UKC

quickdraw clipping techniques

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 foxjerk 10 May 2012
mine is crap and stopping my grade progression wrt leading. i've done a bit of googling and searched through forum discussions on here and read some books, but i can't find any straightforward or dedicated articles.

i wouldn't really say i had much of technique really, other than get the rope clipped as quick as possible. i've looked at a few, practised at home and then not been able to transfer to real life situations.

any tips, techniques or ideas gratefully recieved. i'm sure i'm not the only one!

Cheers
 Reach>Talent 10 May 2012
In reply to foxjerk:
Hold rope between thumb and index finger, stick middle finger through quickdraw and pull your fingers together. Nice and easy

 Eagle River 10 May 2012
In reply to Reach>Talent:
> (In reply to foxjerk)
> Hold rope between thumb and index finger, stick middle finger through quickdraw and pull your fingers together. Nice and easy

That's the one I use when gate is facing the opposite way to the hand I'm using (rope in right hand, gate facing left). It's a bit different when using the left hand for a left facing gate.

What I did was set up a hanging quickdraw at home and practice clipping with either hand for both gate directions until I had it nice and slick.

(But that might be a bit geeky for some!)

Interestingly younger competition-bred climbers do something different to what I do and they seem to be pretty efficient so watching videos of them climbing might give you some tips. Look on Robbie Phillips' webpage and vimeo account as he videos a lot of strong young climbers.
 kateg2009 10 May 2012
In reply to foxjerk: I think most experienced climbers I see at the climbing wall use the pinch clip and the reverse pinch clip (just looked the terms up on google).

In the first (gate facing twoards the clipping arm) you use your middle and index finger to push the rope through, with your thumb along the back of the caribiner (but don't pass your fingers through, only the rope).

In the second (gate away from the clipping arm) you use your crook of your thumb to push the rope through, with your other fingers along the spine of the caribiner for support. I need to practice this, it doesn't seem that intuitive not to just put your fingers through the krab in the process...
In reply to foxjerk: There are two basic techniques worth trying.

There is the index finger clip (already described) which is generally used when the direction the gate faces is opposite to the hand clipping. This is one of the smoothest ways to clip.

There is then the thumb clip which is useful for carabiners in the opposite orientation. Here the rope is held over the fingers, the thumb steadies the backbar of the krab and the whole hand basically squeezes the rope into the krab. This actually describes numerous variations on a theme, but the point in common is that the thumb goes to the backbar to enable a squeezing motion.

Other than that, it is a very personal thing and the best option is just watch other people, practice and see what works.
 GrahamD 10 May 2012
In reply to foxjerk:

I don't know what grade you climb, but I suspect that what is limiting your progression is not your ability to clip but your body position and state of mind when you are trying to clip. Are you really in the most restful position when making the clip ? are you panicking about falling before you clip ?
 dunnyg 10 May 2012
In reply to foxjerk: Try everything suggested, and any other way you can think of. Find which you like most. Practice it. Untill you are mind numbingly bored. Different heights (waist, chest, head etc.). Once you are really bored. Do it some more. If this doesnt solve it, then if it doesnt, look what else could be the issue.
 snoop6060 10 May 2012
In reply to foxjerk:

Buy some retro mambas, you can't go wrong. They do the work for you!
 54ms 10 May 2012
In reply to GrahamD:
> (In reply to foxjerk)
>
> I don't know what grade you climb, but I suspect that what is limiting your progression is not your ability to clip but your body position and state of mind when you are trying to clip. Are you really in the most restful position when making the clip ? are you panicking about falling before you clip ?

These are all important points, but sometimes it does just boil down to good technique. We've all had times that we've fumbled the clip and if the route setter hasn't been friendly in placing a good hold to clip from or you've missed it, it can make a difference on a route.




 54ms 10 May 2012
In reply to foxjerk:

One exercise you can do is to set up a couple of draws facing in different directions and practice clipping both right and left handed. TBH I'd never really thought that much about it until I did CWLA last year and it's practice...can even make a game of it for young people by seeing who can do it fastest when instructions are called out.
 andy_e 10 May 2012
http://tinyurl.com/c76to6z

pages 119 onwards
 Thelongcon 10 May 2012
In reply to foxjerk:

IMHO, whipclipping is probably the best way to clip a qucikdraw. Practice this exlusively. Sure it may get hard on slabs, but the girls love it.
 Skyfall 10 May 2012
In reply to snoop6060:

> Buy some retro mambas, you can't go wrong. They do the work for you!

What, then you fall off and they unclip and you die. Super.
In reply to foxjerk: it doesn't matter how many times people tell you how to do it or even if you are the best at it as all ability to clip a quickdraw is lost as soon as you really think you need to clip one because you might fall a long way!
 Olli-C 10 May 2012
In reply to foxjerk: I find that if i put my finger inside the biner i almost always get it stuck and get scared and faf trying to get it out again. I like to have the rope running between the base of my thumb and my first finger then hold the biner with my fingers and use my thumb to clip. Its not always possible but thats my fave.
 snoop6060 11 May 2012
In reply to JonC:
> (In reply to snoop6060)
>
> [...]
>
> What, then you fall off and they unclip and you die. Super.

Erm, what a load of bollox.
 Bulls Crack 11 May 2012
In reply to Olli-C:

Gets stuck where?! In the gate? Under the rope or do you have enormous fingers?
OP foxjerk 11 May 2012
In reply to GrahamD:
> (In reply to foxjerk)
>
> Are you really in the most restful position when making the clip ? are you panicking about falling before you clip ?

probably and yes respectively. you are right, but i think if i was more confident about clipping the rope in first time my state of mind would be better. but it is certainly psychological
OP foxjerk 11 May 2012
In reply to _MJC_ cheers, that's a good vid
 Olli-C 17 May 2012
In reply to Bulls Crack: Under the rope, and between the rope and the back of the biner. I do have big fingers.

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