The ZOLEO satellite communication device

Alpinesavvy was provided with a free ZOLEO satcom device. This in no way affected my opinion and review. There are no ads, paid product promotions or affiliate marketing links on Alpinesavvy. Whenever I get a free product for review, I'll always tell you about it.

ZOLEO is offering a coupon code with free activation for Alpinesavvy readers. Use the code ALPINESAVVY for a $20 USD discount. (This deal comes as a courtesy from the ZOLEO team. I get $0.00 from this offer.)

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An emergency satellite locator/communication device was once something pretty much reserved for sailers, pilots, or extreme expeditions - if your ship is sinking, your plane is going down, or polar bear is gnawing on your leg, you could press the SOS button and (hopefully) someone could more easily find your remains. 

The older style, called a Personal Locator Beacon, or PLB, is designed for emergency use, one-way transmit only. Push the big button, and your lat-long coordinates and an SOS is (hopefully) sent via satellite to the appropriate local search and rescue (SAR) team.

The main problem with this type of device is that the SAR team has no idea what your actual situation is, so they don't know what kind of resources to send. Do you need a helicopter for a life threatening emergency, or did you just break your ankle and can wait a day or so for a rescue team to walk in? 

The newer style of satellite communication (satcom) devices offer two-way text capabilities, which is a significant improvement. Satcom devices are now a much more mainstream, every-day-carry item for many people, even on a casual day hike. 

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As I write this in summer 2022, the most well-known satcom device is the Garmin inReach. I’ve used this device several times, and it works fairly well. However, there are newer competitors on the market, and after testing one called the ZOLEO (yes, all caps), I think it offers some solid benefits over the inReach. 

The primary design principle of the ZOLEO is to have the best possible messaging experience, without trying to also be a GPS navigation device.  I think they succeeded. For actual navigation, I prefer a phone app like Gaia GPS, a printed map, and a compass. Zoleo was named “Product of the Year” at the Third Annual Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards in Jan 2021, that's pretty impressive!

Before we get into the specifics of the ZOLEO, let’s look at the bigger picture of satcom devices in general.

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There are four primary ways to use a two way satcom device. In order of importance:

1 - Request help in an emergency.  You can text back-and-forth with SAR to tell them the exact details about your problem. (Pro tip: this makes SAR teams VERY happy!) SAR not only knows your exact position, but also what resources they need to help you. When you push the SOS button, the device sends your message and coordinates to GEOS (the international emergency response coordination center.) GEOS then notifies your emergency contacts and coordinates with emergency responders in your area.

2 - For a delay, but no emergency, you can text your at-home contact something like: “Everything’s fine, but we’re running late. Do NOT initiate a rescue.” Preventing an unnecessary SAR mission is hugely important, and it's a big benefit of a satcom device that many people may not fully appreciate.  

3- Using the “check-in” feature to send a quick text to a few trusted contacts at home, usually saying something like “All good, here's my location.” While this is probably the most common use, let’s remember this is strictly optional. It’s really meant for anxious or concerned people at home, and does not directly benefit the backcountry traveller. (People have been adventuring for thousands of years without making “check-in” calls, so it's a luxury, not a necessity.)

Side note on all satcom devices like this: sending check-in notifications is fine, but don’t let a lack of check-in become the basis for a rescue. If your satcom device breaks, gets lost, dropped in the lake, or runs out of power, and you’re fine, the last thing you want is to trigger an unnecessary “rescue” because you didn’t send your daily check-in. This has happened often! Make it clear to anyone receiving your check-in messages that LACK of communication does NOT mean you have a serious problem.

4 - Treating it pretty much like texting on your phone, and sending any sort of text that doesn’t fall under the previous three categories. Long distance hikers can connect with other hikers. If you’re car camping in the boonies, you could text someone else the coordinates of your campsite so they can meet you, etc.  You get the idea.

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Using the Zoleo for daily check ins on a recent trip down the wild and scenic rogue River in southern Oregon.

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What separates ZOLEO from the competition? In rough order of importance:

• ZOLEO uses whatever available technology is available (and least expensive) to send or receive messages: Wi-Fi, cell tower, or satellite. This allows a seamless thread of conversation if you move from remote backcountry, to cell coverage, to in-town wi-fi. If you're a long distance hiker or like to car camp in remote locations, this is a very handy feature. Messages sent through the ZOLEO over cell or Wi-Fi do not count toward your monthly limit. Plus, messages sent via cell or Wi-Fi are pretty much immediate. With Garmin, you have to bounce back-and-forth between your phone and satcom device to continue the same conversation.

• You get a unique email and SMS number (for texts only, not voice calls) with your ZOLEO. Simply share this email or SMS number with anyone, and they can use any device (computer, tablet or phone) to send you a regular text, without you having to initiate a text thread. This is simple, intuitive, and results in fewer missed messages. Compare this to the awkward Garmin inReach system, where you need to first send a text to someone from the device in order to receive a text back from them. This may sound like a minor difference, but it’s actually a pretty big deal. 

• “Progressive SOS” feature.  When an SOS is declared, ZOLEO users receive step-by-step status updates throughout the incident via the ZOLEO app. You’ll know what’s happening at each step, from pressing the SOS button to the time help arrives, as opposed to just pressing the SOS button and then hoping like hell the technology is working. This is the single most important function of the device, so why not make it more intuitive?

• Well designed app. For people who will be contacting you more often, they can download the free ZOLEO app. This allows the most characters per message, and, if they’re on your list of preferred contacts, they can receive check-in notifications and (if activated) Location Share+. You and your designated contacts can use one single app for all your communication.

• Longer messages. If you and your contacts use the ZOLEO app, messages can have up to 950 characters. Otherwise, emails are limited to 200 characters and SMS messages are limited to 160 characters. Garmin inReach Mini has a 160 characters limit per text.

Here's a screen grab example of the progressive SOS feature.

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General ZOLEO features:

• Retail price: $200. Weight is a bit over 5 ounces/ 150 grams. Size is very similar to a deck of playing cards.

• It doesn’t have a screen. It has four different colored LED lights and some audible alerts, to tell you the basics like battery charging, whether a message was successfully sent or received, etc., so you don't have to look at your phone. The blinking lights are surprisingly intuitive. (I've seen more than one Garmin InReach with a cracked screen, so the screenless ZOLEO could be considered a benefit.)

• ZOLEO has three core features: SOS function, preformatted check in message, and two way text messaging. The SOS and pre-formatted check in message work on the device itself, and don’t require your phone. But, you can use the phone app for both of these functions if you prefer. To send and receive texts, you use your phone and connect to ZOLEO via Bluetooth. Yes, you need a functioning phone to send a text message. (You did bring that auxiliary battery and charging cable for your phone, correct? If you're hiking with a partner(s), have them download the app as well so you can both use the device in case one phone is kaput.)

• One touch check-in button. Reassure concerned people at home without excessive fiddling with electronics. You can set up to five check-in contacts on the ZOLEO app. Simply press the “check mark” button on the device, and your contacts will get a message like ”I’m OK”, and your latitude longitude coordinates. This will probably be the most common use of the device, and it's nice that it's so easy, literally one touch.

• Impressive battery life. Specs say more than 200 hours, even with checking messages every 12 minutes. That’s 20 days if you have it on 10 hours a day, or about eight days if you left it on all the time. The internal battery recharges to full strength in just two hours via micro USB cable. If you're moving in and out of cell coverage, simply leave the device turned on to make sure you catch all your messages. (Having said that, I am a huge fan of always carrying an auxiliary battery and appropriate charging cables, so I’d encourage you to do the same.)

• Weather updates. Via satellite. Zoleo uses DarkSky to get weather info. These weather updates count against your total number of messages. I used this several time during my testing. Weather updates came through in just a few minutes, quite impressive.

• Location Share+. Added in 2021, this lets you automatically share your location with up to five check-in contacts, on a selectable interval from every 6 minutes to 4 hours. You and your check-in contacts use the ZOLEO app to view the most recently reported location and “breadcrumb” trail on a map. Personally, I don't see this is being very necessary for most hiking and mountaineering, but if you're a pilot or sailor, it could be more important. This feature is an extra $6 a month.

• Not just for camping. Keep it in your car for times when you’re driving outside of cell coverage. It's more than an emergency notification device; depending on where you live or recreate, it could be your primary way to connect to the world.

• International travel. Heading on a trek to Nepal, Peru, Kilimanjaro, etc.? This could be a great way to stay connected on your trip. Use the device and a single app to stay in touch, without any concern with your phone being compatible in the country you're visiting, changing SIM cards, etc.

• Waterproof, rugged, no screen to break, grippy plastic on the outside. Small clip on the top for a carabiner to wear it on the outside of your pack, but I see zero reason to do this. It doesn’t help with satellite connectivity, but it does greatly increase the chance you're going to lose it if you're bushwhacking. I keep it stashed in the top pocket of my pack, which still allows satellite connectivity if you're sending back-and-forth messages with someone during the day. (I see lots of pictures of people wearing satcom devices clipped to the outside of their backpack, and I never understand why.)

• Uses the Iridium satellite network, the largest and most reliable. Keep in mind that these satellites move around. If you have a poor connection, wait a few minutes and a new satellite might move into position; in theory, there should be a satellite overhead about every 10 minutes. If you're in a deep canyon and or dense tree cover, satellite connectivity may be affected. Try to have a clear view of the sky. As mentioned just above, there's no need to have this out in the open to work, inside the top of your pack should be fine. Related note, be patient. Messages can often take several minutes to be sent and received. It's never going to be as fast as cell or Wi-Fi.

• The ZOLEO app is available in 7 languages (Italian, German, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and French). From the ZOLEO website, spring 2022: “ZOLEO will only accept credit cards with a billing address in the following countries: Canada, United States and its territories, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Additional countries will be added over time.”

• In addition to the device, you need to choose a subscription plan. There are three levels, depending on how text-happy you are. Data plans start at $20 a month, after three months you can suspend your plan for $4 a month. When you suspend your plan, you keep your dedicated phone number and email address. The amount you pay for the subscription plan is really what the long-term cost of ownership is about, so it's worth taking a close look at this. I won't summarize it here, check the ZOLEO website for details.

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So, that's my take on the ZOLEO. It's not a device for everyone. If you hike on mostly frontcountry trails, and you have cell coverage most of the time, any sort of satcom device is probably not needed. But, if you do higher risk activities with off-trail travel in remote areas away from cell coverage (and especially if you lead trips and are responsible for other people) I feel a ZOLEO is well worth the cost, reduced risk, and peace of mind.

