Do you backup for a descent?

[Blinky]

This is cross posted on TB.

I'm curious if anybody backs up when they rappel or lower on a hitch. I don't, I just never have except when practicing coming off a spar emergency style with a hitch and an eight on SRT.

If you do, what do you use as the backup?

 

[treetx]

A decent? No

 

[stig]

I don't normally, but I sure did when I was coming down from the redwoods and giant sequoia, that's a looooong rappel.
I used a loop of frictioncord in a traditional prusic fastened to the legloop of my harness with a dogleash snap.

 

[lumberjack]

Aside from Cali, nope. I believe Jon mentioned seeing my left hand giving up it's magic smoke.

 

[sotc]

Like above, i don't at work. Burnham showed us the back up for the long decents at the west coast GTG so I do use it on rec climbs SRT

 

[Bounce]

Ever since I fell I sure do. I normally just toss my flipline around the trunk for my backup. On really long descents I will put a fig 8 onto my line below my VT to make my prusik cord last longer, which is also sort-of a backup.

 

[RIVERRAT]

Nope.

 

[NeTree]

I don't normally, but I sure did when I was coming down from the redwoods and giant sequoia, that's a looooong rappel.

Ditto.

 

[Jonseredbred]

I just hang on tighter to the control lever.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Normal day at work.. mostly no.. Once I get about 60 plus feet... Yes... I just use my VT or a tradition prussic. I like what Burnam showed us and I use it from my leg loop now. I also have the luxury of having Rob tend my tail on decent. All he has to do is pull on the rope to stop me while on the 8. I very rarely (all most never) climb alone.

 

[Burnham]

Not on DbRT, yes on SRT, unless I'm using an auto lock device like the I'D.

If the rappel system is in free running mode if you go hands off, then you really ought to be backed up some way. A prusik under the descender or a belayer on the ground is easy to deploy.

Full disclosure: I am strict about this when I'm instructing, or during operational climbing where less experienced climbers can observe my technique. Under other conditions, for RQ3 or standard rescue 8 rappels SRT, under 75 or maybe 100 feet...I have been known to rap bare . Fast is fun, now and then.

That doesn't make it a good idea .

 

[Bounce]

A prusik under the descender

You showed me this while we were in CA Burnham, and I've used it on every SRT descent I have done since then. I think that is the best tweak to my climbing system I've made in a year or more. Thanks again for that.

 

[Bodean]

I back it up on an SRT, though not on a ddrt.

Like Burnham said.


and Jonesered, you made me laugh.
Thanks

 

[OTGBOSTON]

You showed me this while we were in CA Burnham, and I've used it on every SRT descent I have done since then. I think that is the best tweak to my climbing system I've made in a year or more. Thanks again for that.

Could someone please post a pic?

 

[NickfromWI]

Youtube vid coming up. One sec...

 

[Hobby Climber]

I think I mentioned this before on another thread.

Going up I use the Blakes hitch and a Pantin foot ascender.

Going down, I just attach a Fig.8 thats backed up by a loose Blakes hitch, (the same one I climbed up on)! Best of all, you never have to untie your Blakes hitch thus keeping you safe!

Also, if something happens to your hand that controls the 8, the Blakes will stop you!

Come to think about it, if you do injur you hand that controls the Fig-8, you can still get down by using you other hand with the Blakes!


Simple!!!


HC

 

[Wagnaw]

For SRT decent, I'll set up like this.

 

[NickfromWI]

Why does the rope go up through the petzl 'biner?

 

[MasterBlaster]

If Something happens to the hand that controls the 8, the Blakes will stop me!

Wow!

 

[NickfromWI]

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[Wagnaw]

Why does the rope go up through the petzl 'biner?

That's for short raps, so I can pull down the running bowline.

 

[NickfromWI]

That's what I was thinking. You're limited to descents 1/3 the length of your rope, right?

 

[Wagnaw]

Yeah, sure. I don't usually rap that far single line though. SRT decent is usually reserved for the last bit of spar on a takedown.

When we climbed that big hickory in Asheville, I put a footlock prussik above my figure 8 as a back up. That was about a 80 ft decent.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

This is from the GTG that Burnam set me up with .. He was letting me use a rack but it will work with an 8 etc. This allows for a one hand free descent.

 

[Hobby Climber]

K.I.S.S.