Sport 101: Lowering off of Chains

[Mike Barter]

 

Combined with the first version anybody should be able to figure out how to do this.

 

For those times when you can't feed a byte.

Edited July 6, 2009 by Mike Barter

[letsroll]

how about clip in with a daisy chain or better yet two and rap off so you don't wear out the ends of the chains. Unless you feel like you want to donate some time and $$ to replace those chains.

 

Also having the daisy chains already on your harness before you leave the ground is that there is one less thing to screw up, and one less thing to do while you are up there so less turn around time.

[phillygoat]

First of all, there is no reason to have daisy chains hanging from your harness while sport climbing. Simply clip in direct with slings or quickdraws.

 

Lowering through the chains is standard sport climbing practice, while top-roping through chains is frowned upon. Sure, rap if you want to, but it is a pain in the ass to clean the draws off of a route on rappel- especially if the route traverses and/or overhangs. Far safer to lower and clean.

 

Chain wear is negligible and no big deal to replace if it's fastened to the hanger with a quicklink.

 

 

 

 

[Brianmoore]

First of all, there is no reason to have daisy chains hanging from your harness while sport climbing.

 

Unless you are lazy and are mostly a trad climber.

[genepires]

First of all, there is no reason to have daisy chains hanging from your harness while sport climbing.

 

Unless you are lazy and are mostly a trad climber.

 

why would a trad (free) climber have daisy chains on? Unless you are lazy and mostly a aiding while free climber.

[tomtom]

First of all, there is no reason to have daisy chains hanging from your harness while sport climbing.

Unless you are lazy and are mostly a trad climber.

 

why would a trad (free) climber have daisy chains on? Unless you are lazy and mostly a aiding while free climber.

Or you think for yourself and do what works for you.

[Brianmoore]

First of all, there is no reason to have daisy chains hanging from your harness while sport climbing.

 

Unless you are lazy and are mostly a trad climber.

 

why would a trad (free) climber have daisy chains on? Unless you are lazy and mostly a aiding while free climber.

 

 

Daisy chains are used for various aspects of climbing. I use mine for clipping to an anchor. I don’t aid climb much so I don’t use them for that. I also have been known to clip bolts and place gear all in the same day. The laziness I was referring to was my own. In my opinion, there is no need to remove my daisy chain simply because I am about to climb a sport climb.

[letsroll]

First of all, there is no reason to have daisy chains hanging from your harness while sport climbing.

Unless you are lazy and are mostly a trad climber.

 

why would a trad (free) climber have daisy chains on? Unless you are lazy and mostly a aiding while free climber.

Or you think for yourself and do what works for you.

 

Yes it works for me

 

So you would take up a sling and a locker. I will take up a daisy and a locker. Weight basically same. But I can adjust the length to a better change over stance. As a trad climber yes I can tie into the anchor with the rope but I am lazy and don't want to deal with adjusting the knot every time I move around while bringing up second or belaying the leader (multi with bolted anchors).

 

But what ever works for you. Daisy for me = easy to use, less time, less to screw up, and virtually no weight penalty. Then again I have been known to climb with a helmet on

 

 

[Mark O'Neal]

My two (well 3) cents.

 

1. You should avoid attaching to the anchor using a daisy chain as the chains are not fully sewn and as such, are not full strength. Buy a PAS (Personal Anchor System) if that's what you want to do.

 

2. I confess, I've lowered off of Sport routes. But the best thing for the longevity of the anchor (and your rope) is always to rap. Especially if you're attached to some sketchy chain with burrs on it.

 

3. Why not take that 2nd sling used to back up the first bolt and attach it to your harness and then the 2nd bolt. That way you have total redundancy. Yea yea. Nit picky....

[genepires]

to each his own. My comment was based on that I usually use daisy chains for aid climbing. I am not a big fan of static connections to anchors unless rappeling. A real fall factor 2 on a diasy chain is a bad idea. Plus I usually like to be farther away than daisy length. (like sitting down) And I never liked the daisy chain wrapped around the waist or in the thong thing. I seem to get my knee stuck in a daisy too often.

 

yes you should think for yourself and do what works for you. that is part of the beauty of climbing.

[BirdDog]

Not sure where this guy is from - eh? But around here (Washington), don't lower off chains. First off, chain links are not the smoothest things around, you'll wear your rope out pretty quick lowering off links. Second, in many of the sport areas around Washington top anchors/chains have been installed by climbers on there own time and with their own money. Lowering from the chains, especially in the desert areas that have a lot of fine abrasive sand, rapidly wears out the links. Unless you going to go back up there and replace the chains on your own time/money; show some gratitude to those who have placed the anchors/chains and rap off. If you're going to top rope it, set it up with a couple of draws or whatever; and then when you're done climb it again, clean the anchor, and rap it.

Edited July 2, 2009 by BirdDog

[Peter_Puget]

Not sure where this guy is from - eh? But around here (Washington), don't lower off chains. First off, chain links are not the smoothest things around, you'll wear your rope out pretty quick lowering off links. Second, in many of the sport areas around Washington top anchors/chains have been installed by climbers on there own time and with their own money. Lowering from the chains, especially in the desert areas that have a lot of fine abrasive sand, rapidly wears out the links. Unless you going to go back up there and replace the chains on your own time/money; show some gratitude to those who have placed the anchors/chains and rap off. If you're going to top rope it, set it up with a couple of draws or whatever; and then when you're done climb it again, clean the anchor, and rap it.

 

The biggest problem with chain anchors in WA is the extensive use of the incredibly fucked up chain/washer anchor system. Just say NO!

 

 

[Cobra_Commander]

daisychains - the pocket protector of the climbing world

[Mike Barter]

I am going to re-shoot this. The main flaw in the video is that I am suspended on a single runner. Not something that I approve of I could have just as easily fixed by using the second extendable runner and clipping it to my harness rather then the chain I was clipped in to.

Another point that was made is in the wording, "ready to lower" perhaps "Take" would have been a better choice leaving less chance for miscommunication. Any other suggestions are welcome though I may start the shoot today.

Now if you want to take things to the extreme you should visit rockclimbing.com. Your cousins to the south are a very passionate breed with great attention to detail. I haven't seen this kind of action since I was in the Nam, man!

Sport 101 thread @ rockclimber.com

[snoboy]

All you daisy chain lovers might want to read up on impact forces, and the resultant.. uhhh.. results of falling onto daisy chains, especially our beloved spectra ones.

 

Here is a good place to start: PDF on lanyard fall testing. The PAS is particularly interesting...

 

Daisy for me = easy to use, less time, less to screw up,

 

I dunno about the less to screw up part. Many people don't clip their daisy correctly, and are essentialy atached by a low strength system. The two daisy chains I have had the pleasure of pull testing failed at 3.6kN, and 5.6kN, when pulled across the pocket stitching. Typically they fail at 2-5kN when tested in this configuration. [Gibbs - 2005] Good enough for clipping into CCH Aliens I guess.

[Mike Barter]

Just added a new version of the vid. link at top of thread.

 

The Mike