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dirko
Sep 12, 2003, 7:47 AM
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When I am tradding a a nut gets "fixed," sometimes hitting a biner w/ the nut tool won't do it. In these cases I grab couple of small rocks from the nearest ledge or ground. Hammering one on the other never fails to yield the recalcitrant pro; I have employed it countless times.
Nuts can be stacked when you are low on pro, especially in a taper.
Your gear sling is a runner-strength lasso. (I swear it has saved my life--seriously!)
Finally, the Petzl Ecrin Roc is bomber pro in squeeze chimneys. Just sling that mutha. I have never tried it, but I swear it's gotta be good for a 40' winger.
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dirko
Sep 12, 2003, 8:04 AM
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Note to gym climbers w/ $10K racks: maybe better hold off on trying that last one, trust me.
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bxt
Sep 12, 2003, 5:54 PM
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In reply to: I keep a length (6"+/-) of heavy guage wire (like electricions use). Twist tight around the tip of your rope and make a hook on the end. walla, instant booty hook. Now you can fish out dropped gear or booty from cracks and hard to reach areas.
As an alternative, you can create a similar booty hook by placing a biner on a sling and securing the gate open with extra tape or even some from your hands. (Biner gate opening faces down of course).
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jeffers_mz
Sep 12, 2003, 9:51 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: The best one I've heard lately involved carrying a 48" sling utilizing a biner clipped through the ends. That way, when you grab for a long sling - you can pull it off with out pulling over your head and without getting caught up in your other slings. Simply unhook the biner and pull - it comes right out. Karl Baba showed me a trick with these slings: double the sling, (wrap around the carabiner spine such that the sling forms 2 loops) then give the sling about 5 or 6 twists, then clip the end loop into the carabiner. The result is a compact package that can be clipped to harness or gear sling, takes about as much room as a screamer. to use, unclip one end, shake, and use. Thanks Karlee!
Something else you can do with a 48" sling is make an improvised chest harness with it. Throw an X in the middle, put an arm through each loop and lift the X over your head and onto your back. Now you have two gear slings, one on each side, and you can pull all the slack into one side or the other to eyeball size for a placement.
In addition you can just clip the two loops together in front of your chest, run the rope through and take a comfortable rest while jugging....really saves the abs. In fact, when combined with two ascenders or prussiks it's comfortable enough to sleep in. Back it all up before you start to drift off though.
If you get offroute or otherwise need to french free a move and the piece or biner isn't giving you enough grip to pull past the part you can't do, clip a sling in and use it like a wrist leash.
Great idea for a thread...who knew the legends would just tell you all their hard won secrets if you came right out and asked? I appreciate all this gravy peeps, keep 'em coming.
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rockzen
Sep 12, 2003, 11:55 PM
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Tricks are for kids... :lol:
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bustinmins
Sep 15, 2003, 3:15 PM
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I appreciate you all posting to this thread. I've read some excellent tricks and want the thread to keep going - don't be shy - let us know what is in your bag of tricks.
JD
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coclimber26
Sep 20, 2003, 1:29 AM
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I put a fi-fi hook on my chest harness and just when I'm so pumped that I'm ready to fall I hook it in some pro and pretend like I'm depumping :lol:
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bustinmins
Feb 22, 2004, 3:47 PM
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I just want to see if anyone has any new tricks in their bag. I posted this thread last year and it seemed to be quite poplular. As people grow in a skill and especially in a technical skill - they develop knowledge of great short cuts - simpler concepts etc. Simply put, better ways to do anything. I'd like to hear your favorite pieces of advice - what is in your bag of tricks?
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sspssp
Feb 23, 2004, 5:02 AM
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In reply to: 1) On hard leads where I'll be carrying a lot of gear - the worst thing in the world is to have the biner flipped the wrong way so you struggle to take it off the gear sling. Buy some petzl strings and put them on your cams - bingo - gates always facing the right way! 2) Rack nuts on Oval Keylocks (KONG) - you can hold a whole set of em on one biner
I use asymetric D.s for racking all my gear (especially stoppers). With a D, you can tell by feel, which side the gate is on. With an asymetric D, you can tell which end the gate will open.
With an Oval, when you grab it by feel, you have no idea which side the gate is on and which end the gate will open. This is the fast track for dropping stoppers. Just my personal preference, but I'm surprised how many climbers still rack gear on ovals...
