Mr. Squirrel

I broke one once too, nae idea how though. Just buy a new blade, problem solved?

Your hand ascender is there as a backup too, should your croll etc. fail. That could be just a twig poking the lever open, stuck in the cam etc. your foot slips out loop and you're shock loading your back up. Your right it isn't much really, but the dynamic rope's elongation + tightening of knots under shock load will absorb some of the fall. It's like you say, if you actually do get in these situations you are really scraping the barrel for some good luck, in which case it might not be a bad idea. That was more of a personal thought, I figure if I was 20m off the ground and I shock loaded my access line I'd rather end up hanging from a relatively intact, very strong core than a climbing line with a shredded sheath. As I said, it'd be interesting to know what the comparative strengths post test were to clarify that.

Yeah it was a cam angle issue or something perhaps, strong things but they'd just jump off. Could be handy if you ever did misplace it on a site, just wait until darkness...

Sorry Softbank, as the madman said it was a reference to their old ascenders which jumped off ropes. I wouldn't be taking those rivets out, sounds simple in theory, but I wouldn't be playing with life support bits like that.

CMI do one, if you can find it. I think Kong do/did on too, but then I hear their name comes from the noise you make when their ascenders fail and you hit the ground... Been using a simple ascender the past 6 years, always found the handle just got in the way and I prefer to leave all that ascending work to the legs... Expedition Ascenders -- CMI Corporation

Technically you really should be using a dynamic attachment to your hand ascender anyway. Basic caving SRT setup. Good point though. I vaguely remember an article in the ISA magazine where they looked at backing up ascenders with a hitch. Now I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure their findings were that since it's being advanced by your ascenders the knot is generally very loose and is unlikely to arrest a fall should the ascender fail. Though it wasn't the focus of their investigation, since the knots weren't doing much and all the shock was put on the ascenders they ended up snapping a number of ropes. I'll have to dig it out, as their findings were somewhat relevant to this. It's be interesting to see the breaking strain on those ropes post ascender mauling softbankhawks. Obviously the advantage of the kernmantle is that it's just the sheath that's ripped, the core is still largely intact and the rope retains most of its strength. Not so with a 16 strand.

Beat me to it. How do you get to their English site though? I've been puzzling away on it auf Deutsch the whole time...

Decathalon do a great pair of stretchy trousers for about £40, have a couple of pairs, as well as a pair of the Pfanners and a pair of Francital climbing trousers. Francital are my favourite, Decathalon next best, don't really rate the Pfanners though...

I must be doing something wrong. I use mine all the time for coming down my access line, only reason it comes off my harness is to put it on a rope.

I'm using dmm ovals on mine at the moment, with dmm sentinels as the top karabiner. The ovals work, not amazingly but it's ok, and means it works with a dmm swivel. The dmm fatboy has to be the best from my experience, I have a small collection of them from when they decided to stop making them...

You don't need a friction hitch/pulley to anchor onto a pole, a choked sling, whoopie sling, even a strop will work with a karabiner in it. And since you've made that anchor, why faff about making a second while your mate's bleeding to death? Besides the NPTC schedules suggest the use of a belay line in conjunction with your own system so you'd have to make two anchors anyway... rendering that explanation void. As I said, hate to divert the thread but that just doesn't make sense to me...

What are you using it for? I bought a new cutting helmet recently, kask (stein) with peltor ear defenders & visor and tbh it's crap. The visor pivots so far down it generally touches my nose and leaves big gaps to the side, the ear defenders have a rubbish seal. The helmet's ok, but I wish I'd bought something better. I'd say go for a husky if I was you.

Ah, sad. Thanks anyway. I use a spiderjack and a swivel, and it doesn't work as well as I'd like...

I get that much, I just don't understand why the system you put in place for yourself is insufficient for the rescue. You wouldn't put a belay line in when the climbers system is compromised in a regular rescue, so why on a pole?

Honestly never even heard of this belay tactic before, how does it work and what's the point of it? I can't imagine where the added setup time and potential for a f*** would be worth while. Not trying to divert from the original topic, just trying to learn something too.

I really should have spell checked that one...

I don't bother with Loler'ing my kit and I guess this is part of why. Brand new krabs shouldn't fail. It could be a manufacturer issue, but it could equally be an overly peniticy tester. On the other side I've also known testers pass prussik loops made from old dynamic 1/2 ropes they bought off ebay. What's the end result? Kit which has failed being used anyway, kit that should never have passed being used. In which case what was the point in the first place?

I had a boss that took us out for a meal and a piss up at christmas, that was pretty cool. The odd lend of a van was a huge help, and I lived in an old caravan at one companys yard for 3 months too. Now I'm a subby I try and return the favour putting in the odd day free of charge. A job gets rained/snowed off, cancelled or whatever, I'll go and work in the rain for someone else for free. It's a small help really but it's those horrible days that an extra pair of hands are appreciated I reckon. Definitely never took any of their generosity for granted. Just because the hand stopped feeding you doesn't mean you have to bite it off?

Funny that, local Husky dealer here in Germany was saying last week the 540xp wouldn't be out until next year due to warm starting problems. Perhaps he doesn't understand Swedish?

I'm guessing the gate won't fit through a small dmm axis swivel?

Never used to wear gloves and never had any problems, but I started wearing Showa 310's and now rarely climb without. They just make life easier, not having to grip so hard all the time. Plus my hands bleed less and I don't need to sand down my calluses so often... In summer I find they get so soaked with sweat they keep my hands cool too.

Been rocking one of those £10 Casio jobs for 4 years now, kick ass watch.

Used the old one and really liked it. Gear loops were rubbish but it was really comfortable. Can't comment on the new one though...

You can't go far wrong with the Arbocup, doesn't look amazingly durable and is stiff as cable new but it softens up, stands up to use and makes SRT access a dream. Obviously a sideline of completely static ropes is that shock loading is very, very bad. I didn't spot my line was over a wee sprag above a fork and it didn't break until I was a few meters off the ground, thought I'd broken my ribs. That is why they aren't approved as PPE though. Just be careful.

Torpedo is good,totally static and very strong. It is a bit expensive for an access line though. That Arbocup stuff freeworker do is the bomb, also totally static, very tough and much cheaper. Know a fair few people who use it, all love it.