feedback will be invaluable.  Please use the new "D4 Portaledge Reviews and Feedback" board at the new BigWalls Forum site here:
http://bigwallsforum.com/index.php/board,8.0.html

I am buying a new batch of t-shirts, and will send one free to a Octapod reviewer chosen at random if you can post a review with photo by October 31. Please title your review, "D4 Octapod" and the location where it was used most.

 I consider all of you forward thinkers and of course the feedback and knowledge base gleaned from the Octapod production and use will be key for future portaledge designs.  Thank you sincerely for your support and interest--it is very exciting to be able to develop and produce new useful tools for new adventures.

Yours,
John Middendorf

To all D4 Trapezium users

First of all, thank you for purchasing or testing D4's Trapezium Portaledge.  The Trapezium was the first "odd-shaped" portaledge, and the first fully stormproof portaledge technology that fit into a daypack.

https://www.bigwallgear.com/d4-trapezium.html

Most of the Trapeziums we sold were made in small batches, and some used different tubing and fabric  than others.

What I am hoping you can do is provide feedback on your use of the Trapezium by starting a new topic on the "D4 Portaledge Reviews and Feedback" board here:  http://bigwallsforum.com/index.php/board,4.0.html

You will need to register to the new Bigwalls Forum, which I hope will be a hub for big wall tools and techniques.

Feel free to post frank reviews, and please type the topic of the review "D4 Trapezium Review" with your main place of use. A photo of your ledge added (as an attachment  to the post) would be super helpful.

I have spare parts for the Trapezium, and can send new parts to anyone who needs them.  Please respond to this email if you need replacement parts for the Trapezium.

One thing we discovered is that we were making some models out of a stiff PVC coated fabric (blue or green), which seemed to have the advantage of a firmer bed, but we have found that the stiff material definitely make the ledge harder to set up and disassemble.  If you have the stiffer fabric, please note that in your review.

I am getting another batch of D4 t-shirts, and will send one to a reviewer chosen at random if you post your review before October 31, 2019.

Thank you for your interest and support in D4 products.  Based on what we have learned with the D4 Trapezium and Octapod, which have been used on dozens of routes now, has been key to some new D4 developments (a new design) which will be announced soon.

Yours, 
John Middendorf

2019 D4 BigWallGear Annual Report

D4 News
KEYPOINTS:

• *D4 has become the #1 portaledge in the world with mainstream press news and reviews.

• *Durango Sewing Solutions has new larger and improved portaledge making shop.

• *D4 Alpine Double availability in 2020.

• *Social Media updates now mostly on Instagram @bigwalldeuce

• *Updated http://bigwallgear.com and new Big Walls Forum at http://bigwallsforum.com

• *D4 Design news.

STATE OF THE ART:
 Since our Kickstarter introduction of the D4 Portaledge design in 2017, four co-designers have been crafting hundreds of D4 portaledges of various shapes and sizes, with our two main products, the Full Size D4 from Durango Sewing Solutions, and the Alpine Double, by Runout Customs, leading the way as our main sellers.

The D4 design is now firmly established as the new state of the art in portaledge technology, with dozens of favorable reviews from the top big wall practitioners (most of which have been posted on the Facebook BigWallGear page), in addition to the Climbing Editor's Choice award for our full size D4 Portaledge, and 5 out of 5 star product review from Alpinist for the D4 Octapod.

Just as the A5 "block-corner" portaledge, the first truly stormproof portaledge developed in Flagstaff Arizona, has been the standard portaledge design by all manufacturers for the past 30 years, the new D4 design is now fully established and well proven as the current state-0f-the-art.  It's only a matter of time before the big distributors of climbing gear will adopt our design, but never fret, we at D4/BigWallGear will always be several steps ahead.

NEWS:
Barry Ward at Durango Sewing Solutions has moved into a new, larger shop in Durango, and is in full production of the D4 Full Size portaledge, along with the classic and super useful A5/D4 Rope Bucket, the original and ideal hanging rope bag for big wall climbs.
Contact Barry at http://D4portaledge.com for more info.



Luke at Runout Customs is taking a break from D4 Alpine Double production this fall and is now planning for 2020.  Last year, we introduced the D4 Alpine Double, which has been successfully used around the world to wide acclaim as the best expedition portaledge, where every ounce counts.  This summer, we discovered our initial frame specification could be compromised in a rare situation where the frame was short-suspended, and the frame twisted into a "taco" configuration.  Even though our original specification for the D4 Alpine Double has been used for hundreds of nights as a double portaledge without issue, and fully capable of supporting 3 climbers (designed for 2, of course) when set up properly, we wanted to ensure that our first generation D4 Alpine Doubles were completely foolproof even in the most extreme situations, so we upgraded every Alpine Double sold with new thicker tubes, which only added about 0.75 lb. to the weight of the ledge, but made the ledge virtually indestructible, even with two people jumping on a single side in the worst-case setup situation.  Luke worked double time to do the upgrade, with only a few replacements remaining to be sent out, including to Thomas Huber, who took the first generation of the D4 Alpine Double on his 2019 expedition to Pakistan.  

We are also sponsoring Marek Raganowicz with his very own D4 Alpine Double ledge, who will be in Yosemite this fall to hone his skills for his future solo expeditions to the world's most remote walls. Marek has tested every generation of D4 ledge, including some of John Middendorf's smaller and more compact experimental designs (the D4 Octapod and the D4 Trapezium) in the most extreme conditions, and this will be his first full production model.  We thank Marek for testing our initial prototypes which improved significantly with his feedback, and are glad to finally get him our most state-of-the-art model.



Australia Headquarters:  John continues to make small batches of his new designs, and is especially excited about the adoption of the smaller, more compact portaledges for vertical endeavors that have not used portaledges extensively before. Because of the new ease of portaledge set up with the D4 design, users as diverse as Anti-Poacher crews in both Zimbabwe and South Africa, to recreational tree climber and environmental protestors, have been some of the main buyers of his new design. John's goal with these new designs was to create a sub-10 pound system (including haulsack and stormfly) that could be packed no larger than 24" (so could be put into a daypack). The combination of these factors have created a whole new concept in single-point hanging weatherproof technology.



