Rappelling or lowering off?

Gaston? High Step? Drop Knee? Talk in here.

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?

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andy_lemon
Posts: 1566
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 2:22 am

Post by andy_lemon »

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...
Not a bitch.
busty
Posts: 675
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2003 1:52 pm

Post by busty »

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.....
I'm an experienced woman; I've been around... well, alright, I might not've been around, but I've been... nearby.
~ Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore Show)
marathonmedic
Posts: 1557
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2004 3:01 am

Post by marathonmedic »

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.
Ticking is gym climbing outdoors.
wanderer
Posts: 47
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2003 2:46 am

Post by wanderer »

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.
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Toad
Posts: 618
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 4:41 pm

Post by Toad »

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Last edited by Toad on Wed Sep 13, 2006 5:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
gulliver
Posts: 493
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:39 am

Post by gulliver »

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.
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ynot
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Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 1:02 am

Post by ynot »

It works.I tried it once.It's tough on clothes.You can also wrap it around your leg but it gets really hot.
"Everyone should have a plan for the zombie apocolipse" Courtney
Alan Evil
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Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2003 1:08 pm

Post by Alan Evil »

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.
[size=75]You are as bad as Alan, and even he hits the mark sometimes. -charlie

"Not all conservatives are stupid, but most stupid people are conservative." - John Stuart Mill[/size]
marathonmedic
Posts: 1557
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2004 3:01 am

Post by marathonmedic »

Don't wear a harness. Make a swiss seat and rap like a pro.
Ticking is gym climbing outdoors.
wanderer
Posts: 47
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2003 2:46 am

Post by wanderer »

Aussie style is the only the way!!
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