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sspssp
Feb 23, 2004, 9:38 PM
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Tape in the same spot would help. However, when you are pumped and desperate, I don't think it is going to be as obvious as an asymetric D.
You can also hose your partners. I climbed with an infrequent partner a couple of weeks ago (on his rack), and he had stoppers on an oval. It annoyed me and tape wouldn't have helped.
I've never had a problem with stoppers on an asymetric D and there is only so much pro I want to put on one [droppable] biner anyway, but, hey, to each their own [unless you're climbing with me on your rack, grumble, grumble].
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johnnywithah
Feb 24, 2004, 3:43 PM
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Find it difficult to unclip the rope? - Grab the rope a bit below and just clip again and it comes unclipped!
Find it difficult to unclip the rope when it's loaded and the when it gets stuck in the gate opening? - Go Kong key lock, the smartest biner on the market!
There have been a few posts on tips with longer slings with two biners and the sling threaded through one of the biners and clipped into the other. I always carry a few and I've noticed that the biner clipped to the rope on long slings often wanders around and gets into dangerous positions. Secure this biner on the sling with a rubber band, cheaper than the petzel rubber thingies and just as good and safe.
For placements of pro they tend to get shittier as the pump gets worse. It's better to place hexes in the begining of the pitch while still fresh and save the cams for quicker placements later. If feeling a bit exposed placing pro it can be worth to just jam a quick cam in somewhere while fiddling with that nut and then bring the cam along for a later placement.
My favourite proverb also concerns pro placements and refers to that useless time one can spend getting pumped looking for a placement but whatever's on offer is just crap:
When in doubt,
run it out!
It's my experience that accidents are most likely happen when you're cold, low on blood sugar, stressed, scared or when bush bashing or scrambling down back from the climb. Be aware in those situations or prepare and try to avoid them!!!! And one at the time on down climbs on the descent!
________________________________________________________
Famous word from Alex Huber:
When you're on that 8a route [solo] at the crux 100m above the gound,
you know you want to make it!
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summerprophet
Feb 25, 2004, 10:57 PM
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Allright let me see if I can clear out a few cobwebs adn come up with some tips and tricks for the fledglings out there.
First of all, and I cannot stree this enough, Learn how to prussik, If you intend on climbing for the rest of your life, I guarantee, it will get you out of a jam or two. Replacing your chalk bag belt with a length of 6 mm cord will ensure you always have something to use (in dire emergency, shoelaces work as well).
Another good one for organization is to use guides coils for your cordage. Do this by taking your cord and folding it at the desired length, fold up the entire cord leaving about an 18 " loop at the end, wrap this loop around the folds, until you have two or three inches left, push the tail through the loop created at the head of the coils, and viola, a nice tight bundle of cord that packs away nice, and never gets tangled or hooked.
Another trick is to spin the biners around on quickdraws when you clip fixed gear, that way your second knows not to waste his energy trying to clean it.
I also carry two nut tools, for cleaning fixed cams, the BD ones are nice and thin, so they lie against each other, It is amazing what you can pull out with some experience. (big cams and hexes make a decent hammer in a pinch)
Another trick is always clove hitch in as soon as arriving at the end of a pitch. then build your anchor separate from the hitch, I often set teh first piece of gear for my second if we are swapping leads, so I can tie him/her off without crowding the anchor. It also makes a good directional for teh belay (make sure it is bomber).
Also., I always have a sling clipped to the pack. This makes it really easy to swap it during belay stances, and if you end up in a chimney or tight spot, you can drop it so it hangs from your belay loop. A double length sling will make it so it hangs just out of reach of your feet, so it is out of the way.
Another thing I like to do, if I am trying to get the best photo spot, is to give a few extra meters of rope to my tie in at an anchor, and then shorten as required at my belay loop, that way, you can move around a lot, and belay where the best view is. You should use a bit or a critical eye to this though, you want to be sensible about this one and not put yourself in a dangerous situation.
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dontjinxme
Feb 26, 2004, 12:10 AM
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"A dollar a day, keeps the wishing away"
What I do to save money for climbing, is I put a dollar a day into a jug.
Plus I put any excess change that I have accumulated throughout the day. Minus the pennies. After 3 months, I have 90+ dollars ready to be spent on some climbing stuff. Its easy and painless.
