"Emergency Climbing Rope"

[Leclused]

I saw this kit on the petzl webiste

Rad System

It's a rescue kit for skiers.

RAD SYSTEM
A complete ultra-lightweight and compact kit with specific cord, designed for skiers doing crevasse rescue, rappelling, or roping up on a glacier to get out of a crevasse zone

 

[Cantclimbtom]

What a good way to use the 50m of 9mm climbing rope I have. Unused. Lived in the dark and dry all its life. Trouble is, it was new in 1993. Hmmmm kids swing I think.

If you are near Sheffield one option is https://madebyscavenger.com/pages/climbing-gear-collection-points

 

[JAshley73]

I saw this kit on the petzl webiste

Rad System

It's a rescue kit for skiers.

RAD SYSTEM
A complete ultra-lightweight and compact kit with specific cord, designed for skiers doing crevasse rescue, rappelling, or roping up on a glacier to get out of a crevasse zone

Neat little kit. $420 USD however... Best I can tell, saves about $100 versus buying all those pieces individually. Still though, that 6mm RAD-line is $2.45 per foot...

 

[Cantclimbtom]

Apart from the cost, RAD line might not be suitable for caving anyway as you are very restricted on which rappel/abseil devices, belay devices and ascenders are compatible with it.

Rescue And Descent for skiing over a "wet" glacier
Beal make a very similar product called a "Backup Line" that's a lot cheaper, available in the US from https://hownot2.com/products/back-up-line but again issues with device compatibility and it's hyperstatic

To quote from the video "Show me a person who would rappel on this 5mm rope who wouldn't have a tight sphincter"

 

[JAshley73]

What a good way to use the 50m of 9mm climbing rope I have. Unused. Lived in the dark and dry all its life. Trouble is, it was new in 1993. Hmmmm kids swing I think.

I think I'd trust it more in the cave pack, then being in the sun & rain on a kid's swing...

You could always break-test a sample, to see...




Neat videos of break-testing some old caving rope. (Not sure if you all have anything like our PMI 11mm pit-rope, but 10/10 recommend NOT using this stuff for alpine-SRT)


Start at 5:45 if you want to skip to the break-test.

Start at 3:50 for the rope break-test.

 

[Cantclimbtom]

Even better, didn't hownot2 break some old mine rope sent by some contributors on this thread? You know who you are... post the link please

 

[JAshley73]

Apart from the cost, RAD line might not be suitable for caving anyway as you are very restricted on which rappel/abseil devices, belay devices and ascenders are compatible with it.

Rescue And Descent for skiing over a "wet" glacier
Beal make a very similar product called a "Backup Line" that's a lot cheaper, available in the US from https://hownot2.com/products/back-up-line but again issues with device compatibility and it's hyperstatic

To quote from the video "Show me a person who would rappel on this 5mm rope who wouldn't have a tight sphincter"

I watched that video the other day. Pretty neat. I could see using it in an emergency "Wouldn't it be nice if..." kit for the odd situation. But I would never "plan" on using that for any kind of main piece of kit.

Maybe useful as a double-strand, though I don't know what kind of rappel-device would be suitable for it...? Not sure if a Munter/Italian hitch works will with double strands/ropes.

 

[mattsccm]

Italian is fine with doubles in my experience although only with climbing ropes.

 

[mattsccm]

In the interests of "science" I did a test on my 30+ year old, never seen the day light 9mm climbing rope. Cut metres off the end. Figure 8 knot in each end a a whopping big steel shackle to join the to bars of my Land Rover Defender and my VW Camper. Back the Landy up close and dropped the clutch with lots of throttle. Backed off and checked the rope. Longer now! and a touch thinner but apart from some very tight knots no actual visible damage. Not even gone stiff. Second go and all that happened is that the van moved! No idea of the force involved but I reckon it would do as a security/top rope .
I have used 11mm climbing ropes to recover stuck 4WDs before and have even broken one. (They are long and cheap as they are retired from their principle purpose) That was a very mired down long wheel base Jap SUV being recovered by my Lada Niva. The rope stretched like an elastic band before snapping and either side of the break was rigid for at least a yard.

 

[hyweldavies]

Delighted to learn it's not just me that took note of that advice "back in the day". (see my post above of Friday 10th Jan at 11:19 ).

