Gawd, I am such a size queen!
The last thing I pack when loading out for a show is my personal rope kit. By this point, as much possible luggage space has been devoted to the show stock. Each case, carefully loaded to the just shy of the maximum allowable weight save one with just a sliver of space set aside for my personal gear. It is always a game of attrition when it comes to just how much of my on, for play, kit I can bring to any event. Do I pack my extra tall boots or an extra hundred feet? My current minimalist style of bondage was not borne out of any artistic direction, rather necessity. A kit made from German 4 strand? No way, to heavy. I can pack almost twice the rope if I go with standard stock. While the rope bulky, the stuff that really kills is the suspension hardware. Carabineers, the suspension ring, swivels, top lines all add up. This is why I was beside myself with delight when my steel guy delivered this little beauty to me this week.



Look closely now, why am I geeking out on it? This would be a 4 inch, ultra light, aircraft aluminum ring fused with a brand new Petzl, mountain rescue grade, frictionless swivel. This little unit just replaced three items in my rigging kit and weighs in at, get this, less than 12 ounces. On top of that, the integrated swivel / ring removed the need for a carbineer to connect them and buys me an additional three inches of clearance. May not seem like much, but if you have ever found yourself in a cramped play-space somewhere with your hardware clunking against your bottom’s skull as you worked you will join me in a chorus of, “hook me the fuck up!”


I will have a limited number of these micro miracles on sale this weekend at the Flea.