UKC

Minimising wear on bolted lower-offs.

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 rockcat 17 Mar 2014
An excellent article from the BMC. Unfortunately too many climbers and this includes instructional groups taking many people up the same climb, use bolted lower-offs to top-rope directly from causing unnecessary wear.

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/avoiding-wear-on-bolted-loweroffs
 Andy Nisbet 17 Mar 2014
In reply to rockcat:

I thought bolts for a lower-off were supposed to be diagonal, not side by side as in the headline picture, so as to avoiding twisting the rope. Not critical, as the author must know more than me, but asking.
 jon 17 Mar 2014
In reply to Andy Nisbet:

> so as to avoiding twisting the rope

Absolutely Andy. In addition, when using expansion bolts (as against glue-ins) as shown, the left hand of the two will have a tendency to unscrew. Placing the left hand one higher than the right avoids this.
 Mick Ward 17 Mar 2014
In reply to Andy Nisbet:

I like to place 'em diagonally. Having said that, I've placed loads side by side. Started off placing them (staples) one above the other (didn't know any better, not so much information around then, even 12 years ago - no Dan, for instance!) Those aluminium ones though... they weren't much cop. Only joking!

Being honest, we've nearly all occasionally top-roped directly. Occasionally, I don't mind. But when people do it all the time, I do mind. And, at a very popular local crag (The Cuttings), an awful lot of people do it all the time - not maliciously, just thoughtlessly.

A bit more thought, a bit more care...?

Mick



 Otis 17 Mar 2014
In reply to rockcat:

Side by side vs diagonally is something to bear in mind when bolting in an ideal world. However, the quality of the rock your fixing the bolts into is going to be the overriding factor on any route. I'd rather have bomber bolts side by side, than one iffy bolt located 'perfectly'

Mike.
 Jamie B 17 Mar 2014
In reply to rockcat:

Just out of interest, do the commercial providers who top-rope at places like Portland ever make any contibution to bolt funds?
OP rockcat 18 Mar 2014
In reply to Jamie B: Thats a very good point Jamie. As far as the North Wales A55 crags such as Castle Inn are concerned, one regularly sees many minibuses from schools and commercial organisations with queues of apparent novices being top roped directly through the anchors. It seems unlikely that they contribute to the local bolt fund and are quite happy to make money from the efforts and investment of others whilst contributing nothing in return. If I'm wrong I'm happy to be corrected. Lets hear from the outdoor centres.

> Just out of interest, do the commercial providers who top-rope at places like Portland ever make any contibution to bolt funds?

 lithos 18 Mar 2014
In reply to rockcat:

to reduce wear even further - strip your gear and then ab off the bolts instead of lowering
 KDhruev 18 Mar 2014
In reply to Jamie B:

Not speaking as a commercial provider but as a uni club; we always insist on using screw-gates through bolts to minimise wear whilst top-roping. Also this year Ive introduced an additional cost (per member) to all our trips which gets denoted to the bolt fund.
Keiha
 Otis 18 Mar 2014
In reply to KDhruev:

> ..... Also this year Ive introduced an additional cost (per member) to all our trips which gets denoted to the bolt fund.

> Keiha

^^^ Like!

Good on you!

Mike.

 steve taylor 18 Mar 2014
In reply to KDhruev:

I can vouch for Keiha - thay have made several donations to the Dorset Bolt Fund. Thanks.

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