Indeed. And Just realised I must have read it in the same book which I still have. I'm pretty sure I bought it new, but not at the three and six price printed on the cover as I was a bit young to be caving in the pre decimal era

 

[JAshley73]

This past weekend, I took an "In cave emergency" class, where we practiced a few exercises, namely, assisting an injured caver up or down a steep slope. I found it pretty helpful practice.

One thing learned - accidentally, as we ran out of webbing pieces - is that a 120cm sling can be made into a diaper-harness. Not the most comfortable thing by any stretch. I found that stuffing one's knee pads behind the leg-straps was a tremendous help. Very handy to know...

I currently have (2) of these in my emergency "wouldn't it be nice if" kit...


I apologize for the "unpleasant nature" of the attached photo.

 

[langcliffe]

This past weekend, I took an "In cave emergency" class, where we practiced a few exercises, namely, assisting an injured caver up or down a steep slope. I found it pretty helpful practice.

One thing learned - accidentally, as we ran out of webbing pieces - is that a 120cm sling can be made into a diaper-harness. Not the most comfortable thing by any stretch. I found that stuffing one's knee pads behind the leg-straps was a tremendous help. Very handy to know...

I currently have (2) of these in my emergency "wouldn't it be nice if" kit...


I apologize for the "unpleasant nature" of the attached photo.




View attachment 24672

We use that for "sling and a prayer" pull-throughs, when we don't want to be encumbered by a full set of gear- e.g. dropping Ease Gill Aven. My sling, however, is made to measure, and is kept solely for that purpose.

This is not meant to a recommendation for the practice!

 

[phizz4]

This past weekend, I took an "In cave emergency" class, where we practiced a few exercises, namely, assisting an injured caver up or down a steep slope. I found it pretty helpful practice.

One thing learned - accidentally, as we ran out of webbing pieces - is that a 120cm sling can be made into a diaper-harness. Not the most comfortable thing by any stretch. I found that stuffing one's knee pads behind the leg-straps was a tremendous help. Very handy to know...

I currently have (2) of these in my emergency "wouldn't it be nice if" kit...


I apologize for the "unpleasant nature" of the attached photo.




View attachment 24672

climbers have used these as emergency harnesses for years. a well known practice.

 

[Mark Wright]

When I was first learning SRT in 1978 and 1979 I used one of these as my main harness. It was made from an old 2" wide car seat belt.

No matter how much you tried to adjust it, the Tape Knot would always dig in. Even with 2" wide webbing, they were very uncomfortable.

 

[wormster]

"Wormster's Rubber Ladder (TM)" consits of:

2 x 120mm slings (one tickk / one thinn)

3 x 60mm slings (two thickk / one thinn)

2 x 3 step Etirers

6 - 8 x Screwgate Crabs / 10mm Maiilons

Fits into a "Teeny Tiny" Warmbac Sac.

This setup is easy to carry (ona belt), allows for many itterations. (AND ina pinch can be used as a makeshift SRT rig - (See above post for making a sit harness outa a long sling) - a short sling twisted into a figure 8 annd worn across the back will double as a chest harness!!)

 

[Lankyman]

climbers have used these as emergency harnesses for years. a well known practice.

This was what I used to use to ab over the Lancashire grit quarries as a teenager before getting a Whillans harness as a 'real' climber. I think Doug Scott's book (was it called Big Wall Climbing?) was my go to source for ingenious ways to nearly kill myself.

 

[Brains]

There are several different ways of making a sit harness from the end of an SRT rope. A few different videos on line, but not the method I know. CBA to make a video ATM, but if there is interest...

 

[wormster]

OH yeah!!

ina pinch SRT situation short sligs and crabs can double as cows tails!

 

[langcliffe]

OH yeah!!

ina pinch SRT situation short sligs and crabs can double as cows tails!

I once improvised a long sling and a couple of carabiners to make a cows tail. I knew that it was quite safe, but it didn't stop a feeling of apprehension as I dangled on it when passing the hanging rebelay in Jingling.

 

[wormster]

I once improvised a long sling and a couple of carabiners to make a cows tail. I knew that it was quite safe, but it didn't stop a feeling of apprehension as I dangled on it when passing the hanging rebelay in Jingling.

Yeah hanging rebelays are a bit sphincter twitching