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Re: [N_Oo_B] question about catching high FF lead falls:
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USnavy
Feb 25, 2009, 4:59 AM
Views: 7771
Registered: Nov 6, 2007
Posts: 2667
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N_Oo_B wrote: belaying suprasses superficial pains such as rope burns, etc.
1. Climber gets to the top of the climb and is ready to be lowered.
2. Belayer opens the brake and the rope starts to slide through the belay device.
3. The rope starts slideing through the belay device too fast.
4. The belayer gets minor rope burn and starts to panic.
5. The belayer pulls on open the handle as hard as she / he can forgetting that the harder he / she pull on it, the less friction the device produces.
6. The feed speed of the rope becomes dangerously excessive and the friction produced by the belay device becomes increasingly smaller.
7. The belayer tries to control the feed speed by squeezing the rope harder.
8. The belayer instantly sustains rope burn and lightens up their grip on the rope to eliminate the pain.
9. The climber hits the ground.
It’s always the same. I have seen it many times and had it happen to myself once. The only thing that saved me was yelling “LET GO OF THE HANDLE!!!!!!!!!!!”. Fortunately my belayer was not a complete moron and did what I said which stopped my 35 foot free fall instantly pulling the belayer 10 feet into the air. When I got to the ground I asked her what happened. She said "the rope burned my hand and I couldent hold on".
The problem comes in when a belayer grips a rope that is moving at high speed. Squeezing any rope that is moving at high speed will cause instantaneously severe pain and to think your belayer will “just ignore it” is very dangerous thinking.
Dont believe me? The next time you get to the top of a long top rope climb ask your belayer to drop you as fast as he / she can for 30 feet. Once you get upto speed grab the other side of the rope and try to stop yourself. 
(This post was edited by USnavy on Feb 25, 2009, 5:09 AM)
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Edit Log:
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Post edited by USnavy
() on Feb 25, 2009, 5:04 AM
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Post edited by USnavy
() on Feb 25, 2009, 5:05 AM
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Post edited by USnavy
() on Feb 25, 2009, 5:07 AM
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Post edited by USnavy
() on Feb 25, 2009, 5:09 AM
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