SOCIAL MEDIA:
We have decided to consolidate our social media, and the Facebook BigWallGear page will remain as our main collection of past reviews and many photos of the ledges being used in the most wild places of the world https://www.facebook.com/bigwallgear/ , but in the future, updates will likely be found more on our Instagram page @bigwalldeuce http://instagram.com/bigwalldeuce 



COOL WEB STUFF:
Inspired by his recent involvement in the big wall climbing world, John has been slowly updating his webpages at http://bigwalls.net and has also set up a new BigWallsForum at http://bigwallsforum.com.  John has helped dozens of climbers and craftsfolk over the decades with technical expertise and advice for DIY portaledge and big wall gear building, and will continue to do so at the new forum, with the continuing goal of creating the best and most efficient tools for the most extreme adventures.  Looks for lots of cool open source info appearing on the forum in the coming months and years.

Check out the new bigwalls forum (and sign up!):  http://bigwallsforum.com
If you have feedback for the D4 designs, please post on the open source D4 Design thread here: D4 Feedback forum.

That's about it for now, thanks for your interest if you've read this far.  It's been a wonderful and fun journey these past 3 years making climbing gear.  I will be be continuing to tinker and work on new designs, as well as small batches of custom ledges while I continue to pursue my maths/ science/robotics high school teaching career, so please feel free to get in touch anytime you have an idea or a need for a vertical shelter that hangs anywhere and offers complete protection from any of the world's weather in a lightweight, compact, easy to set up package.

Cheers
John Middendorf

D4 Trapeziums Available

Quick Update:

I have two Trapeziums available for shipping this week, and two more soon (my sewing machine needs tuning and this weekend we are heading to Arapiles for climbing and product tests, so the other two will be shipped in mid-October).  Please remind me we have discussed getting one of the second batch.  Batches should speed up in the future, I had some health issues this summer and it slowed down the delivery of Trapeziums (currently all hand made in Tasmania).

As the devlopment on the D4 Trapezium is a continual process, I am looking to supply the climbers who are most likely to use one this year, and who can also provide quality feedback and photos based on actual use. If interested in one of this batch, please send me an email to Deuce4@bigwalls.net with info about your timeframe for your project, with pictures of a project very appreciated (and let me know if I can share the pictures on our Instagram page).

The current batch is a bit heavier than expected, as I have reinforced the wall side tube to enable full strength even in its worst loading situation, which turns out to be two people against a tree (with all forces concentrated on the middle of the wall side).  This batch is heavier at about 5kgs (total with fly and bag), but still the lightest two person single point hanging survival system by far. Future batches will have a design revision and should be back to under 10 lbs. complete with stormproof cover.

I will post another update about what's been happening about social media and other stuff, and also news on exciting plans for 2019 with our Handbuilt Alliance partners, but for now, let me know if you are poised for a D4 Trapezium!

Price for this batch will be USD$975 plus DHL shipping from Australia. Paypal will be the best way to pay. For these first two ready to go this week, I will need know right away (by end of day Thursday September 26, as I will need to ship on Friday Australia time.)

I am also planning to give away a Trapezium next month, as a grant in memory of my mother, Isabelle Paine Middendorf, who encouraged and help start this design and manufacturing project (D4 BigWallGear) of the past 2 years.  The grant will be awarded to the climber(s) who propose the most interesting expeditionary use of the Trapezium, and are poised for the adventure.

Thanks for your interest!!
John Middendorf

 

D4 Trapeziums production ledges shipping

D4 Trapezium Update

The Trapezium is a new concept in portable ledges.
Prior to 2017, we had:

• 0.5 ledges (i.e. Metolius Gizmo)

• 1 person ledges (Metolius, BD, Fish)

• 2 person ledges (A5 Alpine Double, Runout UL Ledge, Metolius)

• Full size and 2+ person ledges (A5 Diamond Ledge, Cliff Cabana).

The Trapezium is a first in a new category, the "1.5 ledge". Big enough for one person as a personal bivy, and roomy for two people sitting up to stay out of a storm. Packs to 24" tall--daypack size. Lots of other new innovations in portaledge technology for fast deploy in bad conditions. 

"Make portaledges portable again!"
--John Middendorf

D4 Trapeziums have made it to the production phase (John Middendorf is hand making these in Tasmania), and shipping has begun.  Users consistently reporting positive feedback for a number of different endeavours using this new light and compact revolutionary shelter.

Our next batch will likely be a larger batch for the September big wall season.  We expect to be shipping early August for this batch.  If you have signed up on the mailing list at http://www.bigwallgear.com/d4-trapezium.html then there is nothing more you need to do, though if you have a specific project you need it for this year, be sure to email me and let me know specifics and timeframes, as I am always interested in cool adventures and how the ledges are getting used.  We really appreciate your support!

All the best on the big stones and the trees, 
John Middendorf
Http://www.bigwallgear.com
 

John Middendorf                    Big Wall Gear, LLC

deuce4@bigwalls.net           http://bigwallgear.com

NEW CONCEPT IN FOLDING PLATFORMS FOR ROCK CLIMBING

Building on the recent Kickstarter success of the full-size D4 Portaledge, widely regarded as one of the all-time greatest innovations in big wall gear (and still awaiting a review by the major magazines), Big Wall Gear, LLC announces the new multi-purpose D4 Trapezium, a whole new paradigm in foldable platform technology built for climbers.  

The D4 Trapezium is light and fits into a daypack, and has already opened new vistas for adventure, uses include ultra-light big wall solo climbing storm shelter, BASE jumping platform, stealth tree-activist perch, and instant tree-cubbie for kids on family camping trips.  

The D4 Trapezium is the first of its kind, the “1.5 ledge” inspired from input by climbers and BASE jumpers such as Rob Miller, Regan Raganowicz, Ivo Ninov, Joshua G., Robbie Brown, and Andy Kirkpatrick.  For more information, visit http://www.bigwallgear.com/d4-trapezium.html

D4’s new patent-pending 8-piece, hybrid-diameter, curved-corner, Bullet Frame™ is the most compact folding, largest deploying, lightest and strongest folding platform ever designed, and virtually self-assembles thanks to the exclusive D4 Bullet Joiners™.

The D4 Trapezium joins the line of D4 branded equipment, including the D4 full-size Portaledge manufactured by Durango Sewing Solutions, and the D4 MiniMe, available soon from Tufa Climbing.

