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irockclimbtoo


Jan 11, 2005, 10:06 PM
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Locking Carabiners
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Jan 11, 2005, 10:23 PM
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depends if you're doing a multipitch or not. Also depends on if you belay straight off the anchor or not. And on your preferred biner setup for the main power-point (locker/2locker/2oval/3oval). And on how many pieces are in your anchor and if you clip them with lockers or not.

So once you've come up with all those answers, you could need anywhere from 10 lockers to none. Is that vague enough? :D
Personally I've found that keeping 4 (+/- 1) lockers on each cordelette I never run out, but to each his own, and whatever makes you feel safer.


petsfed


Jan 12, 2005, 1:02 PM
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4

Same with my partner. We've never run out.

I do carry about 6 non-locking crabs that get used all the time though. I never have enough of those.


forkliftdaddy


Jan 12, 2005, 11:40 PM
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Single pitch I carry 2. One for my bealy device, one for the anchor. The second had better show up with their own. I clip myself into a non-locker, maybe two.

Multipitch I carry 3. One for each station, one for my device.


tchamber


Jan 13, 2005, 12:19 AM
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you're one ballsy man forkliftdaddy.

I like lockers on all my anchor pieces plus 2 for the powerpoint. This equates to 6 lockers per anchor (3 pieces, 1 opposing piece, 2 for power point). For multipitch, this means 12 lockers. A bit excessive? Probably, but I like every little security I can get 500ft off the deck.


Partner eyecannon


Jan 13, 2005, 12:26 AM
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8 is plenty, I carry 6.


harihari


Jan 13, 2005, 4:36 AM
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I bring 4-- one to tie into the belay, two for my reverso and one for emergency/extra. Since at a belay you are watching things, you don't really need tons of lockers, plus, you can always use bieners from gear/slings/draws and set up opposed reversed gates. I like to carry as little gear as possible, so my aim is to make everything do double-duty.


vegastradguy


Jan 13, 2005, 4:52 AM
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i carry one for each anchor (powerpoint), one for my belay device, and then if i'm carrying screamers, i carry them equipped with lockers on both sides. so, i guess i carry between three and seven lockers.


jt512


Jan 13, 2005, 4:55 AM
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i carry one for each anchor (powerpoint), one for my belay device, and then if i'm carrying screamers, i carry them equipped with lockers on both sides. so, i guess i carry between three and seven lockers.

Why do you put lockers on your screamers?

-Jay


johnnord


Jan 13, 2005, 5:02 AM
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1 for the belay device. 1 for the cow's tail. 1 for the strong point. Think about using clovehitches on biners instead of lockers. In practice, I actually carry more, but I wonder if I've just a gear junkie.
John


vegastradguy


Jan 13, 2005, 5:38 AM
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gate flutter mostly. i have no real strong data on this, other than my thought would be that a screamer deploying would rattle the carabiner enough to create significant gate flutter. i think an aid climber told me this once, but i cant swear by it.

also the fact that if i put a screamer on it, its probably a crucial enough piece that i want a locker on it too.

oh, and dont use clove hitches on non-lockers. they can pop out very easily, sometimes by simply pulling on one side of the rope in an unanticipated direction. always put a locker on something you're going to clove hitch to.


johnnord


Jan 13, 2005, 6:55 AM
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oh, and dont use clove hitches on non-lockers. they can pop out very easily, sometimes by simply pulling on one side of the rope in an unanticipated direction. always put a locker on something you're going to clove hitch to.

Let's talk about this. You come up to a two bolt anchor. Clip a non-locking biner to each. Take a runner and clove hitch each biner. Clove hitch a locker as a strong point. Tie in to the locker. Belay. Comments?


vegastradguy


Jan 13, 2005, 7:05 AM
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not entirely sure it would pop with a runner. i've never used a clove hitch on a runner.

seen it pop with a rope. my partner looked at my clove hitch, checked to make sure my fig-8 backup was secure (we were on a large ledge). she reached over, grabbed one end of my clove hitch and pulled out and down; the rope rolled over the nose of the carabiner and the hitch popped right out of the carabiner. while the clove was not super snug, it wasnt loose, either. it was enough to make me not use clove hitches (with a rope) on non-lockers.

