fenderfour Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 On Saturday I was climbing on Guye Peak with one of the local basic climbing classes. I was cleaning fixed lines that we had set in the gulley between the north summit and the middle summit. I noticed a tree nearby with a red sling on it, so I figgered that I would rap off the tree to avoid any incdent while downclimbing the steep gulley. I looked at the anchor - it was a double sling wrapped around the tree and clipped with a carabiner. The water knot on the sling only had one visible tail. Not so cool. I retied the sling around the tree and added one of my own and rapped down. The only thing that was holding the knot was the melted end of the webbing. Whoever had been the last to rappel the gulley was very very lucky. Sure, the gully isn't too steep and not too exposed, but that is no excuse for sloppiness. If you left a red 9/16" double sling clipped with a red OP doval with yellow tape on that tree, you are very lucky… And you need to check your anchors more often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plinko Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 dats some scary isht! Hope u kept that OP Doval to teach 'em a lesson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderfour Posted April 6, 2004 Author Share Posted April 6, 2004 Yep, but it's crap too. The gate hook has some mushrooming around the edges. it's taken a good fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 I still don't know why people leave biners on rappels. It's one more possible point of failure and it isn't necessary to make it easy to pull the rope. I'd rather not use anything or else a proper rappel ring or possibly a quick link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pzack Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 I still don't know why people leave biners on rappels. It's one more possible point of failure and it isn't necessary to make it easy to pull the rope. I'd rather not use anything or else a proper rappel ring or possibly a quick link. Maybe they were toproping the gully pitch on Guye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 pulling wet skinny ropes through webbing after a double rope rappel will make you leave leaver biners behind in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimL Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 It might be JJA's. I know he and Greg W retreated down the gulley this winter after climbing the South Arete in a storm. Its scary if it is. JJA, sound like something you remeber? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Quick links at $0.85 are cheaper than biners and weigh less. I always carry a couple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 well aren't you the handyman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 It might be JJA's. I know he and Greg W retreated down the gulley this winter after climbing the South Arete in a storm. Its scary if it is. JJA, sound like something you remeber? We left only webbing (and one pin), no biners. Everything we left we tied and it was good at the time. Greg_W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen_Ramsey Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 (edited) Quick links at $0.85 are cheaper than biners and weigh less. I always carry a couple. A steel quick-link lighter than an aluminum carabiner? I don't think so. Petzl GO quick link: 60g. BD neutrino: 36g. BD ovalwire: 45g BD oval: 62g BD positron: 55g Or are you talking about aluminum quick-links?? If that's the case, then I'm kind of dubious about the price you're quoting. I've seen aluminum quick-links for $0.62, but it's the kind of thing I'd use as a key-chain, not rap off of. Edited April 6, 2004 by Stephen_Ramsey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaphappy Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Quick links at $0.85 are cheaper than biners and weigh less. I always carry a couple. Where do you find quick links for $.85? What diameter are they? The cheapest I can find are around $2 for 5/16". Anything smaller I find frightening. I will sometimes use a single link of 3/8" chain, they are bomber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylan_taylor Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 I still don't know why people leave biners on rappels. It's one more possible point of failure and it isn't necessary to make it easy to pull the rope. I'd rather not use anything or else a proper rappel ring or possibly a quick link. pulling wet skinny ropes through webbing after a double rope rappel will make you leave leaver biners behind in the future. Roger that! Quicklinks work great, and are cheaper than biners. But if you need to rap from say, 15 pitches up, biners are a lot more realistic to have brought along... Also, if you leave a biner, it can be a good idea to wrap duct tape or athletic tape around the gate to turn it into a "locker". Shame on somebody for tying a sloppy water knot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderfour Posted April 6, 2004 Author Share Posted April 6, 2004 Not just a sloppy water knot, a scary water knot. Quicklinks - those are the little screw links for connecting chain, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylan_taylor Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Yep. I don't trust the little ones that say "taiwan" on them. The better one's are Maillon Rapide. The're more $$. That's why i just bail off of biners that I bootied from somewhere else anyway. Kudos to you for fixing up a bunk anchor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marylou Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 I just put a 5/16" QL on the scale, weighed in at 72 grams. Price tag says $.75, but can't remember where I bought them. The single chain link idea is a very good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 I don't use the smallest size. I believe the size is about 3/16" - 2" or 1/4" - 2 5/16". Keystone I've bought them at various and sundry places such as Archie McPhee's in Ballard and the Marine Hardware store in Anacortes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badvoodoo Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Trusting your rap anchor to Archie McPhee? Archie's cool and all, but I'm not sure I'd use their ashtrays for their intended purpose, let alone quicklinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sk Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 (edited) Trusting your rap anchor to Archie McPhee? Archie's cool and all, but I'm not sure I'd use their ashtrays for their intended purpose, let alone quicklinks. you can get quick links at homedepot goofy Edited April 6, 2004 by Muffy_The_Wanker_Sprayer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badvoodoo Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 you can get quick licks at homedepot goofy But what if I want long, drawn-out licks? Do they have those too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 you can get quick licks at homedepot goofy But what if I want long, drawn-out licks? Do they have those too? You have to go downtown for those, and they cost more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sk Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Trusting your rap anchor to Archie McPhee? Archie's cool and all, but I'm not sure I'd use their ashtrays for their intended purpose, let alone quicklinks. you can get quick links at homedepot goofy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EWolfe Posted April 7, 2004 Share Posted April 7, 2004 Yep. I don't trust the little ones that say "taiwan" on them. I think if you are buying 3/8" quick links and installing 2 of them, for lowering and rappel purposes only, you don't need to worry about failure. My $.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylan_taylor Posted April 7, 2004 Share Posted April 7, 2004 Yep. I don't trust the little ones that say "taiwan" on them. I think if you are buying 3/8" quick links and installing 2 of them, for lowering and rappel purposes only, you don't need to worry about failure. My $.02 I don't buy heavy quicklinks. I leave biners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaphappy Posted April 7, 2004 Share Posted April 7, 2004 I was more curious about cheap quick links for chain anchors, I have never left one on webbing. Like I said the cheapest I had seen were around $2 for a 5/16". Home Depot is around $3, Lowe's is $2.19, and Freddy's are $1.99. Dylan, why does it matter where they were made? CBS, 3/16"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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