Rapping w/o chains, links, or biners

Searched the forum for an answer to today's scenario, but no avail...

Rap station with two regular stainless Metolius hangers placed about eight inches apart. I threaded my rope and rappelled.

This guy introduced himself at the bottom and politely told me I was sketchy, which subsequently blew my mind.

I am sure that there is always a chance I could totally F*%k my rope once I pull it, but I never have felt like I am in serious danger.There are some wide angles when I begin the rappell, but unless they look sharp, or uneven I have always been okay with threading the bolts directly to rappell.

I would be happy to read some of your insightful opinions. But somehow I feel like I am asking for cyberbullies.

Cheers.

I would try and avoid doing this too frequently, hangers are quite a bit sharper than rings. That being said I wouldn't call you out for being sketchy if I had seen this.

So they weren't these guys?
metoliusclimbing.com/rap_ha…

DannyUncanny wrote:So they weren't these guys? metoliusclimbing.com/rap_ha…

Rap Hangers are great. But he say's the hangers are regular stainless.

Paul Trendler wrote: Rap station with two regular stainless Metolius hangers placed about eight inches apart. I threaded my rope and rappelled.

If they aren't fat Rap Hangers why would you do that?

Not trying to be a bully. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Paul Trendler wrote:I am sure that there is always a chance I could totally F*%k my rope once I pull it,

Sounds like it would be hard on the rope either way.

Could you have walked off?

Ropes can get stuck very easily doing this.

Paul Trendler wrote:Rap station with two regular stainless Metolius hangers placed about eight inches apart.

Seems like an unusual set-up for a rappel station, unless they were the fat metolius rap hangers. Is there more to the story? Like these are really just TR anchors?

A lost biner or two is a lot cheaper than a new rope. Sounds like rapping the route wasn't intended -- alternate rap route perhaps?

John Wilder wrote:the real question is why would you thread the bolts directly?

Is because they were metolious rap hangers not a good enough answer? And it is the hanger you are threading.... not the bolt. I would imagine you would have a hard time threading an actual bolt.

It is still a little unclear if they were rap hangers or regular hangers and if this guy even knows the difference.

Unless they were rap hangers, the relatively sharp edges are hard on your rope. Beyond that, it could be very hard to pull the rope through standard hangers.

Take some quick links (rapides) on your harness. They're quick, easy and cheap (like my ex, beat the trolls to it!) and not a big deal if you have to leave em behind on a bail (again, like my ex.)

I have done this plenty of times, usually folks put bigger/beefier bolts up top though. Rapping of v-threads or snow bollards are sketchy. You gonna work with what you've got. Besides rapping generates very little force.

The wear on the fixed hardware seems the worst problem here. I usually just untie a sling and tread it through both bolts retie then rap off that. Cheaper than leaving a biner, easier than carrying quick links. Generally in the areas I climb if your rapping directly off regular bolt hangers, it means you missed the intended rap station...

Thanks for all of your insights on this folks. To clear things up the hangers were not the larger metolius rap hangers, they were their standard stainless hangers.

No sheath damage, stuck rope, flat spots, or dead climber... yet.

What route was this?

One of the lesser visited crags I have climbed at has regular hangers at rap stations. I've made sure to have quick links with me when climbing there, I just leave the links on the hangers. If you tie a sling through the hangers, I would be sure to tie a master point in it.

Dan Bachen wrote:The wear on the fixed hardware seems the worst problem here. I usually just untie a sling and tread it through both bolts retie then rap off that. Cheaper than leaving a biner, easier than carrying quick links. Generally in the areas I climb if your rapping directly off regular bolt hangers, it means you missed the intended rap station...

So you're running the rope directly through the sling?? With no quicklinks/rings/biners?

Yeah rope through sling = no good. Unless of coures you intend to leave your rope behind

Paul Trendler wrote:Thanks for all of your insights on this folks. To clear things up the hangers were not the larger metolius rap hangers, they were their standard stainless hangers. No sheath damage, stuck rope, flat spots, or dead climber... yet.

No no no. We don't do that.

Can be hard on your rope. Can wear out the hangers.

Take some sling/cord and a rapide. Leave that.

No one rappels with the rope threaded through a standard hanger.

I've seen where douchebags steal quicklinks off of anchors disturbingly often. When used in tandem, 5/16" is plenty strong; keep a couple with you. Remember to rap only, not lower, if you only put one on each hanger.

RockyMtnTed wrote: I would imagine you would have a hard time threading an actual bolt. It is still a little unclear if they were rap hangers or regular hangers and if this guy even knows the difference.

Sounds like YOU'RE unclear on the various types of bolts out there. Go clip some glue-ins.

I have seen folks threading their rope directly through a glue-in, in anticipation of lowering off. But then they found the courage/stregth to continue upwards. So they threaded the rope (yea, a SECOND time) through the next bolt. This was in the Black Corridor at Red Rocks FYI.

And it was a static rope.

pooler wrote:Yeah rope through sling = no good. Unless of coures you intend to leave your rope behind

You obviously have not rapped off v-threads before. I'm glad people believe in it though - I get to booty a lot of shiny new biners off alpine routes.