Rick, I have some biners for you to test when you get your stress test thing set up. Pulled them from the top of Supafly yesterday. One is worn just about all the way through, the other is more then half way worn through. Not sure if people TR that route very much, so might just be from lowering. Al biners do not hold up like steel rings, that is for sure.
bushwhacker wrote:*Are you safer rapping or lowering if YOUR PARTNER gets hit by rockfall? The rockfall that I’ve witnessed in 19 yrs of climbing has almost always been initiated by the feet or hands of the climber/rappeler. Who is more likely to get hit by rockfall, those below or you?*
Handhold or foothold blows while you are pulling on it on lead, you fall and are airborne, 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...also pretty easy to knock stuff off while being lowered...why people still use belay devices that don't work if you let go of the rope is beyond me...
I could have sworn this conversation was about the safty of rapelling vs lowering. Actually, I think it is the direct question and content in the comment that you *quoted*.
"how ironic....now he's blind after a life of enjoying being able to see."~Homer