at any rate, with a two bolt belay, i come up, clip a non-locker on each, clip a 48" runner in, equalize, tie a knot (fig-8 or overhand), clip powerpoint- belay. this strikes me as faster than messing around with clove hitches, but i imagine that if you got efficient at that method, it would be fine. (assuming spectra runners will hold a clove hitch- do they?)


johnnord


Jan 13, 2005, 7:16 AM
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not entirely sure it would pop with a runner. i've never used a clove hitch on a runner.

seen it pop with a rope. my partner looked at my clove hitch, checked to make sure my fig-8 backup was secure (we were on a large ledge). she reached over, grabbed one end of my clove hitch and pulled out and down; the rope rolled over the nose of the carabiner and the hitch popped right out of the carabiner. while the clove was not super snug, it wasnt loose, either. it was enough to make me not use clove hitches (with a rope) on non-lockers.

at any rate, with a two bolt belay, i come up, clip a non-locker on each, clip a 48" runner in, equalize, tie a knot (fig-8 or overhand), clip powerpoint- belay. this strikes me as faster than messing around with clove hitches, but i imagine that if you got efficient at that method, it would be fine. (assuming spectra runners will hold a clove hitch- do they?)
I'm really old, so I don't have Spectra runners, but that's a good question. Any answers out there?
An advantage of the clove over the knot is that it unties easier, and it's much faster, at least for me (gain at least a 10/th of a second!!!), and it's adjustable if you don't get it exactly right the first time.


vegastradguy


Jan 13, 2005, 7:20 AM
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fair enough. i've seen the system used in different books, but i really never thought to use it because i dont think i could set it up fast enough.

of course, all my runners (except for a couple) are spectra, which...i honestly have no idea whether the clove would hold or not on....


skinner


Jan 13, 2005, 7:46 AM
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How many locking carabiners do you carry on your rack? Is 8 enough or should I get some more?

Personally I think it depends on what kind or climbing/route I am doing, how many people I am climbing with etc. etc. But I do think that carrying exactly what you need to set up anchors etc. and no more is a bad idea.

    I really don't think there is a clear-cut definite *right* answer. But for the 70-100 grams they weigh.. I would rather have too many then not enough, especially if you get into an ugly situation, or have to lower someone off who is injured or perform a self rescue, or help someone else who has gotten into trouble. (had to do this twice now).

      How many do I carry? I always have 8-10 on me, a few will stay on my harness instead of on the rack, so when we alternate leads, I have some with me in case I have to modify an anchor, lower the leader, or worse yet, bring him up if he has gone for the "Grande hoopla" done a fly-by.

      I am getting long winded here.. sorry, but go crazy, go on a Biner Binge!!! Buying hardware is always fun, and when you have so much that you can no longer carry it, you can always take up aid, get yourself some big-assed haul bags and some pulleys..:lol:


      healyje


      Jan 13, 2005, 9:26 AM
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      4-10 ??? Wow, you guys really carry a ton of lockers!!!

      I never carry more than 2 (1 belay, 1 daisy) unless I'm dragging a second rope and then it's 3. I can't even imagine taking more unless I'm aiding, hauling, and/or doing a bivy...

      Been a pretty happy and steady state formula for 30 years now and I've never seen any good reason to take more...


      skinner


      Jan 13, 2005, 3:07 PM
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      Been a pretty happy and steady state formula for 30 years now
      The truth is you could probably get away without using any at all.. probably. They are sort of like seat belts,.. chances are you will make it to the store and back without one, probably for 30 years too. I mean I have never have a biner come undone ever under any conditions. But for the minimal, price, weight, and pain in the (_|_) they can be.. I just never want to have to *wish*, "If only I had used a locker" :cry:

        30 years? You know I have some 30+ year old biners that sit on my fireplace, and even the non=locking ones weight about a pound and a half.. between that and the soft iron pitons, it's no wonder people only carried half a dozen items on their rack!

          just curious irockclimbtoo, how old you were when you started climbing?


          kaylinr


          Jan 13, 2005, 4:29 PM
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          You could replace your current lockers with a few of these bad boys:

          http://trango.com/prod.php?id=112

          Pretty light for a locker :twisted:


          jt512


          Jan 13, 2005, 5:46 PM
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          I really don't think there is a clear-cut definite *right* answer. But for the 70-100 grams they weigh.. I would rather have too many then not enough, especially if you get into an ugly situation, or have to lower someone off who is injured or perform a self rescue, or help someone else who has gotten into trouble. (had to do this twice now)....

