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Cheap lanyards for Via Ferrata

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 La_Vie_En_Rose 07 Jul 2013
I'm heading to Lake Garda with my parents in a couple of weeks and they are not outdoorsy at all but I want to take one or both of them up some easy via ferrata (they are reasonably fit). I can get a hold of some harnesses for them, but I'll need some lanyards and krabs. Does anyone know of some cheap (but reliable) ones that I could get for them? I have some dynamic rope that I could use to fashion one, but I don't know if I would trust it.
Or does anyone else have some advice for via ferrata-ing on the cheap?
Thanks!
 GridNorth 07 Jul 2013
In reply to Zumoid:
>
> Or does anyone else have some advice for via ferrata-ing on the cheap?

Yes, don't do it.

The forces generated on a fall on via ferrata are an order of magnitude more serious than for a fully equipped climber. By the time you have finished buying the bits to fashion one it would be easier, safer and not much more costly to buy. They tend to be a little cheaper once you are out there.

 jimtitt 07 Jul 2013
In reply to Zumoid:
They are available for hire in Arco.
 mmmhumous 07 Jul 2013
In reply to Zumoid:

Make sure you get them via-ferrata sets with energy absorption systems, as fall factor 5-6 falls are possible on steeper sections of VF. Decathalon have a set available for £38.
 sarahlizzy 08 Jul 2013
In reply to Zumoid:

In the last year, vast numbers of via ferrata lanyards have been recalled due to design and engineering issues. I'm going on a VF holiday in August to the high Dolomites, and have struggled to find insurance (ended up joining the Austrian Alpine Society) because the companies I've used in the past are no longer willing to insure people for VF use.

The forces generated in a VF fall are colossal. VF is not like sport, or even trad climbing, where you can expect to take a big fall from above your gear and just shrug it off. A big fall in VF is a nasty affair, destroys the lanyard, and is quite likely to leave you with injuries or worse.

With that in mind, it's worth asking what you want from a lanyard. More expensive doesn't necessarily mean it's more likely to save your life in a fall; you may be paying for funky bells and whistles such as elasticated slings and suchlike. However, you probably should think about researching which ones were recalled, what they were replaced with, and making sure you get one of the replacement sets.

One thing I've observed is that conventional wisdom is moving away from the "rope friction" type and towards the "tearing stitches" type, as they remove the temptation to keep on using them after they've deployed, and they supposedly deploy in a more reliable and predictable way. My old Singing Rock rope friction set was affected by a recall and was replaced by a webbing type, and I must say it's also a more compact and tidy package too. It also avoids the other issue which annoyed me no-end with the rope friction type: tripping over the dangling loop of rope on uncabled VF sections.

There's no substitute for research here. DO make sure you don't pick up old (often discounted) stock of likely recalled lanyards. Be safe.
In reply to sarahlizzy:

Thanks for the tips everyone! I'll have a proper look into it before I decide what to do. I know the forces are enormous, which is why I would be massively reluctant to string one together myself (and yeah, would prefer not to do it at all)!
 Null 08 Jul 2013
In reply to Zumoid:

And don't forget helmets. Those are the most important items of kit.

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