D4 is also proud to announce membership in the new HandBuilt Alliance, a consortium of small businesses who hand-build their products, share ideas, and co-promote excellently crafted equipment. http://handbuiltalliance.com

Kickstarter Complete!

We did it!  All Kickstarter orders were shipped and delivered in 2017, ahead of schedule. It has been a great adventure and journey since we reached our initial Kickstarter goal back in April within the first 72 hours!

Many thanks to all our supporters:

Huge Thanks to those who purchased a 2017 D4 Kickstarter portaledge: Quincy Milloy Riley McDonald Wade Morris Sam England Connor Brown Justin Davis Matt Sourisseau Peter Drzymala-Balzer Nicola Martinez Vasile Dumitrica Wang Lei Roby Rudolf Jim Brennan Michael Rieser Robert Hayes Mike Libecki Seth Dilles Steve Wakeford Tito Krull Bill Coe Larry Arthur Kevin Kent Tim Frankl James Arnold Ryan Gillespie Cole Bradburn Braden Downey James Donigan John William Middendorf II Chris Lorimer Kristen Anderson Michael Kavanaugh Jason P Hall Jerry Greenleaf G.W. Barrett Jonathan Wachter Matt Lambert Oliver Laker

Also big thanks to D4 Swag financial supporters: Matthew Newton Simon Mentz Iain Clarke Amy Givler Allison Morris Zacharias Jon Rigg Frances Middendorf Geoff Couser Cameron Abraham Bill Hatcher Eliza Kerr Rob Caron Josh Temes Kirk Bland Klaas Ebel Robert Francis Noonan Stacy Papp Jeni Middendorf Bob van Velzen Tim Preston Lesley Gardner Stuart Teague

Special thanks to our main product testers of the early D4 Prototypes: Marek Raganowicz John Verbeck Pass the Pitons Pete Zabrok Rob Miller Robbie Brown Steve Pearce As well as climbers who provided quality feedback and photos: Eliza Kerr and Calliope Chris Trull Jon Rigg Steve Bosque Cam Burns Kevin DeWeese Dave Alfrey Mike Libecki Twid Turner Matt Lambert Jim Reynolds Jon Griffin Becca Saurus Kevin Kent Micheal Sanderson Patrick Cicero Chris Lorimer Sam England Tito Krull Jerry Greenleaf Jeff Constine The Pines crew in Arapiles Cedar Wright Tomas Huber Andy Kirkpatrick Greg Child Malcolm Matheson Andy Kuylaars

For support and encouragement during the last SLC OR show. Kurt Smith Randy Leavitt Stevie Haston Liberty Mountain Gear Chris Kalous Steve Quinlan Bob Palais

Thanks also to supporters who helped through photography, reviews or interviews:Bill Hatcher (National Geographic) Tom Evans (El Cap Pics) Peter Farquhar (Business Insider) Helen Shield (ABC Radio) Ross Taylor (Vertical Life) Brandon Pullan (Gripped) Chris Kalous (Enormocast)

For help in creative branding and the initial website: Hudson Paine Elliot Kirk Tyler Miller

And many thanks to Werner Braun who supplied the encouragement, refuge and tools that allowed me to create the first functional D4 curved-corner hybrid-diameter compact-folding prototype in his Yosemite shop. Also thanks to Simon Mentz for doing a wall with me to test the design and for his fine video of the adventure. And last but not least, super special thanks to the D4 Production Team:  Barry Ward Jason Brooks Kim Morris John Middendorf

What's next?

Barry Ward of Durango Sewing Solutions will be continuing to produce the D4 full-size portaledge design in Durango, Colorado.  The wait list (sign up at BigWallGear.com) is currently at 89 people (as of today) and growing, as the word is out that the D4 is by far the best portaledge ever, but Barry is confident he will be able to fulfil all orders within a reasonable timeframe.  John Middendorf will be continuing to research improvements in the design and manufacturing, and also to develop new products--soon he will be offering some specialty portaledge designs from his shop in Tasmania (keep posted of news on the Facebook page and BigWallGear.com).

Warranty and repairs of Kickstarter Ledges  

As described in the Setup Manual included with each Kickstarter ledge, "This product is supplied as a reward for Kickstarter supporters to foster ongoing and future development of a new suspended tent system. As such, this product has no warranties, expressed or otherwise, and should therefore be considered experimental and extreme care taken if used in any situation where harm may result. Understand and accept the risks—you are responsible for your own actions and decisions."

The first Kickstarter production ledges, shipped in September 2017, were the aftermath of hundreds of cumulative nights spent in D4 prototype portaledges around the world, beginning in late 2016 with the first D4 prototypes built in Tasmania.  Since then, over 100 people have directly involved with the design and feedback process in the past year.

During the Kickstarter production, we made two significant changes: we switched from the lighter 4-point suspension to the traditional 6-point suspension.  We also ditched the light and strong 210d Dyneema fabric to a more robust 420d ripstop packcloth.  The Dyneema beds have stood up well over multiple walls, but being lighter, require a bit more care--be sure to attend to any incipient wear spots on the beds with nylon adhesive patch tape and/or Shoe Goo (or Aquaseal).  Based on user feedback based on actual use, we also beefed up a number of reinforcement points, as well as making the ledge "ambidexterous", meaning either side can be used against the wall.  The net weight of the current production D4 double portaledge, including haulsack, flypole, and expedition fly, comes in at 19 pounds (up from 15.5 pounds of the initial prototypes, but still about 10 pounds lighter than the competitor's similar size ledge).  And of course it is the compact folded size of the D4 that really sets it apart--it is the most compact full size portaledge ever.

For any big wall adventure, especially those involving a portaledge, we highly recommend taking a repair kit, including (Amazon links below):

• Repair Tape

• ShoeGoo

• Zipper Lube for waterproof zippers

• While you are at it, order a Speedy Stitcher for any haulbag or strap repairs.

We stand behind our product, and any issues will be attended to reasonably.  Repairs will be done for time and materials.  Contact Barry directly at gear@sewdurango.com

We also remind users to review the following information carefully:

• Setup Manual and Tips

• Setup Video

• Fly Deployment and Take Down Video

Why no photos in this update?

There were just too many!  We compiled all the D4 photos from 2017 into one 3 minute movie here:  D4 Movie 2017 Youtube

Thanks, thanks, and thanks again!

