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General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Abseiling tips, tricks, habits and advice 28-May-2014 At 2:48:15 PM peteclimbs

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Agree that knotting the ends is generally a good idea but I don't see it as an alternative to an autoblock. They serve different functions - knots to stop you dropping off the end of the rope, autoblock to provide a third hand to ensure your rap stays under control and in the event that you have difficult territory to negotiate or anything else that might require your attention (like rope snaggles).

I wasn't really sold on the autoblock thing until I did a fair bit of climbing at West Cape Howe in WA. There's something about rapping off tall sea cliffs when it's blowing 30 knots and you're got very little idea of what's below you that makes you grateful for an autoblock. It's probably most psychological but no less valuable for it IMO.

Just on the setup, I'm not sure why people use the leg loop when you can just clip the prusik into your belay loop, belay device extended away from your body of course.