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General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Abseiling tips, tricks, habits and advice 28-May-2014 At 5:10:05 PM rightarmbad

Message

On 28/05/2014 davidn wrote:
>On 28/05/2014 rightarmbad wrote:
>>Agree with Patto.
>>I rarely use backups of any sort and I think I may have tied knots in
>>the ends once.
>>Being aware of you surrounds pretty much negates the requirement of backups
>>and leaves two hands for primary control of the device.
>
>I can't imagine you ever rapped to bolt something, but you've never rapped
>to clean anything? Don't get me wrong, gung ho blah blah ground up everything
>but it's all good in theory until you can see an unavoidable block/flake.

If rapping to bolt there are far better options like my SRT double rope decender that safely lets me stop anywhere and go hands free.

Rapping to clean is usually reaching out and grab pro/draw whatever as you go past.
If it is stuck and needs proper attention, three wraps around a leg will let me go hands free to give it a proper fiddle and retrieval.

Having both hands to control the device allows easy swaps from hand to hand if wriggling through tree branches or similar.

I see no place for the backup methods taught except for in a situation where you are out alone.
In that situation, again probably exploring or some such, the double rope descender a far better option.