Think of it this way: If you use a satcom device just ONCE to help you, a teammate, or another person / group with an emergency situation, isn’t it well worth whatever you spent on it?

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Don't just take my word for it. Here are some ZOLEO reviews from solid sources.

What’s that peak? Find out with the PeakFinder app

What's the name of that mountain? Climbers have wondered this forever, and now finding the answer is a lot easier.

With an augmented reality phone app like PeakFinder, you can find out in a moment. (Yes, it does show lots of hilltops you may have no interest in, but it does well with the big ones too. )

Photo by my pal Wim Aarts, taken from the amazing viewpoints in the Inyo Range, looking westward at a good portion of the central Sierra Nevada.

If you're ever near Bishop CA, visiting the Inyo Range, enjoying this view and seeing the ancient Bristlecone pine forest is highly recommended.

photo credit: wim AArts

Haul bag straps: connect ‘em with a cam strap

Big wall haul bags usually have a long strap and a short strap. The haul rope is connected to the long strap. The short strap is connected / clipped in some way to the long strap. In theory, this allows you to access your bag with all the weight hanging on the long strap, by unclipping the short strap.

The traditional way to do this is with a second carabiner, as shown on the left.

Looks nice in theory, but in reality this is often a serious hassle. If the weight of the bag is loading the master point carabiner, to clip and unclip that red carabiner on the short strap, you may need to hoist the entire weight of the bag, and have a hand free to work the carabiner. With a moderate bag this may not be a problem, but with a full load it can be very awkward and unnecessarily strenuous. Imagine doing this with a 100+ pound / 50+ kg bag, no thanks!

A better method is shown on the right, using a cam strap. Let’s learn how that works!

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Instead of that pesky carabiner, use a cam strap to close your bag.

• Get a 3 foot cam strap. You can get a two pack of 3 footers for about $15, here's a link for REI. (This is NOT an affiliate marketing link, I simply offer it for your convenience.) Or get a 4 foot and cut it to size.

• Tie a clove hitch in the cam strap, and clip it to the haul point carabiner. The clove keeps the cam strap secure so you don’t drop it. Try to keep the buckle close to the carabiner.

• Run the cam strap through the short haul bag strap, then back up through the cam buckle.

• Now, simply pull down on the cam strap with your bodyweight. Nice, you've created a little 2:1 mechanical advantage. This hoists up the short strap and secures your bag, nice and level.

• The cam strap is releasable under tension, making opening the bag just as easy. No more strenuous pig wrestling to unclip that short strap carabiner, schweeeet!

Sidenote: if you’re thoughtful about gear packing, you should hopefully not be diving in and out of your main haul bag during the day. In the morning, try to pull out everything you need for the day, and put it in a smaller day bag or a wall bucket that you use for things like snacks, water, sunscreen, wind shell, etc.  

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Here’s a more elegant way to do it, with this cool cam strap design from skotswallgear.com. Skot sews a small loop right next to the buckle, so you can clip it to the carabiner rather than using a clove hitch. Note that the strap then passes through the carabiner as shown on the left photo, and then down and through the lower bag strap. (At least that's how I think you're supposed to use it. :-)

Skot was nice enough to send me one for review, thanks!

Skot makes lots of well-crafted big wall gear, like the famous Alfifi, lightweight and easily adjustable tethers/daisys, rope bags, custom webbing for hooks, and more. Check out his website to see it all.

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If you use a docking cord that’s tied to the long strap rather than clipped to the master point carabiner, this means that both straps should have no tension on them after the bag has been docked at the anchor. This allows easy access to your bag, regardless of what system you use to close the top. Lots more on docking cords at this article.

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Finally, here's a short video showing how it works.

What's in my pack: Rainier gear by Mark Smiley

This gear list is a free excerpt / preview from Mark's new online course, “The Ultimate Guide to Modern Alpinism”. I haven’t taken it, but I have taken a couple of his other online courses, and they were excellent. Check out all of Mark's offerings at mtnsense.com.

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Emmons Glacier, Mt Rainier. Photo by Vaqas Malik

There’s nothing a gearhead likes more than a detailed packing list from an expert climber. Here’s what IFMGA Certified Guide Mark Smiley likes to pack for a two day Mt. Rainier trip up one of the standard routes (Emmons or Disappointment Cleaver). (I've climbed Rainier several times and sure wish I had a few things on this list.)

Of course you don't have to bring everything listed, but it's a pretty good starting point.

Here's a link to the original “course preview” article Mark posted for free on his website, where he names some specific brands that he likes and goes into a bit more detail.

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Clothes

• Wool t-shirt

• Sun hoodie

• Thin wind shell

• Light puffy

• Big puffy

• Waterproof shell jacket

• Buff

• Hat with visor for sun protection

• Thin gloves for hot day on glaciers

• Showa Temres gloves for cold and wet

• Second pair of cold-weather gloves (if forecast is for nastiness)

• Softshell pants

• Waterproof pants

• Socks

• Boots (Single layer, with integral gaiter)

Climb gear

• Helmet

• Sunglasses

• Goggles

• Headlamp (400 lumen minimum)

• Lightweight harness (Edelrid Prisma Guide)

• Steel crampons (Mark likes the CAMP Skimo Pure Nanotech crampons, very lightweight)

• Ice Axe (50 to 70 cm)

• Trekking poles

• One mid clip picket

• One ice screw (aluminum, 16 or 19 cm)

• Petzl Nano Traxion progress capture pulley

• Petzl Tibloc

• Four lightweight carabiners

• Three locking carabiners

• Two 120 cm Dyneema slings (or cordelette)

• Rope (50 or 60 meters, 8.4 mm dry treated)

• Avalanche transceiver

• Shovel

• Avalanche probe

Pack and camping gear

• 55 liter pack

• 2 liter water bag

• Steripen water purifier

• Lip balm (several tubes)

• Sunscreen (small tube or stick)

• Satellite communication device

• Backcountry navigation app, with GPX file of route loaded onto phone

• First aid kit

• Sleeping bag (down, 20 degrees)

• Compression stuff sack

• ThermaRest NeoAir XLite Sleeping Pad

• Compact pillow

• Two person mountaineering tent

• Earplugs

• Canister stove (MSR Reactor or Windburner, not Jetboil)

• One freeze dried dinner and one breakfast

• Spoon

• Lunch food, whatever works for you

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.

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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!

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

Reverse your crampon straps

Credit for this tip goes from British Guide Sam Leary, who made the video at the bottom of the page where I first saw this clever trick.

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Short version: remove the straps from your crampon heel levers, and reverse the straps. This lets you move the buckle rings to your toe, rather than your outside ankle, which makes threading the strap through the rings and cranking it tight MUCH easier.  

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It’s time to put on crampons on the side of a dark, steep icy mountain. It’s cold, you have gloves on and lots of puffy layers. You plunk the crampon into the snow, carefully insert your foot, clip down the heel lever, . . . and then attempt the spine torquing, black belt yoga position of twisting to the outside of your boot, trying to thread the strap through the double rings that you can’t really even see . . .

At this moment, you may think, “why the HELL are crampons designed to be put on in this incredibly awkward way?!”

Good news: there’s an easy modification (for most crampons) that makes this process a LOT easier. 

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Disclaimer #1: The industrial designers at crampon companies (who are of course far smarter than I am) may not approve of this.

Disclaimer #2: This does not work with all styles of crampons. A quick look at yours should tell you whether it works, or not.

Disclaimer #3: If you try this modification and screw it up, your crampon straps might become unusable. Do not try this on the mountain, and you probably shouldn’t try the night before a climb either. You’ll need a few simple tools like scissors (and probably) needle nose pliers. Read this article, watch the video at the end, and be fully aware of how this works before you ever try it for yourself. 

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Crampons with a heel lever are typically set up with the strap threaded counterclockwise on your left crampon, and clockwise on your right crampon. With this set up, the buckle is on your outside ankle, and you pull the strap forward, or toward your toe, to tighten.

We’re going to reverse this. Instead:

• Thread the strap CLOCKWISE on your left crampon, and

• COUNTERCLOCKWISE on your right crampon.

This lets you put the buckle up near your toe, where you can see what you’re doing with no contortions and double back the strap with ease. You also tighten the strap by pulling toward your body, which is more ergonomic.

Doing this also puts the buckle on the outside of your foot, which is where it should be, so you don’t accidentally loosen it by clipping the inside of your ankles together.

You could move the buckle to the front without removing it from the heel lever. But if you do this, the buckle will be tensioned on the inside of your foot. This is no bueno, because you’re much more likely to kick it unintentionally with your other foot and release the tension on your strap.

I’m showing it here with my Grivel G12 crampons, so I can’t speak to other brands. According to the video below, it works the same with Petzl and some models of Black Diamond. (It does not work with my Black Diamond Contact universal crampons, because the strap is sewn in to one of the holes on the rear cup and can’t be unthreaded to do this.)

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Notes:

For my Grivel G12s, I found that cutting the crampon strap with scissors to make sort of a “V” point, rather than a 45° angle, made it quite a bit easier to thread through the heel lever.

After you make this cut, melt the ends of a strap in a flame and when melted, give it a quick squeeze with pliers to make sort of a hard tip.

When you’re completely done with this project and the straps look good, you MIGHT, repeat might, want to cut off some of the excess extra strap, assuming you’re not going to use these crampons with any larger boots (like ski boots) or loan them to anyone with size 15 feet. 

You will probably need needle nose pliers to pull the crampon strap through the heel lever. Take it slow, be patient. A small flat blade screwdriver can help push the strap through too.

Before you thread the strap through the heel lever, lay it all out and figure how the strap is going to lay on your boot, ideally with no twists. With the Grivel‘s, the black leather tab needs to end up lying flat against your boot, on top of the other ring. The way it ended up working for me, the strap is not showing the Grivel logo on the inside of the boot, and it is showing the logo on the outside of the boot. This way means no twists when you’re done. If you do and up with a half twist, it’s certainly still going to work fine, it’s just not as aesthetic as it could be. So, take some time before you thread that heel lever and see that everything is lined up correctly with no twists. “Measure twice, cut once”, as they say.

Do one boot at a time.  If you mess it up on the first one, you have your original strap on the other crampon as a reference.

