Try the "T-Step" to stand tall in your aiders
Note: This method is generally attributed to Ron Olevsky, aka “Piton Ron”, a big wall pioneer who has put up many classic aid routes in Zion National Park. I think Ron’s technique is slightly different than the one shown here, but it's the same general idea.
When leading an aid pitch, it's generally most efficient to stand as high in your aid ladders as you can. (As they say, everything looks better from the next higher step.) But dang, especially on steep rock, it's not quite as easy as it sounds!
If you’re using a traditional fifi hook and trying to stand in your second aider step, on vertical or overhanging rock, you need to maintain a delicate yet strenuous balance of opposing forces.
Your feet are pressing DOWN in your aiders, and your upper body straining UP against the inverted fifi. This often makes your harness creep towards your ankles, not good.
If the fifi sling is even a bit too long, it puts your center of gravity farther out from the wall, which makes you have to maintain a lot more core tension to stand upright, and often the unwelcome sensation that you’re about to topple over backwards.
If you release tension on the fifi for a moment, it could just fall away from the placement that you're pulling against, which really makes things exciting.
Does that sound uncomfortable and not very fun? You’re correct!
When aiding in the traditional manner, this is about what it feels like when you're in the top or second ladder steps . (Drawing credit, from the amazingly talented Mike Clelland.)
image: Mike Clelland, Climbing magazine
Modern tools such as the Alfifi, which is basically a fifi hook welded onto an adjustable tether, can make this process a bit easier, but it still is generally pretty awkward. Overall, standing in your second step in steep terrain is not easy nor intuitive for most people.
Here’s an alternative, simple way to comfortably stand in the second step of your aiders, on vertical rock to overhanging rock, without any sort of a fifi, that eliminates just about all of these problems - the “T-step”.
The effectiveness of this has to do with a few variables such as your height, your shoe size, what kind of aider ladders you’re using, the steepness of the rock, etc. For me, using Yates or Aideer ladders, with a size 10 shoe, and standing about 5’ 9”, I can stand easily in the second step on vertical or slightly past vertical. Your mileage may vary, give it a try and see what it feels like.
Here's how to do it.
1 - Place some gear, clip a single aid ladder to the gear, and stand in the second step with either foot; for this example, your left. Remember to aid climb like you free climb; use your hands in the crack or rock features to step up; don’t just pull on your aiders or gear.
2 - Point the toes of the foot that's not standing in the ladder, here your right, 90° away from the foot that's standing in the ladder. Then, slide your right foot over your left foot. The arch of your right foot should be about over the toes of your left foot, making a shape like the letter “T”. (T-step, get it?) The aid ladder should be between your right calf and left shin. You might have to put your left knee against the wall for a moment and bend your left knee backwards for a moment to make room for your other foot to slide in. Doing this creates a sort of lever that keeps you from toppling over backwards.
3 - Now, you should be able to stand comfortably in your second step, largely being held in place by the muscle of your right calf. You do NOT need a fifi hook, your pelvis is in very close to the rock so you have a good center of gravity and better reach, and you should not feel any strain on your abdominal muscles. Overall, you should be fairly relaxed and comfortable. This is a bit tricky to describe in words, but once you try it you'll intuitively get it. It really feels like a bit of magic the first time you do it!
Doing this, I’m easily able to reach about 5 feet between gear placements.
Stand tall and gain a lot of reach, no tricky three-way balancing and messing with adjustable daisy chains or fifis, and you don't feel like you've done 100 sit ups after you finish leading a pitch. What's not to like?
It might sound odd reading about it, but give it a try. Once you learn how to do this you might get rid of that fifi hook for almost everything.
As with most things in climbing it's a better show than a tell. Watch the video above a few times to see how it works.