Thanks to everyone again for a great adventure. The ability to tinker again with new concepts and create new folding hanging camp systems has been a great reward of this project, and I am very excited about the new climbing tools spawned by this Kickstarter and currently being developed in the D4 shop--thanks to everyone for their support.

As a final note, check out the latest Enormocast, which includes some stories about the development of the D4 Portaledge (Thanks, Chris!):

https://enormocast.com/episode-142-john-middendorf-built-it-and-they-will-go/

Posted by John Deucey Middendorf (Creator)

Good news!  Last month, we completed all the "September Ledges" (the ones ordered at a significant early bird discount), as well as made headway into the Kickstarter ledges originally promised for 2018.  In fact, we only have eight more to build to fully complete the Kickstarter, then we will begin building ledges for the 56 people currently on the 2018 D4 Portaledge waitlist (sign up at http://bigwallgear.com).

It has been a great year for D4 portaledge development and innovations, there are now over 40 D4 portaledges currently in use, and solid evidence coming in almost daily that the D4 is changing the game of big wall adventuring. No longer is a portaledge considered a huge heavy encumbrance, following the philosophy "Good design is obvious ... great design is transparent".  Here are some highlights:

Robbie Brown

"The ledge is so comfy and light that we brought it on the one-day ascent of Wet Denim on Leaning Tower. This is a new style I've been thinking about for years, to enable the max comfort for walls in a push. I've never felt so good after completing an all-day push with hanging belays! I really like the cornerless design, and the strength of the ledge is unquestionably better than the old design when it comes to hourglassing and pole flex--super stable and confidence inspiring with three monkeys in the ledge."

Rob Miller

Using two D4 two-person portaledges--each had their own--Rob Miller and Roby Rudolph recently completed an all-free new route on El Cap which is unique as it climbs over 70% completely new ground. A few years ago no one could have dreamed that all-free routes would be going up via mostly new terrain (i.e previously unaided) on El Captain. Perhaps this is why the Direct Line is so spectacular, as it really consolidates the new genre. Rob writes: 

"I was extremely pleased with the ledge and fly during the storm. It wasn't an epic amount of rain that fell but I was beside a 400' black streak that pummeled me pretty good throughout the windy night. I expected that I'd take on a fair bit of water but not so. Totally dry.  Whatever the rainfly material is... it's friggin' awesome!"

 Pete Zabrok

Pete continues to be our most prolific product tester, with another three walls this fall season with the D4 portaledge, to which he credits with saving his life in a storm on the Waterfall route. Pete recently modified an earlier prototype to his preferred 6-point suspension configuration.  Many thanks to John Verbeck who made this modification possible, who writes:

"Testing the stability of the D4's new 6 point suspension system in the most asymmetric way, and its solid! Innovation occurs when many people come together to improve some aspect of the world around us... and the D4 is truly an innovative piece of climbing technology! Hats off to John Deucey Middendorf for designing this ground breaking ledge!"

 Marek Reganowicz

The D4 is designed with lightweight expeditions in mind, to enable climbers to push their dreams on remote walls where every ounce counts. Marek is one of the world's leading remote big wall alpinists, and we continue to outfit Marek with D4 portaledges, here he is on a recent training route in Yosemite:

SETTING UP THE D4 PORTALEDGE 

The D4 is definitely the easiest portaledge on the market to setup, but it still takes a bit of practice.  We have a new video starring Malcolm Matheson (HB) on how to set up the D4 Portaledge here.  Even though he had never set one up the D4 before, he did it quickly and efficiently, proving the quick deploy aspect of the new D4 innovations.

If you have a D4, please take the time to watch the current setup videos:

• HB Hanging Setup (4 minutes)

• HB Fly Deploy and Take Down (3 minutes)

• Steve Quinlan Setup (more tips explained in this video)

• Setup Manual (PDF)

Here is a report from a first time portaledge user, Kevin Kent: 

"The ledge was great! Set up really easily and was super comfy! I love it! I've never owned or used a ledge before so I can't compare it to anything but I'm definitely a happy customer. Initially I had a little difficulty getting the frame setting into place, but after a few times it seemed to break in and is really easy to set up now. I love how light it is and that it fits in the haulbag for the way down! I did watch the setup video which was helpful!"

 More Feedback:

Love the D4 ledge! The D4 is the better portaledge by far! --Matt Lambert

Just got back from Yosemite. I picked my ledge up from the post office in yosemite on Monday and immediately ran over to Washington column for some solo "cragging". I spent Monday night to Thursday night on the D4 and loved it. I really didn't find anything that wasn't outstanding on it. I love the 4-point suspension and was surprised how stable it was. Even when I hung it in a poor position to test it, it was rock solid. Set up was a piece of cake. The integrated fly and compact haul sack save a ton of space and I really appreciate the build/material quality. Looking forward to spending many more nights in the D4. Truly bomber ledge. A+ Thanks! -Chris Lorimer

Hey John, Just got off El Cap a few days ago, did Native Son for 5 days with the D4. I didn’t take the fly, the ledge weight with no fly is pretty impressive! --Tito Krull

I just wanted to drop the two of you a note about my new portaledge. It's obvious that the level of work both in design and construction is first class. I'm happy to have been part of your initial Kickstarter launch. You guys shaved ten pounds off of you ledge in comparison to the next best product. Innovation in industrial design should always be signified. I was once an inmate at an arts and design college so I get it about how hard the work really is. Thanks ! --Jim Brennan

Notes on the Dyneema Bed Fabric:

Several users have expressed concern for the lightweight bed fabric we are using.  Initially we chose the Dyneema despite it high cost because we felt we wanted to supply the lightest and highest quality materials, but we will likely revert to a heavier and more traditional portaledge bed fabric.  Here is a note I recently sent to Tito about his concerns and is worth a read for our Kickstarter supporters:

The Kickstarter was really a way to help develop the lightest ledge possible, and the Dyneema fabric saves almost two pounds over traditional portaledge pack cloth.  One of the first D4 ledges, used in some Tasmania Tree camps, then by Marek, then passed onto another tree climber in the UK, has been used for about 50 nights and is still going strong.  For your ledge, if you keep taking care of it, it will last for many walls. Dab any wear spots with ShoeGoo after each wall, and maybe bring some nylon sticky patches too. The Dyneema is tougher than it looks, tears don’t propagate as easily as in other fabrics like pack cloth. We know it seems light and probably too stretchy (regarding stretchy though, I found it actually more comfortable in a way over a stiffer fabric), so we do plan to beef up the bed fabric (and the weight) for future production as most people are using the ledge for routes where the extra pounds are not a major issue.  Again, the Kickstarter was touted as a way for supporters to help develop the ultimate lightweight ledge and I think what it proves is that if I ever can fully fund my dream of creating the ultimate, sub-10 pound remote alpine expedition double ledge, the four-point suspension and the dyneema will be the way to go to save weight.  Your support has made this dream more possible!

