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 insanebuslady
 
Location: ?
Gender: Male
"You talkin' to me?"
 |  |  | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 20 on 4/25/2010 11:23 PM >
|  | | | If you want to go REALLY cheap you can tie nylon webbing into a harness. Buuuut that hurts and it's just one more variable that can go wrong.
Just remember, rappelling is the most dangerous way to use a rope (besides maybe climbing down with your bare hands)
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junkyard
 
Location: LaCrosse, WI
Gender: Male
Strategic Beer Command where the metal hits the meat.
| |  | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 21 on 4/26/2010 12:39 AM >
| | | | That makes no sense, if you already have a rope, a harness is not that much. There are so many that are less than $50. It just isn't worth the discomfort of a Swiss Seat, unless there was no other choice. And if rappelling is the most dangerous way to use a rope, then leaving it at home must be the safest way to use it.
I drink gasoline for breakfeast and beer for dinner!
Any problem can be licked with a case of beer and a few sticks of dynamite.
Strategic Beer Command ruling the desert since 1995 http://www.strategic-beer-command.com |
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\/adder
  
Location: DunkarooLand
Gender: Male
I'm the worst of the best but I'm in this race.
| | | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 22 on 4/26/2010 12:44 AM >
| | | | Posted by insanebuslady
If you want to go REALLY cheap you can tie nylon webbing into a harness. Buuuut that hurts and it's just one more variable that can go wrong.
Just remember, rappelling is the most dangerous way to use a rope (besides maybe climbing down with your bare hands)
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Don't unless you do it in absolute desperation (like you're trapped on top of a building that's on fire and you don't have ab harness but have rope), the amount of webbing you need to make a harness costs the same as a harness. A $20 harness is better and more comfortable than ghetto harnesses.
Climbing down may be safer depending on the terrain and type of rope you use. A jagged cliff could eat rope and leave you falling to earth but may be ripe with handholds and foot holds making descent slower but safer.
Rappelling actually puts the LEAST amount of stress and wear and tear on a rope out of any SRT or climbing. The teeth on ascenders can chew up rope and the kinetic stress on the rope while descending is nothing compared to top-roping and falling.
An ATC doesn't twist the rope and is harder to screw up with mid-descent than a figure 8, even if your belay device were to fail completely you could slow yourself with you hands (burning your hands and melting your gloves) but you could delay the impact enough that it results in fucked up hands and broken legs, you have to spend a summer in a wheelchair with your mommy spoon feeding but you'd be alive...
[last edit 4/26/2010 12:47 AM by \/adder - edited 2 times]
"No risk, no reward, no fun."
"Go all the way or walk away"
escensi omnis... |
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insanebuslady
Location: ?
Gender: Male
"You talkin' to me?"
| | | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 23 on 4/26/2010 1:25 AM >
| | | | You don't need that much webbing to make a harness.. I've done some canyoneering and we've rappelled short sections using swiss seats because a harness weighed too much to justify bringing one each especially since we were only using it once.
I'm not referring to the amount of wear rappelling puts a rope through but how common rappelling accidents are in comparison to other types of climbing accidents. Even lead climbing is safer than rappelling. Of course it's important to retire rope periodically, otherwise top roping becomes more dangerous.
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junkyard
Location: LaCrosse, WI
Gender: Male
Strategic Beer Command where the metal hits the meat.
| | | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 24 on 4/26/2010 3:23 PM >
| | | | You talk to too many climbers. None of my climbing buddies like to rap down as much as climb. I've never had a harness weigh too much, even with a sixer hanging from it.
I drink gasoline for breakfeast and beer for dinner!
Any problem can be licked with a case of beer and a few sticks of dynamite.
Strategic Beer Command ruling the desert since 1995 http://www.strategic-beer-command.com |
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insanebuslady
Location: ?
Gender: Male
"You talkin' to me?"
| | | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 25 on 4/26/2010 4:11 PM >
| | | | Posted by junkyard
I've never had a harness weigh too much, even with a sixer hanging from it.
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Well not while it's on, but when your backpacking for almost 4 weeks and packing all your supplies along, every ounce counts. Shit we were cutting the end of our toothbrushes off and unrolling all the TP and then rerolling it after removing the cardboard tube just to save a few ounces of weight. A harness w/ all those metal buckles and heavy nylon represents probably close to another pound.
Anyway this was probably one of the only circumstances where using webbing to rappel actually makes sense unless your down to your last penny (figuratively speaking) and can't afford a harness.
Just makin a point
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junkyard
Location: LaCrosse, WI
Gender: Male
Strategic Beer Command where the metal hits the meat.
| | | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 26 on 4/26/2010 5:02 PM >
| | | | Well that changes things. Makes total sense now. I guess I never thought of that, as I usually drive to a location and drive home. Even in the desert, we get very close to our destination before we have to walk.
I drink gasoline for breakfeast and beer for dinner!
Any problem can be licked with a case of beer and a few sticks of dynamite.
Strategic Beer Command ruling the desert since 1995 http://www.strategic-beer-command.com |
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yokes
   