Here's what mine looked like when I was done. The buckle is threaded through the toe piece, and is easily tightened to the outside of the boot by pulling back toward you.

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The video below shows this process in detail. Watch it before you try it! Thanks to AMI (Association of Mountaineering Instructors) Guide Sam Leary and LeadingEdge Mountain to show you how it works. She has lots of other solid Youtube instructional videos, give her a subscribe.

Friction can lower forces on an anchor

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This tip comes from my pal and canyoning expert Kevin Clark and his book, “Canyoning in the Pacific Northwest: A Technical Resource.”

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I did a live body test of this at the rock climbing wall in Marymoor park in the Seattle area. My friend Ryan from @hownottohighline shot the video. See the short Instagram reel and the results here.

Results:

• me hanging fully on rope: 190 lbs on anchor

• Rope angle from edge to anchor about 50°: 135 lbs on anchor, or about 30% less load

• Rope angle from edge to anchor about 10°: 80 lbs on anchor, or about 58% less load

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When rappelling, the maximum force on the anchor usually occurs just as the rappeller is passing over the edge on top of the pitch. Once below the edge, the load on the anchor is reduced by the friction from the rope passing over the edge. The more contact with rock the rope has, and the larger the angle, the lower the force on the anchor.

There are lots of factors involved, such as how slippery the sheath of your rope is, if the rock edge is rounded or sharp, whether the rock is wet or dry, the type of rock, etc.

• With a rope that runs over the edge at a 45° angle, the load on the anchor can be reduced by as much as 50%.

• If the rope passes over the edge at a 90° angle, the load reduction can be as high as 66%.

If your anchor is questionable, that's probably a good thing. The trade-off is your rope is going to be harder to pull.

Let's look at some examples. Let's assume our rappeler weighs about 100 kg.

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Example 1: The rope is anchored to bolts hanging over the edge of the cliff top. There is zero friction from the cliff edge. Our 100 kg rappeler puts a 100 kg load on the anchor. Hopefully that should be pretty obvious. (And yes, starting your rappel from a position like this might be a bit difficult.)

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Example 2: Instead of using the bolts, the climber is now rappelling from a sling they put around the tree about, say, head height. Yes, this can increase leverage on the tree, but if the tree is stout, it doesn't really matter. A higher anchor point is more convenient to get rigged and start your rappel.

(Sidenote, it's best practice to avoid rapping with your rope around the tree. Doing this can damage the tree, get tree sap on your rub, and make for a very difficult pull. Add a sling instead.)

This makes an angle of about 45° over the edge of the cliff. Once the climber is over the edge, how much force do we now have on the anchor?

Using that best case scenario of 50% force reduction, the load on the anchor is now about 50 kg.

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Example 3: Instead of anchoring higher up in the tree, our climber decides to use the base of the tree. (This decreases the leverage on the tree, but might make it harder to rig your rappel.)

This makes an angle over the cliff edge of around 90°. Once the climber is over the edge, what kind of load do we now have on the anchor?

Assuming a best case reduction of about 66%, the tree only sees a load of 33 kg. Good trick if your tree (or other any other sort of anchor) is marginal!

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Here are some other techniques to minimize the load on the anchor:

• Interestingly enough, you can significantly increase the forces on the anchor in that brief second or two when your feet are on the edge of the rock and you are leaning backwards. This has an interesting force multiplier, even if it's just for a moment. If your anchor is marginal, you probably want to avoid doing that.

• To counter this, you can get as low as you can when starting the rappel, perhaps even sliding over the edge. Canyoneers call this a "soft start.”

• Pushing the rope down into the rock surface as you go over the edge to help maximize friction.

• Keep a consistent load on the anchor, good rappel technique, etc. Don’t jump down the rock like a special forces cowboy.

• Use footholds if possible to keep load off the anchor.

Lower from a plaquette - transfer load to Munter

Photo credit: diagram by Andy Kirkpatrick, used with permission. From his excellent book “Down”, highly recommended!

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Note - This post discusses techniques and methods used in vertical rope work. If you do them wrong, you could die. Always practice vertical rope techniques under the supervision of a qualified instructor, and ideally in a progression: from flat ground, to staircase, to vertical close to the ground before you ever try them in a real climbing situation.

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If you use a plaquette style belay device such as the Petzl Reverso or Black Diamond ATC Guide, it’s important to know how to lower someone if needed. 

There are many ways to do this. Lots of them are somewhat complicated, and can increase the risk of accidentally dropping your partner, so learning one or two techniques inside and out is important.

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Here’s a lesser known, but simple, way lower from a plaquette - transfer the load from your belay device to a Munter hitch.  (It's similar to the Load Strand Direct or “LSD” lower, which we cover in this article.)

This method requires that your second can give you a tiny bit of slack for just a moment, which should be possible the vast majority of the time. 

1. Tie a third hand/autoblock backup to the brake strand.  (Adding a “catastrophe knot” a bit further down your brake strand is a fine idea as well.)

2. Clip an HMS locking carabiner to the anchor. 

3. Tie a Munter hitch in the brake strand and clip it the HMS carabiner. 

4. Ask your struggling second for just a few cm of slack, for a moment. When you get it, it unclip the blocking carabiner from your plaquette. Nice! The load smoothly goes from the plaquette onto the Munter, and you’re ready to lower.

Photo credit: Andy Kirkpatrick, From his GREAT book “Down”,

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Finally, here's a nice video that shows the technique. (Demo starts about 1:20)

Single strand Purcell Prusik

This Crafty Rope Trick comes from my canyoneering expert buddy Kevin Clark. Check out Kevin's book, “Canyoning in the Pacific Northwest”. Kevin learned it from Ben Lewis, a canyoning expert who made the video at the bottom. Thanks, Kevin and Ben!

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The Purcell prusik is named after the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia Canada, and was invented in the 1990s by Kirk Mauthner of Rigging for Rescue.

It’s an interesting, sometimes useful, and sort of klunky bit of ropecraft.  (The method I'm showing here is a bit different than how it was first introduced.)

Tied in the usual way, it consists of a prusik hitch sort of tied back onto itself to make an double strand adjustable loop. This has a few applications in self rescue, rope ascending, rigging mechanical advantage systems, adjusting rescue litters, and impressing your knot-nerd pals. One useful feature is that it can be extended under load, which makes it handy for knot passing and other rescue-type stuff. Plus, it’s inexpensive.

But it has a few downsides:

• it’s bulky

• the twin loops tangle easily

• you need two hands to shorten it

• it only adjusts from full length to half length (unless you know a certain #CraftyRopeTrick, see below)

A handful of climbers use the Purcell prusik as a personal tether or ice ax leash or something similar. But the hassles listed here mean it’s not part of everyday gear for most people. (If you want an adjustable tether, a more modern approach is something like the Petzl Connect Adjust, or a DIY version, the Kong Slyde.)

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Here’s an interesting variation: the single strand Purcell prusik.

Because it’s tied on a single strand, it’s lighter, lower bulk and less tangle prone than the regular double strand version. (It still has the twin downsides of only adjusting from full length to half length, and needing two hands to shorten it,)

You could use a few different materials to tie it. 6 mm accessory cord works for things like an ice ax tether, or some connection that’s not going to be taking much force. Remember, 6 mm cord is rated to about 7.5 kN, and if you put a knot in this it’s going to be about half that, more like 4 kN, so it’s probably not something you want as a load bearing anchor. (But 7 mm cord is rated to a stout 13 kN, that’s an option too.)

Here’s a single strand Purcell prusik made with about 8 feet of 7mm cord. Much more stout at 13 kN, fine for anchoring.

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If you want light and strong, you can tie it with Sterling PowerCord, a svelte cord at just 5.9 mm with a Technora core that’s is rated to a burly 18 kN, plenty strong enough for a serious anchor even with a knot in one end.

Side note: PowerCord is a great choice for a cordelette.

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Lots of people think that one of the main problems with the Purcell prusik is that you can never get it any shorter than half the length. So, how do you stay clipped in very close to something? I thought this too for a long time, until I learned this #CraftyRopeTrick from my pal Ryan at HowNot2. He shows it the video at the bottom of this page. (The photo below is with a standard double strand, but it works the same way with a single strand.)

1. Extend your PP all the way, until there's just a tiny loop of rope at the end. Into this loop, clip a second locking carabiner.

2. Now, clip this second locker to your belay loop. Now you can clip just two carabiner lengths to anything. Plus, you can increase the size of this loop by feeding cord through, to adjust your distance as needed.

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Kind of for fun, I also made a single strand Purcell prusik into a double tether, tied with about 14 feet of 6mm cord. Applications for this . . . ? Aid climbing tethers? Foot loops for ascending a rope? Maybe ice tool tethers? Doing rigging or rope work or routesetting and you have these attached to your tools, drill, bucket, whatever? I was experimenting and haven't used it in the real world, but give it a try and let me know how it works for you. 

Now, I get it that lots of people don’t like to carry any kind of designated tether, and that’s fine. I’m putting this tip out there for people who might find it helpful. At the very least, it’s an interesting bit of knotcraft to play around with, so try it yourself and see how it works, even if you don’t think you’ll find a use for it. 

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Check out the video by Ben Lewis to learn how to tie it. (You’ll probably need to watch it a couple of times, hint hint.)

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Finally, here's a nice video from our friends at HowNot2 that discuss how to tie the standard version, and some strength tests on it.

Cool new portaledge: the High Mountain Gear “Taco”

Most photos, shared with permission, are from AMGA Certified Rock Guides Lani Chapko and Sam Boyce, theclimbingguides.com. Connect with them for guided trips and clinics, including big wall instruction. Instagram: @the_climbing_school, Lani: @goatsonropes, Sam: @chossdiaries

Alpinesavvy was provided with a free sample of the Taco ledge for review. This in no way affected my opinion and review. I only recommend stuff I think is great. Whenever I get a review product like this, I'll always tell you about it up front.

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Want to get a Taco Ledge? Use the discount code ALPINESAVVY10 to get 10% off your order from High Mountain Gear.

This is not an affiliate marketing link and I do not financially benefit from this deal. I extend this discount as a perk for my readers.

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There's no experience in climbing quite like sleeping in a portaledge. After a long day of upward struggle, inching up cracks the width of Donnie Trump’s pinky finger, wrestling both the haul bag and your mental demons, you’ve reached the bivy. Time to set up the ledge, kick back with bare feet and a well-earned tasty beverage, watch the afternoon light fade to evening, and hear the Doppler “swhoosh” of the swallows streaking by. It’s a sublime experience you’ll remember for a lifetime.

