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Re: [spikeddem] clove hitch with two strands of rope? (equalette):
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ja1484
Nov 11, 2007, 4:57 AM
Views: 2665
Registered: Aug 11, 2006
Posts: 1935
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Theoretically, your suggested system *could* work, but I don't like it for several reasons. Let's get started...
Two clove hitches are fairly bulky, and technically result in two different directions of stress on the carabiner, possibly putting you in a funky tri-axial loading type situation. While it's possible this might not be a *huge* deal, one of the clove hitches still has to be fairly far out in the basket of the carabiner, and away from the spine. Not preferred.
Also, this is pretty inefficient. Tying three knots where one will do just goes against the grain of all the little things that are good to develop in gear rigging - efficiency, simplicity, easy inspectability, etc.
I suggest that rather than the above, you simply tie a loose fig8-on-a-bight on the "open" leg of the equallette and adjust its position (aka distance from powerpoint) to taste before cinching it tight. If you're not clear on how to do this, just grab your equallette and hang a carabiner from somewhere and practice. It becomes pretty intuitive which strands to pull to adjust where on the length of cordage the knot is, and which to pull to cinch it without moving it, after a few minutes of fiddling. Practice "sliding" the knot up and down that arm of the equallette by moving slack through the knot...then practice cinching the knot tight without moving it (too much) by moving the slack through the knot so it stays where you want as it gets tighter.
After a time, you'll gain faculty with eyeballing the knot shorter than you need, and then pulling to cinch it while simultaneously adding some length to the loop at the end and putting the knot right where you need it after cinching. All with practice and time.
One knot is faster, simpler, easier to inspect, and, in this case, likely stronger due to the preferable way in which a single knot loads the carabiner it's attached to.
So, in conclusion: It's great that you plan to start trad climbing with an experienced mentor/guide keeping an eye on you. That belies uncommonly good judgment that's in short supply these days (especially on these boards) and shows you have a healthy respect for the dangers present in trad climbing that aren't as pertinent in sport climbing. DO NOT LOSE THIS RESPECT. Furthermore, it's good to see you reading up and educating yourself - that's the fastest way to true knowledge, and will set the record straight on some of climbing's more common myths (microfractures, belaying through tie-in points, etc.) and keep you clear of hearsay.
It's good that you're experimenting and asking questions - keep the curiosity, as improvisation is an absolutely necessary survival skill in trad climbing. This post isn't meant to shut down your enthusiasm - just provide hopefully helpful feedback. Hope it was useful.
(This post was edited by ja1484 on Nov 11, 2007, 5:04 AM)
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Edit Log:
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Post edited by ja1484
() on Nov 11, 2007, 5:00 AM
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Post edited by ja1484
() on Nov 11, 2007, 5:04 AM
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