How often do you blow a dollar a day on cokes and what not.
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nickb
Feb 26, 2004, 4:04 AM
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Drink a whole quart of water before a long route then throw a capri sun sport drink into your chalk bag or in the bottom part of a survivalist chalk bag. That should get you through most of a day as long as it's not really hot. Add a gu and or a power type bar to your pocket and you shouldn't bonk.
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harihari
Feb 26, 2004, 4:56 AM
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SPEED IS YOUR FRIEND! the biggest waste of time (and hence push-off into danger) on long trad routes is dithering. the aim is to be constantly moving and constantly both doing something. if you can save 3 minutes per belay set-up or take-down, or 10 min for not stopping for lunch, etc, you can save hours...the difference between a nice walk down and an epic.
a) for food-- small bits of beef jerky and sesame snaps (in canada-- way cheaper than power bars) or granola bars (US). fits in your pants pocket and protein/carb mix gives much longer energy than just carbs alone; also no shakes from bonking.
b) hydration: gatorade! avoid caffeine in the morning. you piss less and your heart rate is lower. i wear a small pack with a half-filled camelbak bladder and have asmall water bottle on my harness. you get better hydration if you drink small amounts infrequently. in the alpine, bring film canisters with extra gatorade powder if you know you're going to find water. water is key. if you bring too much, drink it and piss more, or dump it. if you have too little, you will find 5.8 a killer chore.
also, start drinking water as soon as you get upi the morning. you can only absorb about 250 ml (about a big mug's worth) of water per hour. drink steadily until you start climbing. better and extra 1/2 litre carried than starting w/o enough water.
c) always carry-- small roll of athletic tape, tiny flashlight, razor blade in cardboard, matches in small plastic bag, light waterproof nylon shell (warmer and dryer than gore-tex), STICKY RUBBER approach shoes (5.10 rubber). when you are stumbling off of your epic at 2 a.m., you want sticky rubber, not technical finesse. also, bring 2 tabs of morphine sulfate, 4 Tylenol 3s and a caffeine pill or two. one of those silver emergency blankets is good. weighs nothing, takes no space (fits in pants pocket), and will save your life in the alpine.
d) place nuts and/or hexes first on the pitch-- cams are easier and faster to place and so are better later when you are pumped and freaking. i like camalots cos they work as nuts do (passively).
e) ditch the daisy; use a locker and the rope and a munter/clove hitch.
f) (if you're experienced) at the end of the pitch, clip into one piece, yell "off belay", then build your station. if you are seconding, and the belay stance is bomber, unbuild the belay while your leader builds his (or, clip into one piece). this can save 10 minutes/pitch. if the belay ledge is big and you can get the rope going from you, up over something, and then down to yoru second, do an alpine belay (no anchor).
g) rapping first? when you get to the end, clip into the anchor, pull 2-3 lengths of rope through your device, THEN yell "off rap." feed the pulling end through the rings and stack the tails while your partner comes down.
h) on long routes, instead of 24" sewn slings, bring 24" of cord or webbing. if you have to leave stuff behind, better cheap cord than sewn slings.
i) instead of a tuke (toque?), get an ultralight balaclava. fits better under helmet, and covering the neck will keep you warmer than covering head alone. my M.E.C. one fits into a pants pocket.
j) do everything while belaying (eat, drink, piss)-- get a Reverso, so you can hands-free. this makes a HUGE difference for time.
k) learn to simulclimb! you can cut your time by 60% on moderate pitches. the leader climbs and installs gear; after 30 m he installs an equalised piece with a petzl ti-bloc on it. if the second takes, the piece takes the weight. when the secodn gets to the ti-block, s/he yells at the elader, who then installs another. this works INCREDIBLY WELL.
l) always long pants. forget shorts. for top-- get a fleece that has a full zip and pit zips. you will spend less time changing clothes cos you can zip/unzip as needed.
m) learn to place pro at your waist, not over your head. this tires your arms much less. learn to jam thumbs UP/OUT. also, when in doubt, run it out. you are better off going 5 feet further to a good stance and fiddling in gear than hanging and developing a massive pump.
hope this helps.
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cfnubbler
Feb 26, 2004, 2:56 PM
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In reply to: d) place nuts and/or hexes first on the pitch--
Hopefully you mean after you get in a bomber directional, which is usually easiest and quickest to do with cams. Poor form to zipper a pitch, you know.
