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Climbing Disciplines:
Alpine & Ice:
Re: umbilicals :
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daneburns
May 12, 2009, 5:17 AM
Views: 16127
Registered: Jul 14, 2004
Posts: 70
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maldaly wrote: ...I still haven't met those famous climbers you're talking about or maybe they're just embarrassed to show me their umbilicals.
Ya, right Mal :) I know you actually "know" most of them that I'll post.
When Mal and I were still kids umbilicals caught on and were used to keep tools and bodies intact. Back when it might take 3 men and a boy to get one screw in. Keeping your tools lashed to your body was the idea, not so different than they are used today.
Umbilicals were used on the 1st ascent of Slipstream. Not for aid but to keep from loosing a tool. John Lauchlan leading 1979. Jim Elzinga photo.
More recently Ueli Steck used them on the Eiger, GJ and the Matterhorn. Here on the M/C GJ.
How about Steve House, Vince Anderson and Marko Prezelj
Steve in S.A
Marko on N Twin
And Raphael Slawinski in Alaska
And Colin Haley, Rolando Garibotti, Maxime Turgeon and Mark Westman.
Ben Gilmore North But of Hunter
My point is a good many climbers serious about getting up big routes these days climb leashless and with umbilicals. The commercial umbilicals available today aren't sales gimics but alpine tools demanded by climbers actually out there putting up hard routes. I think you'll also find all these guys recommending umbilicals in the right environment.
And one more set on a new difficult mixed route in Alaska. Di Batista on the summit of Bradley.
Forgot....
It is such a huge advantage to climb leashless on any terrain with a well designed leashless tool that umbilicals pose little problem. Here is what Colin Haley has to say,
"Although at first a skeptic, I have come to believe that wrist leashes truly are a thing of the past and should not be used. This has nothing to do with style, but rather I think it is easier and more efficient to climb without wrist leashes. It is easier to shake out your forearms, faster to place protection, and often requires fewer tool placements. Dropping a tool is not an option on big routes, however, so it is best to use umbilical cords attached to your tools. In fact, you are much less likely to drop a tool using umbilicals than using wrist leashes. Umbilical cords are ideally elasticized so that they don’t hang so low and catch on gear, and should be made of material that won’t ice up really bad. Avoid any systems that require girth hitching your belay loop or tying knots to your tools. It is best for the umbilicals to attach to your belay loop using a biner so that you can quickly unclip them from your belay loop and clip them into the anchor at belays. It is best for the umbilicals to attach to your tools using mini biners so that you can quickly switch between having them clipped to the spike or the head of the tool (clip them to the head of the tool for low-angle terrain). Attaching a swivel to the harness-end of your umbilicals is a big help for reducing tangle when repeatedly switching tools from hand to hand. The most appropriate swivels, which are strong and light, can be found at commercial fishing supply stores"
You don't need to know who is climbing to easily see that the majority of big mixed and ice routes are getting done leashless and with umbilicals today.
(This post was edited by daneburns on May 12, 2009, 6:55 AM)
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Edit Log:
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Post edited by daneburns
() on May 12, 2009, 5:29 AM
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Post edited by daneburns
() on May 12, 2009, 5:40 AM
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Post edited by daneburns
() on May 12, 2009, 6:55 AM
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