For big wall vertical camping, you’re going to probably need a portaledge. Yep, they are solid and comfortable, but you pay a high price in cost, weight, bulk, and (usually) set up hassle.

Here’s an intriguing alternative that addresses all of these issues: the Taco inflatable hammock. It’s made in Seattle by climber and sewing ace Kyle Willis and High Mountain Gear.

It’s a single point hammock matched with an inflatable sleeping pad. The pad adds a lot more rigidity and comfort than a plain hammock, creating a ledge that’s inexpensive, ridiculously lightweight, very compact, reasonably comfy, and super easy to set up.

• Cost: $299

• Weight: 1 lb 13 oz / 822 grams

• Size: 76" x 49"

• Packed size: without a pad it packs into a cylinder about 5" diameter by 10" tall (not much bigger than a Nalgene water bottle!)

• Pad dimensions: 18"-26" wide and up to 78" long. (Pad is NOT included in the price.)

It’s an intriguing option for certain big wall applications where you want to minimize your load and save money to spend on . . . I dunno, maybe a few more Totem cams? 

Now, if a weight under 1 kg is not already light enough for you, Kyle is working on a new model made from Dyneema fabric that comes in close to a ridiculous 1 pound for the ledge alone. Yes, this version will be more expensive, but if shaving grams is important to you, it’s an option.

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You can rig the Taco not only as a horizontal ledge to sleep in, but also as a reclining lounge chair. If you're looking at a multi hour belay session, it's hard to get much more plush than this. The Taco is so compact and easy to set up, that you might even want to keep it in the day bag and use it at every belay as a chair, if you're doing long pitches.

One big advantage of the Taco ledge is the ease of setup and breakdown. As anyone who’s tried to set up a ledge in the dark and has been tempted to reach for the wall hammer to persuade that last aluminum bar into position knows, this is a significant benefit.

You insert your sleeping pad and adjust the straps that secure it on the ground before liftoff. The pad stays inserted for the whole climb. On the wall, setting it up is pretty much clipping the Taco to one good suspension point (it needs about 5 feet of hang) and inflating the pad. To break it down, simply open up the air valve, roll it up, fold the sides inward, and put it in a stuff sack. This literally takes just a few minutes.

The base model comes at a very reasonable price of $299 (pad not included) as I write this in Oct 2024. A couple of highly recommended add-ons are a zipper storage pocket (perfect for big wall beverages, headlamp, etc.) and a stuff sack.

Note that nothing on the Taco is rated to be a safety connection. Always stay clipped in with a real tether/rope to a real anchor. (A tip I learned from big wall expert Mark Hudon: take a completely separate short length of rope, about 6 meters of 8mm rope, just for tying yourself in and moving around the bivy.)

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Learn more: Check out this in-depth article from theclimbingguides.com with several videos covering installing the pad, hanging the Taco, and setting it up in lounge chair mode.

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Below: Taco time on El Capitan. Photo by big wall ace Kevin DeWeese, @failfalling

image: Kevin DeWeese, https://www.instagram.com/p/CdOQBL6rWUu/

Pro tip from Kevin: Twist a carabiner in one of the straps to shorten it a bit if you need to even out the ledge; see photo below.

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FAQ . . .

What's the best application for the Taco? Probably longer routes that may have a fair amount of natural ledges, but you still need to spend a few nights out and want to travel light, have easier (or zero) hauling, and hopefully climb in predictable dry weather. Think the nose on El Capitan, NW Face of Half Dome, and classic routes in Zion like Prodigal Sun or Spaceshot. If you're planning a climb longer than a few days, or in questionable weather, you probably want to go with a more traditional portaledge with a dedicated rain fly.

Is it like the G7 Pod ledge? The G7 Pod is another innovative design. That ledge is fully inflatable with no metal frame. Like the Taco, the G7 is lightweight, compact, and is fast to set up. It also appears more durable, and has an optional rainfly. I’ve never tried it, but it looks plush and has great reviews. It’s also $685 (with a rainfly an additional $375). The Taco is $240.

Tell me about the pad. A proper pad, which is NOT included, is critical to the functioning of the Taco. Without a pad, it’s an uncomfortable single point hammock, like big wallers suffered with 40 years ago (see photo below). The optimal pad is 72 inches with horizontal baffles, like the Thermarest Uber Neo Air. Field testing shows a pad with a grid works okay, and a pad with vertical air baffles does not work very well, “taco-ing” your shoulders, which is what we’re trying to avoid. A pad that’s tapered toward the feet and is wider at the shoulders seems to work better than a rectangular pad.

Can I get a double? No. Get two Tacos and stack them vertically.

What about a rainfly? YES! Check out the Gordito rain fly from High Mountain Gear, made specifically for a Taco Ledge.

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Schweeet! Where do I get one?

• Go to the High Mountain Gear website

• Use the discount code ALPINESAVVY10 to get 10% off!

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The hammock concept on big walls has been around for a very long time. Check out this classic photo from 1964 with Tom Frost, Royal Robbins, and Yvon Chouinard on the FA of North America Wall, El Capitan. Nope, that is most definitely not a comfortable way to spend the night. Photo credit, Tom Frost

image: Tom Frost, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tom_Frost_-_Tenement_flat_-_1964.jpg

Aid climbing: rig for seconding

Having simple, repeatable, and easy to check systems for different components of aid climbing is critical. Your setup for seconding and cleaning is definitely in this category. When you're jugging thousands of vertical feet and and cleaning hundreds of placements, you really want to have this dialed.

Once you have it set up right:

• Your tethers are set at the perfect length for efficient ascending

• You use designated carabiners on your ladders and tethers, so you’re never patting down your harness looking for a spare carabiner

• Transitions (between leading, clipping to anchors, hauling, and cleaning) are faster with minimal futzing around

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First off, let's look at an ascender modification.

Most handled ascenders (except the newer Petzl ones) have two holes near the bottom, one large one small.

Add a small (5mm) stainless steel quicklink to the small hole. Crank it tight with pliers. Now you have a designated clipping point for your ladder, which goes on a snapgate carabiner. This not a mandatory mod, and many climbers do just fine without it, but I find it’s quite convenient. Here's an article with the whole scoop.

The main benefit to this is that it lets you more options to easily separate your ascender and ladder if you ever need to. Examples: Cleaning a traverse, when it might be convenient to clip the ladder to the next piece of gear and stand on it, to unweight the piece of gear you need to clean. Or, when you arrive at the anchor and you want to clip your tether directly to a bolt but you're still standing on the ladder, separation like this lets you do it.

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Close up of the business end. The quicklink makes a convenient place to clip your ladder that's entirely separate from your tether.

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Here’s how it looks on the rope.

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Let's look at one good way to set up for cleaning. There are variations on this, but here’s what works for me. Experiment and see if it works for you too.

We’ll first look at the classic two ascenders and two ladders. This works best on lower angled rock up to about vertical, with the route not traversing too much. It does take a little practice so you don’t look like a marionette having a seizure. 

There are other setups that can be more helpful if the rock is very steep, or if the pitch is traversing a bit. We’ll look at those at the bottom of the page.

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Cleaning Tip: One simple way to keep things reasonably organized when you’re cleaning: get two 60 cm slings, and put one over each shoulder. Clip cams and wires to one side, clip slings and carabiners to the other. At the anchor, you can remove each sling, attach it to something solid and start re-racking on the larger, more comfy primary leading gear harness. 

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The whole shebang:

• Tethers are girth hitched to the tie in points of your harness. The belay loop is fine as well

• Both tethers are set at the correct length for efficient jumaring (more on that below)

• Designated lead/ladder carabiner is clipped to the quicklink

• Designated tether carabiner is clipped to the large hole on the ascender. Locker is mandatory

• Ready to clean!

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Tether length for seconding

When leading, you have your tether at full extension, because you need to reach high. However, when seconding, it’s critical that the tethers be shortened up to the correct length. If your tether is too short, you’ll make short, choppy, inefficient movements up the rope. If your tether is too long, you can’t reach the handle of the ascender from the rest position, and you’ll have to do some ab-busting contortions to reach it.  Here’s an article on how to rig that correctly.

There’s a sweet spot in the middle, and here’s how to find it: With your tether girth hitched to your harness, clip the carabiner and an ascender to the end. Pull on the adjusting strap (or clip a daisy pocket) until the bottom of the ascender carabiner is at your eyebrows. Most people find this to be just about the perfect length.

Set this same length on BOTH tethers - I long thought that you only needed to adjust the length of your top / upper tether, typically your dominant hand (for me the right). However, big wall expert Mark Hudon convinced me otherwise. Mark’s reasoning: while the bottom tether length doesn’t matter if your pitch is straight up or leaning to the right, what about when the pitch traverses to the left? In that case, it’s usually easier to lead with your left ascender, in which case the left tether needs to be the correct length also. So, Mark‘s point is to set both tethers to the same correct length, and you’re good to go in any situation. 

Once you get this length dialed, mark the it on your tethers with tape or Sharpie pen so you can set it correctly first time. I like hockey tape for the sewn loop tether: sticky, strong, and cheap.

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Gear you need for cleaning (and leading):

• 2 ladders

• 2 tethers 

• 2 designated tether locking carabiners

• 2 designated non-locking leading carabiners

Ladders

Most climbers prefer more symmetrical style ladders rather than those with alternating steps on either side. Good ladders are made by Yates, Fish Gear, and Metolius. My new favorite ladders, featured here, are made by Aideer Big Wall Gear from Sweden. They are top quality, durable in the right places, and very lightweight. 

(And let’s not call them “etriers” anymore, okay? That's the French word for “stirrup”, and yes, I had to look that up. =^)

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Tethers

Tethers is go by many names - lanyard, daisy chain, leash. I'm going to use the term tether to stay consistent. 

The long time standard tether was the sewn pocket daisy chain, but these are considered a bit old school. (I’m using one in the photos to show how it looks, but I use a pair of adjustables.) Yates or Aideer make nice ones with flat webbing. Another option is or something like the dual-tether Petzl Evolv Adjust, that uses rope or cord rather then webbing. There are pros and cons to each style, and we’re not going to into them here.

Andy Kirkpatrick has a great article on tethers, which you can read here. 