          Are you aware that for most applications, two reversed and opposed non-locking biners are at least as good as one locker?

          -Jay


          jt512


          Jan 13, 2005, 6:09 PM
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          In reply to:
          not entirely sure it would pop with a runner. i've never used a clove hitch on a runner.

          seen it pop with a rope. my partner looked at my clove hitch, checked to make sure my fig-8 backup was secure (we were on a large ledge). she reached over, grabbed one end of my clove hitch and pulled out and down; the rope rolled over the nose of the carabiner and the hitch popped right out of the carabiner. while the clove was not super snug, it wasnt loose, either. it was enough to make me not use clove hitches (with a rope) on non-lockers.

          at any rate, with a two bolt belay, i come up, clip a non-locker on each, clip a 48" runner in, equalize, tie a knot (fig-8 or overhand), clip powerpoint- belay. this strikes me as faster than messing around with clove hitches, but i imagine that if you got efficient at that method, it would be fine. (assuming spectra runners will hold a clove hitch- do they?)
          I'm really old, so I don't have Spectra runners, but that's a good question. Any answers out there?
          An advantage of the clove over the knot is that it unties easier, and it's much faster, at least for me (gain at least a 10/th of a second!!!), and it's adjustable if you don't get it exactly right the first time.

          Yes, spectra runners will hold clove hitches, though I haven't tried it with the new super-skinny spectra runners.

          -Jay


          Partner eyecannon


          Jan 13, 2005, 6:20 PM
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          In reply to:
          You could replace your current lockers with a few of these bad boys:

          http://trango.com/prod.php?id=112

          Pretty light for a locker :twisted:

          Those are the ones I carry! They are tiny, light, and strong.


          healyje


          Jan 13, 2005, 11:09 PM
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          The truth is you could probably get away without using any at all.. probably.

          We didn't use lockers for years. Back then we were doing hard multi-pitch routes tied into the end of the rope w/ a bowline-on-a-bight harness, used clove hitches on anchors, did hip belays with one directional non-locking biner with the gate up and in for the rope coming from the climber. We caught hundreds of falls this way, and many big falls...all with nary a problem or even a thought about it.

          In reply to:
          They are sort of like seat belts,.. chances are you will make it to I just never want to have to *wish*, "If only I had used a locker" :cry:

          To be honest, never in the entire 30 years have I ever "wished" I had another locker or been in a situation I couldn't make completely safe without one...


          healyje


          Jan 13, 2005, 11:20 PM
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          gate flutter mostly. i have no real strong data on this, other than my thought would be that a screamer deploying would rattle the carabiner enough to create significant gate flutter. i think an aid climber told me this once, but i cant swear by it.

          also the fact that if i put a screamer on it, its probably a crucial enough piece that i want a locker on it too.

          This was more from the days when they were bar tacked instead of straight stitched. Even then we went through lots of them blowing 20 tacks at a time without ever seeing the phenom, though it was well documented at the time across several biner makes...

          In reply to:
          oh, and dont use clove hitches on non-lockers. they can pop out very easily, sometimes by simply pulling on one side of the rope in an unanticipated direction. always put a locker on something you're going to clove hitch to.

          Not a bad idea, but I think you just need to be aware of the possibility and really tighten/dress out your clove hitches when using non-locking biners.


          dirtineye


          Jan 14, 2005, 7:01 AM
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          In reply to:
          I really don't think there is a clear-cut definite *right* answer. But for the 70-100 grams they weigh.. I would rather have too many then not enough, especially if you get into an ugly situation, or have to lower someone off who is injured or perform a self rescue, or help someone else who has gotten into trouble. (had to do this twice now)....

          Are you aware that for most applications, two reversed and opposed non-locking biners are at least as good as one locker?

          -Jay

          There is actually a good argument for the two being better than the one in many applications.

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