The new D4 MiniMe and Other News

We continue our shack culture of innovation and have been developing a new instant setup belay seat (the patent pending MiniMe Insta-Ledge™), and a super cool innovative single ledge.  As always, for more of the latest news on these and other developments, visit our Facebook page at:  http://facebook.com/bigwallgear

Appendix --LINKS:

• All Kickstarter Updates (documents the innovation process)

• Business Insider: The secret to conquering the toughest climb in the Himalayas may lie in a shed in Tasmania 

• ABC News: Big wall climbing being reinvented in John Middendorf's shed

• Simon Mentz's Portaledge Orgy Movie

• John Verbeck Review

• Steve Pearce Interview

• The Tree Projects

• Bob Brown Foundation 

• Gripped Magazine 

• Gear Junkie

• Vertical Life

• El Cap Reports (lots of pics of the D4 on El Cap)

• Wikipedia Portaledge

• The D4 Portaledge Kickstarter

• D4 BigWallGear Homepage

• D4 Facebook Page

News from the Field:
Sam England reports: "Just got back from a successful trip to the East Coast of Baffin Island. The D4 kept us safe and sound during our Grade VI first ascent. The 4 point suspension ledge performed excellently. We found that we saved a ton of space in our haulbags thanks to the integrated fly system. The size was perfect for us and we found it to be the easiest to set up ledge we've ever used."

 Pete Zabrok, who has recently witnessed at very close hand the largest El Cap rockfall in modern times, reported earlier on his recent ascent of the Waterfall Route:  "I just spent the night under nearly the full force of one of the world's most feared big wall waterfalls - Horsetail Falls on El Capitan on the Waterfall Route. Everything is essentially bone-dry. Absolutely unbelievable!! The D4 fly is ETS - Emphatically The Shit! Thanks Deucey!"

Tree Climbers: Our D4 Portaledge has also proven to be a favourite with tree climbers, mostly due to its lightweight, strong, and compact folding features, and has recently been used on an two-week educational series in Tasmania.  Links:

• Tree House Challenge

• Video 

• Local News Article 

PRODUCTION NOTES

We have now produced and shipped over 35 D4 Portaledges all over the world.  We are currently only a few weeks away from our promised goal of the first 28 discounted Kickstarter D4 Portaledges offered for September delivery. Only four people who ordered the "September Ledges" are likely not to receive their portaledges by the end of this month, and we apologise to those four, but they should be shipped in the first couple weeks of October.  The final batch of Kickstarter portaledges originally promised for 2018 will also likely be shipped in the next month or so, and we look forward to then accepting new orders for the over 50 requests on our D4 Portaledge waiting list (sign up at http://www.bigwallgear.com  ).

SUPER ALPINISM TOOLS

Below, another shot of Marek Reganowicz looking very comfy on the very first D4 Portaledge prototype, which he used for 30 nights completing two first ascents in Baffin Island earlier this year. Marek is currently in Yosemite with his latest D4 portaledge.

Marek is one of the leading super big wall alpinists that Chouinard predicted way back in 1963: "Yosemite Valley will, in the near future, be the training ground for a new generation of superalpinists who will venture forth to the high mountains of the world to do the most esthetic and difficult walls on the face of the earth.” --Yvon Chouinard, 1963 AAC Journal

We are driven to help these superalpinists achieve their goals with new lightweight tools being developed at the D4 ("Deuce4") prototyping shed in Tasmania.  Our latest invention is a superlight compact-folding, instant-deploy belay seat, which is currently being tested by product testers worldwide.  We plan to offer this new patent pending tool in an upcoming Kickstarter.

 D4 Portaledge Update--August 8, 2017

In July, John Middendorf, Barry Ward, and Jason Brooks met in Durango for two weeks where we finalised the D4 Portaledge design as well as crafting the first batch and building all 40 ledge frames for the Kickstarter production.  We have shipped out the first batch and are working hard toward fulfilling all our current orders in the coming months (30 more Kickstarter orders to go!).  For people who have not yet received their ledge, please contact Barry directly for any shipping address changes: gear@sewdurango.com 

We expect to be able to take new orders for the D4 Portaledge soon. Please let your friends know they can sign up for a D4 portaledge by going to the Big Wall Gear webpage and signing up for the next (post-Kickstarter) batch. The D4 is truly proving to be the best hanging tent system ever designed, and we look forward to be able to fulfil all demand in 2018.

DESIGN CHANGE--new six-point suspension

After considerable yet mixed feedback from our eight D4 prototypes which were tested all over the world in some of the world's most extreme conditions, we have decided to switch from the four-point suspension design to a traditional six-point suspension design.  In doing this, we have innovated a new webbing self-clamping suspension corner connection which allows for some adjustability (useful for flagging the ledge--see PTPP's Facebook sketches), but also well protected from abrasion with a 3" web sheath.  

The four-point system relied on a pure fabric suspension with fins that not only supported the ledge in a load-distributing manner, but also saved about a pound of weight.  The disadvantage of the four-point is that the ledge can appear to be less stable when initially loading the ledge despite the fact that when fully loaded, the four-point can be actually more stable as there is less micro-shifting when two people move about normally in the ledge (and the center of gravity shifts).

The six-point system, by contrast, is a frame supported system, with six points of attachment directly to the frame.  By all accounts, the six-point is more foolproof, especially when initially loading the ledge, as the four point could sometimes twist ("taco") if initially loaded off-center; thus, the "taco" issue is minimised with six-points of attachment.  We have decided that a six-point is more appropriate for the D4, as we know this design will become the new standard for all portaledges in the world, and we wanted to make it as foolproof as possible and knowing that Yosemite is the where most of the world's big wall climbing takes place, where weight is not as big an issue.

