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You probably should not use it any more. Old ropes seem to be surprisingly strong. A German mountaineering magazine made tests with old ropes. Of 14 tested ropes, 10 would still have been strong enough to lead on them without risk. However, these were unused or only little used ropes. The results may differ for ropes that have been used very often or have ...

I wouldn't count ascenders as common climbing gear, so I'm answering for gear that almost every climber has available: An ATC Guide (or Reverso, or similar device with a guide mode) and some cord or webbing. You fix the ATC guide to your harness in guide mode, so that you can easily pull in the rope, but it blocks when you load it (i.e. sit in your harness ...

No, it’s not worth the risk. Ropes aren’t that expensive and if it breaks you could hurt yourself.

I am an avid rock climber and the answer to all similar questions is always the same: Use safety gear when you feel unsafe. If you want a number, falls from over ~5 meters (15 feet) are where you will start to incur more serious injuries. However, you can twist your ankle standing on flat ground. You will know when you start to feel unsafe. At that point, ...

Ascending a fixed rope using an ATC guide in lead mode is totally valid, but it is not the "quickest" method (IMHO). Usually what is taught in basic climbing and self rescue courses is to ascend with two prusik loops: One for you foot, and one for your weight. Ascending with an ATC is ok because it is more "fail proof", though. The reason I mentioned using ...

I don't think estimating is the correct approach to climbing trees. See, from mechanics, the tree branch is a cantilever beam. So comparing branches could be done if stepping only at the base of it, only with one foot. Then there is the variable is the branch live or dried out. Lastly, calculating the strength of a branch would include not only ...

I think this is quite a tricky one. Even when I read the Health & Safety Executive guidance in the UK (a country quite keen on its health and safety rules) it isn't clear: HSE has an 'Are You a Tree Surgeon' page, which links directly to their Working at Height page. There we have: Falls from height are the biggest cause of workplace deaths and one of ...

I don't have a reference handy but in conversations I've had in the past (several years ago) with people who compete/vie for speed records ascending ropes they exclusively use prusiks. If memory serves they preferred the Texas Prusik system. Here is another resource on the technique. The key benefits of using this system is it is efficient, light weight, ...

Now after I got some answers I'd like to post my own observations: The most 'efficient' method I found so far with out using foot ascenders is using two conventional ascenders/(or prussiks/tibloc etc) with each a footloop. (And both obviously also connected to your harness for safety.) That way you can use your leggs to push yourself up. But it still can ...

Look for any type of line that is meant for running rigging on a sailboat. These lines are made to work with pulleys or block and tackle systems, they have very good strength with more than adequate working load limits, and they can withstand the weather for quite a while. The main idea is to have a polyester sheath for UV protection. For a backup, I would ...

You can bolt the holds onto a (strong) wooden plank and use a ratchet lashing strap to attach the plank to the tree. Better yet: use two. One at the top of the plank and one at the bottom. You will probably want to add some padding to protect the tree. You can place a rubbery "block" on the plank at the places where you put the strap. This way the thing ...

People perish from falling from 0 meters (just standing, you faint and the back of the head hits the concrete)*. Others can jump from roofs and continue running (parkour guys). Therefore, I think this is a question of confidence. Cars are among the biggest killers, but we do not generally wear protective equipment when crossing the street. We know that if ...

This may not be the most efficient, but is something I have done with the gear I am always carrying - which to me is more important. On any route where I will be abseiling (or may need to ascend) I always carry my Reverso, as well as a Shunt (or smaller / lighter equivalent device). I use the shunt while abseiling in place of a prusik. I generally have a ...

a dangerous height to fall is defined as between two and two and a half times your height, which for most people is 12- 15 feet. however, using gear to climb a tree is VERY damaging to the tree and therefore I do not recommend it unless it is absolutely necessary. If you can see a safe way to climb using large branches, especially on a commonly used tree, do ...

Whatever you use could have some impact on the tree, but your best bet is likely to be a combination of slings, either tightly round the trunk to hang handholds from, or alternatively, ropes from your lowest branches to take the weight, with slings round the trunk solely for locating the handholds. On a slight tack, you could use a cargo net or knotted rope ...

Whatever you do, you will need to take off the load from the tuber in locking mode. So I'd use the same technique as when going over a knot (well there's probably more than one technique for that, but this is the one I know and use (luckily for training only till now)), just adapted to the ascending setup you are in: Take a cordelette and make a prusik (or ...

Lanyard + 2 ascenders + cordelette. So you have lanyard attached to your harness, and ascenders attached to both arms of the lanyard. You fix ascenders on the rope - one will be above the other. Then you attach cordelette to lower ascender and make a loop on its end. So what do we have - you can put all your weight on a lower ascender, then you stand down (...

I'll start off answering your three questions then provide some extra thoughts at the end of my answer. Before that though, be aware that the risks are real: if something goes wrong, perhaps because of a lack of knowledge, the outcome could be life-changing or terminal. Make sure you have the skills and experience you need and not just theoretical knowledge. ...

"Jumars" are the quickest method to ascend a fixed rope. They are mechanical devices that lock and each attach to your harness and to leg straps of specified lengths so you can step on one then the other like a ladder and rest on your waist rather than your hands. Climbing with these devices is referred to as "Jugging" and is commonly done by speed climbers....

If you're using snap link instead of a figure 8 or other such device and can rig a Bachmann/carabiner, just detach and climb as if you were just free climbing the rope with the foot scissor/stand technique, using one hand to slide a Bachmann/carabiner each time you stand/slide up. Useful if you don't have far to go, you can do more than a few pullups and you'...