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N008ie mistakes??? 27-Oct-2008 At 9:02:09 AM Atomic_Tomatoes

Message

On 26/10/2008 fish boy wrote:
>On 26/10/2008 Atomic_Tomatoes wrote:
>>On 26/10/2008 DrDan wrote:
>>>Also, I've decided to buy Mountaineering: Freedom of the hills (7ed)
>>tomorrow
>>>- do you guys and girls recommend any other books? or alternatives?
>>
>>I haven't read Freedom of the hills but I can recommend Climbing Anchors
>>2nd Edition (2006) by John Long.
>>
>
>Really? Why on earth do people need to see what should be simple and easy
>repeated over and over again, ad nauseum? 95% of my belays are exactly
>the same, as I'd imagine most other people's....and learning how to place
>gear from a book like that with dodgy photos would make things confusing.
>
>I suggest Basic Rockcraft, Royal Robbins.

I haven't read Basic Rockcraft so I can't compare but I have read Rock Climbing getting started by Glenn Tempest which I also found useful but I wanted a book which dealt a lot more with anchors.

Personally I didn't find it confusing at all. I thought the pictures illustrated the text well. Could you explain to me the dodgy photos so I can better my knowledge (or did you mean dodgy as in quality). Obviously people (my included) are only really going to learn to place trad gear by actually doing it and see what placement/s really work. I don't think it hurts to extend your knowledge and see what works for you. If you end up making 95% of your belays the same then that's great but it's the 5% I'm also interested in knowing how to do well.
My climbing partner is about 15-20kg heavier than me so I also wanted more information on multidirectional belays.

If DrDan hasn't climbed before outdoors and plans to get all the gear and go out and set up some topropes or whatever then wouldn't a book (whichever book) showing how set up good and varied anchors be helpful?

I have read a few threads on chocky which debates anchors/knots/angles - This one being the latest.
http://www.chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.asp?Action=DisplayTopic&ForumID=1&MessageID=63411&Replies=33&PagePos=0&Sort=#newpost
So I believe there are a lot of people of all experiences (and I'm no expert) that have questions and varying opinions about anchors/angles and types of knots.