I can answer the question about the friction hitch backup under the extended rappell device: If you have it abouve the device it has to hold the whole force of you hanging in the system or in the worst case: falling. 2 disadvantages: You are hold entirely by static 5-6mm cord and it is super hard to loosen if you are vertical. If you have it below your device it just acts as a backup 3rd hand, that only has to hold the force after the device in braking position, which is much lower. That leads to a higher chance that you are able to loosen it up in vertical terrain without having to change the system entirely. Worst case is you have to tie a friction hitch abouve the device with a foot loop to deload the device and backup to loosen it, while with the backup abouve the device it could be to far up to reach it properly. I think extended rappel with backup under the device is the safest and most convenient method to use.
May i ad that if your third hand is to close to your atc (in case its not extended someway) its able to touch (and more imortantly tilt) it, which will render it useless and you will slide down your rope with no breaking... I like to go with the extended atc and a third hand from my legloop. this way i make sure that even if im knocked upside down its not able to reach to the atc.
I understand the reasoning behind putting your third hand below the extended ATC, but one argument to be made for having your third hand above the ATC is if you forget to tie stopper knots and end up rapping off the end with your ATC, there’s still a chance that the prusik could catch you before you’re completely off the rope
As has been mentioned in the previous comment this advice/method must be used with knowledge and experience... its pretty easy to keep proper spacing to allow your atc to work along with your lower backup while in a standing repel position... only to end up slipping, going feet up allowing your backup to disable your atc, sending you hurling headfirst at warp speed into anything below you... until you hit your stopper knot and break your spine 😬 It's a technique with great advantages, but can easily seemingly be safe until you learn the easy way or the hard way that your previously used regular spacing only works in regular positions 😉
Here in Europe the extended rappel with backup below is the standard method. Only in rare cases where there is a certain probability to have to climb-up on the rope would I place the backup above.
@@berryreading4809 true, i've seen this happen for real - raised leg allowed prussik to jam into rappel device, could be worse if it simply moved it along
We also read in a book all about 'arm' rappelling back in the 1970s from an old dusty book from the public library. Didn't read far enough to where it talks about this should only be used for low angle rappels. We learned to rappel out of a tree from about 20 feet up. Climbed a ladder and rappelled. Sent my friend up to try an arm rappel after reviewing the diagrams in the book. He started screaming and tried to get back on the ladder, but ended up kicking the ladder away. He then promptly fell to the ground while getting massive rope burns on and under his arms. Glad he went first (and last).
Have practiced the arm rappel wearing a fire fighter turnout coat and gloves from as high as a third floor window. Important to keep the downside arm out stretched. Good times but would avoid it in light weight clothing.
Yeah, it was something that was taught in rappelling in the ADF. Used when without all the gear in an emergency, down gradients that can't be walked easily down and from memory was in a land warfare manual and well-known survival book and I have a vague memory it was originally from a French climber and trained to commandos during ww2. I can be wrong but it was usually double rope and used the body as a brake so down/ along arm over the shoulder across the chest from the hip onto brake arm. Not saying it was a great idea or even tried it, just useful knowledge in a pinch.
Probably the best episode I've watched on this channel. I've had these "safety" conversations many times and found this episode very relatable and funny. Keep it up!
Doug needs to be regular talent on the channel. I’ve done countless raps but there’s always always room to learn. Wisdom can not be taught but must be earned through experience. Wisdom of previous generations needs preserved now more than ever imo. Thanks for the share guys. Good to see Bobby back at it.
This is a gem! I just got interested in lead climbing after having done bouldering for a couple of years and this is exactly the things i wanted to know! The part with Doug forgetting end knots is a solid reminder that habit is the best way to make mistakes. The sarcasm and overall feel of the video was amazing! Thank you!
This video, as all your others is excellent and covers a great range of the necessary skills. As an international mounting guide (IFMGA) of similar experience to Doug your guest, I would adda couple more points that I always teach: 1. Before beginning an abseil I get everybody to check that their harnesses are safely buckled (a friend of mine lost a client who fell out of his harness on an abseil). 2. To ensure I have the middle of the rope at the abseil anchor I match the ends of the rope before tying the ends together. I then throw the both ropes as one. They then both go the same direction. 3. In windy or difficult conditions the first to abseil carries the ropes down in a bag as cavers do. Coiling the ropes around the body an suffice. 4. Before the last abseil the folks at the bottom of the pitch do a short test pull of the correct strand of rope. If it doesn't run the person above can adjust it so that it does pull OK before leaving the top anchor. 5. As a backup knot the French Prussic (the French call it an Autoblock) which is far superior to the Prussic Knot in it's management and ability to engage when required. I hope this helps. Keep up the good work. It is very valuable to many people.
Only 1 out of 4 people actually knows if there is a knot at the end of the rope. Doug 2 seconds later: "look how coordinated we are" One of the funniest safety videos I have watched in a long time. Stay safe everyone!
I'm 46 now, after a couple yosemite bigwallsaround the age of 15 while hiding amoung boulders in the valley for free camping I met an old schooler, it may very well have been pass the pitons pete zabrock. i wouldnt be surprised after having had met many infamous climbers in the valley! Amazing full stoke! this dude in the talus started talking about redundancy and rope dynamics. clueless at the time, now I know! Thank you Ryan very much for helping us all with gear fear. Cheers and pass the pitons!
