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Topic Date User

Prussic while abseiling - above or below device? 4-Aug-2012 At 12:37:57 PM stonetroll

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Prussicks are beautiful, prussicks are fun, prussicks bring joy and laughter to the world and i love them.

My beautiful beautiful prussicks . . . . oh how they bring back memories. The long dark one i had back up in north, she was a nice tight unit, no stretch in that one. And then i can still remember the way the thick red one would wrap around my old stiff rope and clench on just when i needed her most. Ahh they come and go, but the better you look after 'em, the longer they last.

Well, prusicks come in different shapes and sizes and they all have their own special qualitys and benifits. So there's nothing wrong with having 2 or 3 or more if you want at the same time. Myself, i'm a 3 prussick kind of guy. 1 for each occasion. But some occasion you have to have 2 or 3 at the same time, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Now where were we ? Prussick above or below device while abseiling ?
BELOW !!
With the prusick below, you have greater control. If she clenches up too tight, just give her a gentle carress and she will loosen off for you.
BUT !! if she's on top and clenches up . . . . . . . . . ! wowah ... she might clench up even tighter because your full wieght is on her.

However, choose wisely. Not all prussicks like to be below. If too large, ( i.e unable to clench tight and totally lock on before reaching the point where she kisses up against the descending device ) you will be let down buy her performance. If too small, ( i.e unable to wrap around a sufficient amount of times to create co-hesive friction ) you will regret ever picking her up.

For me, the best prussick below my device is a 98cm length of 6mm chord joined with a double fishermans knot which makes 31cm internal diam' loop. French prussicked around rap' line and attached to leg loop on harness via small lock gate 'crab. ( Key component is the small caribiner )

When i was out yesterday i tryed to get the prussick to touch the belay device to see if it would kiss up agianst it and fail. But beacause of the way i have it set up with pretty much zero free play, the prussick keeps clear of the device buy at least 40mm even in the Kundalini position.

n.b; i find the 310mm loop too be a perfect length for both single and double rope rappels, even with varying thickneses of ropes. On single = 4 wraps french prussick. On doubles = 3 wraps french prussick. Sometimes on skinny ropes i just "fine tune" the prussick length buy adding a loop around the caribiner as i clip it into the carabiner.