Runners on your rack?

[Dustin_B]

So how many of what length runners do you carry on your rack? (so I know you are going to say it depends on the length and rating of the pitches so just give me an example). I am putting together a rack and so far I have 6 single runners. I am thinking about getting 6 doubles too, or maybe 4 doubles and 2 more singles. What about carrying a couple of half (12") runners? How many pieces (and therefore runners) would you expect to place while leading a full pitch rated in the mid to upper end of your abilities? Gracias.

[freeclimb9]

I like Bluewater sewn spectra runners (the only company I know of that sews with spectra) in 6" and 24" lengths. The 12" runners just aren't that useful, IMO. How many of each depends on the route, but a normal trad rack will have a half dozen 6" quickdraws and fifteen shoulder slings (which triple nicely, BTW) for use with the free 'biners on the rack.

[cracked]

Buy mainly single-length runners, and triple them up between two biners. It is then about 12in long. They are really easy to extend. Buy four or so doubles, as you will rarely need that long a runner, unless you are in the mountains. How many pieces per pitch? Depends on how scared I get. Usually 15 or so per 100 feet.

[erik]

cracked said:

Buy mainly single-length runners, and triple them up between two biners. It is then about 12in long. They are really easy to extend. Buy four or so doubles, as you will rarely need that long a runner, unless you are in the mountains. How many pieces per pitch? Depends on how scared I get. Usually 15 or so per 100 feet.

 

i was talkingabout this last night. why use to biners to turn a shoulder length into a draw? all you are going to do is lengthen it once you use it. waste of energy!!!!

 

 

[freeclimb9]

erik said:

i was talkingabout this last night. why use to biners to turn a shoulder length into a draw? all you are going to do is lengthen it once you use it. waste of energy!!!!

Try pulling a sling off your shoulder with ice-tools in hand, or chickenwinging an OW, and you'll learn a lot about "waste of energy".

[Attitude]

8 tripled sewn singles on my harness,

2 sewn doubles over my shoulder,

and chained tied single and double on harness.

 

You can always girth hitch runners together to extend them.

[JoshK]

8 singles, 4 doubles. I, too, like the bluewater sewn spectra runners. light and strong. I don't always carry all 12, however, it depends on the route. doubles come in extra handy on alpine routes for slinging horns, trees, dead bodies, etc...

[erik]

freeclimb9 said:

erik said:

i was talkingabout this last night. why use to biners to turn a shoulder length into a draw? all you are going to do is lengthen it once you use it. waste of energy!!!!

Try pulling a sling off your shoulder with ice-tools in hand, or chickenwinging an OW, and you'll learn a lot about "waste of energy".

 

K

 

DONE THAT,

 

BEEN THERE

 

WHATS NEXT?

 

ALSO AS I RACK UP FOR THE PITCH I CAN USUALLY SEE WHAT I AM ABOUT TO COMBAT AND ADJUSTER FOR IT. I DO NOT ADOPT ONE STRATAGY FOR CLIMBING. I LIKE IT ALL!!

 

SITUATIONAL MY FRIEND!!!

 

BUT I AM SURE YOU KNOW THAT!!

 

[MATT_B]

Dustin

 

Your runner choice should be dictated by the kind of climbing you do. If you are doing a lot of routes that wander all over the place and rope drag is always a big issue, go for lots of long runners. If you are doing a lot of routes that are straight as an arrow don't worry too much about long runners. Personally I hate double length runners. More often than not they are in my way. As far as how to carry them, experiment. I'm sure you will get a ton of opinions. Try them all and see what works best for you. I like to have all my gear on my harness when free climbing but I have friends that never use the gear loops on their hanresses. It all comes down to what works for you.

[Lambone]

I prefer to keep them on my shoulder as well, ice climbing or whatever. I just put them on the side so that I can get them with the hand I usually place screws with.

 

I also usualy carry some regular quick draws or screamers for when they migt work better.

 

[Geek_the_Greek]

The one technique that I really hate is having to depend on shoulder slings and free biners. What a pain in the ass to have to have the right hand free (to get the sling) and put the whole package together while you're hanging off a jam or some crappy smear or something. Put your draws together beforehand with tripled singles or whatever so that when you need to get a piece in and move on you can do so. Maybe if you do more casual alpine routes than pure rock climbing this would be ok, but that's not my case. I find it strange that people would use this for ice, but whatever works for you.

 

Personally, I have about 5 "sport" (4-5" or so) draws (fine for straight-up sections or bolts, both situations which cover an awful lot of terrain I climb) a few (2 or 3)longer draws (6-7" - I used to dislike these, but now I love 'em), and about 5 tripled single runner draws. I also carry about two double runners over my shoulders so that if I do need to really extend something or sling a horn I can take apart one of my other draws for the biners.

 

Edit: For the second question, I guess I bring about 14 draws for a full pitch at the "mid to upper end of my abilities", which doesn't sound like much over a true 160 ft. full pitch, but these are pretty rare, so I usually have more than enough. Usually I look at a pitch and decide to bring what I need and bring less.