In the future, we will reserve the four-point design for our dream to design the ultimate high altitude super lightweight carbon fibre D4 portaledge. With proper frame engineering, the new curved corners, as well as the slew of other new portaledge innovations we have originated in the past six months, such as the single seam zippered fly, I believe a fully stormproof, sub-10 pound ledge system that enables climbers to bivy safely on the world's most remote big walls is now possible, and hope to one day procure the time, funding, and resources to further develop this ultimate ledge concept.

As such, our current production model D4 portaledge weighs exactly 18 pounds with fly, flypole, and haulsack.  Since our initial prototype, which weighed 15.5 pounds complete, we have added additional reinforcements, the zipper for the fly, and two additional suspension points, adding a total of 2.5 pounds of weight.  Note that this is still lighter than the competitor's (Black Diamond and Metolius) single-person ledges, and is far lighter per square foot of usable space than the other smaller (Fish and Runout Customs) ledges on the market, as the D4 portaledge is by far the lightest full-size (82" x 47") ledge, thanks to the re-engineered and innovative curved-corner frame design.

 OTHER NEWS

HowTo Manual: We have updated out "How-To" manual, and is recommended reading to learn how to use the D4 portaledge.  The link is here:  D4 HowTo Manual. Please note that we are using the webbing clip-in technology that was standard on all A5 portaledges and has stood the test of time, but the D4 Kickstarter portaledge does require manual seam sealing, and it is essential to be done correctly as explained in the manual. We do have plans to have fully factory taped seams in the future for the D4 Portaledge, but it was just not possible to do for our Kickstarter--thank you everyone again for making this new design and its evolution possible though your Kickstarter support!

Also, here is the recommended way to fold up the D4 ledge--we found that many methods work, but this seems to be one of the easier ways: 

SWAG: We have shipped out all out "Swag" orders: the Buddy Bags, D4 Stickers and Patches. Thank you again to everyone who has supported us, especially those who were not able to buy a ledge!  I have designed a new quick-deploy hanging chair/lounge system that will be offered at reasonable price-point and which I am currently testing and further prototyping, so hope in the future I can tempt you all to support the Tasmanian shed innovation once again! 

SLC TRADE SHOW: We had a good visit in SLC at the Trade Show.  Gary at Liberty provided us with some floor space (and a beam) to show our D4 Portaledge to the many top climbers who were attending the show.  Even though portaledges are so often depicted in the mainstream media, we had the only portaledge at the show! (as there has been so little innovation from the mainstream manufacturers in the past 20 years).  Thanks and kudos to Andy Green who helped to make it all possible.

 SHED CULTURE: We also had Bill Hatcher, one of the world's foremost adventure photographers, visit our "shed" in Durango. In Australia, innovation begins in sheds rather than garages, as garages are uncommon but sheds are plentiful, so we are happy that our production takes place in an American shed.  Below are some of Bill's images.

 Onward and Upward!  Cheers, John Middendorf

D4 Portaledge Update--August 8, 2017

In July, John Middendorf, Barry Ward, and Jason Brooks met in Durango for two weeks where we finalised the D4 Portaledge design as well as crafting the first batch and building all 40 ledge frames for the Kickstarter production.  We have shipped out the first batch and are working hard toward fulfilling all our current orders in the coming months (30 more Kickstarter orders to go!).  For people who have not yet received their ledge, please contact Barry directly for any shipping address changes: gear@sewdurango.com 

We expect to be able to take new orders for the D4 Portaledge soon. Please let your friends know they can sign up for a D4 portaledge by going to the Big Wall Gear webpage and signing up for the next (post-Kickstarter) batch. The D4 is truly proving to be the best hanging tent system ever designed, and we look forward to be able to fulfil all demand in 2018.

DESIGN CHANGE--new six-point suspension

After considerable yet mixed feedback from our eight D4 prototypes which were tested all over the world in some of the world's most extreme conditions, we have decided to switch from the four-point suspension design to a traditional six-point suspension design.  In doing this, we have innovated a new webbing self-clamping suspension corner connection which allows for some adjustability (useful for flagging the ledge--see PTPP's Facebook sketches), but also well protected from abrasion with a 3" web sheath.  

The four-point system relied on a pure fabric suspension with fins that not only supported the ledge in a load-distributing manner, but also saved about a pound of weight.  The disadvantage of the four-point is that the ledge can appear to be less stable when initially loading the ledge despite the fact that when fully loaded, the four-point can be actually more stable as there is less micro-shifting when two people move about normally in the ledge (and the center of gravity shifts).

The six-point system, by contrast, is a frame supported system, with six points of attachment directly to the frame.  By all accounts, the six-point is more foolproof, especially when initially loading the ledge, as the four point could sometimes twist ("taco") if initially loaded off-center; thus, the "taco" issue is minimised with six-points of attachment.  We have decided that a six-point is more appropriate for the D4, as we know this design will become the new standard for all portaledges in the world, and we wanted to make it as foolproof as possible and knowing that Yosemite is the where most of the world's big wall climbing takes place, where weight is not as big an issue.

In the future, we will reserve the four-point design for our dream to design the ultimate high altitude super lightweight carbon fibre D4 portaledge. With proper frame engineering, the new curved corners, as well as the slew of other new portaledge innovations we have originated in the past six months, such as the single seam zippered fly, I believe a fully stormproof, sub-10 pound ledge system that enables climbers to bivy safely on the world's most remote big walls is now possible, and hope to one day procure the time, funding, and resources to further develop this ultimate ledge concept.

As such, our current production model D4 portaledge weighs exactly 18 pounds with fly, flypole, and haulsack.  Since our initial prototype, which weighed 15.5 pounds complete, we have added additional reinforcements, the zipper for the fly, and two additional suspension points, adding a total of 2.5 pounds of weight.  Note that this is still lighter than the competitor's (Black Diamond and Metolius) single-person ledges, and is far lighter per square foot of usable space than the other smaller (Fish and Runout Customs) ledges on the market, as the D4 portaledge is by far the lightest full-size (82" x 47") ledge, thanks to the re-engineered and innovative curved-corner frame design.

