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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Proof loading bolts 24-Jul-2009 At 4:18:44 PM porkpie

Message

Numerous reasons why U bolts are safer than carrots.
1 - you can bail without leaving gear behind - if people are faced with leaving two biners at each belay for say 7 pitches they may decide to push on or try to traverse off, etc
2 U bots are stronger because 2 legs are glued into the rock increasing the surface area of glue to rock and glue to bolt.
3 U bolts are more resistant to sideway or twisting loads.
4 U bolts don't require hangers that can lever on the bolts or slip off if thin biners are used on drawers
5 Foriegn climbers will know how to clip U bolts

Fixed draws might be normal on steep routes in Europe but it is not done for safety purely for the benefit of climbers cleaning routes. In fact fixed draws slowly bleaching in the sun would not be safe at all.

Finally if the bloke who establishes a climb decides to better equip his route so he can be sure the route is safe - who are you to predict fatalities to occur in the next few years. Are you going to contact anyone who has estabished a super bold (ie X rated), E7+ or A4+ route and advise them to retro bolt the climb as some numpty might try and get up the route and kill themself in the process?