Questions tagged [climbing]
Questions relating to climbing can include any activity that requires the use of your hands and feet to move vertically up an object, obstruction or terrain. This varies from trees to boulders to cliff faces and everything in-between.
346
questions
3
votes
3
answers
117
views
Protect hand skin while belaying
Besides of using adequate gloves, I would like to have some safe options to decrease skin abrasion while belaying, due to the friction of the rope to lower the climber, mainly. I've come up with some, ...
- 255
17
votes
4
answers
4k
views
How do I tell if this single climbing rope is still safe for use?
I've lent my friend a five year old single climbing rope for a garden project. It was in meticulous condition until then.
Instead of a weekend it took him more like six weeks to complete his project ...
- 697
5
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How are different terrains, defined by their angle, called in climbing?
I started climbing 6 months ago and finally need to understand the climbing nomenclature when it comes to terrain angles. So, I would like to ask the climbers how the following angles would be called. ...
- 153
1
vote
1
answer
180
views
What knot should I use to tie the middle of a smaller rope to a large rope?
I have a spool of smaller 3mm rope that has its end attached to a ball. My intention is to use this smaller line as a throwline that gets thrown over a tree branch which is then used to drag a ...
- 13
1
vote
1
answer
154
views
Would this kind of rope ascension system work?
Can i use a petzl ascender, regular Black diamond ATC (NOTE: not guide ATC), footloop and a prusik attached with a biner to my harness to ascend a fixed rope attached to a tree? I don't have a grigri ...
- 13
2
votes
2
answers
244
views
Using running shoes to hike Mt St Helens
I am hiking/climbing Mt St Helens in 8 days, and I haven't found a pair of hiking boots that I like. My feet are very particular, and I am very concerned that even should I find a pair of boots that ...
- 21
0
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Belaying with a figure 8 plate and weird mode
Warning, this question is about an unproven method. Do not follow these instruction to learn how to belay.
I am finding hard to find any good information about this topic. I know it is possible (but ...
- 33
4
votes
1
answer
148
views
Can a climber who has lost most or all of his/her toes climb at a level roughly commensurate with his original level?
This question is prompted by my recent rereading of Maurice Herzog's Annapurna, his account of the first climb of an eight-thousander in 1950. Herzog lost all his toes to frostbite and substantial ...
- 23k
4
votes
0
answers
125
views
When did it become commonplace to rely on Sherpas' technical skills in climbing?
I am rereading Annapurna by Maurice Herzog, the account of the first successful ascent of an eight-thousander, which took place in 1950.
In Chapter VII, the following dialog takes place:
[Lachenal, ...
- 23k
2
votes
1
answer
441
views
Belaying and anchoring on multipitch ice walls
While doing multipitch climbing on rockfaces, the lead climber usually finds a small ledge or something like that to anchor themselves, and pause and top belay the other climber.
How does this process ...
- 1,767
1
vote
2
answers
2k
views
What body type/shape is ideal for rock climbing?
I have been looking through footage of some of the top rock climbers in the world today (male & female) and what surprised me is how most of them don't physically look that strong and some even ...
- 307
11
votes
7
answers
4k
views
How realistic is a ceiling crawl/cling, can it actually be done?
I have very little experience with climbing and so I would like to get an idea of how realistic a ceiling crawl or just a cling actually is with the existing gear available. For clarity:
This is a ...
- 307
14
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Climbing attached to a carabiner rather than tying in
I've just started rock climbing at an indoor climbing gym with a few friends.
I noticed on the auto-belay walls, the was a carabiner you clip to your harness (I assume in the belay loop).
Is it safe ...
- 273
13
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is this harness defective for having the belay loop around the belt webbing instead of the tie-in loop?
I am a beginner to climbing and bought this ClimbX harness from Go Outdoors in the UK.
Someone at the gym today told me it is defective because the belay loop passes through the thin piece of webbing ...
- 233
16
votes
7
answers
5k
views
Why is there so much emphasis on in-person professional instruction in outdoor sports?
In the month of June I am looking to take my lead climbing from indoors into the outdoors. To bridge the gap between my gym skills and whats required in the "wild", I've decided to go on ...
- 2,829
6
votes
1
answer
478
views
Must you always have something in the master point of a belay?
When building a belay with a sling, and tying an overhand knot to create a master point, I’ve seen it stated that you must always have something in all the master point loops. I assume this is to stop ...
- 2,347
3
votes
1
answer
143
views
Climbing rope diversion, different scenarios
I'm just getting into climbing, and I have to say I still find it hard to trust the equipment, bolts etc sometimes (even though I know accidents with that are really rare.). Anyway, I try to ...
