Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - Gear Lust / Lost & Found

Rave About Your Rack Please do not post retail SPAM.

Topic Date User

TR Self belay backup options 21-Feb-2015 At 8:47:46 AM JMK

Message

I use a petzl rescusender tied to my harness. As I ascend, I periodically tie 1 handed knots in the rope . The objective being the device will either lock closed normally or catch on the knot and lock. No sharp teeth so good for the rope.

Positives: slides easily so you don't even feel it

Negatives: hangs open so you are mostly relying on the knots which can be hard to tie one handed. When you go thru long cruxes and can't take one hand off then the gaps between knots can be long. System does work as I have fallen 5m and the knot caught. Downside includes that the knot , which is your protection, can be well below where the bolt or trad piece would have been (eg when clipping well above your head). This can make for a very scary crux. In fact I have TR soloed and felt more scared than if I were leading. Hence I would probably lead solo with my soloist instead. Another downside is the reliance on a single piece of gear. I rationalise that by saying to myself there are many occasions where I am leading and if a certain piece blows then I am fuched anyway.

My question is : am I being ignorant and foolhardy by totally relying on the rescusender with no back up except the knot?