While it was not explicitly stated, I'm glad they are following the number one rule of climbing with other people. SPEAK UP. Watching Doug get called out was cheeky sure, but it was also super important. It doesn't matter what their status or reputation is is. Everyone needs to be double checked
Crazy story but when I was doing my Emt- p training 30 years ago we were out in the field doing repelling down to a patient dummy which we had to take to the bottom of a cliff. I got to the bottom and watched the student above bounce bounce down and the next bounce she went off the end of the rope as there was no knot. We actually used rope bags but nobody had tied the rope to the bag 😳. Needless to say it was the aloe tree vegetation that saved her life and broke her distance as she smashed them coming down a straight cliff 20m tumbling like a doll until she landed on a ledge about 5 m above me. It was silent and after a few seconds which felt like forever she burst into tears. I scrambled up she was alive but sever fractures to her legs and we ended up with a real evac and had to put her in the basket stretcher and with a real case
I read about climbing accidents about a year ago. Falling off the end of the rope when rappelling was a surprisingly common type of accident that resulted in fatality. (I think it was about 30% of all fatal trad/sport climbing accidents if I recall correctly). The recommendation by the agency that did the investigation was to always tie in stopper knots at the end of your rappel line.
Personally I am wary of recommendations to always or never do something as there are many different situations and scenarios. I prefer Bobby’s advice in this video “always CONSIDER “ using a stopper knot.
@@colinandrew8573 I think this is one of the cases where the "always" recommendation actually does more good than bad. The consequences for getting stuck on a wall are fairly minor even if common. Rather have 1000 people needing rescue from an awkward rappell than 10 people dying from rapping of the ends.
Falling off the end of a rope on rappel is what killed Brad Gobright. So yeah, fatal accidents do happen because people don’t/didn’t tie stopper knots in their rope. With all of the double redundant systems climbers routinely use, I personally think stoppers in the end of a rappel rope should be considered absolutely mandatory.
Absolutely LOVE the sarcasm and style!! Great stuff. We've watched probably too many of your videos and love them all. We'll need to send you some of our V3 soft shackles someday for testing against the standard lanyard knot ones. Keep it up!
Also Doug is like a real life superhero! And he's even cooler because the expression to smash the like button is totally unfamiliar to him. I hope I can be 1% as cool as him some day.
This was by far the best, and most entertaining, climbing video I have ever seen. Just… great. Thank you. It also had everything in it that I was taught, which makes me feel “super good enough” when it comes to my rappelling.
Doug is a treasure. I am closer in age to Doug and am new to climbing, 60 yo in December. Running into some physical challenges, but am well aware of not exceeding my competency or abilities. Having fun though.
From my experience, the arm rappel is called "the French Arm rappel." Australian rappelling is face down with your friction device on your backside. IMHO, there are occasional uses of the French Arm rappel. It can be used effectively on low angle slopes. Perhaps some of you know the bypass to the 5th Tea Cup on Dry Meadow Creek. It's low angle and if you need to get a few people to the next tea cup without the jump, it's a great technique to know. However like any technique, a climber has to know its limitations. Likewise in the video it was alluded to that tying a stopper knot isn't the right technique 100% of the time.
Yep, and for those wondering why you would face forward, it was invented so that a special forces group could rappel down a surface while still being able to shoot at enemy targets below.
As I stated above the hasty rappel (no braking device) technique is used in emergencies by the Miami Fire Department. We also used the Australian method for confidence building. Skilled individuals would actually run down the side of a building while facing the ground. I took my time.
I love this video. Doug has a great personality and I like witnessing the lessons learned the hard way on camera. Somehow it makes me feel better to know even experienced rope handlers like yourselves can make mistakes every now and then, or discover ways to improve on techniques.Trick is to avoid all errors that cause injury or lead to decreased lifespan(s), for yourself or others. Always double check everything and when working at elevations greater than chest height (They used to claim anything over a 6 foot fall can end ones future in a hurry), use redundant tethers/anchor points. One tether = no second chance, two = might another chance. Unless of course a rock strikes your gear and destroys it or you. Then i guess the Man In Charge has called you to come home, and there is not much one can do about that.😊
Doug's backup prusik positioned above rapell device is the way I was thought to rapel twenty years ago in Poland. We were taught the "high device" method as well, with a rapel device on a long tape and prusik below it - clipped directly to harness loop. Prusik above might be better in case if you have to unload the rapel device - if you can think of any scenarios when that could prove useful. Maybe for going around knots (caves) or gear placements when descending diagonally? Prusik above would also hold You, if Your rapell device disintegrated and would not introduce strain to the system. And finally, it's easy to change from descending to ascending with prusik above, just clip a foot extender, stand in it, and pull slack with your descender, hang in the descender, lift the prusik, stand in it, repeat. That's probably how I got to like it more. Think of using a Shunt instead of a prusik and it makes even more sense.
Long time ago I was taught to tie two different knots in two joined rope abseil. Stopper in one figure 8 in the one to be pulled. Works great especially after a long long day
Great video guys. I’m Swiss, live in the Alps and love mountaineering. My great great grand father (my profile picture) who was a famous mountain guide in the Zermatt area would be proud of you guys for being so fun while very informative. Thank you
@@MaxDuckwitz BD even includes belaying off that side in the manual--the brake side is considered the "extra friction" side. I don't ever use it for belaying, but I have lighter weight climbing partners that get a much smoother feed from the non-brake side while rappelling (which stresses your rappel anchor less!)
@@MaxDuckwitz Like others said, it's totally intended; BD leaves you friction options depending on use. In the case of an extended ATC backed up w/ a friction knot, the rope's always held the braking direction & you have a backup also giving bonus friction. All that on a low angle rappel, and you're going to have WAY too much friction to descend (as Ryan encountered).
Really appreciate this kind of stuff. Learning how to do all this myself. Seeing videos of experienced people breaking it down AND reaffirming what I’ve pieced together is very helpful
If you are unable to do a proper course, I recommend finding friends with enough experience to teach you. Rappelling is a dangerous craft and this video only shows a little of all the tricks involved.
