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A 'portaledge' is a deployable hanging tent system designed for rock climbers who spend multiple days and nights on a big wall climb. An assembled portaledge is a fabric-covered platform surrounded by a metal frame that hangs from a single point and has adjustable suspension straps. A separate cover, called a stormfly, covers the entire system.
The advent of modern portaledges began in the mid-1980s, when A5 Portaledges were designed and constructed by Stanford-trained engineer John Middendorf. A5 portaledges are constructed of weatherproof fabrics and engineered to be structurally stable and strong. They were the first portaledges that allowed climbers to attempt big walls in remote areas with severe weather conditions.
A5 Adventures, Inc., the original manufacturer of A5 portaledges, was sold to The North Face in 1998, who manufactured the design for two years under the guidance of John Middendorf, who worked as a senior product manager for the company. The A5 portaledge design has subsequently been sold to Black Diamond Equipment.