संसृति कुमारी ([info]zoeimogen) wrote,
@ 2009-03-22 20:04:00
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More abseiling stuff
As a result of today's impromptu expedition down a cliff, there's a few more bits I need to add to my list - eye protection, (For that added Colonel Carter look) abseiling gloves and the ability to tie a mule knot. (As demonstrated by Sylvia in the last photo) A lot of 5-6mm accessory cord would also be handy, as would some sort of assault vest or fishermans vest for camera bits and pieces. (Those ones are expensive and OTT for what I'd need though)

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[info]taffyboy
2009-03-23 09:20 am UTC (link)
Hrm. Gloves for abbing?

If you need gloves for abseiling, you're going too fast. What's the problem with going fast? Well, your friction device will heat up. That means after you've zipped down that last 100m and need to stop for a moment and lock off, it can get so hot that it melts through the rope. This is not theory - it has happened.

So we don't use gloves. The only possible concession made to controlling the rope with your hands are those who use a French Prussic below the friction device.

For the record, my list of personal kit for abseiling (single rope, no safety):
- Harness
- Helmet
- Anka (http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___32063)
- A screwgate crabs (I have a half dozen or so on my harness)
- Two prussic loops

That's excluding kit for anchoring the rope at the top.

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[info]auntysarah
2009-03-23 06:06 pm UTC (link)
For Zion we're planning to use the harness (which we already have), helmets, ATCs (which we already have) and a bunch of locking 'biners. In addition, we'll also be carrying 75 metres of static, a Purcell prusik each (to use as safety tethers mostly), rapide links, about 40 metres of accessory cord in case we want to set up a 'biner blocker for any reason, and several tubular webbing slings, in case we have to rig our own anchors from bolts (unlikely, given how busy our target canyons are, but possible).

Oh, and dry bags, GPS (no use in the canyon, but helpful for getting there), water, food, sunscreen, cameras, cuddly toy, woo! woo! woo! didn't they do well?

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[info]taffyboy
2009-03-23 09:24 am UTC (link)
Er, I've just looked at the pictures of your practice.

You *need* a helmet. They're all of about £30. Really.

My personal favourite: http://en.petzl.com/petzl/SportProduits?Produit=98

You do not want yoru lovely day of abseiling spoiled by one single evil flake of rock that decides that your skull would be a lovely place to be.

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[info]auntysarah
2009-03-23 05:59 pm UTC (link)
[info]the_local_echo and I just acquired Elioses. Impressed by how comfy they are.

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[info]taffyboy
2009-03-23 07:38 pm UTC (link)
Nice. Petzl make some excellent helmets.

Don't be afraid of discarding the helmet if it sustains any kind of damage - we had a small tree fall on one of our lads from helicopter downwash. It was just a glancing blow, and the only visible marks on the helmet were small green smudges down one side. When we saw a Petzl rep in the next conference, he identified a tiny white plastic stress mark which indicated a potential structural weakness from the impact. We'd already retired the helmet because of the mechanism of force from the impact.

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[info]auntysarah
2009-03-23 10:40 pm UTC (link)
OK, that makes sense. I guess they're like cycle helmets in that regard.

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