Thank you so much for this. Love the chilled + funny + serious demonstration and knowledge you put out there (and beautifully edited, too). Warm regards to Bobby, hope things are getting better
Best case: Find a sturdy tree, outcrop etc. where you can put a sling around. Rappel from the sling. You’ll only lose a sling which is cheap. Disadvantage: You are polluting the mountains with plastic. Worse case: Rappel from two or three nuts in very good placements. You can connect them with a sling so you don’t have to sacrifice quickdraws. Even worse: Sacrifice cams.
The first time I liked a video because someone asked me to. I don't rappelle (sp.?), amd heights terrofy me, yes, even this novice hill! But I might at some point, now, because it looks super fun! Loved seeing passionate people talk about what they're into!
I have used the "Aussie" technique, or shoulder belay for rappelling/descending some 4th class ice/snow. There is a tricky section on the ascent and descent of Mt. Washington, via the Lion's Head winter route. Ascent is pretty straight forward with Crampons, but descent is sketchy. A doubled over rope, and shoulder belay make it a quick and easy descent with minimal gear and setup. With softshell or technical shell, it's also pretty smooth.
Shirt suggestion: be mindful! Complete with a catchy and memorable graphic. Seems like most all climbing related injuries, accidents, and issues with area access could be avoided entirely with that simple but sometimes elusive idea. Be MINDFUL
My brother's best friend died lowering off the end of his rappel. Just take the time and tie the knots. This videos are fantastic, though! Love the gear tests!
No doubt. I've definitely done some "walk offs" that were far more terrifying that the actual climb. The fact that y'all had one of the OG's of guiding as a guest was freak'n awesome.
Worth a mention that two very different sized ropes will run through a belay device at different rates, thus moving the center mark from where you had it (like if you're using a tag line.) Also a mention of the firemans belay would be nice. Even if only for trolling friends.
Top tip when putting the 3rd hand below the belay device - put this on first, and it takes the weight of the rope, leaving a loop of rope above to make it easier to put your belay device on
Great video! I prefer to have the prusik below my rappel device. That way you have the full strength of the rope rather than the prusik being the weakest part of the system. One thing I'd like to add: it's always good to know how to rappel without an ATC. I've actually once dropped my ATC from the top and had to rappel with just the karabiner using a half-hitch.
Before I got into climbing, I read many issues of Accidents in North American Climbing, to see how dangerous the sport really was. I learned catastrophic failure that could not be anticipated was very rare, and that the VAST majority of deaths were from rappelling off the end of a rope. The solidified in me early that rapelling, statistically, was extremely dangerous, but those dangerous could all be mitigated with best practices. Biggest ones being tying a stopper knot at the end of the rope, fully weighting the rappel before disconnecting from the anchor, and having a backup for the brake hand in case you get knocked unconscious, or have to fiddle with something on the way down. I also got in the habit of giving anyone following after me a fireman's belay, just in case.
6 feet of flat dental floss with multiple overhand knots going in one direction around the rope for the middle marker is the best braille you can ever get in the low lighting situations. Where the middle marker is unable to be seen; you can finger it out! *safety tip: if you're not certain you got the middle marker you can tug on each rope and finding each ropes weight is equal... keep testing as repelling in the dark if you find that one and it's much lighter than the other. You can use your personal anchor to clip and any bolts along the route or if you have gear to place works too. Re-adjust the ends of the rope to be equal on both sides (by weight) I use the extended rappel set up for beginners; so they have no chance of grabbing the wrong rope. Beginner repellers get a fireman's rappel-belay at the bottom of the rope for redundancy safety.
Ryan, next time you use an extended rappel, maybe you should consider using a different type of friction hitches. There are a couple of options to use to make the descent as smooth as a grigri. Using a hollow block is also helpful because they're safe but allow for slightly easier sliding of the hitch down the rope
Try pre rigging everybody's extended rappel at the top. There are two main advantages. 1) You can be double check each other. 2) If someone raps off the end of one rope the atc at the top anchor will keep the rope from pulling through.
I've definitely done this before with people I'm teaching. You can go ahead 1st without worrying about them above. It's a good trick when showing people how to rap.
I love this channel and you two in particular. Glad to see Bobby getting back into the swing of things after the accident. You guys had me cracking up in this video 😂
Doug doesn't have to follow the rules, because the rules follow Doug! 🤣 These episodes with Doug have been awesome, hopefully you can trick him into doing more in the future 🙏 👍
Ok, i'm taking the bait: I was taught that the idea of an extended rappel is that, if the prusik blocks, it will force your ATC to block too. This is probably also the reason why people put the prusik on their leg loop: You are still relying on the ATC to do the actual blocking. But that still seems a little bit sketchy to me.
There are a handful of benefits to extended rappel. One of which is having the ATC up where it is seen better. But the main one I learned as it’s actual reason was to be able to pass a knot onto a second rope - you would have slack to do so at the ATC and slack behind it. And have it in a manageable location to do so - as opposed to behind you… Learned that in some SARS training in the Navy/Marine Corps. As well as guarantees that your backup was not out of reach - which can happen if a Prussik were above and misgauged in length. But you can also misgauge the length of a prussik below and have that back up fail. The extension gives you more space to do so. AAC has a “know you’re ropes” series and also some good applications in why you should extend.
