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General Climbing Discussion

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bow line 1-Dec-2006 At 1:23:56 PM prb

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On 30/11/2006 Simey wrote:
>I don't understand how a short tail on a fig-8 can cause it to explode.

By "explode" I mean to unravel quickly and completely. The cord I was using was the stiffish stuff you might tie through your hexes. It likes to straighten when bent so you need a good tail to keep the knot intact. A few mm isn't enough!

For those not familiar with a Soloist, they were invented I think for aid soloing at Yosemite but I try to free climb with the thing. You secure it between a waist and chest harness like an ascender. It cams on the rope when you fall. It works - I've taken some screamers. But it wouldn't work if you fell upside down - I'd put spaced knots in the free end of the rope for serious roofs. The knot connecting the device to your waist harness coming undone would have the same effect as falling upside down. But mostly I leave the free end unknotted as they get caught everywhere.