Double fisherman’s vs. overhand rethread Tying Prusik loops with a bend for your Prusik Minding Pulley For tying Prusik loops I have always used the double fisherman’s bend. However, the double fisherman’s is bulky and as a result, never sits quite right on the body of the Prusik Minding Pulley (PMP). I decided to try […]
A knot that drives you around the bend! On a cave excursion through Bulmer cave system (New Zealand) I noticed, on two occasions, a single sheet bend rigged at the top of a fixed handline but being used as if it was a bowline knot. I suspect the person rigging these handlines meant to tie […]
When anchor acronyms go bad There are a lot of anchor acronyms out there in the rigging, rope and rescue world. A few examples include: SERENE: Solid (or strong), Equalized, Redundant, Efficient, No, Extension ERNEST(A): Equalized, Redundant, No, Extension, Solid (or strong), Timely, (Angles) STRADS: Solid, Timely, Redundant, Angles, Distribution, Shockload They are all basically variations […]
Get more friction with a double Munter A number of organisations (e.g.ski patrols and glacier guiding) use a 6mm Spectra or Dyneema line for escape or access. The upside of using this type of system is it is lightweight and easily carried all day. One of the downsides is that you need to use a […]
This article has been updated in 2020 with all the bends retested and lots more information on variations including small and large diameters. Check it out: Which bends for joining ropes update – CLICK HERE Which bend for joining ropes? Testing and analysis of flat bends used for rope retrieval As part of writing the Canyoning […]
Abseiling: 5 ways to improve. Lessons learnt from abseiling in a canyon. When I first started canyoning several years ago I had to adapt my abseiling (rappelling) technique to this environment. A few things were the same and many things were different (or as is often said ‘same-same but different’). I had come from a […]
Knots Safety Check How to undertake a knots safety check before use A knots safety check is a really important step in your rope work just prior to use. You will learn how to go through a 6-step systematic quality check for each knot, bend or hitch. This includes: aligned, tightened, tail length, loop size, fit […]
Systems Analysis: How does 1kN become 4.5kN So what did I see that made me stand waist-deep in water, scratching my head at 4 am? It seems to happen that you strike the trickiest part of the rescue rigging around 4 am in the morning, in the wettest part of the cave at the end […]