Gidday guys, I'm a 71yo Aussie and I can attest David's 'Australian Technique' was used in the 60's and 70's in Oz, I used it quite a lot. He's doing it wrong because the rope has to go across your back (start around your waist and lift it up) then arms go over the top and around the rope. The way he was doing it, rope over shoulders, it'd be too easy to have the rope ride over your neck and burn. Speed is controlled with the top, uphill, hand grip. It works on all slopes but overhangs not so good😳. I've used this extensively on mountain snow descents, 30 - 50 degrees, where you can face downhill and 'controlled walk' the slope. Hope this helps, Ron (in Oz). 😊🇦🇺
The Australian rappel is actually handy but not used a lot. Since a lot of places in Aus are very loose but not very tall it saves the hassle of having to put on a harness for something not worth abseiling down (mostly when canyoning). I have never used it on big cliffs or anything vertical usually only when you would use a hand line and want to be lazy about it.
Just such a great video - fun, funny, informative, educational, well shot, well edited and linked to your other videos and a great real-world, in-practice camaraderie between all you guys. The first time I have been moved to comment since following the channel so that must say something in itself. Keep doing what you're doing, finding your channel during the pandemic and various subsequent "lockdowns" has been a godsend and even though i consider myself a very knowledgeable climber with 20+ yrs experience i have still learnt a LOT. Much love from sunny Scotland.
Does Doug remember the Dülfersitz rappel? It actually is a great type to know if you lost everything else. I have tried it enough to know it works even on overhangs. I wouldn't use it everyday but would be better than the embarrassment of a rescue.
Even with tough cloths that one is not fun... All of your weight supported by two strands of rope running through the inner part of your thigh close to rather sensitive parts...
@@Compiaffe True that, however, I did it as practice with shorts and a t-shirt. I know that if everything is dropped I can still get down without a rescue.
What an absolute corker of an episode. Been instructing for 35 years and you 4 fellas had me chuckling the whole way through - but the points you raised and the "Safety" sponsor was just great. My current group will be watching this, and will understand I am not the oldest fella climbing 😉😂
Great vid I was having a conversation about the European death knot the over day and how I did not like being held up by one simple knot so nice to know that it's over 20kn
I always use two overhand knots, one after the other. The 2nd stops the 1st rolling - in theory. Sounds like it needs some kind of machine to test if it works though 🤔
I’m a big fan of having people on belay while rappelling into an unknown area or if it’s their first few times rappelling. Common practice I took from commercial leads into my personal life.
Slick way to unweighten jammed stuff on overhangs - you tie a clove hitch (or any sort of loop) on your rope (below you), put your foot in it, stand up, loose your knot. Can be done in few seconds, no additional gear needed.
Don't work as you by weighting the rope below your rappell device will make it brake and lock you in place. Better to use a 120m sling and prusik it above you to unweight your device and prusik.
@@JohanMood it works, just try it some time. Device is locked, but its biner and belay loop still allow more than enought movement to unweighten stuck prussik. Wont work for knot passage though..
I can answer the question about the friction hitch backup under the extended rappell device:
If you have it abouve the device it has to hold the whole force of you hanging in the system or in the worst case: falling. 2 disadvantages: You are hold entirely by static 5-6mm cord and it is super hard to loosen if you are vertical.
If you have it below your device it just acts as a backup 3rd hand, that only has to hold the force after the device in braking position, which is much lower. That leads to a higher chance that you are able to loosen it up in vertical terrain without having to change the system entirely. Worst case is you have to tie a friction hitch abouve the device with a foot loop to deload the device and backup to loosen it, while with the backup abouve the device it could be to far up to reach it properly.
I think extended rappel with backup under the device is the safest and most convenient method to use.
May i ad that if your third hand is to close to your atc (in case its not extended someway) its able to touch (and more imortantly tilt) it, which will render it useless and you will slide down your rope with no breaking...
I like to go with the extended atc and a third hand from my legloop. this way i make sure that even if im knocked upside down its not able to reach to the atc.
I understand the reasoning behind putting your third hand below the extended ATC, but one argument to be made for having your third hand above the ATC is if you forget to tie stopper knots and end up rapping off the end with your ATC, there’s still a chance that the prusik could catch you before you’re completely off the rope
As has been mentioned in the previous comment this advice/method must be used with knowledge and experience... its pretty easy to keep proper spacing to allow your atc to work along with your lower backup while in a standing repel position... only to end up slipping, going feet up allowing your backup to disable your atc, sending you hurling headfirst at warp speed into anything below you... until you hit your stopper knot and break your spine 😬 It's a technique with great advantages, but can easily seemingly be safe until you learn the easy way or the hard way that your previously used regular spacing only works in regular positions 😉
Here in Europe the extended rappel with backup below is the standard method. Only in rare cases where there is a certain probability to have to climb-up on the rope would I place the backup above.
@@berryreading4809 true, i've seen this happen for real - raised leg allowed prussik to jam into rappel device, could be worse if it simply moved it along
Smashed the like button, but only because Doug asked me to. If you'd like more smashing of buttons, have more Doug, it's that simple.
haha... noted. Saturday's video with him is ready to hit publish! Keep on smashing
We also read in a book all about 'arm' rappelling back in the 1970s from an old dusty book from the public library. Didn't read far enough to where it talks about this should only be used for low angle rappels. We learned to rappel out of a tree from about 20 feet up. Climbed a ladder and rappelled. Sent my friend up to try an arm rappel after reviewing the diagrams in the book. He started screaming and tried to get back on the ladder, but ended up kicking the ladder away. He then promptly fell to the ground while getting massive rope burns on and under his arms. Glad he went first (and last).
Never be the first one
I've tried dulfersitz once, just 2 metres. Burnt my neck. Never again.
Have practiced the arm rappel wearing a fire fighter turnout coat and gloves from as high as a third floor window. Important to keep the downside arm out stretched. Good times but would avoid it in light weight clothing.
