Rappelling or lowering off?

Post by **andy_lemon** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 8:45 am

bushwhacker wrote:Handhold or foothold blows while you are pulling on it on lead, hand/foothold beans your belayer on the head, knocking him/her out, he/she lets go of rope...with a grigri you get to live. With any other device, adios muchachos...

Not if your belayer falls and passes out ontop of the rope...

Post by **busty** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 3:40 pm

I wonder how much, if at all, heat plays a factor in wear on the anchors when lowering rather than rapping? I would expect the anchors to become warm/hot since my scary, antiquated ATC gets hot from the rope traveling through it when when I rap. Just a thought.....

Post by **marathonmedic** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 4:48 pm

andy_lemon wrote:
bushwhacker wrote:Handhold or foothold blows while you are pulling on it on lead, hand/foothold beans your belayer on the head, knocking him/her out, he/she lets go of rope...with a grigri you get to live. With any other device, adios muchachos...
Not if your belayer falls and passes out ontop of the rope...

Just like a good belayer should.

Post by **wanderer** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 8:42 pm

bushwhacker wrote:why people still use belay devices that don't work if you let go of the rope is beyond me...

Wonder if the guy who fell at Torrent Falls last summer would agree with you. I imagine his trust in the almighty infallible grigri has been shaken just a slight tad you think?

Rap vs lower? Any movement across the anchors will create wear. No movement across the anchors will prevent excessive wear. It's not rocket science.

Safety is a matter of skill level and both are equally safe when learned to do properly. Of course, if somebody is looking for 100% safety, might I suggest the living room couch suckling your momma's nipple.

Post by **Toad** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 8:53 pm

Post by **gulliver** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 1:43 am

I liked that post wanderer.Bushwacker, don't let go of the rope, you are rappeling.
Could you rap with the rope just run under your arm and across your back? Some people do(you won't see it much!). Climbing has some risk and I understand limiting it, but it was all about the adventure and skills of getting up. If it's completely watered down you would only feel safe in a gym and the whole time you'd be wondering how your lawyer could negotiate around the release you signed.

Post by **ynot** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 3:51 am

It works.I tried it once.It's tough on clothes.You can also wrap it around your leg but it gets really hot.

Post by **Alan Evil** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 1:19 am

The rappel method I remember from boy scouts involved running the rope around the body and under a leg. I never tried it but it looked like it would hurt like hell.

Post by **marathonmedic** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 3:03 am

Don't wear a harness. Make a swiss seat and rap like a pro.

Post by **wanderer** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 11:17 pm

Aussie style is the only the way!!

RRC Archives

Rappelling or lowering off?

In single pitch crag climbing, like most of the climbing done here in the Red, after cleaning the anchor, do you prefer to rap off or be lowered off?