4
votes
2
answers
181
views
How to rig a haul bag so I can move it up/down while midair?
I have a fixed vertical line that can be ascended/descended. I need a bag (a bucket with tools, actually) when I'm hanging mid-air, and need to move it up/down. The bag is over 20 lbs / 10 kg so I ...
- 1,738
1
vote
0
answers
38
views
Ascending/descending single climbing rope without any other gear [duplicate]
I am interested in emergency ascending/descending a climbing rope, where there is no other gear and time is of the essence.
Basically, I wonder if anyone has had success with a swiss seat from a bight ...
- 11
6
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Why are twist-lock carabiners considered dangerous for some applications?
There are different types of locking carabiners. A screw-gate carabiner requires multiple rotations of the screw in order to lock it. A twist-lock carabiner locks automatically whenever you close it.
...
- 466
1
vote
1
answer
272
views
What is causing climbing shoe toe blowouts?
I recently had two pairs of climbing shoes die in a very similar fashion: the right toe blows out, leaving a flapping piece of rubber near the bottom tip of the shoe (see photos). This is very ...
- 113
0
votes
1
answer
316
views
Why are there so few face climbs above V12 on boulders?
It seems like all of the futuristic projects (V15+) we see are on overhung, cave-like features. This makes sense because being overhung automatically adds difficulty since you are working against ...
- 247
3
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Has any late-starting climber (36 years old) ever accomplished anything noteworthy?
I started climbing a year ago, at the age of 36. I really enjoy the sport and try to climb a lot.
However, lately I've been thinking if it is possible to achieve anything (worthy of mention) for ...
- 1,738
5
votes
1
answer
592
views
Belaying/rappelling with a rope thicker than allowed by belay device
I've got an 11mm static rope. Can I use it safely for top-rope belay/rappel with a belay device that is designed for "9.5 - 10.5 mm rope"?..
I actually rappelled three times with no issues ...
- 1,738
1
vote
1
answer
511
views
Influence of little finger length on climbing performance
Is there any scientific study in climbing which investigates the length of the little finger compared to the middle finger in terms of climbing performance on a professional level (grade > 5.12)?
...
- 959
-1
votes
1
answer
162
views
is the shoe sole based on kirigami likely to change climb ratings and rules for climbing competition?
For the source, see this article in the Smithsonian.
A material based on a technique, called kirigami (a relative of the folding technique, origami) of cutting a flexible three dimensional pattern ...
- 23k
7
votes
1
answer
440
views
Climbing indoors: emergency situations
We should always do the partner check and tie a stopper knot, but...
Lead climbing:
If you are half-way up a climbing wall and see that your knot, which attaches you to the harness is loose/untied/...
- 959
-2
votes
1
answer
304
views
Yosemite bowline - stopper knot?
I would like to switch to the Yosemite bowline knot. I don't want to compare the pros and cons of figure 8, double bowline and Yosemite bowline.
I am interested in single-pitch climbs and gained some ...
- 959
3
votes
3
answers
2k
views
How to attach climbing holds / rungs to a tree trunk without harming the tree
I've got a tall tree in the backyard that we use to practice belaying / abseiling (rappelling).
However, the lowest part of the trunk does not have any branches until up to 20' / 6m, so we use a lean-...
- 1,738
6
votes
1
answer
245
views
Can a full body harness help reduce the chances of suspension trauma?
Those who are well-versed with rock-climbing (and other variants of climbing) are aware of the dangers posed by Suspension Trauma.
Here at The Great Outdoors there had been a healthy discussion on ...
- 31.6k
0
votes
3
answers
874
views
Munter hitch + prusik for rope solo lead climbing
Disclaimer
This is a question regarding a theoretical technique, and not a tutorial, advice or recommendation.
This technique has not been tested, and might potentially be completely unsafe.
Climbing ...
9
votes
2
answers
333
views
How do UIAA falls add up over time?/When to replace a rope
How do lead climbing falls add up over time based on their fall ratings?
For example, the rope I have is rated to 8 UIAA falls. A UIAA fall is a fall factor of 1.77. Lets say over the course of a ...
- 93
9
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Can you Rappel with an Old Climbing Rope?
I received an old climbing rope, whose history is unknown. I know this rope should not be used for any situations where a fall is possible since it may have already sustained one.
However, can it be ...