Have seen training films of the Royal Marine Commandos doing this in WW2 they had full battle dress on not bare arms or a thin nylon top on.
Yeah, it was something that was taught in rappelling in the ADF. Used when without all the gear in an emergency, down gradients that can't be walked easily down and from memory was in a land warfare manual and well-known survival book and I have a vague memory it was originally from a French climber and trained to commandos during ww2. I can be wrong but it was usually double rope and used the body as a brake so down/ along arm over the shoulder across the chest from the hip onto brake arm. Not saying it was a great idea or even tried it, just useful knowledge in a pinch.
Probably the best episode I've watched on this channel. I've had these "safety" conversations many times and found this episode very relatable and funny. Keep it up!
This episode felt so relaxed and the tone was funny yet serious when it needed to be, quality content, keep 'er lit
I was about to say the same. Loved the vibe. Made me feel happy just like that.
Doesn’t the main fellah seem super passive aggressive?
Please, keep Doug in the How Not 2 team! He brings great value as the grand father of the AMGA! I hope to meet you all the next time im in CA. Cheers
This is one of your greatest videos. Doug is legendary.
Doug needs to be regular talent on the channel. I’ve done countless raps but there’s always always room to learn. Wisdom can not be taught but must be earned through experience. Wisdom of previous generations needs preserved now more than ever imo. Thanks for the share guys. Good to see Bobby back at it.
This is a gem! I just got interested in lead climbing after having done bouldering for a couple of years and this is exactly the things i wanted to know! The part with Doug forgetting end knots is a solid reminder that habit is the best way to make mistakes. The sarcasm and overall feel of the video was amazing! Thank you!
This video, as all your others is excellent and covers a great range of the necessary skills. As an international mounting guide
(IFMGA) of similar experience to Doug your guest, I would adda couple more points that I always teach:
1. Before beginning an abseil I get everybody to check that their harnesses are safely buckled (a friend of mine lost a client who fell out of his harness on an abseil).
2. To ensure I have the middle of the rope at the abseil anchor I match the ends of the rope before tying the ends together. I then throw the both ropes as one. They then both go the same direction.
3. In windy or difficult conditions the first to abseil carries the ropes down in a bag as cavers do. Coiling the ropes around the body an suffice.
4. Before the last abseil the folks at the bottom of the pitch do a short test pull of the correct strand of rope. If it doesn't run the person above can adjust it so that it does pull OK before leaving the top anchor.
5. As a backup knot the French Prussic (the French call it an
Autoblock) which is far superior to the Prussic Knot in it's management and ability to engage when required.
I hope this helps.
Keep up the good work. It is very valuable to many people.
Only 1 out of 4 people actually knows if there is a knot at the end of the rope.
Doug 2 seconds later: "look how coordinated we are"
One of the funniest safety videos I have watched in a long time.
Stay safe everyone!
Love the constant snark. The clip where you "took us to the shop" and showed the knot lasting up until 21 kn, that was priceless.
I'm 46 now, after a couple yosemite bigwallsaround the age of 15 while hiding amoung boulders in the valley for free camping I met an old schooler, it may very well have been pass the pitons pete zabrock. i wouldnt be surprised after having had met many infamous climbers in the valley! Amazing full stoke! this dude in the talus started talking about redundancy and rope dynamics. clueless at the time, now I know! Thank you Ryan very much for helping us all with gear fear. Cheers and pass the pitons!
Lessons from the master! I sincerely hope Doug continues to make videos with these guys!
While it was not explicitly stated, I'm glad they are following the number one rule of climbing with other people. SPEAK UP. Watching Doug get called out was cheeky sure, but it was also super important. It doesn't matter what their status or reputation is is. Everyone needs to be double checked
Crazy story but when I was doing my Emt- p training 30 years ago we were out in the field doing repelling down to a patient dummy which we had to take to the bottom of a cliff. I got to the bottom and watched the student above bounce bounce down and the next bounce she went off the end of the rope as there was no knot. We actually used rope bags but nobody had tied the rope to the bag 😳. Needless to say it was the aloe tree vegetation that saved her life and broke her distance as she smashed them coming down a straight cliff 20m tumbling like a doll until she landed on a ledge about 5 m above me. It was silent and after a few seconds which felt like forever she burst into tears. I scrambled up she was alive but sever fractures to her legs and we ended up with a real evac and had to put her in the basket stretcher and with a real case
Doug seems like the coolest guy ever! One of my favorite videos by far
As a German industrial climber, this video gave me multiple headaches - love it; please keep going!
I read about climbing accidents about a year ago. Falling off the end of the rope when rappelling was a surprisingly common type of accident that resulted in fatality. (I think it was about 30% of all fatal trad/sport climbing accidents if I recall correctly). The recommendation by the agency that did the investigation was to always tie in stopper knots at the end of your rappel line.
Personally I am wary of recommendations to always or never do something as there are many different situations and scenarios. I prefer Bobby’s advice in this video “always CONSIDER “ using a stopper knot.
I have seen 2 live accidents this way (no real harm), and heard of another on 2nd person. This shit is real.
@@colinandrew8573 I think this is one of the cases where the "always" recommendation actually does more good than bad. The consequences for getting stuck on a wall are fairly minor even if common. Rather have 1000 people needing rescue from an awkward rappell than 10 people dying from rapping of the ends.
Falling off the end of a rope on rappel is what killed Brad Gobright. So yeah, fatal accidents do happen because people don’t/didn’t tie stopper knots in their rope.
With all of the double redundant systems climbers routinely use, I personally think stoppers in the end of a rappel rope should be considered absolutely mandatory.
