Advanced Rockcraft
Informative book covering 'leading' & 'old fashioned hard aid'

Format	Book	Category	Instructional
Title	Advanced Rockcraft	Pages	96
Author	Royal Robbins	RRP
Publisher	La Siesta Press	Reviews	1
Edition	1973	Ave Rating	(3.50 of 5)

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IdratherbeclimbingM9 8/12/2004

This is the sequel to the popular Basic Rockcraft (which covers gear and basic technique), and it tends to repeat a little of its predecessor, but covers much more in depth the principles of safely Leading climbs. It reviews 'gadjets' such as harnesses! (who out there can envisage climbing without one?), and majors in espousing the virtues of 'chock-craft'; as this book came out at a point in time to help precipitate the evolution from pitons to (passive) chocks. It is a good historical read, and its basic principles are still applicable today, though sections such as its descriptions of self belayed soloing have been proven over time to be dangerous, (which the book acknowledges at the time). As a specific example, I would only use the 'Barnett system' in an emergency, as there have been some documented horror stories attached to its useage ... Its section on 'Big Walls' includes describing the (then) brand new technique of 1:1 hauling using the Yosemite Technique, (a pulley & two jumars, one of which is inverted). This technique is still the mainstay of hauling today. It also deals with 'values' and describes climbs as 'creations', which many modern climbers would do well to assimilate into their psyche.