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I think its LOADS safer to lower - especially when cleaning a route - its safer and easier....

- and rings are cheap someone will just replace them.

Rapelling, you have to pull up rope - it takes longer - you have to bring a rappell device....

what do you all think?

Please, dear God...Rap if you can. The only time you should have to be lowered is if you are cleaning a severe overhung route after leading and you need to get your draws/gear back. Rapelling is just as safe as lowering, assuming you back-up your rapel. Face it, the most dangerous part of being the last person up the route is cleaning your anchors and untying your knot; getting your knot re-tied or feeding your ATC properly. The action of rapelling is not more dangerous.

RTimm wrote:Please, dear God...Rap if you can. The only time you should have to be lowered is if you are cleaning a severe overhung route after leading and you need to get your draws/gear back. Rapelling is just as safe as lowering, assuming you back-up your rapel. Face it, the most dangerous part of being the last person up the route is cleaning your anchors and untying your knot; getting your knot re-tied or feeding your ATC properly. The action of rapelling is not more dangerous.

Can you give me one good reason to NOT lower?

I've read many injury reports because of things that ANYONE can do by accident - like only clipping one rappel rope....

I don't want to hear - wear on the anchor, because its minimal and rings are easily replaced.

these polls are always lacking the "it depends..." option.

dbrayack wrote:....... someone will just replace them....

Cool. Thankfully "Someone" is around performing a public service.

*I rap. I prefer to rap. I prefer to not shave my rope or the anchors any more than necessary. I prefer to control my rate of descent. I prefer to not have to wonder about communicating with the belayer. "I'm in direct, I will rap, take me off," is so much more confidence inspiring than trying to communicate about a lower, especially with someone you don't climb with often.

*exceptions being steep ass routes that are obviously easier on a lower.

charlie wrote:

dbrayack wrote:....... someone will just replace them....

Cool. Thankfully "Someone" is around performing a public service.

Yup - there's a great community of people at the Red who do this public service...and it takes a long time to wear rings...

I always wanted to be "someone".... or is that "somebody"..

BTW, please donate to TeamSuckClimbing.com

dbrayack wrote: - and rings are cheap someone will just replace them.

who is Someone?

if it's the person making the comments on the online guide, i really doubt he'll replace them. he'll just let them wear almost clean through and then post a comment about how the FA bolted a choss pile with a crappy anchors. Someone sucks. i don't think you should count on him at all for replacing anchors.

Josephine wrote:

dbrayack wrote: - and rings are cheap someone will just replace them.

who is Someone?

if it's the person making the comments on the online guide, i really doubt he'll replace them. he'll just let them wear almost clean through and then post a comment about how the FA bolted a choss pile with a crappy anchors. Someone sucks. i don't think you should count on him at all for replacing anchors.

I live and climb at the New River Gorge and we keep our well traveled routes in working order - and the folks at the Red do the same...can you please find another good reason to Rapell instead of lower besides "anchor wear"

and I know that I'm probably spelling Rapell wrong...

yea, i agree w/ josephine here. someone is a real a-hole. i don't see someone ever replacing that crappy attitude he/she has, much less some anchors.