UKC

Quick query -

Anyone used anything like this on axes:

http://www.ropeaccessequip.com/collections/lanyards-shock-absorbers/product...

If so - how did you get on?

Also, as always, opinions welcome (and expected!)

Cheers,
Gordon

In reply to peebles boy:

I thought about it, and also considered just clipping a screamer in between my harness and the standard lanyard as I have some around.

In the end I decided against it after it was pointed out to me that a fall that unzipped the shock absorber would put the axes well out of reach.

In reply to peebles boy:





What are you hoping to achieve?

In reply to timjones:

An impression of added security whilst climbing/soloing leashless in the lower grades...
Currently use a homemade system of length of round sling with bungee cord inside it.

In reply to peebles boy:



Surely if the lanyard is the correct length your own arms will absorb most of the shock before you finally let go of the axe?

Any sort of screamer will merely increase the distance that you fall and leave you further from your axes.

In reply to peebles boy:

Come to think of it you shouldn't be able to fall far enough onto an axe to generate enough force to deploy a shock absorber.

In reply to peebles boy:

I've fallen off with my axe by my waist not holding it as I was parming and lobbed onto it with normal grivel lanyards. It held and didn't feel that jolty.

Also last January in patagonia my climbing partners fingers uncurled when he was leading a steep ice pitch and he lobbed onto his lanyards. This was also fine.

I think they must have a bit of stretch and shock absorbancey in them.

In reply to peebles boy:

I've fallen onto my lanyards, they held fine, it wasn't jolty since you don't fall very far.

In reply to peebles boy:

People that fell onto their lanyards - did both axes hold? Just curious

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

I lobbed onto one, which held, because the other axe ripped through poor ice. Not jolty, just miraculous. I guess a screamer would help increase the likelihood of this happening - we have all seen the Aladdin's mirror direct video with the snapping leash. But perhaps the question is why there are so many weak leash systems around.

In reply to Pete Graham:

Out of interest, do you remember what brand of lanyards they were in each case? Thanks.

In reply to steveshaking:


Because if the leash holds and the axe doesn't you end up with a sharp bit of steel flying at your face. That's the theory anyway. I'm not sure how I feel about it. If I've got heaps of good gear I'd much rather the leash broke, but that isn't often the case.

In reply to peebles boy:

I tend to see lanyards as there to stop an axe getting dropped. Looking to them for salvation in a fall seems optimistic at best, and not the best way to keep yourself safe.

In reply to peebles boy:

Seems a bit odd that:

a) Petzl's first lanyards aren't just the standard variety and have this extra weight and faff built in, and;
b) their axes have quite awkward holes to accept them requiring all sorts of DIY solutions.

In reply to peebles boy:

If you were going to do it, I'd use a climbing screamer.

It's worth understanding that industrial shock absorbers deploy at about 5kN - unlike climbing screamers which typically deploy at around half that. Industrial lanyards are required to stop a 100kg mass in a fall factor 2 situation within 1.5m extension and a force less than 6kN.

A typical fall onto your leashes would be very low fall factor - 0-0.5 - and given that placements (and most leashes) may not be very strong, a climbing screamer should work well (unlike the circumstances they are sold for!) I think the Petzl ones deploy at ~2-2.5kN. Used in between harness and leash you'd retain the flexibility of proper leashes (absorbicas are short, and sewn double to quite stiff), and they'd also be a lot less bulky.

I might trial this with my Grivel lanyards as they are not very strong and despite being elasticated would offer absolutely no shock absorbency on a fall.

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

I fell onto one axe, the other remained in my hand as I fell.

In reply to peebles boy:

I've got long arms and prefer to have the lanyards at my waist (rather than clipped into a knotted sling at the chest) - I use a screamer to extend the tethers as it's just the right size. I haven't fallen on it, but the axes being out of reach is low in my list of priorities vs reducing faff and the risk of the tether braking or ripping the axe out and embedding it my eye as illustrated in the BD spinner leaflet...

In reply to peebles boy:

I would consider how you are clipping the lanyards to your axes. There are a number of axes which require a loop of cord tying to allow you to clip to them. This would probably be the weak link in alot of cases.

Personnally I only consider the lanyard as a means to stop me dropping an axe. If I ever took a fall and the they happened to hold me I would just count myself lucky!!