Dude don't know what you did this time but it WORKED. This has been first of my front page recomended for like... 9 hours or something? Great stuff
Absolutely LOVE the sarcasm and style!! Great stuff. We've watched probably too many of your videos and love them all. We'll need to send you some of our V3 soft shackles someday for testing against the standard lanyard knot ones. Keep it up!
the videos with Doug are fantastic! Such a wealth of stories and knowledge, and just seems like a charismatic storyteller.
Loving these episodes with Doug. More of Doug and his stories please!
You are gonna love the Saturday episode.
Love bobby! All the bad shit that's happened to him lately and he's still smiling, laughing and joking about! 😊
He really is a gem! I always like the episodes when he pops up. Plus it usually means some footage outdoors.
Also Doug is like a real life superhero! And he's even cooler because the expression to smash the like button is totally unfamiliar to him. I hope I can be 1% as cool as him some day.
This was by far the best, and most entertaining, climbing video I have ever seen. Just… great. Thank you. It also had everything in it that I was taught, which makes me feel “super good enough” when it comes to my rappelling.
Doug is a treasure. I am closer in age to Doug and am new to climbing, 60 yo in December. Running into some physical challenges, but am well aware of not exceeding my competency or abilities. Having fun though.
From my experience, the arm rappel is called "the French Arm rappel." Australian rappelling is face down with your friction device on your backside.
IMHO, there are occasional uses of the French Arm rappel. It can be used effectively on low angle slopes. Perhaps some of you know the bypass to the 5th Tea Cup on Dry Meadow Creek. It's low angle and if you need to get a few people to the next tea cup without the jump, it's a great technique to know. However like any technique, a climber has to know its limitations. Likewise in the video it was alluded to that tying a stopper knot isn't the right technique 100% of the time.
This is correct the Australian rappel is forward facing with a device
Yep, and for those wondering why you would face forward, it was invented so that a special forces group could rappel down a surface while still being able to shoot at enemy targets below.
As I stated above the hasty rappel (no braking device) technique is used in emergencies by the Miami Fire Department. We also used the Australian method for confidence building. Skilled individuals would actually run down the side of a building while facing the ground. I took my time.
The Australian rappel is indeed facing the direction you are heading. The method of braking, i.e. device or not, is irrelevant.
Great to see Doug out and about. shows you how many of the old school methods work just fine.
These two videos with this guy are my favorite videos I’ve seen on this channel! So funny and informative with great stories and history.
I love this video. Doug has a great personality and I like witnessing the lessons learned the hard way on camera. Somehow it makes me feel better to know even experienced rope handlers like yourselves can make mistakes every now and then, or discover ways to improve on techniques.Trick is to avoid all errors that cause injury or lead to decreased lifespan(s), for yourself or others. Always double check everything and when working at elevations greater than chest height (They used to claim anything over a 6 foot fall can end ones future in a hurry), use redundant tethers/anchor points. One tether = no second chance, two = might another chance. Unless of course a rock strikes your gear and destroys it or you. Then i guess the Man In Charge has called you to come home, and there is not much one can do about that.😊
Doug's backup prusik positioned above rapell device is the way I was thought to rapel twenty years ago in Poland. We were taught the "high device" method as well, with a rapel device on a long tape and prusik below it - clipped directly to harness loop. Prusik above might be better in case if you have to unload the rapel device - if you can think of any scenarios when that could prove useful. Maybe for going around knots (caves) or gear placements when descending diagonally? Prusik above would also hold You, if Your rapell device disintegrated and would not introduce strain to the system. And finally, it's easy to change from descending to ascending with prusik above, just clip a foot extender, stand in it, and pull slack with your descender, hang in the descender, lift the prusik, stand in it, repeat. That's probably how I got to like it more. Think of using a Shunt instead of a prusik and it makes even more sense.
Long time ago I was taught to tie two different knots in two joined rope abseil. Stopper in one figure 8 in the one to be pulled. Works great especially after a long long day
This is an excellent method - I was thinking two stopper knots in the one to be pulled but using a non standard knot works even better
I like the editing to add the break tests in these videos! Good addition
I thought it was way better than us just sitting in the lab telling you the use case for it. I'm hoping to do this on all activities from now on
really loving this new channel already!
Great video guys. I’m Swiss, live in the Alps and love mountaineering. My great great grand father (my profile picture) who was a famous mountain guide in the Zermatt area would be proud of you guys for being so fun while very informative. Thank you
25:58 Use the ATC upside down to have less friction.
26:37 Put the carabiner from the PAS on the rope you have to pull.
By upside down you mean brake side towards the top? I never tried that but it sounds a bit sketchy to me to disable the brake 🤔
@@MaxDuckwitz nope, it's in the manual. Totally legit.
@@MaxDuckwitz BD even includes belaying off that side in the manual--the brake side is considered the "extra friction" side. I don't ever use it for belaying, but I have lighter weight climbing partners that get a much smoother feed from the non-brake side while rappelling (which stresses your rappel anchor less!)
@@MaxDuckwitz Like others said, it's totally intended; BD leaves you friction options depending on use. In the case of an extended ATC backed up w/ a friction knot, the rope's always held the braking direction & you have a backup also giving bonus friction. All that on a low angle rappel, and you're going to have WAY too much friction to descend (as Ryan encountered).
Really appreciate this kind of stuff. Learning how to do all this myself. Seeing videos of experienced people breaking it down AND reaffirming what I’ve pieced together is very helpful
If you are unable to do a proper course, I recommend finding friends with enough experience to teach you. Rappelling is a dangerous craft and this video only shows a little of all the tricks involved.
This video might be my favourite on the channel so far. Doug is a gem.
Thank you so much for this. Love the chilled + funny + serious demonstration and knowledge you put out there (and beautifully edited, too). Warm regards to Bobby, hope things are getting better
This is the first time I smashed that like button. Doug rocks!
