Bulk Order Updates for 2026 

Deadline Update

The first change from last year is the deadline.  In order to ensure that we are at the head of the line for production, we have moved ordering forward by a month. The deadline for orders is 1600 MST Tuesday, January 20 2026. Please forward your orders and e-transfers to TABVAR's treasurer using the new email address accounting@tabvar.org. Please remember to include your email, phone number and whether you want to pick up your order in Canmore or Calgary and include your name in the name of the spreadsheet. We expect that chain, hangers and bolts will be available for pick up by March. The rest of the gear should be delivered by May.

Stainless Steel Mandate

Second, TABVAR is moving towards 100% stainless steel. We will still reimburse plated quick links and plated chain in 2026 and 2027, but after that we will only reimburse 100% SS installations. To make this easier for route builders, we have secured a supply of 316 SS quick links and chain. We recommend using the 7mm quick links on the order form, but we have still provided the bulk pricing for the 10mm links if you have a special use for them.

Ordering chain is a little complicated. Our bulk chain is about 9 links per foot. You can order as many links as you want, cut to order, at a cost of $1 per link. For every cut order, you need to pay for the link that we cut. So, if you want a 5 link section, that will cost 5+1 = $6. Three 5 link sections would be 3 X (5+1) = $18. On the order form, calculate your own costs, based on $1 per link plus $1 for each cut. Enter the number of sections and how many links per section in the Product Description cell (C28), and the total amount of your chain order in the cost cell (H28). Note that this year we are also ordering 316 expansion bolts for the first time. The galvanic potential between 304 and 316 is tiny, but we secured a good price on 316 so now everything that we install will be 316 grade.

Glue In Retrobolting Credits

TABVAR is encouraging retro bolting and the use of glue ins. To cover the extra costs and hassle of installation, in the past few years TABVAR has reimbursed anyone installing glue ins 125% of their costs. This year, we have managed to once again secure some funding from the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation of Banff. We are using part of that funding to also compensate any volunteer who used TABVAR supplied materials to install retro glue ins in 2025. If you are one of the route builders who used TABVAR installed glue ins in the last year for retro bolting, you will receive a note in the near future with a credit for 25% of the value of the material that you installed, based on the cost of AustriAlpine bolts plus an estimated cost of epoxy used per bolt. Volunteers who supplied their own materials for retro work will receive a similar credit. You can use this credit on this year's bulk order, save it for a future order, or give it to a friend. If you want to use your retro bulk order credit, please send a copy of your credit notice along with your order. If you don't received your credit notice in the near future, please contact the treasurer at president@tabvar.org.

Thank you for your volunteer efforts! Your work makes the Bow Valley a better place to climb. And if you happen to have any videos or photos of route building that you are willing to share for TABVAR promotional purposes, please consider sending them to us.