I'm a woman

I'm a woman
Photos copyright Laurence Gouault
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Sunday 1 February 2015

Gear Safety, Climber Safety, by Stevie Safe Haston.


Using  thin ropes is a bit of a skill and safety issue, most reviews of them tell you they are light and don't wear well, which of course is true.  What you fundamentally must understand is that they need a certain level of skill to use them safely. There are two issues, first is that you can ruin one of these extra thin ropes in an instant with a bad rub point, a notched caribiner, or just treating this thin rope like it was a much more robust rope. The second issue is you really have to think about the belay device you use! These thin, skinny, slick, great ropes don't work very well with nearly all of the normal belay devices! Am I therefore saying they are not safe, no I am not, but you must take real care to be safe, so take care, and be safe. Edelweiss and a few other rope manufactures make some very good skinny ropes, there advantages are clear low weight, low friction and more red point success. 


 I love this door nob, I use it to crack walnuts! Theres no warning on it, no instruction pamphlet its just a door knocker, use it to knock, don't use it to some how mash your fingers.  Climbing is full of little dangers and some big ones too, so be careful. I am very careful and still have accidents, I work in the climbing gear manufacturing business and realise more than most  that its easy to use gear wrongly or just have an accident.



 Be safe, play the devils advocate if you want, but try and understand some of the avoidable stuff. Like  rope stretch sometimes means you will hit the ground if the ground is within reach!


Slight Prang today, smashed Patella, got a few days to think about this while working at ISPO trade show, come and offer your condolences, or have a laugh at my expense.