Old climber needs help

[hedge mong]

Hey up

I'm I still allowed to climb on a figure of eight and a Blake hitch?

Using a strop for second anchor.

What are the minimum rope specifications these days please?

Edited July 29, 2023 by hedge mong

[Steve Bullman]

44 minutes ago, hedge mong said:

Hey up

I'm I still allowed to climb on a figure of eight and a Blake hitch?

Using a strop for second anchor.

What are the minimum rope specifications these days please?

Fig 8 as a termination knot you mean, yes to that and a Blake’s, and strop as second anchor fine. Only thing that’s changed is your are supposed to now have 3 points of attachment, ie 2 main lines. In reality few bother. 

[krummholz]

27 minutes ago, Steve Bullman said:

Only thing that’s changed is your are supposed to now have 3 points of attachment, ie 2 main lines.

That's not quite true - you need 2 seperate load bearing (fall prevention) systems at all times, with a work positioning system as and when you need them. You can go down to 1 load bearing system for specific, short duration tasks such as changeovers.

 

@hedge mong if you're worried about compliance with current legislation and best practice then have a read through the ICOP/Technical Guide 1 and/or book some refresher training. 

In terms of rope specs any climbing rope sold by a reputable arb shop should meet all the requirements, and yes you can definitely still climb on a blakes hitch!

 

And yes, in reality it seems like few people are bothering to comply, which is fine until someone decks it and the insurance doesn't pay out and the HSE get involved.

[hedge mong]

Ok cool

Will probably have to refresher training even tho the job hasn't changed.

Running two anchors and using a strop seems like a ball ache and recipe for getting tangled up on a daily basis but hey ho.

I'll carry on as I used to then but obviously have 3 ropes out all day 🙄

[5thelement]

1 hour ago, hedge mong said:

Ok cool

Will probably have to refresher training even tho the job hasn't changed.

Running two anchors and using a strop seems like a ball ache and recipe for getting tangled up on a daily basis but hey ho.

I'll carry on as I used to then but obviously have 3 ropes out all day 🙄

If you have been out of the climbing game for a while and still climbing old school, before I bought any new kit I would do a climbing refresher with a reputable company, have a good look around.
The training provider should have a whole range of rope types/mechanical devices/friction hitches/ascenders etc etc for you to try out.
If your getting on in years some of this kit will blow your mind in regard to making climbing more efficient and easier on the body.

You will have to climb to current regs on the training, what you decide to do afterwards is up to you.

[hedge mong]

15 minutes ago, 5thelement said:

If you have been out of the climbing game for a while and still climbing old school, before I bought any new kit I would do a climbing refresher with a reputable company, have a good look around.
The training provider should have a whole range of rope types/mechanical devices/friction hitches/ascenders etc etc for you to try out.
If your getting on in years some of this kit will blow your mind in regard to making climbing more efficient and easier on the body.

You will have to climb to current regs on the training, what you decide to do afterwards is up to you.

Having done many years I doubt I'll change much .

All this equipment to carry around seems a bit excessive really.

I'm not interested in rope Access just the basics so I can climb legally. It seems to me that the youngsters are over complicated on the way they cut tree these days .

I climb trees and use a rope for security and getting around. Can't see the need for a spiders web set up in a tree from another one next to it just to do a crown reduction .🙃

[5thelement]

5 minutes ago, hedge mong said:

Having done many years I doubt I'll change much .

All this equipment to carry around seems a bit excessive really.

I'm not interested in rope Access just the basics so I can climb legally. It seems to me that the youngsters are over complicated on the way they cut tree these days .

I climb trees and use a rope for security and getting around. Can't see the need for a spiders web set up in a tree from another one next to it just to do a crown reduction .🙃

I certainly don’t climb with anything unnecessary on my harness or overcomplicate the job. Until you have used some of the kit that is currently out there you won’t believe how much easier the job can be made though, your body will certainly thank you and it may even extend your useful working age.

[AHPP]

[AHPP]

Joking aside, 5thelement is dead right. The answer is to have both the old school tricks and the new school tricks at your disposal and use whatever's best for the job. Sometimes a lanyard and a grimace is the way. Sometimes a load of extra ropes is the way.

[hedge mong]

Lol.

Grunt like you mean it and get the job done.