Location: Toronto
Gender: Male
I aim to misbehave
| | | | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 27 on 4/26/2010 5:05 PM >
| | | | Posted by insanebuslady
Just remember, rappelling is the most dangerous way to use a rope (besides maybe climbing down with your bare hands)
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What about autoerotic asphyxiation?
(not that I would know about such thACKKKK.. things.)
"Great architecture has only two natural enemies: water and stupid men." - Richard Nickel |
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insanebuslady
Location: ?
Gender: Male
"You talkin' to me?"
| | | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 28 on 4/26/2010 9:05 PM >
| | | | Posted by junkyard
Well that changes things. Makes total sense now. I guess I never thought of that, as I usually drive to a location and drive home. Even in the desert, we get very close to our destination before we have to walk.
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Yea extenuating circumstances i guess.. I can see how that might have been confusing
Posted by Yokes
What about autoerotic asphyxiation?
(not that I would know about such thACKKKK.. things.)
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I do believe a actually lol'ed
Edit:
Quote bracket fail
[last edit 4/26/2010 9:06 PM by insanebuslady - edited 1 times]
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Sting13
Location: Lake St. John
Gender: Male
| | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 29 on 4/27/2010 10:34 PM >
| | | | to echo some other opinions...
A cheap harness is better than webbing, if its going to be a quick, easy rap, webbing will do in a pinch.
If you didn't have a ATC or 8 handy, you can use a carabiner... I've tried it in a couple of combinations I saw in a climbing book, and they worked well. My fave was wrapping the rope around the carabiner... worked great.
A course would be recommended... most climbing gyms are pretty decent, and its a good place to start if you have no experience.
Happy Rapelling!
Sting
Urban/Rural Exploration & Photos |
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MindHacker
Location: Suburbs of DC
Gender: Male
If you spot a terrorist arrow, pin it to the wall with your shoulder.
| | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 30 on 4/28/2010 1:56 AM >
| | | | Posted by Sting13
If you didn't have a ATC or 8 handy, you can use a carabiner... I've tried it in a couple of combinations I saw in a climbing book, and they worked well. My fave was wrapping the rope around the carabiner... worked great.
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Please don't, especially especially not your first time.
"That's just my opinion. I would, however, advocate for explosive breaching, since speed and looking cool are both concerns in my job."-Wilkinshire |
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Sting13
Location: Lake St. John
Gender: Male
| | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 31 on 4/28/2010 2:02 AM >
| | | | Sorry... my bad... should have been a little more specific... once you know how to rappel, the carabiner thing can work in a pinch... but know how to do it first. Don't just try it and hope for the best.
Sting
Urban/Rural Exploration & Photos |
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OpenTrackRacer
| | | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 32 on 4/28/2010 6:29 AM >
| | | | You can rappel off a carabiner using a Munter Hitch but I'd recommend only doing it if absolutely necessary and only if you've practiced it first at a height that won't cause serious injury or death. It twists the rope like crazy and can cause problems on long pitches.
Everyone keeps talking about webbing harnesses. Again these are good for emergencies but otherwise just spend a little money and get a real harness. For those curious, here is how to make a harness from webbing...
http://www.animate....animatedknots.com
Again... buy a low cost harness, ATC and carabiner. It's not that expensive and it's a hell of a lot safer.
Underground Explorers
California Abandoned Mine Exploration
http://www.undergroundexplorers.com |
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junkyard
Location: LaCrosse, WI
Gender: Male
Strategic Beer Command where the metal hits the meat.
| | | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 33 on 4/28/2010 3:41 PM >
| | | | No doubt. When you are just starting out, it is easier just to use the right gear. Less chance of death. If someone really is serious about doing, it they should be serious enough to do it right, end of story. After they have experience, that is the time to try new things. Don't confuse the poor guy.
I drink gasoline for breakfeast and beer for dinner!
Any problem can be licked with a case of beer and a few sticks of dynamite.
Strategic Beer Command ruling the desert since 1995 http://www.strategic-beer-command.com |
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terapr0
Location: Sauga City
Gender: Male
www . tohellandback . net
| | | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 34 on 4/28/2010 7:27 PM >
| | | | If someone really is serious about doing, it they should be serious enough to do it right, end of story.
well put, and very true.
www.tohellandback.net |
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Skyjumper
Location: Fitchburg, Ma
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 35 on 4/29/2010 3:17 AM >
| | | | remember too, what goes down must go up... (Dont drop into a hole you wont be able to get out of)
There is no such thing as magic, Just science |
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DJ Craig
 