 OTHER NEWS

HowTo Manual: We have updated out "How-To" manual, and is recommended reading to learn how to use the D4 portaledge.  The link is here:  D4 HowTo Manual. Please note that we are using the webbing clip-in technology that was standard on all A5 portaledges and has stood the test of time, but the D4 Kickstarter portaledge does require manual seam sealing, and it is essential to be done correctly as explained in the manual. We do have plans to have fully factory taped seams in the future for the D4 Portaledge, but it was just not possible to do for our Kickstarter--thank you everyone again for making this new design and its evolution possible though your Kickstarter support!

Also, here is the recommended way to fold up the D4 ledge--we found that many methods work, but this seems to be one of the easier ways: 

SWAG: We have shipped out all out "Swag" orders: the Buddy Bags, D4 Stickers and Patches. Thank you again to everyone who has supported us, especially those who were not able to buy a ledge!  I have designed a new quick-deploy hanging chair/lounge system that will be offered at reasonable price-point and which I am currently testing and further prototyping, so hope in the future I can tempt you all to support the Tasmanian shed innovation once again! 

SLC TRADE SHOW: We had a good visit in SLC at the Trade Show.  Gary at Liberty provided us with some floor space (and a beam) to show our D4 Portaledge to the many top climbers who were attending the show.  Even though portaledges are so often depicted in the mainstream media, we had the only portaledge at the show! (as there has been so little innovation from the mainstream manufacturers in the past 20 years).  Thanks and kudos to Andy Green who helped to make it all possible.

 SHED CULTURE: We also had Bill Hatcher, one of the world's foremost adventure photographers, visit our "shed" in Durango. In Australia, innovation begins in sheds rather than garages, as garages are uncommon but sheds are plentiful, so we are happy that our production takes place in an American shed.  Below are some of Bill's images.

 Onward and Upward!  Cheers, John Middendorf

Dear D4 Portaledge Supporters:

Happy Fourth of July Weekend (in the USA)!

Apologies for the lack of updates since May 21. An incredible amount of progress has been happening with the D4 Portaledge design.

Soon after the last update, John Middendorf travelled from Hobart, Tasmania to Durango, Colorado, where members of the former A5 team gathered: Barry Ward, Jason Brooks, and John Middendorf. Barry and John experimented with various concepts and worked out some exceptionally clever design details, such as our new corner-pocket, drawcord-less Expedition Stormfly. It now has a novel tensioning system at each corner which ensures a taught fly no matter what the angle of the wall (portaledge flys are designed with a flat vertical wall in mind, but need adjustment when on a slab or hanging from a tree). Meanwhile, Jason has been building frames to the highest of craftsmanship possible with his incredible attention to detail.  

We've also been hard at work with finalising fabrics and hardware, reinforcing wear points based on field feedback, finding the best system for applying logos to the flys, and a hundred other things to ensure the best portaledge ever.

Here's a sketch of the production fly design: 

We've also redesigned the two-point Shark Fin design which we feel is the best for strength, while also enabling cooking in the center with a hanging stove.

Good News: we've also begun formal production of the Kickstarter batch, with all materials ordered, and at least the first 12 portaledges are expected to be shipped out by the end of July. (the rest of the Kickstarter batch of 40 portaledges are expected to completed in the following months).

FEEDBACK FROM THE FIELD:

The D4 prototypes have been out all over the world with selected product testers. We have gotten a lot of feedback, and several issues were worked out satisfactorily with design tweaks thanks to the incoming feedback.

The D4 portaledge is an exceptionally lightweight and compact full-size two-person portaledge. As such, some design tradeoffs were during the innovation of the five major new portaledge concepts that make this ledge the finest expedition tool ever designed.

I'll go over some pros and cons of the five major innovations of the design:

PROS AND CONS OF THE D4 DESIGN:

Hybrid Diameter Tubing Design:

• Pros: This engineered re-design of the tubing specifications eliminates the need for a spreader bar and adds significant rigidity and strength to the design. 

• Cons: None.

Curved Corners: 

• Pros: Lighter than block corners, increased rigidity (especially when compared to the open block corners on competitor's ledges), smoother and snag-free flagging (PTPP flagged this ledge for over 3 weeks on his recent second ascent of Adrift, and loved the way the curved corners never snagged like block corners do). 

• Cons: No corner point to create 6-point syspension.

Four-Point Suspension:

• Pros: Lighter (saves over a pound compared with a six-point system). Less Microshifting of ledge with two people (the middle strap of the six-point system acts as a fulcrum point, increasing the frequency of movement during weight shifts). One person can sit in the middle of the ledge with legs hanging out in space (no centre suspension to get in the way).

• Cons: Harder to adjust perfectly flat: this design seems to be more prone to "taco-ing" when not adjusted properly. But with practice and small adjustments to each appropriate strap, once it gets flat, it stays flat (as long as the bed tensioners are fully tensioned only when ledge is also flat). I will try to explain more tips in the "how-to" manual. Tipping point is about 4" closer to center of ledge than a traditional six-point system. For these reasons, the D4 ledge requires more practice in proper set up prior to experimenting on a tricky configuration. This is part of the price for lightness, but experienced wall climbers have found the adjustment straightforward (John Verbeck writes: "I really like the 4 point connection!  Some people like Hummers while others prefer a Lotus--the D4 is a Lotus! Ha!").

D4 Deploy Zippered Haulsack:

• Pros: Nothing but raves for this new system of packing and unpacking the portaledge. The way the fly tucks into the haulsack ready to deploy, combined with our new continuous shock cord frame, set up is super quick and simple.

Zippered Expedition StormFly:

• Pros: The single zipper fly door is proving to be one of the those ideas so simple but also so effective and better than any other system, it's hard to believe no one has come up with it before (including me). See above illustration for key points.  The system allows easy entrance and exit from the ledge (always stay tied into the main lead rope!), as well as allowing easy and quick full opening of the fly to air out the ledge and enjoy the clearing between storms.

In other news, we have gotten great feedback from two locations (Scotland and Tasmania) who have used the D4 in The Big Canopy Campout. Photos have been posted on the BigWallGear Facebook page at http://facebook.com/bigwallgear

There is lots more to report, and many more awesome photos and quotes from our field testers, which I will also try to post soon.