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Designated ladder/lead (non-locking) and tether (locking) carabiners

“Designated” means just that. These carabiners stay permanently attached to the top of your ladders and tethers, and you never pirate ‘em for anything else. Ideally, these are a matched pair, and a distinct model and color from any other carabiners you have.

Here's an article that takes a closer look at what type of carabiner you might want for each purpose.

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Steep rock variation: ladder only on lower ascender

Big wall expert Chris McNamara recommends only having a ladder on the lower ascender for steep rock. If your jugging technique is less than perfect (like most of us) you may like this too. Check his video below to see the set up.

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Travsering pitch variation: one ascender, one ladder, and a Grigri

For cleaning a traverse, it's can be extremely helpful to be able to do a mini lower out and release tension on the rope. Cleaning with a Grigri lets you do this. Here’s an article on that.

Here’s an action video.

Aid Climbing: rig for leading

Having simple, repeatable, and easy to check systems for different components of aid climbing is critical. Your setup for leading is definitely in this category. You'll be repeating the same motion literally hundreds of times on your route, so attention to detail matters!

Once you have it set up correctly:

•  It’s just about impossible to drop your aid ladders

• You use designated carabiners for these important connections, so you’re never patting down your harness looking for a spare carabiner

• Transitions (between leading, clipping to anchors, hauling, and cleaning) are faster with minimal futzing around

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Let’s look at one good way to get rigged for leading, then get into the gear you need.

1. Clip a designated lead carabiner to the top of your ladder, gate facing away from you.

2. Clip your designated tether carabiner to the top of your ladder, in the same place as your lead carabiner.

3. Done!

There are several ways you can set this up. I’m sharing my personal preference. Try some variations and see what works for you.

The whole shebang:

• Tethers are girth hitched to the tie in points of the harness. The belay loop is fine as well.

• Tethers are at full extension, so you can reach high placements. (Here, for variety, I'm showing an adjustable tether on the right and a sewn pocket daisy chain on the left. Pros and cons to both. Typically you’d have a matched pair of whatever you prefer.)

• Designated lead carabiner is clipped to the top of the ladder.

• Designated tether carabiner is also clipped to the top of the ladder.

• Fifi hook or adjustable fifi would typically be used, not shown here for clarity.

• Ready to lead!

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Gear you need:

• 2 ladders

• 2 tethers 

• 2 designated tether locking carabiners

• 2 designated non-locking leading carabiners

Ladders

Most climbers prefer more symmetrical style ladders rather than those with alternating steps on either side. Good ladders are made by Yates, Fish Gear, and Metolius. My new favorite ladders, featured here, are made by Aideer Big Wall Gear from Sweden. They are top quality, durable in the right places, and very lightweight. 

(And let’s not call them “etriers” anymore, okay? That's the French word for “stirrup”, and yes, I had to look that up. =^)

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Tethers - Pros and Cons (do you even need one for leading?

Tethers is go by many names - lanyard, daisy chain, leash. I'm going to use the term tether to stay consistent. 

Some hotshot aid climbers will say, “Don't use a tether on easy aid, it’s faster and easier without it, just be careful and don't drop your ladder.” Well, that might be fine if you have a few dozen big wall pitches under your belt, but for the rest of us, using a tether is standard practice for a reason. When leading, it keeps you from dropping your ladders. An adjustable tether is VERY helpful leading a traverse or roof, or easing onto a hook. When cleaning, it's mandatory safety gear that connects you to your ascender. When you're starting out, I highly recommend using tethers for leading. Once you have enough experience to hopefully not fumble your gear, you can decide if you need them or not.

On the other side, a tether adds weight, cluster, can make you climb lazy if you rest on it too much, and adds time, as you need to extend the adjustable one before the next move. Learn with one, remove it later if you like. Oh, and do bring an extra ladder in case you do drop one. =^)

The long time standard tether was the sewn pocket daisy chain, but these are considered a bit old school. (Benefits: they are lightweight, which can make a difference, especially when ascending.) I’m using one in the photos to show how it looks, but I use a pair of adjustables. Yates or Aideer make nice ones with flat webbing. Another option is or something like the dual-tether Petzl Evolv Adjust, that uses rope or cord rather then webbing. There are pros and cons to each style, and we’re not going deep into that topic here.

Andy Kirkpatrick has a great article on tethers, which you can read here. 

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Designated lead (non-locking) and tether (locking) carabiners

“Designated” means just that. These carabiners stay permanently attached to the top of your ladders and tethers, and you never pirate ‘em for anything else. Ideally, these are a matched pair, and a distinct model and color from any other carabiners you have.

Designated LEAD non-locking carabiners: Good choices for the are a solid (not wire) gate, narrow key lock nose (so you can slide it into webbing that might be under tension), fairly large size, and a distinct color. The classic Black Diamond ovals work well, and if you like a bent gate, the Petzl Spirit. You’re going to be clipping these lead carabiners into every single piece of gear you place on the wall, so get ready for them to get beat up and retire them when necessary.  I still use ancient Kong carabiners that I keep for posterity as they’ve been on a lot of adventures. Note the green color, easy to find at a glance on a busy harness. Here’s a longer article on lead aid climbing carabiners. 

Designated TETHER locking carabiners: The lockers let you attach yourself to different components of the anchor, sometimes for hauling, and to clip to your ascenders when cleaning. You don’t need an HMS belay style carabiner here. A standard ”D” locker is fine. Some people like screw gates, some people prefer twist lock. The Edelrid Strike Slider locking carabiner is popular too; it has a low profile and easy-to-use locking mechanism. Here I’m using the Petzl Sm’D, a twistlock.

Try a few and see what works for you. Again, a distinct color is helpful.

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Let's look at other rigging options and some pros & cons.

How about skipping the tether locker, and simply clip your tether directly to the lead carabiner?

This might seem like the simplest way to rig it, you do save a little weight, and many people use this setup. But for me it has a few problems. Namely, those transitions, like when you arrive at the anchor and want to clip in with your tethers, you need a locker for that and that means you need to find a spare one on your harness. Plus you need to remove the tether from the lead carabiner, hard when you’re loading it. Or you’re seconding, getting ready to leave the anchor, and you need a locker to clip into your ascenders.

I find it simpler and faster to go with the designated tether carabiner. Try both to try and see what works for you!

If you do try this, set it up as shown above, with the tether on the spine side of the carabiner so it doesn't mess with the gate.

Here's another approach. The tether locker is clipped directly to the lead carabiner, and not into the top of the ladder. This works okay most of the time.

But depending on the shape of your lead carabiner, you may find your tether carabiner, when loaded, starts to grind down on top of the ladder, putting a little more wear and tear on it. By clipping both carabiners to the very top hole of the ladder, you avoid this.

Improv aid climbing - the one ladder method

Credit for this general method goes to big wall ace Andy Kirkpatrick. It's outlined in his book “Higher Education” and also in a blog article, “Gorilla Aid”. Credit for the improv aid ladder goes to Fabio Elli, from the Alpine Aid chapter of his book, “Hooking Up”.

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While the classic two ladder, two tether set up is going to be more efficient for multiple aid pitches, sometimes you may need to improvise with minimal gear. Here’s one way to do it, and it can be surprisingly fast once you get the movement dialed in. (Not to mention, this is gear you already have and it’s less expensive than buying a pair of ladders and adjustable tethers.) You can make the tether and ladder in a couple of minutes.

If you have an actual aid ladder (like my favorites from Aideer) and an adjustable tether, this same process still works.

Gear you need:

• Two 120 cm slings

• One 60 cm sling

• Three carabiners

• One quickdraw

From this gear, you make:

• A tether, made from a 120 cm sling and a carabiner

• A ladder, made from a 120 cm sling, a 60 cm sling and a carabiner

• A “fifi”, made from a quickdraw

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1 - Make a tether (aka daisy)

The purpose of the tether is to 1) test placements if needed, and 2) hold your weight when you move the ladder to a higher gear placement.

1. Take a 120 cm sling. Put the sewn bar tacks in about the middle. Tie two overhand knots in the sling, each one about 10 inches / 25 cm away from the ends.

2. Girth hitch this sling to your belay loop. (Yes, belay loop is fine, but use your tie in points if you prefer.)

3. Clip a carabiner to the end of the tether.

4. The length of this tether is pretty important. You want the tether at least as long as your arm at full extension; if you place gear at maximum reach, you need to be able to clip it with your tether. For me, about 5’10” / 170 cm, a 120 cm sling on the belay loop is about right. If you’re taller, basket hitch another 60 cm sling to it, or add a quickdraw.

If you happen to have an adjustable tether that’s long enough, this is a great time to use it. (My Petzl Connect Adjust is too short, my DIY adjustable tether made with some 8.5 mm rope and a Kong Slyde is perfect.)

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2 - Make a ladder (See article here)

1. Take a 120 cm sling. Nylon is nicer to your feet if you have it. Move the stitching to the bottom.

2. Tie an overhand knot in about the middle.

3. Pull down some sling material to make an offset step, and tie a second overhand knot at the top end, making a very small loop.

4. Girth hitch a single length 60 cm runner into the top of the double runner. Try to keep the bar tacks on the bottom as shown. Tie another overhand knot as before, pulling extra slingage on one one side to make an offset step. Clip a carabiner to the top. Schweeeet, you have a 3 step aid ladder. Give yourself a hi-five.

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3 - Fifi quickdraw / carabiner

Aid climbers usually have a designated fifi hook, which lets you clip to pretty much anything and hang on it for an instant rest. You’re improvising, so you probably don’t. Simply clip a quickdraw to your belay loop or top tie in point. 

Schweeeet, you’re set up and ready to climb. 

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The sequence below may sound a bit involved written out, but once you do it a few times you'll get it dialed.

Step by step:

1. Reach up high and place gear. If it’s a stopper, add a quick draw. If it’s a cam, keep the racking carabiner on the cam. (For this example, let’s assume it’s a stopper with a quick draw.)

2. Clip your tether to the bottom carabiner on the quick draw. 

3. Shift your weight to the tether. If the gear is questionable, you can give it a little bounce test with the tether. If it’s a solid placement, don’t bother. 

