making up a lanyard

[DrewB]

One of the main reasons I tried the half hitch at the bottom of a VT was I heard it can help prevent rope twist which happens when using a VT on certain rope

 

Marc, Does this work and eliminate the twist?

[Jamie]

Jim from what i know about prussics they do bite, apply a lot more weight to them, make sure you TDS (Tie, Dress and Set) your knot properly. i always give em a good tug to make sure all the slack is out. A prussic bites quite hard i'm not sure if a pully would shift it.

 

I'm happy using a simple prussic on my pole strop i rarely need lightning fast adjustment on it.

 

As the hitch cord ages they tend to bit a bit harder

 

Jamie

[ecolojim]

yeah ive found a klemheist and now a 4x4 VT both work really well. got the VT biting hard now. I found the problem was making sure the legs were as equal length as possible and mine were slightly out. adding the 4th braid and tugging on it a few times have made it really good to use.

 

I like the VT but it sits a long way up the strop for my liking. A normal prussik was good and yeah bit hard, but also didnt seem to sit as well as the klemheist which IMO is every bit as simple a knot.

 

for simplicity's sake, the klemheist has it. The VT is pretty to look at, and I do like the way it advances, but im afraid I dont know if I could call it better 'enough' on the whole just yet. Only time will tell I suppose.

 

edit: oh yeah, I've got 6m of Marlow Gecko ordered so I shall be trying some things out soon

[Moby]

Hi Jim, just a quick point with regard to double-action auto-locking snaps (if you still plan to incorporate one into your lanyard?).

 

Current industry best practice (The Guide to Good Climbing Practice) says that they are only acceptable for use on lanyards ; EN 354 defines a lanyard as being a connection in a system that is equal to but no more than 2m in length.

 

Consequently you are probably better off using triple-action auto-locking caribiners to be on the safe side, especially if you're going for training and assessment.

[Marc]

Current industry best practice (The Guide to Good Climbing Practice) says that they are only acceptable for use on lanyards ; EN 354 defines a lanyard as being a connection in a system that is equal to but no more than 2m in length.

 

.

 

What the! best practice says a lanyard as a connection in the system should be no more than 2m in length?

 

Am I misunderstanding something? My lanyard is 7m long, and having a 7m single leg secondary anchor comes in handy!

[ecolojim]

I think it's the snap hooks that are only supposed to be used on lengths up to 2m, not that our lanyards can only be 2m. 2m doesnt give much scope for tying into things

[Marc]

I think it's the snap hooks that are only supposed to be used on lengths up to 2m, not that our lanyards can only be 2m. 2m doesnt give much scope for tying into things

 

Ahh o.k, though you can buy 3m steelcore fliplines with snap hooks.

I just think sometimes these best practice guidlines can be confusing and misleading, personally I pay them little attention, I just use my common sense and my natural self preservation.

[ecolojim]

yeah good point! and trees unlimited sell a 4m rope lanyard with a snaphook.

 

oh well, im using karabiners on my 5m one anyway so no problem.

[Moby]

I'm sorry chaps, I didn't mean to upset the apple cart.

 

I appreciate that the systems we classify as lanyards are often longer than 2m and also that we are sold products with double-action snaps spliced into them that are also longer than 2m.

 

I only wanted to mention (particularly with a view to going through training and assessment) what legislation states and how best practice ties-in with it, just incase an assessor was to take issue.

[ecolojim]

no that's no problem at all Moby. I'm pleased you did bring it up. I learnt something I didnt know, which makes it a good day. and i appreciate you bringing it up with a view to saving me any grief!

 

Jim