slings

[ynot]

I dropped a cheap walkie talkie at Seneca once. It was a goner.

[512OW]

You may have a point on the relative speeds of re-racking, I don't know. But there should be zero risk of dropping the rack. Just like passing a joint, never say "got it" 'till you fuckin' got it.

It sure would be nice if there were a such thing as "zero" risk at any time in climbing...

[512OW]

Or would it?

[L K Day]

You got it.

[elcapitan1974]

I agree with Day totally! If you are paying attention you should not drop the rack and you better not drop the fucking dooby, a no no!

[woodchuck008]

I didnt grow up with harness-only racking, and never thought I was being restrained or held back due to my gear sling. It became a part of my climbing body.....shoes, gear rack, skid lid on the head, with all the aches and pains that came with it. And there was never a moment I felt out of place. Long routes, swinging leads of multipitch trad', wondering if we would get down before the lightning started to hit. It was how I enjoyed climbing life. Many MANY years later, with a new lightweight harness, a sport load of QD's, a new life began. But I'd never trade away those old days of hauling crap up big walls. Handing off the gear sling is a tradition, sort of like passing on the baton in a relay race.

[rjackson]

An interesting thread no doubt, especially since I'm a new traddie and it's hard to get this kind of real-world info anywhere else.

I've learned by OJT and racking strictly on the harness, and have figured out pretty much what everyone else is doing. Cams in the front, both sides smaller to large (which puts the larger/heavier ones right over the hips). Nuts/hexes or tricams (grouped on biners) - usually in the back of the front loops on the side I think might be the most free. Short slings on one side in the back, draws on the other with atc, nut tool or other extraneous. Long slings over the head. Short slings have 2 biners on them, long slings usually have one.

Type of gear, placement, route, rope all determine length and/if usage of slings/draws is necessary.

I've only climbed trad in the gorge (so far) so no experience on handing off the rack up high, but I'd hate to have it all dependent on a single hail mary.

Man, I love the puzzle!

[512OW]

I agree with Day totally! If you are paying attention you should not drop the rack and you better not drop the fucking dooby, a no no!

Shouldn't drop the haulbag either... but its been done more than once.

[512OW]

I don't know a single person who can rifle through gear on a gear sling while climbing at their limit. In fact, while at their limit, many people even forego clipping the gear to their harness, instead velcroing or duct taping it to themselves for quick removal. If half the time on the line is spent dickin with gear, then you're only climbing half as hard as you could be.

[elcapitan1974]

I think its faster and more efficient on long routes if the follower racks the cleaned gear back on their harness in the order they like it. Then at the belay they size up the next pitch, add a few pieces, and set off. Even with a gear sling, they still have to rerack, because they just cleaned the previous pitch. Also, with a gear sling, theres the risk of dropping the entire rack, instead of one piece. No thanks.

You mean your follower has time to rerack the gear on his harness as he is cleaning the pitch in the order he would do the next pitch as he is pulling sustained 12d moves? Your follower must climb better than you! All you have to do is rack preroute in sequence on the ground. He / she is in the crux of 12d roof crack with him/her leading the next 13a pitch, cleaning gear and think next pitch. Maybe if your the Huber bros!