4. Clip your ladder to the top carabiner on the quick draw. 

5. Time to climb the ladder. Tips: Remember you just bounce tested the piece you’re hanging on, right? So trust it and don’t dink around second-guessing your placement. It may be tempting to take one or two steps up and then fifi into your tether. Try to avoid this. After you get your foot in the bottom rung, try to rock your foot underneath your butt and stand up. This is not an exercise in one arm pull-ups, use your legs as much as you can. Feel free to grab your tether, or the quick draw, to help with your balance. That’s not cheating, it’s aid climbing. 

6. Climb the ladder until you can clip your fifi into the stopper wire (probably your second ladder step.) Lean back and weight your fifi.

7. Clip your lead rope to the bottom of the quickdraw.  

8. Look up, make another gear placement as high as you can, and clip a quickdraw to this higher placement. 

9. Unclip the tether and clip this into the bottom carabiner on the new quickdraw. Give it a little bounce test it’s it’s questionable.

10. Climb the ladder below until you can’t go any higher. 

11. Unclip your fifi from the lower placement and clip to the upper quickdraw (or tether if needed). Rest on your tether. 

12. Remove ladder from bottom quickdraw and clip it to to the top carabiner of the upper quickdraw. 

13. Climb the ladder until you can clip your fifi to the stopper wire on the top piece. 

14. Repeat!

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Notes . . .

The three components of your system, tether, ladder, and fifi, are (ideally) clipped to three different components of the gear: tether to the bottom of the quickdraw, ladder to the top of the quickdraw, and fifi to the stopper cable. Keeping at least the tether and the ladder clipped to two different points means that everything is (in theory) not weighted/pinched by anything else and easy to remove. It may not always work out this way, but it's something to try for.

With most cams, you also have three places to clip: the racking carabiner, the sling, and the thumb loop. If it’s a bolt, clip a draw to it as the first move.

Think of most things you do in aid climbing as a “movement sandwich.“ That’s a movement or exertion, in between two periods of rest. Rest > move > rest.  Resting: at most any point, you can sit back on either your tether, or clip your fifi carabiner into something and sit back on that. If you find yourself getting tired or your arms getting pumped, you’re probably doing something wrong.

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So, next time you're on a trad climb and realize you're in a bit over your head, pull this out of your bag of tricks.

The "FB" sling friction hitch

Thanks to my climber friend Gregg Galiardi for showing me this knot.

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The classic prusik hitch has a few problems. It can be fiddly to tie and dress properly, especially if you’re wearing gloves or have cold fingers, and the grip on the rope is not very adjustable. Often a prusik seems to be either hard to move / too tight or sliding / too loose. Plus, there's the confusion with the actual term - “prusik” can be a noun, a verb, an adjective, and a surname - Karl Prusik, the Austrian inventor.

There are lots of other knots that attempt to improve on the prusik, and the FB hitch is one of them. It's credited to the Austrian climber Franz Bachmann (“FB”, get it?) Yes, the same guy who invented the Bachmann knot, he's pretty busy. 

I've never seen the FB hitch mentioned in any climbing book, with the exception of Andy Kirkpatrick’s “Down” (pg. 97). Andy writes that if you have to tie a friction hitch with a dyneema sling, this is probably the best method.

An Instagram fan mentions that this hitch can work on the steel cable of a via ferrata. I have never tested this and I don't know if it's true so your mileage may vary. But hey, I thought I would mention it.

As with any kind of friction hitch, your success depends on lots of variables, like the diameter and material of your sling, the diameter and slipperiness of your rope, what kind of load you're putting on it, etc. Practice in a controlled environment with the gear you typically use before you rely on this in real life.

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What's the difference between this and a Klemheist hitch?

They are very similar. The one advantage to the FB is that it can be easier to slide the hitch after it’s been loaded. If you need to ascend a rope, this is helpful, especially if you're using a skinny Dyneema sling. Of course this depends on material and diameter of the sling, diameter and slipperiness of your rope, your own weight, and a few other variables. Give it a try and see if it works for you.

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The FB hitch solves a few of those pesky prusik issues.

• The amount of friction can be adjusted. Three wraps might work on a pretty fat rope, or maybe try four if your rope is skinnier

• It's made with a sewn sling, which is stronger and more secure than a loop of cord tied with a knot

• The overhand knot makes a loop that stays open because of the stiff bar tack sewing. This means the knot is a bit easier to tie, and more importantly, makes it easier to loosen and slide after the load is released

• Instead of carrying a designated prusik loop, which is really only good for one thing, you can use a 60 cm sling, which you probably already have with you anyway

• Like the prusik, it holds a pull in both directions

• If you have to make a friction hitch with a skinny Dyneema sling, this may be the best way to do it.

• The main downside: you have a weighted overhand knot in a sling, which can be really hard to untie. Might want to deal with it at home when you have some needle nose pliers.

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It’s easy to tie, here’s how.

1. Tie an overhand knot close to the the stitches. Make this loop as small as possible.

2. Wrap the rest of the sling three or four times on the rope.

3. Pass the other end of the sling down through the loop made by your overhand knot.

The “Lazy Kiwi” coil

This tip and video come from AMGA Certified Rock Guide Cody Bradford.

While sadly Cody is no longer with us, his Instagram continues to stay up and is a great source of tips like this, check it out.

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The lazy kiwi coil in action. Butterfly coil the rope, flip it over the top of your backpack straps, fasten the waist strap so the rope doesn't flop around, and clip a clove hitch to your belay loop.

Taking in coils of rope to shorten the distance between you and others on your rope team, (aka the Kiwi Coil, apparently named after the New Zealand guides who invented it) is a very useful but often misunderstood and underutilized technique. Quickly shortening your rope, tying it off, and then walking just a few feet away from others on your rope team is often faster, less risky, and a more efficient way to move in alpine terrain than keeping your rope team stretched out.

The typical way it's done is to make nice, tidy circles of rope around one shoulder, tie off the rope in a clever way through the coils and your belay loop, and then . . . stop to pose for a photo, because you now look like a pro mountain guide. =^)

Here's a detailed article on the standard kiwi coil.

Below is a nice example of the classic Kiwi coil, featuring IFMGA Guide Emilie Drinkwater.

source: https://youtu.be/PD6jYQobGXU

However, there are some times when you don't need to go to that extra trouble to tie off the coils all nice and tidy. You just need the rope up out of the way and not dragging on the ground while you walk a bit over to the next section where you’ll be climbing an actual pitch.

Here's one easy way to do that; Cody calls it the “Lazy Kiwi coil”.

1. Make a butterfly coil with the extra rope.

2. Tie a clove hitch on the strand that's going to your partner, and clip it to your belay loop.

3. Take the coils, and flip it over your neck so they're lying on top of your pack.

4. Key Crafty Move: pull the waist straps of your pack around the bottom parts of the butterfly coils, so they can't move around or slide off.

Schweeeeetness, the rope is now up and out-of-the-way and you can easily walk with your partner a short distance in non-exposed terrain. When you get to the next part where you actually have to climb, simply flip the coils off of your pack, flake out the rope, and up you go.

Here's a short video from Cody showing how to do it.

You don't need those dedicated prusik loops

Note - This post discusses techniques and methods used in vertical rope work. If you do them wrong, you could die. Always practice vertical rope techniques under the supervision of a qualified instructor, and ideally in a progression: from flat ground, to staircase, to vertical close to the ground before you ever try them in a real climbing situation.

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image: “mountaineering: the freedom of the hills”, 7th edition, mountaineers books

Old school crevasse rescue technique: anytime you step on a glacier, you have a waist and a leg prusik attached to the rope, immediately available for self rescue if you were to fall into a crevasse.

Some rock climbers even religiously carry a waist and a leg prusik on their harness, should they ever have a need to ascend a rope. (More on that below.)

This dogma has been part of traditional mountaineering classes for a long time. On some mountains with very high risk of crevasse falls, it's probably good practice. However, it may not be so useful outside of that.

Problem 1: Having long dangling prusiks on your rope when you’re traveling on a glacier a hassle. It’s going to be needed probably zero times in your entire climbing career, yet there they sit on every glacier climb, cluttering up the front of your harness. The instruction books say “clip it to your harness or shove it into a pocket”, both of which add to the cluster.

image: “mountaineering: the freedom of the hills”, 9th edition, mountaineers books

Problem 2: In a real crevasse fall, the rope is probably going to cut into the lip of the snow, making it difficult for you to get out of the crevasse entirely under your own power. The more modern approach is to rely on your teammates setting up a separate rope they drop down to you, preparing the lip of the crevasse so the rope doesn’t cut in. But that’s another topic . . .

And on the left, another way to potentially rig it, the “Texas prusik” system, with not one but two foot loops, which can get even more cluttered.

Maybe a good setup for cavers ascending a long free hanging fixed rope. For most alpine climbers, not so much.

Problem 3: You're carrying specialized rescue gear that you have very small chance of ever actually using, and can't really be used for anything else.

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Here’s another way to think about ascending a rope: Instead of using a designated waist and foot prusik, how about improvising and getting creative with gear you’re already carrying?

There are LOADS of ways you can ascend a rope if needed with improvised gear. There are countless variations you could craft with a Tibloc, Micro Traxion, cordelette, Grigri, plaquette device . . . let’s look at one of the simpler ones for now.

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Here’s some pretty typical gear to have a multi pitch climb:

• short friction hitch carried for rappel backup (here the Sterling HollowBlock)

• 60 cm / single length sling

• 120 cm / double length cord (here the Edelrid Aramid, my new favorite for anchors)

With this basic gear, you can ascend a rope. Here's the set up:

Here's what it looks like connected to your harness. (Note highly recommended backup bight knot is not shown.)

The waist connection is clipped on the rope ABOVE your foot loop. An pneumonic to remember this is “waist away”, meaning the connection to your waist is always farthest away from you.

The 60 cm sling is girth hitched to the HollowBlock. This is somewhat optional, you could make a friction hitch directly with the yellow sling. However, having the friction hitch made with the HollowBlock makes it MUCH easier to slide, compared to a prusik hitch made with a Dyneema sling. It also adds a little bit of length, making ascending more efficient because you get more upward “throw” for each motion.

Note: I recently learned that Sterling specifically says in the documentation for the Hollowblock not to girth hitch another sling to it, as I’m doing here. Personally, I’m OK with it, as of course I’m tying backup knots. However, it's usually a good idea to pay attention to manufacturer recommendations, so I wanted to mention it. Another good option for a rappel backup sling/hitch that might be more appropriate in this situation is the Beal Jammy, a sewn friction hitch with an Aramid core and a nylon sheath. I just got one, and in early testing it’s looking great.

