Wanted - SRT kit

Keris82

Member
I'm in need of a complete srt kit in time for the end of May. Please get in touch if you have anything on offer.

Needed: Harness, croll, cows tails etc
 

mikem

Well-known member
You'd be better off making your own cowstails & 2nd hand harnesses can be suspect, unless you know their history...

Mike
 

darren

Member
mikem said:
You'd be better off making your own cowstails & 2nd hand harnesses can be suspect, unless you know their history...

Mike

Do you know anyone who has been killed or seriously injured using second hand kit?
 

alastairgott

Well-known member
It's generally an accepted principle to avoid second hand harnesses and Cowstails (unless you know and trust the person giving it to you).

Only this weekend I met someone who had bent their stop on a caving trip, clearly this can be bent back into shape. But if this happens a lot to a safety critical part of the kit, then you wouldn't know it when you came to buy it.

Think of all of the stories of knock off Petzl kit that are on this forum, to the untrained eye they might well look like a genuine bit of kit.

You might end up with a Siwond Carabiner that fails on the first trip. The Saving is out there if you want the associated risks, but if you're not aware of the risks then I'd plumb for new and reputable kit.
 

topcat

Active member
I have  a full SRT kit that has never been underground.  Used for one gym training session, owner hated it.......

  Drop me a pm or email for info.  Can caver post to the Dales in two weeks.

TC
 

alastairgott

Well-known member
my turn, my turn!

Some questions...:
1) how Many trips have some of bob mehews snapped cowstails been on?
2) how many people have bruised hips because of old cowstails, i know one ex shopkeeper in Derbyshire?
 

darren

Member
Me next.

That's a list of people who haven't been seriously injured or killed whilst using srt kit. Doesn't mention if the kit was second hand.
 

alastairgott

Well-known member
I also like this blokes post
https://ukcaving.com/board/index.php?topic=8248.msg109309#msg109309

ken said:
please forgive the somewhat strange 2 cent comment. If someone is caving properly and srt is being used correctly (lets say in both situations... properly= safety first). in a situation where cow tails are needed (srt for example) you should always have 2 attachments on the rope or "spit" when going over a belay point, either up or down.
I realize that many, myself included don't always do this (its only 3 meters high...I'm holding everyone up) a ff higher than 2 is the result of (in most all cases) cutting corners.
An uncontrolled fall into a cowtail is going to hurt, at least wake you up. after the adrenalin dissipates you usually realize what went wrong (if there was no "splat") and take measures to see that the uncontrolled fall is as short as possible in the future.
I remember reading somewhere test results of different types of knots against the ff and the results were somewhat scary.
starting at the point of a 34 kn (here a static rope 10.5 mm) the knot can and will reduce (depending on the knot)the overall tensile strength up to 35%.
Cavers being somewhat tightfisted and taking "piece of the 9 mm climbing rope thats been laying around since last year in the boot" with a overall tensile strength say 18 kn when it was new, forgetting the producers guaranty of 6 - 7 falls, reducing the overall tensile strength by 20% and what is left over for the uncontrolled fall and slam into the wall.....scary....
take into consideration loose knots, taping up the krab (glue and chemicals), rope ridden hard and put up wet 2 years running....... I think i'll take up a new sport....extreme sitting  :)
 

paul

Moderator
[gmod]This Forum section is for selling or buying or giving away kit, etc. Please debate any points elsewhere on a new thread.[/gmod]
 
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