You can tell how much they
Respect and love Doug
Doug is such a cool person to be around
I'd really like to see a video on how not to bail. Bailing on alpine routes without bolts, aka bailing on gear @HowNOT2
I second this
Best case: Find a sturdy tree, outcrop etc. where you can put a sling around. Rappel from the sling. You’ll only lose a sling which is cheap. Disadvantage: You are polluting the mountains with plastic.
Worse case: Rappel from two or three nuts in very good placements. You can connect them with a sling so you don’t have to sacrifice quickdraws.
Even worse: Sacrifice cams.
Doug was great. I loved the energy he brought in.
The first time I liked a video because someone asked me to.
I don't rappelle (sp.?), amd heights terrofy me, yes, even this novice hill! But I might at some point, now, because it looks super fun! Loved seeing passionate people talk about what they're into!
Doug Said it the best - I too thought a rappel video was boring but it was pretty good. Lol
I looooove those Doug videos, what a great way to start hownot2! 🙌
dug is 100% the reason i smashed the like button, but good video!
Presic knot is awesome! What a useful versatile knot. Cleaver, safe, and devilishly simple. I love knots. I can't wait to start rock climbing NV
Love Bobbys white golf gloves 💜💜☺️
thanks for this.. watched 3 times last wknd. i am just starting and learned alot from this. i did my first rappel yesterday!
Glad we could help!
I have used the "Aussie" technique, or shoulder belay for rappelling/descending some 4th class ice/snow. There is a tricky section on the ascent and descent of Mt. Washington, via the Lion's Head winter route. Ascent is pretty straight forward with Crampons, but descent is sketchy. A doubled over rope, and shoulder belay make it a quick and easy descent with minimal gear and setup. With softshell or technical shell, it's also pretty smooth.
I agree that it's really useful to say out loud what you're doing, so both you and your partner don't make a dumb mistake.
Shirt suggestion: be mindful! Complete with a catchy and memorable graphic. Seems like most all climbing related injuries, accidents, and issues with area access could be avoided entirely with that simple but sometimes elusive idea. Be MINDFUL
My brother's best friend died lowering off the end of his rappel. Just take the time and tie the knots.
This videos are fantastic, though! Love the gear tests!
Sorry to hear that. It is a dangerous part of the sport
competent and fun have captured my atention... muchas gracias, chicos!
We call the European Death Knot by it acronym, EDK. Its the only knot we use for tying two rappel ropes together. It slides over the rock the best.
No doubt. I've definitely done some "walk offs" that were far more terrifying that the actual climb. The fact that y'all had one of the OG's of guiding as a guest was freak'n awesome.
Really liked the format of this video. loved the tutorial mixed with teleportation's. really awesome
I’m an Australian and you summed us up perfectly.
What a great caracter Doug is. Thanks a bundle!
Check out our new store! hownot2.store/
What a legend Doug! Awsome content as always guys!!
Worth a mention that two very different sized ropes will run through a belay device at different rates, thus moving the center mark from where you had it (like if you're using a tag line.)
Also a mention of the firemans belay would be nice. Even if only for trolling friends.
Top tip when putting the 3rd hand below the belay device - put this on first, and it takes the weight of the rope, leaving a loop of rope above to make it easier to put your belay device on
Exactly! Prusik on 1st, pull up some slack to take the weight of the rope onto your harness while you put on your ATC. That's a pro tip for sure.
Around the back is how I learnt in the 1970's and feel safe, even now
Great video! I prefer to have the prusik below my rappel device. That way you have the full strength of the rope rather than the prusik being the weakest part of the system. One thing I'd like to add: it's always good to know how to rappel without an ATC. I've actually once dropped my ATC from the top and had to rappel with just the karabiner using a half-hitch.
Not a climber. Not thinking about it anytime soon. Just subscribed. Great people, great content! I am happy I found you
Before I got into climbing, I read many issues of Accidents in North American Climbing, to see how dangerous the sport really was. I learned catastrophic failure that could not be anticipated was very rare, and that the VAST majority of deaths were from rappelling off the end of a rope. The solidified in me early that rapelling, statistically, was extremely dangerous, but those dangerous could all be mitigated with best practices.
Biggest ones being tying a stopper knot at the end of the rope, fully weighting the rappel before disconnecting from the anchor, and having a backup for the brake hand in case you get knocked unconscious, or have to fiddle with something on the way down. I also got in the habit of giving anyone following after me a fireman's belay, just in case.
6 feet of flat dental floss with multiple overhand knots going in one direction around the rope for the middle marker is the best braille you can ever get in the low lighting situations. Where the middle marker is unable to be seen; you can finger it out!
*safety tip:
if you're not certain you got the middle marker you can tug on each rope and finding each ropes weight is equal... keep testing as repelling in the dark if you find that one and it's much lighter than the other. You can use your personal anchor to clip and any bolts along the route or if you have gear to place works too. Re-adjust the ends of the rope to be equal on both sides (by weight)
I use the extended rappel set up for beginners; so they have no chance of grabbing the wrong rope. Beginner repellers get a fireman's rappel-belay at the bottom of the rope for redundancy safety.
Bobby is such a wholesome human
Ryan, next time you use an extended rappel, maybe you should consider using a different type of friction hitches. There are a couple of options to use to make the descent as smooth as a grigri. Using a hollow block is also helpful because they're safe but allow for slightly easier sliding of the hitch down the rope
Try pre rigging everybody's extended rappel at the top. There are two main advantages. 1) You can be double check each other. 2) If someone raps off the end of one rope the atc at the top anchor will keep the rope from pulling through.