The HollowBlock is attached to the rope with a three wrap prusik. This is going to be a bit grabby; you may find an autoblock / French prusik can hold your weight and be easier to slide.

Important: Because this 60 cm sling is your only connection to the rope, tie a backup bight knot (an overhand on a bight is fine) every 5 meters or so and clip it onto your belay loop with a locking carabiner, creating a second point of connection.

What if you’re sport climbing and you don't even have a single length sling? Maybe use some quickdraws, ideally opposite and opposed, and be darn careful they don't come unclipped. Like I said, get resourceful.

The 120 cm blue sling is your foot loop. I really like the blue Edelrid Aramid slings (shown here) for lots of reasons, and one of them is that they make great friction hitches; they really bite down on the rope under load, but they’re also very easy to release and slide. Whatever you’re using to build your anchors - cordelette, quad, double runner - you can probably also use for a foot loop.

If you’re tall and the set up is too short, extend components with a locking carabiner. If you’re short and the set up is too long, tie a knot or two in a sling to shorten it up. (For me, about 5’ 10”, this setup as shown is great.)

So please, let’s stop teaching new climbers that they have to carry designated prusiks with them all the time, as standard practice.

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Emergency rope ascending can even be helpful when rock climbing. A friend of mine recently had the following happen: they were traversing on a multi pitch route, took a fall, swung into overhanging terrain, and found themselves hanging in space about 5 meters below the last bolt. All they needed to do was ascend the rope and keep on climbing. They had everything they needed on their harness (pretty much the exact gear shown in the above photo) to climb back up the rope, but didn’t know how. (There was too much friction in the rope for the leader to haul them up; plus the leader didn’t know how.)

This turned into a call to the local search and rescue team, and my friend had to wait almost 4 hours to get rescued, hanging there in their harness! Ouch!

There is a crafty way to get out of this situation, and we will cover it in an upcoming article.

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Finally, here's another way to think about glacier travel and crevasse rescue - you don't necessarily need to travel with prusiks on the rope at all. If a crevasse fall happens, put the hitch on the rope after, not before. This also applies to the person down the hole, not just the rescue team up top.

Here's a very interesting video on modern crevasse rescue techniques demonstrated by some top German guides. Note that none of them have prusiks on the rope while climbing. When they do add friction hitches to the rope, they use an “open” or untied, cordelette.

(YouTube: Pulleys: Crevasse rescue with pulleys on a glacier – Tutorial (15/18) | LAB ICE)

Aideer climbing big wall gear - handmade in Sweden

One of the most iconic legends in big wall climbing is Yvon Chouinard, hand crafting pitons in his metal shop and selling them to other climbers in the early days of Yosemite. The spirit of creativity and craftsmanship still lives on with various small scale manufacturers.

Here's one to check out: Sweden’s Olle Hjort of Aideer Climbing big wall gear. Olle sews high quality, well designed, and yes, colorful gear for your next big wall adventure. Olle was kind enough to send me a pair of ladders and adjustable fifi for review, and they are schweeeeet! (In the rare cases I’m offered gear for a review like this, I’ll always tell you about it upfront.)

Connect with Olle on Instagram (preferred), email, or website.

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Currently, Aideer offers the following products:

• ladders (let’s not call them “etriers” - French for “stirrup” - anymore, okay?)

• Russian aiders (VERY cool, more on those below)

• adjustable tether/daisy

• adjustable fifi

• big wall gear sling

• prototyping a portaledge (currently being tested in Patagonia, production should start soon.)

Olle has a website, but he prefers that people contact him for current pricing and order through his Instagram. You can customize length and colors of many products, message him for details.

Prices are in Swedish kronor (SEK). (As I write this in winter 2022, the exchange rate is about 10 SEK to 1 USD.) Pricing on his gear is very competitive. Shipping costs to USA are 200 SEK (about $20 USD) for 1 kg, say a pair of Aideers and an Adjustable Fifi.

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Aideer ladders

Let's check out those ladders, a key piece of big wall gear. I’ve used the Yates ladders for pretty much forever, and been quite happy with them. However, while they are certainly durable, the Yates ladders always felt a little clunky. The first thing I noticed when I picked up the Aideer ladders: these things are LIGHT! I got out the scale and discovered they are literally HALF of the weight of my Yates ladders, 221 grams compared to 443, wowzer!

Lightweight does not mean less durable. The Aideer ladders trim some weight in clever places, like using a strip of fiberglass to stiffen the top step. They are reinforced with 1 inch tubular webbing around the top of triangle, which is going to take the most beating, and the quality of the sewing is impeccable.

My Yates ladders seem to easily get a twist in the bottom step or two, a minor rock in my shoe to deal with. The few times I've been out testing the Aideer ladders, they never seem to get a twist.

In terms of dimensions, they are pretty comparable to the Yates: six steps, with the third step down being a different color to remind you to get in ASAP. Speaking of colors, you might be able to ask for something custom. I didn't, and Olle sent me ladders with red white and blue, three of my favorite colors. =^)

The Aider ladders do not have an elastic band under the 4th and 5th steps like the Yates, which some climbers (like big wall ace Kevin DeWeese @failfalling) find convenient for leg hauling. (Olle said you can add a thin bit of elastic cord yourself if you want this feature.) Kevin also mentioned to me that the narrow steps of the Aideer are slightly more tiring for the arch of your foot on very long routes. He writes: “All in all my Aideers are my go to for in a days and pushes and my Yates speed walls are my go to for vertical camping trips.”

Overall, I’m super happy with these ladders. If you're looking to get started aid climbing I think you’ll love them too.

Photo below, Aideer ladder on top, Yates ladder on the bottom. The Yates weigh twice as much!

The Aideer ladders. Simple, clean, functional.

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Russian aiders

Let's talk about those Aideer Russian aiders! This is sort of a mythical piece of big wall gear, rumored to exist and be amazing, but seldom seen in the wild. There are some small companies in the former Soviet bloc who are making these, but they are still rare. Trango made them for a while, but not anymore.

Russian aiders are a completely different method of aid climbing than the more traditional ladder style.

How do Russian aiders work? You have a hook attached with webbing straps to the inside of each leg, about knee height. There is a foot stirrup attached to the knee webbing strap. After you place gear, you clip a “tree” to the gear, which is thin webbing with some metal rings sewn every foot or so. You step up by inserting the hook into the metal rings. The main advantage: you can step a lot higher and be in better balance then you can in normal aid ladders.

Full disclaimer: I don’t own these Russian aiders and have never tried them, but apparently they are pretty sweet on steep to overhanging rock, and not so great on lower angle terrain. Are they going to be ‘da bomb for you on your next big wall? Might want to buy a pair from Aideer and find out!

As we like to say around here, it's a better show than a tell. Here’s a video that shows Olle using them. (Yes, he gave me the video file and I posted it on my YouTube channel.)

Notice how high he is in the steps when he's done; the bolt is pretty much at knee level. Also, no fifi hook required. Standing this tall in a normal ladder on steep rock would be just about impossible.

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You may be wondering, as I did: “Sounds good on lead, but what about the second? How do they clean? If you try to jumar with this set up, doesn’t your foot lift out of the hook?”

It's a little complicated to explain in writing, but just know that there are various attachment points on the knee strap where you can clip a carabiner (rather than a hook) into the aid tree, to give you a secure connection point when you’re jumaring. Another option is that the cleaner/second can use a dedicated foot loop.

Here’s a long and detailed discussion of Russian aiders on Supertopo, by the always loquacious Pete Zabrok. Check out his terrific book on aid climbing, “Hooking Up”, highly recommended!

Here's a nice YouTube review of the Aideer aid ladders and the Russian aiders from Yann Camus of Bliss Climbing.

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Let's check out some more Aideer gear.

(All photos are from Aideer Climbing @aideerclimbing, used with permission)

Adjustable tether/daisy

These are similar to the popular Yates tethers, but have a few improvements: smaller diameter Dyneema sling at both ends, and a smoother roller cam buckle. (The Aider webbing is also thinner and a little more slippery, which honestly I'm not sure is an improvement or not.)

Adjustable tethers like this are extremely handy for aid climbing, because they let you release tension on the buckle even when it's under a full load, which can solve all kinds of big-wally type problems. Bonus: they let you perfectly adjust the height of your portaledge.

If you do use an adjustable tether, try to avoid the time-sucking habit of hauling yourself upwards when you don't need to on easier terrain. Try to keep them at full extension whenever you can, and only use the adjustable feature when things get spicy - like steep/awkward, easing onto a hook placement, and leading and cleaning a roof.

(Note, these are not rated for PPE use, and are for bodyweight only.)

Adjustable fifi hook

Similar to the popular Allfifi made by Skots Wall Gear. Skot welds the hook onto the buckle, while this one has a short sewn webbing connection. Which one’s better? I don't know, try ‘em both and tell me what you think! =^)

The trick to using an adjustable fifi is to pull yourself up and adjust your position on the gear, and not use hoist yourself on your adjustable tether. (Or, if you're bold, you can lead climb without tethers at all, just be sure not to drop that ladder!)

Like the adjustable tether, note the thinner Dyneema cord at the end, which makes it less bulky when you girth hitch it to your harness. (Also not rated for PPE use, and are for bodyweight only.)

Check out this short Instagram video to see Olle using it.

Big wall gear sling

Custom sewn, double gear sling with 1” chest webbing and Austri Alpin D-ring COBRA Pro Style quick release buckle. You can specify the length, placement and style of gear loops that you want, so this is probably more suitable for someone who's already done some aid climbing and knows what they like. (Not rated as PPE.)

Finally, here's a prototype of the Aideer portaledge, based on the increasingly popular open-source D4 portaledge design by John Middendorf.

• No, that clear plastic is not the actual fly, it's to determine the correct dimensions.

• Yes, that’s the narrow side of the ledge against the wall, 90 degrees different how a typical portaledge is set up.

• Yes, making your own portaledge is a very ambitious project!

How to (almost) never drop your belay device

A classic beginner mistake (which I did for, ahem, a rather long time!) is to remove your belay device from your harness, hold it out in front of you when loading or unloading the rope, and then re-clipping it to your belay loop. If you do this, all you need is a moment of fumblefingers and you're going to drop your device, whoops! (Hope you know how to belay / rappel with a Munter hitch or do a carabiner brake rappel . . .)

