Rap'ing off a sling?

[EWolfe]

I m curious about the newer "lightweight slings" like the dyneema.

Is there a different fiber in them that makes them so much stronger? Is it more resistant to UV breakdown?

[lummox]

dyneema is the same as spectra. the fiber is an ultrahigh molecular weight ultrahigh density (i.e. straight chain polymer) poly ethylene. same shit as a sandwich bag but different.

[catbirdseat]

polymers that contain double bonds, in particular, are sensitive to oxidation. It's similar to the process by which vegetable oil becomes rancid.

[catbirdseat]

I m curious about the newer "lightweight slings" like the dyneema.

Is there a different fiber in them that makes them so much stronger? Is it more resistant to UV breakdown?

I would say less resistent to UV. Regardless, they don't take knots, well, and they are too expensive to use for that purpose.

[Dru]

but wait a sec

 

dark coloured materials will absorb more and reflect less UV than light coloured materials and therefore wil deteriorate FASTER

 

all you "dark coloured slings are easier to check for damage" guys yeah and you will have to replace them twice as often too!

[iain]

I'm going to rub sunscreen into all my webbing and set up little parasols above every rap anchor I make. AMGA approved parasols, that is, with little cute AMGA rope/mtn logos on them.

[Brad_CA]

Science is cool. I'm too lazy to go through the rigors of learning very much, but its cool some of you are proficient and apply it to climbing! kudos

[Dru]

I'm going to rub sunscreen into all my webbing and set up little parasols above every rap anchor I make. AMGA approved parasols, that is, with little cute AMGA rope/mtn logos on them.

 

I blame COBRA for boosting up the UV with that damn weather controllere.

[lummox]

I blame COBRA for boosting up the UV with that damn weather controllere.

huh? cobra has something to do with health insurance coverage after you lose your job.

[iain]

hah! shows what you know.

[lummox]

hah! shows what you know.

obviously not much. massive amounts of meth will do that to a person. what is your excuse?

[badvoodoo]

Wait, Cobra has infiltrated our healthcare system? Guess that would explain "preferred healthcare providers". Cobra Commander's evil knows no bounds!

[iain]

MUWAHAHA your preferred healthcare provider is COOOBBRRRAAA!

[catbirdseat]

COBRA is the last refuge of the desperate.

[fenderfour]

hah! shows what you know.

 

 

"...and knowing is half the battle."

[Dru]

Actually Cobra is so 5 minutes ago. BLUE LASER is the hot villain nowadays.

[Stefan]

I think there was an accident on Temple Ridge where it was thought that a rappel anchor sling failed just a couple of years ago. I don't remember if the sling broke or the knot came untied or what. That is the ONLY time I have ever heard of such a thing, though.

 

That was me. Partner went back two weeks later. He could not find sling. We do not know if sling broke, if sling came untied, or if it came off of the rock. But I do know this, it was two or three previous slings I rapped off of. They looked good. I pulled on the slings twice to make sure they were solid--and pulled on the rope once when it was through the slings in the direction of the rappel before my partner rapelled. My partner rapped safely off of the slings. Then it was my turn.....

[catbirdseat]

It was my understanding that you went on one new sling you had tied. So you went on two or three old slings?

[Stefan]

It was my understanding that you went on one new sling you had tied. So you went on two or three old slings?

 

I went on two or three old slings.

[catbirdseat]

Chockstones can shift and let the slings slip past and look no different afterwards. If this had happened the rope would still be through the slings and they wouldn't have blown away by the helicopter. Since they were not found, this means they must have broken.

[Dru]

not necessarily sherlock..what if the chockstone itself broke into little pieces or the slings were chopped on the way down by another rock falling on them? sheesh.

[snoboy]

I think it would look different if it broke into little pieces...

[Alpinfox]

 

What if the rope momentarily parted like those metal rings magicians use and then fused back together right after passing through the slings? You didn't happen to say "Abracadabra" or anything like that while rappelling did you?

 

[Dru]

I think it would look different if it broke into little pieces...

 

from what i have heard no one has looked to see if the slung rock was still there only looked for the slings. catbirdseat's logic of "if it was not A it must be B" ignores the less likely but not ruled out possiblities C, D, E etc. this error in logic leads to the possibility of false conclusions and further accidents.

[Stefan]

Chockstones can shift and let the slings slip past and look no different afterwards. If this had happened the rope would still be through the slings and they wouldn't have blown away by the helicopter. Since they were not found, this means they must have broken.

 

When I fell, the rope was everywhere. In a rush, my partner had to use the rope to do another rappel further down. No one was focusing on how the accident happened or looking for slings, just on what to do next. Did he coil the rope or just drag it to the next anchor? I can't remember as well as my partner, we were too focused on a rescue.

 

Another probable answer at the time was the rope breaking.....but since my partner had used the rope and brought the rope back home we knew the rope did not break.

 

If the sling was broken at the anchor, or if the sling was down 30 feet around where I was (becuase of an anchor shift) then either way it still would have blown away becuase of the downdraft of the helicopter.