Alyosha Posted January 30, 2004 Posted January 30, 2004 Can anyone comment on using a loop of (Perlon) cord girth-hitched around one's harness for a personal anchor when free-climbing? (Instead of a sling or a daisy-chain, which most people seem to use). It certainly seems that 7mm or 8mm Perlon has enough tensile strength to provide a comfortable safety margin. Has anyone tried it? Can anyone tell me why it's a bad idea? Thank you Quote
Billygoat Posted January 31, 2004 Posted January 31, 2004 sounds fine to me. you could also use a hank of the rope you are tied into with a clove hitch and a biner, unless you are seeking something outside the system. Quote
sobo Posted January 31, 2004 Posted January 31, 2004 ...loop of (Perlon) cord... ...for a personal anchor when free-climbing? ...7mm or 8mm Perlon has enough tensile strength to provide a comfortable safety margin... Yeah, sounds great. That's what a cordellette is made from is perlon in that same range (same for prussiks, btw). That's what I use for personal anchors at belays, instead of the single point attachment that you seem to be using/want to use. And the cordelette can be attached to 2 or 3 anchors simultaneously, which your method cannot, giving it more redundancy. And, yes, what Billygoat said as well. I often start my top anchor with a clove hitch to get my second off belay quicker so he/she can get ready to follow sooner. Then I build my anchor and insert the cordelette into the system. It's easy to dump the clove hitch if you need/want to after everything's up and tested. Another benefit of the clove hitch to anchor is that you can put the knot exactly where you want it to give yourself the right distance to comfortably set up your belay, just like a daisy chain does, whereas the single-length runner/cord does not have this advantage. Quote
thelawgoddess Posted January 31, 2004 Posted January 31, 2004 sounds fine to me. you could also use a hank of the rope you are tied into with a clove hitch and a biner, unless you are seeking something outside the system. (but who really says "hank"? ) Quote
mattp Posted January 31, 2004 Posted January 31, 2004 I wouldn't say it is necessarily a "bad" idea, but why not use a daisy chain or tie in with the climbing rope instead? I sometimes use one of my shoulder length slings as a personal anchor at a belay ledge or rappel station, and I think it is a good idea to carry a few of these even on a sport climb or where you otherwise don't really plan to use them, but I don't think I'd carry an extra loop of perlon specifically for this purpose. Are you thinking that your loop of perlon may come in handy for a rappel anchor or a prussik sling or something? In my view, you're better off carrying an extra prussik cord on the back of your harness and deliberately NOT using it while on belay so that it may be handy when you want to escape the belay or do something else with it. Quote
Billygoat Posted January 31, 2004 Posted January 31, 2004 Ok miss I live at 9,000 feet, How about "Bight" (as in me) Quote
scrambled_legs Posted January 31, 2004 Posted January 31, 2004 hahahhahha... that's almost as corny as... What do you call cheese thats not yours? Na cho Cheeese Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 I completely agree with Mattp. Just tie in with the rope. But note that also runners ARE capable of kliemheist knots to ascend as I have done so a couple of times. Quote
catbirdseat Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 You can make a Purcell Prussik Tie-In. This is a continuously adjustable personal anchor. I made one out of 6 mm perlon and tried it for a while. I like it for alpine climbing, but not for sport or crag climbing. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 Continuously adjustable anchor is rope with a clove hitch Quote
catbirdseat Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 When rappelling you are not tied into the rope. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 Nope but that was not what I was replying to. Also note that a kleimhiest is also available for this with slings. I have used it on 9 mil ropes but not smaller and guess it will work on up to 8 mil.. Quote
kurthicks Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 yesterday was probably the last time that i'll ever use a daisy. i'm going to the cord w/knots tied in it. i was bounce testing a v-thread at Haffner yesterday and the stitching started ripping out loop by loop on my daisy just as i was telling my girlfriend that they're not full strengh. go figure. oh, the v-thread held of course. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 I agree, another reason I dont use daisy chains. I admit I have on assertion by partner that I only climbed with once to get him to shut up recently. The work in applied situations fine. But the best bet is to tie in with the rope or a real anchor in order to not shockload your anchor by ripping chords on a daisy. I have as well as many others here been required to use a less than good anchor of question. In here lies the reason why I use a rope since it it less fallible and rely on the shit anchor. :-) Quote
catbirdseat Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 The issue of personal anchors was all hashed out previously. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 I'm not going to read your link. I am only going to respond to the questions asked here. I believe my answers are good and with valid use first hand. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 another good reason to use the rope: Rockfall can cut a tiddly little chord in many situations if not most easier than a rope. Quote
catbirdseat Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 I posted the link for the benefit of Alyosha. You were one one of the people who contributed to that thread. I am not disagreeing with you. There is no substitute for tying in with the rope. The rope is strong, dynamic and cut resistant. I still use a personal anchor in many situations. For example, I think it was Dru who mentioned it in the previous thread, if the leader runs out of rope just short of a belay stance, you can untie the rope from the anchor to give him another couple feet and be safer if you are tied in by means of a sling of some sort. Quote
HRoark Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 To expand on Caveman's thoughts, a daisy is not dynamic, the rope is. Tying in with the rope means carrying less shit (the daisy). Quote
catbirdseat Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 It was mentioned by erik in the other thread that you can always girth hitch a shoulder length sling to your harness if you want a personal anchor. The sling does double duty and you save weight. Quote
Sabertooth Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 Tying in with the rope means that much less rope to work with to get to that good stance or ledge. It is also a pain if you're bailing and need to set up a rappel. A daisy weighs almost nothing. Quote
arlen Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 1. A rope tied that short is gonna be static. 2. Isn't the point of a daisy to minimize a potential static fall? Quote
catbirdseat Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 If you are using a spectra daisy, or any other sort of sling, you had better not have much slack in it, because even a small slip will result in a large shock load on it. Quote
Billygoat Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 If your anchors are that pathetic, WTF are you belaying your second on?!?!?!?!? Quote
catbirdseat Posted February 2, 2004 Posted February 2, 2004 Billy, I know your are making a joke. It has nothing to do with the anchor. You can break your tie-in or your harness, or strain your back. Quote
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