For more on the project, including the original Kickstarter and the preceding 8 updates, please visit: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1188459201/the-d4-portaledge/description

D4 Portaledge Kickstarter Update--May 21, 2017

We have been hard at work making further improvements and new innovations to further enhance our revolutionary new D4 portaledge. A number of prototypes have been out in the field, and all reports have confirmed that the new D4 design is truly a game changer for cliff and tree camping. Based on in-field testing, we have made some significant new improvements to our design in addition to the initial four major innovations (see D4 Kickstarter) that our portaledge brings to the vertical world.

But first, some user quotes:

Marek Reganowicz (after 30 days living in the D4 ledge during two new Baffin Island solo winter first ascents, April/May 2017): 

• "At first, I worried (as the ledge is very light) and thought the frame design very delicate, but soon realised that it was very good, very strong--I was so happy and confident with everything--perfect!" 

• "No question it is something new and better." 

• "Definitely no problems setting up the frame--much easier to deploy than the BD". 

• "Any problems (due to winds, storms, etc.) were solved because it was so lightweight--important because as a solo climber I had to deal with any problems by myself." 

 Twid Turner, who has most likely spent more portaledge nights on expeditions around the world than anyone, reported after his recent trip to Alaska, May 2017) :

• "Super light a real winner. Very quick to put up the ledge, easy fitting. Super quick to take apart, too. Love the four-point suspension and ready-to-deploy haulsack.  Brilliant."

John Verbeck, who used it on the Zodiac:

• "Lightest, smallest packing portaledge ever--amazing."

•  "The haulbag/deploy system...this just blew me away. I had my partner who had never set up a ledge before, and watching how she intuitively unpacked it was awesome. No other ledge sets up with such ease." 

• "Super impressed! You really nailed it!! The four point suspension, rounded corners, size, comfort, just amazing John. One more step in the evolution of wall climbing, definitely going to change the way we climb big walls. Absolutely amazed by this ledge, Middendorf, you've done an amazing job!" 

Eliza Kerr, during/after her mother-daughter ascent of the Zodiac, May 2017:

"First of all, as a relatively slight woman, I am SO delighted by the size and weight of your ledge. I'm not exaggerating when I say that carrying the portaledges down after a wall is one of the hardest and most intimidating parts of the whole ordeal. Love how light and packable it is. Thank you so much for your innovation."

NEW INNOVATIONS:

A sampling of some of the new innovations to report:

New patent pending stormfly system, "The Cape":

The single seam zippered fly has allowed a radical departure from the traditional drape over fly which requires a drawcord closure to secure to the ledge. Instead of a drawcord, we have created deep form-fitted pockets in each corner of the ledge. The fly gets fitted to the frame with the zippered door open, once the zipper is closed, it fits like a form fitting bedsheet onto the frame--no more fumbling underneath the ledge with drawcords! We also offer corner tensioning straps to ensure that the new D4 fly will be the most readily deployable, wind and storm proof fly system ever developed for portaledges (and that includes my previous Cliff Cabana Expedition stormfly design where the ledge is put inside the fully enclosed fly for security in high winds). We have also made revised our new revolutionary D4 venting system to be even more adjustable for truly expedition conditions when cooking inside the portaledge is necessary.

--We have also enhanced the internal space with our flypole system. Instead of the tent pole being part of the fly, as all previous portaledge designs have been, we have made the fly pole integrated instead with the frame (the fly pole secures to the suspension and the bed instead of the fly) . Not only does this create a more structural system, but also allows more adjustability to maximise the internal space created by the flypole. Combined with our new zipper door system and the new corner form fitting fly that can be quickly secured and tensioned, the integration of all these aspects combine to make a much more stormproof, secure, and versatile and highly adjustable shelter system that can be perfectly tailored to the changing conditions found over the course of day and night on the vertical.

New unified frame system with continuous shock cord:

--Last but certainly not least, we have revised our unique curved corner, hybrid-diameter tubing design to incorporate a unified frame, continuous shock cord system, the first of its kind on a 8-piece frame design, which makes set up even easier and foolproof. This revision makes the D4 portaledge not only the most compact full-size portaledge ever designed, but also, by far, the quickest and easiest to deploy. Watch the video to see the new set-up in action. (Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MizZFQ5xjjI).

We have also been continuing to outfit tree campers, and our ledges will be featured in several worldwide spots during the upcoming June event, "The Big Canopy Campout". Tree campers, who never really adopted portaledges for tree camping previously largely due to the hassles of setup (solved with our design), are raving about our design, primarily due to ease of deployment, but also thanks to our hybrid diameter engineered frame design, which keeps the ledge rigid even when loaded against a single point (i.e. a tree trunk as opposed to a flat wall), without the need for a clunky, heavy, and hard-to-set-up spreader bar.

PRODUCTION PLANS

All the materials are now ordered, as well as all the tools in place for our Kickstarter production. We are committing to only the finest materials for our Kickstarter batch, and will be using the Dyneema bed fabric which, though expensive, is super strong and light, saving over a pound of overall ledge weight. John Middendorf will be travelling to the USA this month to set up frame production in the USA (it was just too costly to manufacture the frames in Tasmania, where he lives).  We plan to begin full scale production in mid-June and expect to start shipping the Kickstarter ledges sometime in July.  We so appreciate those who supported this project, and we are well on our way to redefining the nature of vertical camping once again!

Yours, 

John Middendorf

P.S. If you haven't seen it, also check out Simon Mentz's film of our Ozymandias big wall climb last month:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsqOhre63lY (Portaledge Orgy).

D4 Portaledge new innovations.

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D4 Portaledge Update--Last chance to order a D4 Portaledge!

The Big Wall Gear D4 Portaledge innovations continue, with the first prototype with the waterproof zipper fly door concept completed and ready to go out to Twid Turner for his Alaska big wall expedition this week. 

We so appreciate those who have contributed to the Kickstarter.  We have had fun being open with the design process, and though we know our new innovations will be widely copied in the coming years, if history is any guide, the original will always be the best!  

12 hours left to order!

Please share and let anyone who might be interested in the lightest, strongest and most compact full-size two-person single-point hanging vertical cliff and tree camping system know about our Kickstarter--only 12 hours left to order!  We are making no compromises in our design and material selection, and our Kickstarter discount makes it certainly the best deal ever for a complete expedition quality hanging tent system.  We appreciate your interest and support!

Yours, the Big Wall Gear Team:

• John Middendorf

• Barry Ward