UKC

In this video series, we have teamed up with the Arc'teryx Lakeland Revival and Charlie Woodburn, to cover a range of basic trad climbing tips. In this video, Charlie shows us how he racks up for a Trad route.

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In reply to UKC Articles:

In danger of sounding like a complete arse,  should people be attempting to climb a route if they have to be told where to put their rack?

In reply to jungle:

If you have to be told "you put it on your harness", then yeah, you should probably not be attempting a route just yet ...

However, being told "you need to work out your own system so you know where to find things, but there's not a single right way, most people put smaller stuff at the front and bigger at the back, quickdraws on both sides, your belay device can be out of the way since you won't need it until you're at the top" etc. -- that's all stuff people *do* need to learn when they start leading.

And okay, a lot of it's probably common sense stuff you could figure out for yourself given time, but it's helpful to have the pointers when you're a flustered n00b trying to learn and half-believing you're about to die on your first lead.

In reply to UKC Articles:

I thought the general consensus was not to put biners in the back loop? In case of swinging your back into the wall, that was seemed to be dangerous? 

Not that I am for or against that, just weird to see that in a video!

In reply to UKC Articles:

Nice video, whilst it seems like it should be common sense I actually picked up quite a few tips that I will use in the future! Cheers 

In reply to UKC Articles:

Gate in or out? That's the real question.

I'm a gate in kind of guy. It feels more natural for me and I also find it's less prone for dropping gear.

In reply to PPP:

I suppose you could smack into the wall from any direction so in that regard it doesn't seem to matter  that much where you put them. However since he was using a four loop harness things could get a bit crowded and confusing so on balance I think he's right to put them out of the way.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Will the next one in the series be : 'Rocking up for a climb' ?

In reply to knighty:

In on the left, out on the right............. obviously.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Really helpful, if only I could get to the crag without tripping over those bits of string dangling from my shoes. Oh well, guess I will have to wait for next week's installment. 

In reply to Robert Durran:

You've stumped me there. Is that for being right handed, but only place gear with your left?

 

In reply to Robert Durran:

Tony Blair? 

In reply to knighty:

Gate out for me, for exactly the same reasons !

In reply to Wiley Coyote2:

But your spine is at risk only when you hit the back - and the spinal injuries possible are much more grave than say a leg injury or upper hip injury. Andy K has this to say: https://andy-kirkpatrick.com/cragmanship/view/harness_real_estate_the_rear_...

In reply to SenzuBean:

Yep, you don't need to think too hard about this to realise it's a bad idea. And if you've met someone who's had the misfortune of sustaining a spinal injury this way (which I have) you'll be all the more cautious. Worst case scenario: lower limb paralysis and double incontinence. (I'm an O&G doctor so know a bit about the neuroanatomy in this region.) A rear-centre loop can still be handy though, e.g. for carrying a belay jacket in a dry bag which attaches with its own fairly small plastic buckle, like the Exped ones - obviating the need for a karabiner. Or for a chalk bag, provided attached with something similarly yielding. 

In reply to GrahamD:

Overclipper ( gate in ) for me.  That way I can get gear from the other side with each hand if necessary.

Also wires on a bandolier for quick access and less clutter elsewhere.

What works for you I guess.

In reply to UKC Articles:

I don't like the sling over the shoulder like that. When you need to sling/thread something, you're inevitably holding on for dear life with the hand that the sling is looped over. 

 

With a sling the length he has, he'd be better off clipping it around his shoulders with a locker. That way you get exactly the same thing but can take it off with either hand. 

 

For the record, I have gear gates in and draws gates out. Don't really know why. 

 

Also interested to read about the dangers of using the rear gear loop for solid gear. I only have 4 gear loops, which are entirely filled with gear and draws. I fashioned my own rear gear loop to put my lockers, anchor tat, long slings and belay device on while climbing. What are some sensible alternatives to the rear gear loop for that kind of jazz? I absolutely want it out of the way of the rest. 

In reply to Tricadam:

Thanks to Tricadam for such a good reply.

How anyone cannot appreciate that having a spikey lump of metal positioned exactly in line with their spinal column is a very bad idea is beyond me. 

 

In reply to Tricadam:

So you've met someone who had a permanent injury caused by a krab on the back of a harness!? I've always though people clipping their chalk bag to those little loops at the back with a krab was a bad idea of this reason, but had wondered if it was just one of those presumed ways you could get hurt rather than a way someone actually had got hurt. I must say on my harness with a fifth (or seventh) loop at the back I've never worried about clipping belay device etc there. But those little plastic loops are higher and a krab in them has less space to move if you did fall onto it.

In reply to 99ster:

I think everyone can see a degree of risk in it but we play an inherently risky game so the question becomes a balance of different factors. How frustrating is it to avoid using the rear loop vs. how likely am I to land on my coccyx and if I do then how likely is it that an empty/full gear loop makes the difference.

In reply to PaulJepson:

Anything at all over the shoulder is WRONG. All slings should be done up the twiddly way and clipped on the harness where gear belongs.

In reply to UKC Articles:

All in all a good set of ideas to beginning to learn how to rack up your gear.  Everyone has to start somewhere and there is a reason for this method.  The only issue I have is the way the big slings are racked personally I use a screw-gate crab and half them so I can also place the shorter sling over the opposite shoulder and still get them off underneath the shorter sling.  Minor point but worth noting.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Right, wrong...or maybe just personal preference? For trad I always rack 120cm slings over my shoulder clipped with a krab (so they can be unclipped and freed without potentially having to let go of anything). For alpine routes they tend to get racked on my harness, but only to keep them out of the way of coils.

In reply to TobyA:

He had a fractured vertebra (broken back, in lay terms!) but, very luckily, no significant nerve injury. A very close call.