I've definitely done this before with people I'm teaching. You can go ahead 1st without worrying about them above. It's a good trick when showing people how to rap.
I like this video that invite more friends to hand out, lot of laughing here and also come with knowledage as usual, nice one.
this was wonderful, thanks chaps.
You guys are so funny, and Doug is the best. What a blast this day must have been.
Awesome video! Smart and funny isn't a bad way to get things done.
I actually waited to smash the like button until Doug told me to.
I love this channel and you two in particular. Glad to see Bobby getting back into the swing of things after the accident. You guys had me cracking up in this video 😂
Doug doesn't have to follow the rules, because the rules follow Doug! 🤣 These episodes with Doug have been awesome, hopefully you can trick him into doing more in the future 🙏 👍
“I can assure you I’m not enjoying it that much” 😂😂
Ok, i'm taking the bait:
I was taught that the idea of an extended rappel is that, if the prusik blocks, it will force your ATC to block too.
This is probably also the reason why people put the prusik on their leg loop: You are still relying on the ATC to do the actual blocking. But that still seems a little bit sketchy to me.
There are a handful of benefits to extended rappel. One of which is having the ATC up where it is seen better. But the main one I learned as it’s actual reason was to be able to pass a knot onto a second rope - you would have slack to do so at the ATC and slack behind it. And have it in a manageable location to do so - as opposed to behind you… Learned that in some SARS training in the Navy/Marine Corps.
As well as guarantees that your backup was not out of reach - which can happen if a Prussik were above and misgauged in length. But you can also misgauge the length of a prussik below and have that back up fail. The extension gives you more space to do so.
AAC has a “know you’re ropes” series and also some good applications in why you should extend.
5:30 "Being outside is dangerous" Inside too, most accidents happen at home. 🤣
You guys would be a blast to climb with. Doug is such a character. Great guys! Thanks for another video.
The ONLY "sponsor" promotion i've ever enjoyed!👍
Love to see how much fun they had making this
Gidday guys, I'm a 71yo Aussie and I can attest David's 'Australian Technique' was used in the 60's and 70's in Oz, I used it quite a lot.
He's doing it wrong because the rope has to go across your back (start around your waist and lift it up) then arms go over the top and around the rope. The way he was doing it, rope over shoulders, it'd be too easy to have the rope ride over your neck and burn. Speed is controlled with the top, uphill, hand grip. It works on all slopes but overhangs not so good😳.
I've used this extensively on mountain snow descents, 30 - 50 degrees, where you can face downhill and 'controlled walk' the slope. Hope this helps, Ron (in Oz). 😊🇦🇺
Remember this was done on double hemp ropes for abseiling or sometimes double no 3 or no 4 nylon.
The Australian rappel is actually handy but not used a lot. Since a lot of places in Aus are very loose but not very tall it saves the hassle of having to put on a harness for something not worth abseiling down (mostly when canyoning). I have never used it on big cliffs or anything vertical usually only when you would use a hand line and want to be lazy about it.
Just such a great video - fun, funny, informative, educational, well shot, well edited and linked to your other videos and a great real-world, in-practice camaraderie between all you guys. The first time I have been moved to comment since following the channel so that must say something in itself. Keep doing what you're doing, finding your channel during the pandemic and various subsequent "lockdowns" has been a godsend and even though i consider myself a very knowledgeable climber with 20+ yrs experience i have still learnt a LOT. Much love from sunny Scotland.
Thanks for the kind words. From rainy (we wish) California,
Does Doug remember the Dülfersitz rappel? It actually is a great type to know if you lost everything else. I have tried it enough to know it works even on overhangs. I wouldn't use it everyday but would be better than the embarrassment of a rescue.
It helps to wear Carhart overalls or motorcycle gear for this one. I once did on vertical with shorts and a tee...never again!
It's also the most gentlemanly of all methods. 🎩🎩🎩
Even with tough cloths that one is not fun... All of your weight supported by two strands of rope running through the inner part of your thigh close to rather sensitive parts...
@@Compiaffe True that, however, I did it as practice with shorts and a t-shirt. I know that if everything is dropped I can still get down without a rescue.
Hard to cycle for a some days after ... but works...
"im not gonna tell you to smash the like button" well you've convinced me, Im pressing like.
So like keep bringin Doug back, great episode
What an absolute corker of an episode. Been instructing for 35 years and you 4 fellas had me chuckling the whole way through - but the points you raised and the "Safety" sponsor was just great. My current group will be watching this, and will understand I am not the oldest fella climbing 😉😂
Great vid
I was having a conversation about the European death knot the over day and how I did not like being held up by one simple knot so nice to know that it's over 20kn
I always use two overhand knots, one after the other. The 2nd stops the 1st rolling - in theory. Sounds like it needs some kind of machine to test if it works though 🤔
I have no idea how I ended up here, but I smashed that like button
I’m a big fan of having people on belay while rappelling into an unknown area or if it’s their first few times rappelling. Common practice I took from commercial leads into my personal life.
Doug seems to be a really nice person to be around.
Doug gets my like.
Cant help but notice Dougs smile wrinkles. Thats a guy who has spent a lot of time smiling. Sign of a life well lived.
Slick way to unweighten jammed stuff on overhangs - you tie a clove hitch (or any sort of loop) on your rope (below you), put your foot in it, stand up, loose your knot. Can be done in few seconds, no additional gear needed.
Don't work as you by weighting the rope below your rappell device will make it brake and lock you in place.
Better to use a 120m sling and prusik it above you to unweight your device and prusik.
@@JohanMood it works, just try it some time. Device is locked, but its biner and belay loop still allow more than enought movement to unweighten stuck prussik. Wont work for knot passage though..