UKC

She seems to ignore her own advice at the end, clipping the bolt so that the gate faces into the rock...?

In reply to Andrewjg: That's the first time someone has ever pointed out both crabs should face the same way on a QD - no explanation why! I can't see how having them opposing is any less safe.

In reply to higherclimbingwales: Well, if the climb doesn't follow a straight line the quickdraw is pulled either right or left. If the crabs are oriented differently one gate has to point towards the rock and can therefore be opened by it.

Nice that we have a basics video, but if you're after more advanced clipping techniques, the following blog post has some good info and examples. http://peripheralscrutiny.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/clip-draws-like-ninja.html

In reply to UKC Articles:
While the advice is mostly good there is no mention of the differences between different types of quickdraws and the difference between sports climbing and trad climbing. She states quite categorically that the orientation shown is "The safest way to set up your quick draw". Well it may be in a certain situation but not always.
I actually like the set up shown only for sport climbing. On trad routes I like a variety of quickdraw/slings and some where I can spin the bottom crab around so the gate points up. In many situations after clipping I spin the crab and feel safer. Of course it takes a bit more thought on how it will lie against the rock and which direction you are climbing off in but this is experience and experience starts to be gained by the proper information being available from the start.
While I agree mostly with what is said it can be that videos like this which don't even mention alternatives eventually start to become quoted and the method taught as the only way. The pros & cons of different set up require mention rather than just showing one way.

There was a time when the suggested orientation of the top 'biner (clipped to protection, be it bolt, wire, cam sling, etc.) was 'gate down'. This still seems to be a safer orientation than 'gate up' as suggested in the video. Tell me why 'gate up' is safer.

In reply to callwild:


Seconded.

Some of the content of these videos is at best questionable. Movie 'shorts', I'd suggest, are a poor format for providing even limited and basic instruction in what is a complex set of equally complex skills. I'm sure the advertising works a treat though.

In reply to UKC Articles:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=5723 not seen this method before at 3.00 minutes ..although its ok and an extra anchor ,its not the way ive been shown ,I would have thought if anything the figure of 8 tail would have been clove hitched (or fig8 on the bight) back to the harness..any thoughts?

In reply to Purple: I'm really not sure what that having the two clips facing the same way is considered the safest by all manufacturers. I'm 100% sure all the quickdraws I've ever been sold have been arranged with the gates facing opposite directions. Interestingly I just checked my DMM quickdraws, and they came arranged with the gates facing opposite, but shown on the website they are facing the same way. I'd like to see what the different arguments for the different directions are.

In reply to jayrenegade:

Compared with all the things you could be stressing for beginners, the relative direction of top and bottom krabs seems like a strange one to me.

In reply to GrahamD:

The beaners magically swap orientation in the "how to place a wire" video