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Topic Date User

Lead courses SYDNEY 8-Mar-2006 At 6:17:59 PM Ronny

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On 8/03/2006 simey wrote:
>If you are red-pointing a route on someone else's pre-placed gear, don't
>assume their gear is bombproof. Always carry up some extra gear, check
>each of their placements and place your own if necessary. (I can't believe
>the number of climbers who don't do this).

I dont' mean to labour the point - but this is crucial. And don't think that the person who placed it will be offended or anything silly like that. You're not only checking that the gear is placed well, but that it hasn't moved. When gear is loaded, whether downwards in a fall or in other directions when lowering or hanging on higher gear, it often moves. It absolutely *must* be checked before its climbed past - even if its only a quick glance. Being pumped is not an excuse not to do this - it is even more important then.

I always get particularly freaked out when I watch someone climb blindly past gear that I have placed. I won't do that with gear that i've put in myself, so I dont' know why someone else would. I have also seen a wire that I placed about 4 hours earlier fall out as someone climbed past the crux of a route near their limit because it hadn't been checked all day.

So even if only for my sanity in the unlikely event that we one day meet and you climb on gear i've placed - please everyone take Simey's advice.

J