Climbing Tools: Backing up your rappel

There are a number of scenarios where backing up your rappel makes total sense. Most the time you can get away with not doing so but in the big hills it is a useful tool to have in your quiver

Category:

Education

Tags:

• climbing
• rappel
• mountaineering
• tom
• wolfe
• lessons
• canada
• mike
• barter

[Smethjt05]

Which would you prefer on a regular basis- leg loop backup or extending the rappel and backing up with the belay loop?

Thanks

[mikebarter387]

The extended rap device is Tom's thing which at first looked a bit weird but after seeing a demo i quite like it. I of course was aware that it had been done that way by many. Personally I almost always use the leg loop thing more out of habit then any other reason. I have also in teh past quickly placed the prusik above the rap device because I didn't extend, this however is a major pain to unload once it has been weighted. you could ask Tom he is the sawbackwc that you see in these comments.

[6kuku9]

Interesting variation on the french prusik - thanx - one question - wouldn't using a classic prusik as your backup make for a very jerky descent and consequent strain on anchors?

[mikebarter387]

wouldnt be much of a anchor then, If you keep the prusik loose enough it will slide smoothly along the rope. That has been my experience.

[whaaaaateverful]

I learned the leg-loop version with one slight variation. instead of both ends of the autoblock cord clipping into the biner, the cord sling is girth hitched around the leg loop, fed around the ropes for the autoblock, and then clipped into a biner on the leg loop (above the girth hitch).

I'm wondering if your way is easier, safer or both.

[beholderlt]

@splashclimber1 looks like an overhand to me.

[Evak103]

cow punching!!! ^_^

[bucket303]

Speaking from ONLY my personal experiance I use both depending on the application. The first one is great if you plan on being hands-free and hanging for any length of time; cleaning up a route ect, because your weight is centered, alot more comfortable and the prussik is below the device meaning its alot easier to undo once weighted. For just your standard abseil I find the second to be fine as usually you really dont want to be letting go of the rope because for us gents it can be a bit sore.

[masonbiker01]

Wouldn't it be better if the sling was girth hitched to both tie in point, not just the single belay loop? This would increase redundancy.

[splashclimber1]

What are the rabbit ears in the end of the 2nd method? ( I can assume.... either figure 8 or an overhand knot?)

[ItalianTREK]

A shorter loop may blocked less in the rocks and a machard is quicker of prusik

[snowyywwinters]

i like to use a shunt. think its worth the weight, but always have loops there just incase:)