I'd like to think that most people would learn the correct method on their very first day of climbing, but, based on the embarrassingly long time that I did this wrong myself, and the number of people I still see doing this incorrectly, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

(A possible contributing factor to sloppy technique are the many people learning to climb in rock gyms using Grigris that are more or less permanently attached to the rope, which makes them impossible to drop, or steal.)

(More experienced climbers reading this are probably rolling their eyes at this basic tip, but if you already do this as second nature, feel free to click on to something else . . . )

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A better approach: Keep your device (pretty much) connected to your harness when loading and unloading the rope. Yes, with the carabiner gate facing left is shown here, you do need to unclip it from the rope for a brief moment. When you do this you can pay full attention and hold your belay device firmly with your left hand.

Doing this makes it just about impossible to drop.

The demo here is with a Grigri, but the same principle applies for a tube style device.

1. Clip the Grigri to your belay loop.

2. As a right hander, hold the Grigri firmly in your left hand, unclip it from the carabiner for just a moment, slide the top plate up with your left thumb, and then immediately reclip the bottom half of the Grigri to your belay loop. Let go of the Grigri. The bottom plate is securely clipped and the top plate should be hanging free.

3. Now you can load the rope, carefully checking that it's loaded correctly.

4. Once again holding the Grigri firmly in your left hand, unclip it from the carabiner for a moment, slide the top plate down with your left thumb, and then immediately re-clip it to your belay loop.

5. The rope is now loaded correctly, and both holes of the Grigri are clipped to your harness. Ready to climb.

6. Reverse this to unload the rope, as shown in the video below.

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A couple of questions/comments I've heard about this method . . .

What about using a keeper cord on the Grigri? Some people find them useful, but I find they get in the way and snag on things. By paying attention and using this technique, you should never need the cord.

What about facing the carabiner gate to the right instead of the left; that way you never really have to take to Grigri completely off the carabiner? That might work for people with superb coordination or who are left handed. As right hander, I always have my belay carabiner gate facing to the left so I can open the carabiner more easily, so that's how I set it up. If it works for you facing right, go for it.

Does the same technique work with a tube style device? Yes. Personally, I use the exact same method: carabiner gate facing left, grip the device firmly with my left hand, open the carabiner gate for just a split second, clip the wire from the device and both rope strands, and then re-clip.

There’s a related method that some people prefer that allows you to keep the wire on your device pretty much on the carabiner the entire time. After loading the rope into your device, you can push the two strands off to the left next to the gate, open the gate, clip the strands, and the wire stays on the carabiner all the time. There is a second or two when the gate is open and you could theoretically fumble it and drop it, but it's very unlikely.

See photos below. You can use your right thumb to hold the wire in place when you open the gate.

To me, both these methods offer a comparable level of security, try each one and see which works best for you. Bigger picture, keep in mind the thing we generally want to avoid: removing your device entirely from your harness and holding it out in front of you to load or unload the rope.

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Here's a short video that shows how it's done. Again, the same concept applies to just about any flavor of belay device.

How to pass a knot on lower with the "Dog-N-Tails"

Note - This post discusses techniques and methods used in vertical rope work. If you do them wrong, you could die. Always practice vertical rope techniques under the supervision of a qualified instructor, and ideally in a progression: from flat ground, to staircase, to vertical close to the ground before you ever try them in a real climbing situation.

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image credit: screen grab from CMC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_aEAt9Fk-U

A friend of mine (thanks Lauren!) learned this knot when training with a mountain rescue team, and she passed it on to me. I thought it was a very Crafty Rope Trick (CRT)! What do you think?

It's a clever way of making a friction hitch that allows you to slowly release tension on a fully loaded rope. Plus, it has a very cool name, worth checking out for that alone. (It's almost as cool a name as the voodoo hitch.)

The Dog-N-Tails may not have a lot of application in everyday climbing, but it could be pretty darn helpful in a rescue situation when you need to lower someone (or haul bags?) multiple rope lengths. It uses a few simple pieces of gear you probably already have: a single length / 60 cm sling, and an untied, aka ”open” cordelette.

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This is one of many ways to pass a knot through a lowering system. Some other ones are:

• Use a friction hitch on the load strand , and a some sort of a releasable knot such as Munter Mule Overhand (MMO) on the anchor.

• A Valdotain Tresse hitch can be used in place of the cordelette as shown in the video. A VT hitch is usually releasable under load, but the ease depends on rope sheath, diameter, actual load, and other variables.

• If you’re lowering through a Munter hitch, you can use the MOFT, or “Munter Overhand Feed Through”. That method requires basically zero gear. We have a whole article on that one here.

The Dog’N’Tails might be a good choice if you have a larger flat place to work on and more than one person to help. The other methods mentioned might work better if it's just you doing the pass and you have a more confined workspace. Like with many more advanced climbing techniques, it's another tool in the toolbox, not necessarily something you use in every situation. 

As with all mission-critical (and for most us, hopefully seldom-used) rescue systems, practice this thoroughly on the ground before you ever try it in real life.

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Here's a nice video from the rope rescue professionals at CMC showing how it's done.

“Cast”, don’t throw, your rappel rope

Getting your rope down a cliff face when rappelling may seem very simple. But there are many nuances to doing it efficiently, which can save you huge amounts of time and frustration. Here are some suggestions.

Main idea #1: “Cast”, don't “throw”.

This idea is emphasized by Andy Kirkpatrick in his excellent book on descending mountains, “Down.” Think of casting a fishing line. There's a weight (lure) on the end. The line is carefully spooled on the reel. The weight is cast over the water, and the line smoothly follows it from the reel. No snags, no snares. 

“Casting” rappel ropes uses the same concept. Create a weight with one end of the rope, prepare the rest of the rope carefully, and toss the weight to carry down the rope.

Let's start using that verb, “cast”, instead of “throw”, to emphasize the concept. “Throwing” the rope relies on luck. “Casting” relies on technique.

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Main idea #2: The terrain dictates your rope toss method.

The method in the diagrams below can work best if you have a ledge to stand on with minimal rocks on it, and no one below you might get klonked by the rope. For other situations, lowering some or all of the rope can be better than throwing.

• Completely overhanging or vertical smooth rock? You can probably simply lower one end of the rope at a time without even throwing it.

• Reasonably vertical terrain? Try lowering down a bit less than half of one strand (for a 60 meter rope, that’d be 15 meters of one 30 meter side), and then making a simple butterfly loop as shown below, to cast down the remaining 15 meters.

• Lower angle terrain, maybe with trees, boulders, obstacles? That's when making a weight and giving it a real cast can be the best approach.

• Rappelling at a busy crag, with people below you? Consider lowering the rope as much as you can so you don't nail anyone with the rope, and hopefully so you don't have to scream “ROPE” either.

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Main idea #3: Prep your rope before you throw.

You might feel like you're saving time by hucking the rope as quickly as possible from your anchor. Most of the time, you won't be. The time you “save” by making a sloppy rope toss will be likely used up when you stop on rappel to decluster your rope. It's better practice to take a minute or so to prepare your rope first, hopefully with the help of your partner, and make a good, clean cast to start with.

It's almost always better to separate the rope into two strands and lower or throw each one separately.

Image credit: Andy Kirkpatrick from the book “down”, shared with permission

The classic beginner toss (which yes, I did many times my first year or so of climbing, and paid the price) is making one giant butterfly coil with both strands (photo above on the right). You might rarely get lucky and have a clean toss, but most times it's going to make a guaranteed snarl. Please don't do this.

(Method number two, a slight improvement, is to make one big butterfly coil in each strand and throw those one at a time. You have slightly better odds of getting a clean throw than with both coils together, but it's still highly likely you're going to have a snarl. Still not recommended for the most part.)

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There are many approaches to efficiently getting your rope down the cliff. If you have any sort of a ledge, here's one good way.

Check out the diagram above on the left. Each strand is carefully flaked or even serpentine coiled on the ledge. Each half of the rope is separate from the other.

Two cautions: 1) This method can drag down some stones from the ledge you're standing on, so you might want to avoid this if you have rocks around your feet and people below you. 2) Keep your feet away from the rope that will be zinging off the ledge.

If you’re on steeper rock and don't have a convenient ledge to flake the rope, you can feed out about rope out so it drapes down the cliff below you, and then toss the weight. Another option is to butterfly coil over your partner’s outstretched arms, and then cast the end. The same basic concept applies: prepare each strand carefully, toss each one separately, and have some sort of weight that carries the rest of the rope.

After tying a stopper knot in the free end of the rope, you need form a weight of some kind; think of this your “lure”. You “cast the “lure”, and this pulls the rest of the rope down.

(Like all things in climbing, this is situationally dependent. If there's a crowd of people below you, you probably don't want to toss a bundle of rope that might klonk somebody. Likewise if there's a large deep crack below you, and there's a chance the rope could swing into it, you may not want to try this method. But most of the rest of the time it should work pretty well.)

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Here are two short videos showing the “rope cast” in action, from @benmarkhartguiding on Instagram. (Click images to see the videos.)

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There are several ways to do make the weight. Here's my favorite, known in some circles as the “rope bomb.” This works especially well if you need to get your rope down a slab or other lower-angle terrain. (The carabiner isn’t needed, it’s shown for scale.)

After tying a stopper knot in the end, make a small butterfly coil with short loops. I like to make 10 loops, with five on each side.

Finish it off by simply wrapping the rope a few times around the coils. This does not have to be very tidy.

When this mini-butterfly coil hits the end of the rope, it will usually untie itself. If not, just give it a shake or kick when you rap down to it.

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Another way to close your rope system is to rappel while being tied into the end of the rope. If you do that, you could cast your rope as shown below.

Note that in this case, with a double rope rappel, you’re casting the middle of the rope, not the ends.

You get the idea. Take an extra minute or so, properly flake your rope, cast a weight like a “rope bomb” rather than hucking off 30 meters in a huge coil, and your chances of a cluster-free rappel are much better.

Image credit: Andy Kirkpatrick from the book “down”, shared with permission

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Finally, here's a nice video from IFMGA Guide Jeff Ward showing several different methods. The first one is what we demonstrated above, he calls it a “torpedo”.

Finally, if you read this far, here's a short Instagram video on how NOT to throw your rope.

Below are a couple of screen grabs.

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And finally, if you read this far, here's a pretty hilarious short Instagram video about throwing ropes on a windy day.