Emergency Gear

I've got a quick question. I've seen a few people carry cord for prussiks, pocket knife, etc on a biner every time they climb. What is your emergency kit that you take with you whenever you climb? Any special way you like to rack it, etc?

2 Prussik cords on the harness.......

20-30' of 5-6ml bail cord in the pack with snap links.....

On any muti pitch the pack stays on the back.......

That's just the bail equipment....then there is the 1st aid kit....

I am a big fan of this so here is what I do.

I ALWAYS carry two prussic cords, a knife, a whistle and a tibloc on an oval. I have carried it for many years and have had to use it a few times. Doesn't take up much space and isn't really that heavy considering all the other gear. I even carry this when sport climbing out of habit.

Often times, climbing someplace new, alpine or ice I grab an extra bit of webbing and a rap ring as well.

First Aid kit is in the pack, which sometimes is on my back, sometimes not. My older helmet had a super mini first aid kit in it between my head straps and the plastic, but the newer style helmets are not so conducive to doing that.

I pretty much ask most of the people I climb with often to carry a prussic or two and practice using them once in a while.

-Jon

P.S. It the plural of prussic, prussics? It seems strange that way.

Interesting stuff... I've never used a tibloc, but have seen them, and it just seems a little strange to me. They have sharp ass teeth inside... doesn't using that destroy your rope???

On the topic of tiblocs:

They have the same type of teeth with most ascenders, the inherent difference is the cam action. They can destroy a rope in a hurry if used in properly, and have to be "set" each time and with a little work the technique is not to bad to master. I have a friend use them on moonlight, he followed every pitch with them.

My kit:

Tibloc
Prussiks
7mm rescue cord 30 feet
knife
duct tape (on the inside of my helment)
1 pulley

All this....is nothing if you don't know how to use it.

Rob

- Oh Shit 'Biner: super lightweight locker, belay knife, 5m of 5mm cord, Tibloc
- Use 6mm cord for chalkbag belt, which then serves as additional prussik. (In winter when not bringing chalkbag, add 2nd length of cord to Oh Shit 'Biner).
- Petzl e+Lite (w/mini-whistle) in chalkbag's zipper compartment.

If in the alpine, my first aid kit consists of:
1 small roll of athletic tape,
1 gauze dressing,
1 betadine wipe,
1 pkg Steri-strips,
1 pkg Quikclot,
couple NSAIDs,
couple anti-diarrhea pills (don't laugh, probably handed those suckers out more than anything else).

I'd second the diarrhea pills...

The space between webbing and shell in such helmets is designed to be filled with your head when it gets the big smack from above. I would be careful with the amount of aid stored here.

Only one mention of a pulley; that's something I'm going to add to the oval. I've found that Tiblocs are light enough to be more than well worth their weight in the speed you gain, though they're rightly expensive!

JLP wrote:I have never seen nor even heard about someone using their prussics with success. I think they're something people try just before they get rescued or someone dies. I don't carry any of that junk and have never needed it. All you really need is a headlamp, maybe a hat and windshirt or sweater.

Used two prussiks successfully last week when I missed a rappel station. Only had to go a few feet but I have ascended full rope lengths as well as hauled partners 50 feet up a wall (practicing). I'm not one to stand by and wait for rescue or death. That's just me.

I carry 2 shorter 5 or 6mm prussiks tied onto my "bridge" of my harness (the part that connects the 2 leg loops through your belay loop) Then I carry a rap ring, small knife, small prussik and a pair of toenail clippers on a bail oval on my haul loop. I have used the clippers more than anything else.

Yeup i carry an old oval with 15' of 1/2 webbing, tibloc, 2 prussiks and a rap ring. Sometimes in the bag we'll throw a few beers just in case it gets real hairy up there.

+1 for the Firt Aid kit and a knife in the bag.

Tibloc, 15-20' of 7ish mm cord on the harness (can be used for prussik, rescue cordalette, bail anchor, etc.), shorter prussik (waist length), small knife, Petzl e-Lite, quick-link or rap ring, training/practice using this stuff.

Prusiks may not be fun to jug with but they are very useful in a self-rescue context. Escaping the belay immediately comes to mind... or creating helpful systems like a 3:1 pulley. They are also very useful in backing up your rappel, crucial if you are descending with another injured climber. I like to take at least one always.

One rap ring and one bail 'biner seems to be the appropriate amount of gear that supplements my regular rack. Maybe some extra webbing or cord. Small knife and lamp too. If you are really going alpine style you could just say screw it and not take any bail gear. Light is right.

JLP wrote:I have never seen nor even heard about someone using their prussics with success. I think they're something people try just before they get rescued or someone dies. I don't carry any of that junk and have never needed it. All you really need is a headlamp, maybe a hat and windshirt or sweater.

If you know how to tie a Bachman prussiks quickly become ascenders as efficient as any jumar.

I just used mine and my climbing partners the other night to rescue some other climbers who had gotten stuck at 11pm, via the above method.

Prussik's also are great for making an autolock to back up your rappel.

It's important to know how to get yourself out of a bad situation. They're essential for that.

I agree, prussiks are very useful. I have ascended full rope lengths in the past for practice. I've never *had* to use it, but glad I know how to just in case.

Headlamp

I carry:

small caving knife, tibloc, and sometimes gloves on an oval biner.

I always take to extra trad draws. If I needed more than I planned, I use then. If not, they are extra biners and prussiks.

If I'm going more than one pitch, I take a headlamp, water, and extra layer.

JLP wrote: I'll race you sometime just jacking myself back up with my belay device.

I'll race you in escaping a belay.

I keep a knife, two tiblocs, and two rap rings in the zipper-side-pocket on my chalk bag. I should add a little bit of duct tape in there. If i don't know the area and the rap routes, i'll carry bailer webbing. If i end up needing it and i don't have it... i've always got my cordolette, slings, and that knife. I also usually keep an extra belay device (mammut fuse - i don't like it, but it's my backup and it's light) on a lightish locker with my autoblock. If there's a remote chance of getting benighted, i'll take a headlamp. If it's remote/alpine, i'll take the first aid kit, wind/rain jacket, and water in a small pack.

I've had to use all of the above except the spare belay device.

Make sure you take a standard emergency kit, available almost everywhere. I've had plenty of weird stuff happen to me while climbing and in a perfect world I'd have a utility trailer full of everything under the sun, but that's just not practical. Go with the basic necessities and you can't go wrong.

I carry a Ropeman on my o-shit biner besides a whistle, rap rings. My second prussic is my autoblock and is racked on its own lightweight locking biner separately. In the escape from belay situations or building 3:1, I can either use my cordelette or one of the slings for the second friction knot. Ascending a rope with a Ropeman is so much easier than with prussiks. Oh yeah, my extra webbing, a knife and first aid kit sit in the pack (carried on alpine routes) and at the bottom of the cliff when cragging.

What can you do with a Tibloc that you can't do (maybe slower) with a prusic?

Also I carry compass/lighter/tape, no first aid kit.

Peter Pitocchi wrote:What can you do with a Tibloc that you can't do (maybe slower) with a prusic? Also I carry compass/lighter/tape, no first aid kit.

I don't have an answer, but in reverse, it's easier to re-ascend double rap ropes with prussiks than ropeman, kong duck (the one I have) or tiblocs I think.