Edited April 3, 2003 by Geek_the_Greek

[Dustin_B]

Thanks for the great info everyone. I think I will be doing more of the "casual alpine routes" so I'm going to go with 4 doubles, and 2-4 more singles. I also have a set of regular length quickdraws so I think those could take the place of the 12" runners, but maybe I'll pick up a couple of those anyway to experiment with. After the good points that have been brought up I'm glad I didn't decide to get 6 doubles. It sounds like that would be over kill. Doesn't sound like anyone carries the 36" runners; I guess those are an awkard length because they don't double as well. I have lead a little with a friends rack and I think I like the singles tripled and on my harness or gear sling with a couple doubles over my shoulder. Thanks again, this was quite helpful.

Dustin

[erik]

to store a double length shoulder sling....double it up and then twist the ends.....fold and clip both ends into one biner....now it is out of the way...

 

when cragging i almost always just use draws and maybe a sling to reduce and drag....

 

multipitch climbs i have a few draws and mostly shoulder lengths...

 

 

[Lambone]

Dustin,

 

I carry 2 double lenth runners on alpine routes and up to 10-12 single length (depending on the route). I use the doubles for belays or big horns, and always seem to run outof single length runners no matter how many I bring...

 

Oh yeah, it's also a good idea to bring some sling that you don'tmind leaving behind if you need to.

 

Have fun!

Edited April 4, 2003 by Lambone

[mattp]

To carry the "doubles" (those that are, what, 48") I fold it in two and clip the two ends together. Then, when I hang it over a shoulder along with the "singles," all I have to do is to unclip the biner from one end, and pull it off my shoulder. Note that if you do this, the biner is not actually clipped to the sling at all if you should straighten the whole thing out witout first unclipping one end.

[snoboy]

mattp said:

Note that if you do this, the biner is not actually clipped to the sling at all if you should straighten the whole thing out witout first unclipping one end.

 

Unless you give it a twist like erik said...

[plexus]

For alpine, 4-6 regular, 4-6 double doubled up, and four double around my shoulders, also will carry a cordelette on multi-pitches.

 

In the alpine, I don't climb near my high-end but a few grades lower. I use, I dunno, maybe 10-12 pieces per rope length. Just an estimate.

[Attitude]

I, too, like the bluewater sewn spectra runners. light and strong.

Bluewater runners suck ditchwater. Only girly climbers carry them to braid their hair.

 

On Sight sewn spectra runners RuLe!!!!!!!

 

[IceIceBaby]

My rack of sling consist of

6 - 24” Nylon, tripled with 2 Positron biners each (racked on the harness 6 on each side 3 spectra and 3 nylon I use the nylon for emergency prussics or if have to leave a runner)

6 – 24” Blue water spectra, tripled with 2 Positron biners each (racked on the harness)

2 – 48” Blue water spectra, doubled with 1 Positron locking each (racked over the shoulder)

1 – 96” DMM spectra, quadrupled with 1 Positron locking (racked over the shoulder)

 

My belayer will have a minimum of 2 - 24” nylon and 1- 48” (nylon or spectra) over the shoulder with 2 locking biner

Over the years base on my experience I came to this numbers and this is what I take with me on any trad/alpine lead

[Dru]

the narrow-but-full-strength DMM and Wild Things runners are lighter but just as strong as regular width Spectra

 

you could probably save a whole oz. if you had 10 of them

[Kevin_Ristau]

I just picked up four Metolius Rabbit Runners - a long sling with sewn eyes in each end. They should be pretty versatile.

 

I carry eight draws, and I will be going to all tripled 24" runners.

 

 

[specialed]

erik said:

cracked said:

Buy mainly single-length runners, and triple them up between two biners. It is then about 12in long. They are really easy to extend. Buy four or so doubles, as you will rarely need that long a runner, unless you are in the mountains. How many pieces per pitch? Depends on how scared I get. Usually 15 or so per 100 feet.

 

i was talkingabout this last night. why use to biners to turn a shoulder length into a draw? all you are going to do is lengthen it once you use it. waste of energy!!!!

 

 

For stopizzles my nizzle.

I mean for stoppers bro

 

But besides dat you right.

 

Alpine runner rack: 4 long quickdraws, 1 short quickdraw, 2 doubled up shoulder lenghts like the one's erik's bitchen about, 5 sewn slingers with biners on em worn over the shoulder.

[erik]

specialed i bitch more about your scuzzy gear....

 

omly nice gear you got you stole from me!!!

 

 

[Bill_Simpkins]

I carry 2-3 6 inch sewn runners, 6 or 7 shoulder lengths and 2 doubles around my shoulders, and about 10-12 free biners, no draws unless its a sport route.

 

I usually put 3 or 4 biners pre-slung on 3 or 4 of the slings and 2-3 biners on the 6 inch runners.

 

3 of the shoulder runners are sewn spectra, 3-4 are tied 1/2 inch webbing(yes...I know its thin), one of the doubles is tied 1 inch webbing and one is tied 1/2 inch webbing.

 

I also have a cordellete that doubles as a 4x length runner and is made of 1/2 inch tied webbing. If I run out of biners on a pitch I rob them from the left-over cams.

[catbirdseat]

3 of the shoulder runners are sewn spectra, 3-4 are tied 1/2 inch webbing(yes...I know its thin), one of the doubles is tied 1 inch webbing and one is tied 1/2 inch webbing.

Holy Moses, I wouldn't climb with that shit. It's not strong enough. 9/16" are barely strong enough to take a FF 0.5 leader fall.