- 153
5
votes
1
answer
438
views
What kind of Rope for a Bosun's Chair
I'm going to make a bosun's chair to lift me 40 ft in the air to a tree platform (with at least a 6' clearance, so closer to 50'). Of course I would like the right type of rope with the right tensile ...
- 153
4
votes
1
answer
233
views
Question about climbing in "A Line Across the Sky"
I've been watching "A Line Across the Sky" which is a short-ish movie about Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold doing the Fitz Roy traverse.
During which Tommy Caldwell mentions Alex doing a 1000 and ...
- 143
4
votes
2
answers
656
views
Are "fall-arrester" devices used in climbing/mountaineering?
I came across an interesting looking device on the Petzl website. As per the description,
the mobile fall arresters follow the user automatically as he moves,
whether on an inclined or vertical ...
- 1,767
5
votes
1
answer
430
views
Why are full body harnesses uncommon in mountaineering?
In principle, it is known that full body harnesses are useful for situations where the center of gravity is higher - e.g. for children, or for Alpine situations involving carrying heavy loads. A full ...
- 1,767
3
votes
4
answers
708
views
What knot was used by my mountain guide to tie me in to the middle of a rope?
Twice now I have been out winter hiking with a guide and another person and I'm trying to work out what knot they used to tie the middle person onto the rope.
Let's say the guide is in front, my ...
- 133
3
votes
10
answers
1k
views
What’s the main appeal for climbing outdoors?
I am a long time gym climber, and I climbed outdoors for a couple of times. I fail to understand why climbing outdoors is more appealing than climbing indoors.
If the goal is to climb harder, while ...
- 565
2
votes
2
answers
340
views
Guide mode ATC with locker to belay loop
So just questioning some advice I received once:
When in guide mode when belaying a second from above, is it ok to take the locking carabineer and attach it to your belay loop? The primary benefit is ...
- 131
5
votes
2
answers
311
views
Where can I get little durable cases you can hang on your climbing harness?
On longer climbing sessions I like to keep my cell phone close by, but most of the time I have no backpack with me. So I would like to pack the cell phone in a little case that I can put on my ...
- 697
4
votes
0
answers
169
views
Cotton climbing pants with a zipper pocket (outdoor rock climbing use for small female climbers) [closed]
the "politicised" debate of female clothing not having pockets (it is especially about skirts and dresses) left aside, I wonder if there are any cotton climbing pants left on the market that have a ...
- 109
7
votes
4
answers
920
views
Why don't climbing professional use all their fingers on small holds?
Why do climbing professional use less than 5 fingers on some holds?
From https://www.lagrimpe.com/abc/le-mono-ou-bi-doigt/
I mean, why don't they put the other fingers, even if they don't quite fit, ...
7
votes
1
answer
261
views
Is there a utility / method to organize trad gear so that each piece is immediately accessible?
When preparing for a trad climb, I usually divide my rack into separate groups where each group is connected to a single carabiner. So for example all the small nuts go into carabiner 1, middle range ...
- 173
13
votes
6
answers
3k
views
What is the term for completing a climbing route uncleanly?
If a climber completes a route without using their protection that is called sending.
What is the term if one completes the route but had to depend on the rope either for a rest or for a fall?
Let's ...
- 233
6
votes
2
answers
458
views
Can a Gri-Gri work if the cam is prevented from engaging?
Based on comments on this question. If the moving cam on a Gri-Gri is prevented from engaging (perhaps by a belayer firmly holding onto the device), can you still brake effectively?
By "brake ...
- 1,109
9
votes
2
answers
610
views
What are known failure modes of the auto-braking mechanism of Grigris?
Disclaimer first: The brake-hand principle (always hold the braking strand of the rope) always applies to assisted braking belay devices, including the Grigri. This question is in no way targeted at ...
- 21.6k
12
votes
6
answers
3k
views
How to belay top-rope climbers who are ascending quickly?
Some of my climber friends are pretty fast climbers with a speed of about 20s for a 10m long route. The really fast ones use auto-belaying-systems seen on speed climbing competitions.
Those auto-...
- 697
6
votes
2
answers
1k
views
What to look for in climbing shoes?
Having just completed my Boulding induction at a local rock climbing gym, what requirements should I look for in a pair of my own climbing shoes? Assume here cost is not a primary factor.
- 15.4k
6
votes
1
answer
3k
views
What are the strongest knot(s) for using on FLAT webbing slings? (joining and bight termination)
I'm trying to make myself a foot-loop that's connected by rope to one's handled-ascender (alongside an opposing-foot's ankle-ascender this allows rapid ascension up a single leg up of rope!) and have ...
- 61