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5-Feb-2013 11:21:17 PM
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Have to admit I'm a tad slack sometimes when it comes to headwear but luckily for me I had a stack hat on the other night.
Had to use a bit of aid climbing to traverse a very steep section of the cliff to reach the next drilling position, had a sling over a seemingly solid jutting out piece of rock (both of us checked it out and classed it as bomber). Just about to commence drilling when I momentarily blacked out and came too swinging through the air. For a moment I couldn't work out what had happened. 30kg of rock had dislodged hitting me on the head and missing my buddy by .5m.
Got a broken (shattered) climbing helmet, a headache and a sore neck and I reckon I'm very lucky!! Mate (a paramedic) checked me out and we finished bolting the climb.
This was 5 days ago. I'm still to sore to climb and mongrel mate just rang to let me know he sent the climb with 2 others. Never again will I climb without a helmet, rock hardware here I come.
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5-Feb-2013 11:34:23 PM
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Freak nasty Salty. Glad you and your brain are ok. Helmets are good because brain damage is very rarely a positive thing!
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6-Feb-2013 10:03:04 AM
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Wow, glad to hear that you're ok Salty! I'm a big fan of helmets.
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6-Feb-2013 1:42:37 PM
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Wow, close call!! Hope you make the full recovery in good time.
Do you happen to have a photo of the shattered helmet you could post up? (and possibly of the rock?) Would be interested to see it.
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6-Feb-2013 3:00:25 PM
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Yeah I always wear a helmet especially when bolting as generally none of the rock around has been tested and shit like that can happen...glad your okay.....also WTF you bolted it and ya mate climbed the route without ya....sounds like you need new mates too.
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6-Feb-2013 8:54:56 PM
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I'm a firm believer that bolting is the equivalent of guys doing sketchy trad in the 70s. All the injuries and near misses I have had "climbing" in the last few years have been from bolting.
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6-Feb-2013 9:13:38 PM
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On 6/02/2013 nmonteith wrote:
>I'm a firm believer that bolting is the equivalent of guys doing sketchy
>trad in the 70s. All the injuries and near misses I have had "climbing"
>in the last few years have been from bolting, or trying to swing into place a mega tri-cam for protection, or doing a running jump-lunge start to a boulder problem in NZ...
Thereyago fixedthatforya!
☺
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8-Feb-2013 9:55:36 PM
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On 6/02/2013 nmonteith wrote:
>I'm a firm believer that bolting is the equivalent of guys doing sketchy
>trad in the 70s. All the injuries and near misses I have had "climbing"
>in the last few years have been from bolting.
Agree. It's kinda fun though. I love having to improvise, rely on weird sketchy placements, spend time sussing out where the best rock is... That said we are always well protected so if something fails we have plenty of back up like my situation the other night, the blow on the head was unforeseen and nasty but the fall was never going to be life threatening. I've been strictly trad and I'm rather new to sport and bolting and enjoying the learning experience. I have developed a real appreciation for the work some people such as yourself Neil have done over the years (and developed an appreciation for how scary aid can be). The lines we are bolting are mixed and plenty of gear still needs to be placed. Can't put photo's of stack hat online cause wife binned it, bugger! Not at all upset with mate climbing the route as he picked the line, top roped it and marked the bolt holes. Both guys with him failed to send (they climb mid to high 20s) so I think his grade of 22 might be a sandbag! Plenty more lines to do on this wall, can't wait to get back out there. I will post some photo's soon.
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9-Feb-2013 4:59:52 PM
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Still amazes me the number of people who climb and belay with no helmet.
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9-Feb-2013 6:58:57 PM
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On 9/02/2013 Groveller wrote:
>Still amazes me the number of people who climb and belay with no helmet.
Still amazes me others are amazed if people decide to climb or belay without a helmet...
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9-Feb-2013 7:47:11 PM
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On 9/02/2013 dalai wrote:
>On 9/02/2013 Groveller wrote:
>>Still amazes me the number of people who climb and belay with no helmet.
>
>Still amazes me others are amazed if people decide to climb or belay without
>a helmet...
I'm amazed that you're amazed that he's amazed that people climb, belay or drive without a helmet...
Or without comfortable shoes.
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9-Feb-2013 9:58:46 PM
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I'm amazed etc etc etc that you belay in comfortable shoes . . .
I rarely wear a helmet when free-climbing, usually just a cap . . .
But I almost always wear a helmet when aiding, and almost almost always wear one when bolting, unless it is obvious that I don't really need one . . .
I reckon I have saved myself a few broken helmets over the years . . .
Though the caps have a hole or two in them now, but they are pretty cheap . . .
MM
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11-Feb-2013 8:54:47 PM
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I am amazed that you are all amazed...
~> Whatever your stance, it seems like common* sense to me.
(* there is more than one interpretation of that...)
☻
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