Pick my tag line
|
I'm going on a sport trip over in Europe pretty soon. A few of the routes we'll be doing will require full-pitch or near full-pitch rappels. |
|
Making tag line less annoying: |
|
I have that 75m x 7mm static line. It's wonderful and highly recommended as long as there isn't any wind or chickenheads. Works great for Indian Creek, so probably pretty decent for Euro limestone as well. |
|
I run a Paso ( petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Ropes…) as my tag line and my simul climbing rope. At 42g/m a 60m cord clocks in at 5.5lbs which is a bit lighter than your 7mm line (albeit shorter), but it is more versatile in the fact that you can climb on it folded in half if you need to. |
|
WadeM wrote:Making tag line less annoying: Lead on one line Get to anchors and clip in Pull up line and drop back down to ground. Have belayer attach second line. Clean and rap. If the route is steep, so you cant do the above, i'd opt for the 7mmShould've said, these will be all multipitch, fairly easy free lines we'll be doing. |
|
Todd Anderson wrote:I have that 75m x 7mm static line. It's wonderful and highly recommended as long as there isn't any wind or chickenheads. Works great for Indian Creek, so probably pretty decent for Euro limestone as well.Do you pack it or haul it? |
|
Awh gotcha - I figured Europe would be single pitch stuff. |
|
WadeM wrote:Awh gotcha - I figured Europe would be single pitch stuff. I'd go a lightweight twin setup or a tiny haul lineThere's definitely a heap of single pitch too, but there are a few multi pitch lines that wander and traverse a bit, and so end up skipping some belays on the descents. Thanks for the beta! |
|
Optimistic wrote: Do you pack it or haul it?Both. On easy, long multipitch where the party will have one or two packs anyway, I pack it. If we don't want to carry any packs we tag it. Packing it is only really superior to tagging it when you have some really low-angle chunky terrain, like ridge scrambling, where your tag line could get stuck in cracks or (heaven forfend!) pull off a Big Loose Block. Assuming we're talking about that red Sterling 75m x 7mm tag line, I'll add that it fits in a bullet pack, along with minimal food, water, first aid kit, layers. But, if you cram it in the bottom of the back, expect to spend some time untangling it at the top. Twins might be good too. Just used a Mammut 8mm paired with a Bluewater 7.7mm this weekend, that worked well. Usually a set of twins will be lighter than a single lead line + tag/haul/rap line. |
|
Arthur wrote:I run a Paso ( petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Ropes…) as my tag line and my simul climbing rope. At 42g/m a 60m cord clocks in at 5.5lbs which is a bit lighter than your 7mm line (albeit shorter), but it is more versatile in the fact that you can climb on it folded in half if you need to. I'm not a huge fan of any piece of gear on my kit that serves only 1 purpose and a skinny static line is not versatile enough as you can basically rap on it (and I guess haul). Just my 2 cents. In the bigger picture here are my ropes. 70m Petzl Volta 9.2mm - my primary rope for sport and trad cragging, I tend not to bring this if I have to walk very far 60m Beal Opera 8.5mm- main alpine cord for anything I am pitching out. Most alpine routes I have done don't need a 70m so the 60 works fine. Many of the routes would even be fine with a 50m so... 50m Petzl Paso 7.7mm- I bring the Paso along if I need to make full length raps or if the climbing is easy enough I just fold this in half and simul climb on it. The first 2 ropes are triple rated so they give me the most options for use as singles, twins, or doubles.The paso is an interesting idea for sure, but I don't want to buy anything more, just wanted to make do with what I have. What do you think between the two current options? |
|
Todd Anderson wrote: Both. On easy, long multipitch where the party will have one or two packs anyway, I pack it. If we don't want to carry any packs we tag it. Packing it is only really superior to tagging it when you have some really low-angle chunky terrain, like ridge scrambling, where your tag line could get stuck in cracks or (heaven forfend!) pull off a Big Loose Block. Assuming we're talking about that red Sterling 75m x 7mm tag line, I'll add that it fits in a bullet pack, along with minimal food, water, first aid kit, layers. But, if you cram it in the bottom of the back, expect to spend some time untangling it at the top. Twins might be good too. Just used a Mammut 8mm paired with a Bluewater 7.7mm this weekend, that worked well. Usually a set of twins will be lighter than a single lead line + tag/haul/rap line.Yep, the sterling! Interesting thoughts on the twins, will look into that more if life ever again takes me in an Alpine rock direction... |
|
Todd, do you use a biner block to make sure that the knot doesn't go through the rings? |
|
Optimistic wrote:Todd, do you use a biner block to make sure that the knot doesn't go through the rings?Nope. Maybe I should though. Seems like a biner block is just one more thing to get wedged in a crevice on the way down. |
|
I've been using 60m x 6mm for years. It works great. I see no reason to go with something thicker unless you want to simulrap. |
|
20 kN wrote:I've been using 60m x 6mm for years. It works great. I see no reason to go with something thicker unless you want to simulrap.Unless you already own a 7mm! What about you, do you trail it or pack it? Do you use the biner block? |
|
Have you used the tagline before? They require a bit more diligent rope management because they twist easily. If there is little chance that you can get your lead line stuck, I'd opt for the tag line these days. |
|
what jeff said above ... |
|
Optimistic wrote: Unless you already own a 7mm! What about you, do you trail it or pack it? Do you use the biner block?If the route is hard and steep I'll trail it. This is mostly so the leader can tag up the pack and the second doesent need to climb with it. If it's easy, I'll keep it in the pack. I use a standard ATC to rap. |
|
we love our Sterling static 7mm. Found 6mm too hard too pull, 8 mm too heavy. Loop over PAS and then hang on single shoulder sling at belay. haul if needed. Usually leader trails, if clean pitch, 2nd can trail, or carry in pack. Pull thin rope with lead rope in rap ring. Got sick of double rope technique, easier to use tag line and single rope lead. |
|
Thanks for all the thoughts folks! |
|
I have used a 7mm static as my tag line forever but I have been thinking about getting the Edelrid Rap Line 2: |