worn rungs

[Stretch75]

When I first started sport climbing, when my partner would reach the chains, he would run the rope thru the bottom rungs to set up the top rope. After he quit climbing, I kept at it and noticed the bottom rungs on some of the routes were pretty worn. I started thinking about it and figured that its faster to clip draws close to the bolts, using the draws for tr, then using the rungs only for rapping off. I went to x38 and noticed a lot of people using the bottom rungs for tr. Half of the popular route's rungs are getting pretty thin. Which way is more acceptable: draws or rungs

[schnitzem]

There are many stupid habits that are formed at 38

Draws for TR - Rungs only for rapping

[catbirdseat]

It happens because people take beginners there. A guy leads the route, but can't trust his second to rappel off without killing himself, so he puts the rope through the end links so he can top rope and then lower. I told Garth about one particularly bad set of cold shuts I saw yesterday.

[snoboy]

Easy solution to that^:

 

Lead, thread rope through chains, then use a QD clipped in to the bolt. The rope hangs off the QD, and when it is time for the inexperienced second to clean it, there is nothing to it, as it is already threaded for lowering.

[catbirdseat]

It is the lowering that abrades the end links, not the top roping. There is no tension in the rope most of the time when a climber is ascending on top rope, but when lowering the full weight is on the rope. There wouldn't be a significant impact on wear.

[Dru]

i call cat-bs. you should sit up top sometime and watch the tension in the anchor when the top rope is on. sure lowering causes more wear but to say tr'ing causes no wear is wrong.

[snoboy]

Say you are a party of three. The first guy leads, and lowers off QD, second guy TRs and lowers off QD, third guy climbs up and lowers off chains. You now have at least 2/3 less wear then TRing off the chains direct.

 

Suddenly those chains that are only good for a year are lasting at least[/] three years. I would call that a signifigant impact.

[catbirdseat]

Whatever, do what you want. See if I care. If you replace chains you get the good karma.

[DCramer]

Decide on what needs to be replaced and I can provide supplies for chain and link replacement. I don’t climb at 38 that often but I remember some set-ups not having hangers. Instead they rely on a washer/chain system. If these anchors can be modified to include hangers (a better set up in my opinion), I can provide those as well.

 

Maybe Garth or CBS can get something going.

 

The supplies/funds for this come from community donations.

Edited April 12, 2004 by DCramer

[catbirdseat]

Garth said he'd take care of one particularly worn set of cold shuts on Blockhead.