Moderator
Location: Johnson City, TN
Gender: Male
Break the Silence
| | | | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 36 on 5/4/2010 4:50 PM >
| | | | Posted by Dav
Buy the book "On Rope" and read read read AND find a person to teach you.
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This. Definitely buy On Rope and read it before you do any really serious rappelling. I'd highly recommend getting a rack over a figure-8, even though they are more expensive, and owning full ascent / SRT gear before you try any really high rappels. If something goes wrong and you don't have ascent gear on you, you're fucked.
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..." -Dr. Suess |
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Pravus
Location: Chicago Area
Gender: Male
Now the two key words for tonight - "caution" and "flammable"...
| |  | | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 37 on 5/4/2010 5:35 PM >
| | | | I have rappelled with some very sub standard gear using very shady setups.. it can be VERY cheap.. However, I recommend getting actual gear (harness, rope, Fig 8, biners, webbing..) before screwing around.. try to find a local climbing gym or some such, learn from someone who knows what they are doing before you try to just do it.. It's very easy to screw up and just fall, between hooking the gear up, knowing how to use the gear correctly, and how/where to anchor your rope..
For the most part there's alot of common sense and it's fairly easy, but alot of it is getting used to doing it(getting used to and not getting lazy, very important)..
When I was teaching a friend of mine how to rappel he was having problems getting over the edge, he said he knew the setup was "safe" and he knew the gear was setup right, but the act of lowering himself off a cliff face without tension on the rope pulling on his harness he was mostly uneasy because of natural reaction to "not jump to your death", once he was settled in his harness and he felt it holding him there he was fine..
Live to Serve, Serve to Live.. |
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OpenTrackRacer
| | | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 38 on 5/5/2010 5:39 AM >
| | | | I would only recommend a rack for those with extensive rappel experience and then only if they would be performing long (100M+) descents. A auto-stop bobbin like the Petzl Stop is easier to use and safer in case of an issue while descending (like slamming into something or having something all onto you). Like a rack, they don't twist the rope.
Pravus makes a good point... rappelling is only part of the equation. You have to know how to make secure anchors (and have the proper gear to do so).
Rappelling is dangerous and a small mistake can be fatal. It's no joke.
Underground Explorers
California Abandoned Mine Exploration
http://www.undergroundexplorers.com |
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Doomsday
Location: Orlando FL
Gender: Male
| | Re: Rappeling...How hard/expensive is it?
<Reply # 39 on 11/23/2010 5:10 PM >
| | | | I used to go repelling in the black hills quite a lot a few years ago It's defiantly fun. I was curious If anyone knew the proper way to set up for Australian repelling I have been trying to find some reading on it online and haven't been able to find hardly anything. From looking at photos it appears that you just put your harness on backward and away you go. I don't really want to go out and try it without some further knowledge on the subject tho.
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