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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User
The technique critique thread. 5-Aug-2017 At 12:07:52 PM IdratherbeclimbingM9
Message
On 27/07/2017 Grinder (who took the photo) wrote:
>It's good to discuss these things, but I think I know what is going in
>the leader's head and it's pretty sound technique:
>
>It's a long pitch with one dog-leg left after the crux and another back
>right, higher on the climb. The last thing he wants to do is create rope
>drag around the first overhang, especially on both ropes (The pieces are
>clipped on alternate ropes.) So he's gone a short draw on one rope and
>a longer sling on the other one as a back-up. (I am guessing he's made
>the assessment this would still keep him off the ground, otherwise there
>is no point in having it.) Having the long sling allows that rope to be
>pulled over to the left with less drag when he goes through the first dog-leg.
>The orange rope will stay on the right.
>
>There are two good reasons for using double ropes; one is to be able to
>run them up different lines to avoid drag and the other is to give you
>the capability of clipping one rope while being belayed on the other. If
>you need to run different lines, you are going to defeat the purpose if
>you alternate short clips up the same line. If you want to avoid relying
>solely on one rope by backing up with the other, then you have to use a
>longer draw on the back-up rope to allow it to hold its line.

>
>And yes, the bolts are irrelevant.
>
>
Hmm.
Although what you say is basically true I think that there is a confusion* here re how best to achieve a particular outcome, when it comes to double rope technique.
(*The bits of your post that I've highlighted seem to be at odds with each other.)

How to do something is often a trade off as there's usually more than one way to do it and even then, the differences sometimes don't matter much!

Even with short clipped ropes, one is effectively backing up the other, and with short clipped ropes there is a minimising of the length of a fall if it occurs.
I usually climb on double ropes and only ever use long slings to keep the line straighter for any particular cord, particularly at changes of line direction and even more so if such direction change involves an overhang.

As soon as you add a long sling into the equation, you have to consider fall length and forces involved (changing angles of loading etc), on the pro that is placed to hold the fall, not to mention snafus like ropes potentially cross-clipping under tension after another direction change up higher on the route.

Keeping a line straighter (as far as rope management goes), also applies to how it runs up the cliff through overhanging territory, as well as laterally along a cliff with rising traverses etc. A long sling can save a rope from damage by preventing it running over sharp stone edges.

As kieranl points out, placing a directional piece (along with the pro piece), is often key to easy rope management in these situations.

There are 19 replies to this topic.

 

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