How unsafe is climbing?

[schwagpad]

Maybe part of the issue is that climbers are such a safety-oriented group. The primary function of most climbing equipment is to provide safety. So even if climbing is as safe as riding a bike, or driving a car, when an accident happens it is a big deal. Something went wrong, it was preventable. I don't think road bikers are on a forum discussing every biking accident. The danger of climbing seems amplified in this way.

[krampus]

Maybe part of the issue is that climbers are such a safety-oriented group. The primary function of most climbing equipment is to provide safety. So even if climbing is as safe as riding a bike, or driving a car, when an accident happens it is a big deal. Something went wrong, it was preventable. I don't think road bikers are on a forum discussing every biking accident. The danger of climbing seems amplified in this way.

There is a difference. When Mt. Biking you can fall of the bike for any number of reasons and get hurt, its part of the sport. You can make it as safe as possible by wearing protective gear but if your really pushing it on a bike, your going to fall off, and you accept that. With climbing, 99% of accidents happen as a result of negligence. They are completely avoidable and usually usually result in more serious consequences.

[Meadows]

I am with Andrew - is use to seem safer than driving a car.

Have you compared the statistics lately? It still is.

[dustonian]

It depends on the type of climbing. Sport climbing should be safe if you are practicing it the right way. For the most part excluding overuse injuries, if you get hurt it is because you or your partner did something wrong. In trad, alpine, and big wall climbing etc. there are a lot more uncontrolled variables and acceptance of calculated risk. There is no excuse really for the extraordinarily high rate of accidents sustained sport climbing in the Red, and the problem only seems to be getting worse.

[sendit]

I'd say climbing is most unsafe for males between the ages of 18-29.

[krampus]

I'd say climbing is most unsafe for males between the ages of 18-29.

only if they let their girlfriends belay them

[blakeleathers]

I'd say climbing is most unsafe for males between the ages of 18-29.

only if they let their girlfriends belay them

quote of the day.

[jay2718]

There's an "old saying" in climbing: Its easy to climb hard for 30 years and die of old age; what's hard is living though the first two or three years....

[sharon9999]

A quick comment about skinny ropes. I don't like them.

Despite all of the people who say "the gri-gri works fine on my (insert thin rope here)", the problem is that when a unusual circumstance happens or a mistake, a thin cord is LESS LIKELY to lock up a gri-gri. I think we are finally starting to see some scenario's where this is happening.

Andrew,in your opinion how thin is to thin?

[Andrew]

less than 9.8 on a gri gri, but recently I am thinking about buying a sterling 10.1