Trad climbers - what do you practice?

Just curious - are there any knots/systems/skills you find yourself practicing from time to time because it's rarely, if ever, used to keep it in your knowledge set?

Newer trad climber but long time SAR guy. Find myself having to practice haul systems (Z pulley, etc) rarely need it but can be a life saver... literally.

Self rescue.  Hopefully will never have to use it so it's easy to get rusty, but you damn well want to be ready if you need it.

Seldom used, but very beneficial when needed:

- simple French Free "aid" techniques 

- how to prussic/ascend a fixed line

- how to lower a 2nd. on a locked Guide Mode device

- basic self rescue skills (how to tie off your belay device to go hands free, counter weight and tandem rappel, transferring the load from your belay device to anchor, etc.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkIHoJBzECs

This video shows you the knot, but not its applications.  I've never used it in practice, but I know that it holds a load until you pop the slip-knot part of it, at which point, you're already holding the break strand, so then the load is being controlled by you and the munter hitch.

But it's actually the PMMO (Prussik Munter Mule Overhand) that I'm thinking of that's a useful rescue knot.

3:1 and 5 (or 6):1 haul, for when the follower falls off that Gunks overhang.  And, at the other end of the spectrum (er... rope), ascending a rope from a free-hanging (fallen-and-I-can't-get-back-on) position. The latter using slings, cordelette, belay device and/or whatever the climber typically has with them. A partner always has a Tibloc hanging from the back of his harness, but when we drilled this, it didn't occur to him to use it.  LOL, that's why practice matters.

Imo, simple hauling systems like a 3:1 and 5:1 should be common knowledge among climbers. Knowing how to "defeat" an autoblocking plate to lower a follwer is also something that I've needed to do a few times. Utilizing munters for belaying, rapping, and belay escapes is also helpful to know.

Basic rescue in small group scenarios. Mini-polyspast, polyspast (z-system), lower down systems, etc. The most important - how to safely and efficiently switch from one system to another (e.g., switch from autoblock to z-system or from z-system to Muner lower down).

Self-rescue including getting up to assist a leader injured mid-pitch and load transfers.

Some of that has become familiar enough to creep back into unsurprising situations where I otherwise would have done something not quite as elegant.  :-)

Self rescue. I personally am  pretty rusty with doing counterbalance raps both from above the victim (rescuing a follower) and with the victim (rescuing the leader). I could probably also use a refresher on haul systems as well but those are rarely the best option available so I don't feel as bad. 

Also tying off the belay device or munter with a mule hitch + overhand is one of those good self rescue skills that can be useful outside of a rescue. I find myself tying off my belay device with a mule hitch every now and then to go hands free either to mime beta or take photos. 

Granted, I use an assisted braking device so I'd probably be fine without the Mule hitch, but the idea of just letting go of my brake hand during a lead belay doesn't quite give me the warm fuzzies

My partners and I recently got together and practiced the following before alpine season started:

- Escape the belay / load transfer
- Ascend the rope using cord / hollow block / bachmann hitch
- hauling with 3:1 and 5:1 systems

skye bacus wrote:

My partners and I recently got together and practiced the following before alpine season started:

- Escape the belay / load transfer
- Ascend the rope using cord / hollow block / bachmann hitch
- hauling with 3:1 and 5:1 systems

My $0.02. Add mini-polyspast to the list. A model scenario: you and your partner are attached to a hanging belay anchor. You are to lower your partner off. You are to do all rope work (your partner don't even touch anything with hands).

Does anyone have any links to "polyplast" systems, step by step or videos?

Ive not heard of the term before and my Google-fu is lacking on the term also

Polyspast is called z-system in the U.S.

It is to trade distance for force or vice versa.

Pavel Burov wrote:

Polyspast is called z-system in the U.S.

It is to trade distance for force or vice versa.

So it's a haul system.  I suggested that the first day this thread was up.

Pavel Burov wrote:

If not, please describe further.

Skf, yes, like this.

Pavel Burov wrote:

Skf, yes, like this.

..so you think my friends and I should practice 3:1 systems in another language?   

skye bacus wrote:

..so you think my friends and I should practice 3:1 systems in another language?   

As a climber, you should back everything up, including your method of communication! I'd suggest sign language, but that has a prerequisite of escaping the belay so you have both hands free... ;)

Andrew Krajnik wrote:

As a climber, you should back everything up, including your method of communication! I'd suggest sign language, but that has a prerequisite of escaping the belay so you have both hands free... ;)

Gotta have redundancy. If you only know one language then you can use the grunting language of Adam Onda for your backup.. Psstzahh for off  belay and ahhgerrrrugh for in belay

eli poss wrote:

Gotta have redundancy. If you only know one language then you can use the grunting language of Adam Onda for your backup.. Psstzahh for off  belay and ahhgerrrrugh for in belay

Wait... the opposite of "Off Belay" is "In Belay"?  I've been doin' it wrong all these years.