-Nubbler
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mkjwngoat
Sep 6, 2004, 8:59 AM
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Might be kinda dumb, but I always bring a couple of bandana's (you can't get three of them for about $5 at places like walmart, or even cheaper at the salvation army) They keep your head from burning, convert into every imaginable type of bandage, tourniquet (Do not use if you don't know how) support for sore joints, eyeglass cleaner, and a billion other things
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mensrae
Sep 6, 2004, 9:43 AM
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Registered: Aug 25, 2004
Posts: 26
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take a poop before you tie in :shock:
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phillygoat
Sep 6, 2004, 11:04 AM
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My wife dug up an old travel pillow- kind of like a big, beanbag sock- and rigged it so that it curved around the back of her neck to keep it from getting sore while belaying. Not something you'd want to carry when weight or space was an issue, but nice for cragging.
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musicman
Sep 6, 2004, 3:43 PM
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In reply to: I learned how to carry long draws (24 inch slings) in a easy fashion: you clip two biners, then you pass one of them through the other one, then you clip the two strands of sling that are attached to the first biner. That way you have a draw 1/3 of it's real length. when you wan to clip it a piece of pro, just take out the biner and clip only one of the strans and pull. I'm sure somebody else can explain it better...anyone?
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...n=Show&PhotoID=34184
i found this a few weeks ago, thought it was MUCH easier to understand than words
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musicman
Sep 6, 2004, 3:51 PM
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In reply to: "A dollar a day, keeps the wishing away" What I do to save money for climbing, is I put a dollar a day into a jug. Plus I put any excess change that I have accumulated throughout the day. Minus the pennies. After 3 months, I have 90+ dollars ready to be spent on some climbing stuff. Its easy and painless. How often do you blow a dollar a day on cokes and what not.
i do that will ALL my change, even pennies. you'd be amazed after a month of two to find an extra dollar in pennies, it may not seem like much, but i'd rather have a free dollar than no dollar. if i had the money i think the dollar a day thing is great, but i have no job and am trying to keep enough gas in the truck to get up to the crag and back by mowing my lawn and my minimal allowance (yes, i'm lucky to have it, in a couple years i won't though :() anyways, thats a good money tip, how often do we just toss our pennies nickels and dimes?
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corpse
Sep 7, 2004, 4:47 PM
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when belaying (regardless of the climbing), I will often wrap the rope around my hand once, this way I can have a more comfortable grip and still be able to comfortably handle any fall (ie: leader fall).. plus, this will prevent losing control of the rope. Important to keep in mind, I don't use the pinch and slide belay technique, I do hand over hand - so with my right hand as my normal brake, I'm holding the brake rope with my left and do a quick loop of my right hand, then left goes back to the guide rope. If the climber is quick, this this is not an option.
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climbin_high
Sep 7, 2004, 4:59 PM
Post #74 of 140
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Headies
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glowering
Sep 7, 2004, 8:03 PM
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5.5mm spectra cordelettes, people who say cordelettes are heavy and bulky must be using 7mm I guess. When they came out with 5.5 I switched to cordelettes almost exclusively, they are about the same weight/bulk as a couple slings and a fast, versatile, and easy to untie. On trad climbs I just leave them as they are when cleaning, then at the next anchor clip in the three loops, untie the 8, re-equalize, and retie the 8. I don't like webolettes because you have to take the time to dress the knot or it's a pain to untie if weighted.
Cordelette anchors on two bolts: Double the cord first, clip the two loops in each biner then tie your 8 power point knot. Super fast, super strong, easy to inspect. Two draws off the bolts are not redunant IMO (they're in series not parralel), I've seen one pop and then you're hanging by one non-locking biner.
Fixeusa.com has the biner keepers very cheap. Like $4 for 40. Won't degrade like rubber bands.
Clip doubles of the same size piece to the biner of the first piece, saves space on the gear loop.
Have 3-4 or your loose biners as ovals for a caribiner brake rappel if needed.
Put a screamer on pieces where a failure results in nastiness. I carry one screamer and usually use it on the 2nd piece off the ground or 1st piece off the belay.
For a runout crux put in two pieces, equalize with a double length runner tied like a cordelette. Having a mini-anchor below is great for the confidence factor.
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