Dr_Crash

I know about that. I've wondered about durability but it's a really cool idea (and another $12), and if their tape is as bomber as their shovels, no pb. drC

I hope the Petzl Mini is one of them. Do you know? If not, I guess I'd have to use my belay device to do the minding. RE: your safety margin of 10:1, Strong's book notes that 5mm perlon has a breaking strength of ~1150 lbs, which would be a 5:1 safety margin then (which he does consider good, btw). Not sure who's right drC

Is that force exerted on the prusik? My weight doesn't change so the force *I* exert doesn't change. The force on the rope does change (going in the up direction) but it's pretty static. Do you think the rope could slip through the prusik then? A kleimheist is out of the question given the environment is school where we have to use prusiks. drC

Hi, I have a question about prusiks. It looks like the standard prusik diameter with people like the Mountaineers is 6 mm. Yet, many do glacier travel with 8.1 mm or similar ropes (typically a strand from a twin), and they agree that 5 mm would be better on those. I actually have two questions I guess: - Is 5 mm what you'd pick for an 8.1 mm line, or would you stick with 6 mm and make an extra wrap (like 4 wraps maybe)? I won't be trailing a sled or other heavy stuff, just myself and a week-end pack. - If yes, would it make sense to have 5 mm for everything, including the school's 11 mm ropes, or do I want another set for those, in 6 mm. I'm thinking a single set should work with all of the ropes. Thanks, drC

It is a nice probe. I used it a few times, but now have BCA's SR3 probe (3 meters, bigger diameter). No problem with the 240, just wanted a 3 m probe. The centimeter markings are nice but they stop a good 5 cm to the end of each segment, leaving gaps. The SR3 doesn't do that. The probe works really well in packed debris with nearly no deflection. The only complaint I've seen is when searching for someone (or in our case a buried beacon/target) the cable loop can whip into somebody's face as you probe close to another searcher. Not a big deal if a life's at stake, and since I was the one probing, not a problem for me either . drC

Why in the SAME direction? Ease of use? I thought Petzl's goal in having the gates face opposite directions was to ensure that at least one biner would be loaded in the body and not the gate. Fair point re: tying eliminating the risk of gate breaking, but I don't think it'd be easy to break open one of those double eights after a fall on it, while you're hanging on the rope. A bowline might be easier though. drC

Hi, I'm learning how to do glacier travel as part of doing ski mountaineering, and have a question about clipping into the rope. We clip in because we're wearing heavy packs and want to leave those hanging on the rope when we're climbing out of a crevasse. The textbook I've been using, "Glaciers! Travel and Rescue" by Strong, shows clipping with a single locking carabiner. But every Petzl carabiner (or harness) notice that talks about clipping in says you need to use two carabiners with the gates facing opposite directions, or you risk that the rope would load and break the gate during a fall. The Petzl "Experience" brochure has some diagrams of that deadly sequence too. What is your experience? Is the double carabiner warranted for glacier travel, or are the loads in play unlikely to enable the gate-breaking scenario? Thanks in advance, drC