Rope up

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Under roping or integration is meant the creation of a secure frictional connection between a climber and a climbing rope . The process is used to secure the roped person from falling during activities at great heights such as mountaineering , industrial climbing or tree climbing . The opposite process is Ausseilen or unbinding called.

Rope knot

Roping knots are knots that are used for roping up. The following factors play a role in assessing the suitability of a node for this task:

  • Durability: The knot should not slip under the intended load.
  • Reliability: The knot must not change or loosen due to changing loads.
  • Knot strength : The knot should not reduce the breaking load of the rope too much.
  • Optical verifiability: the knot should be easy to recognize and not be confused in order to rule out errors and to simplify the external control by the partner during the partner check .
  • Simplicity: The knot should be as easy to learn and use as possible.
  • Easy to loosen: The knot should be easy to loosen after the rope has been subjected to stress, for example in a normal climbing fall.
  • Proven: The knot should have proven itself in practice.
  • Awareness: Nodes that many are familiar with can also be more easily controlled by others.

A total of three nodes, which according to Elsner et al. (2000) are certain to accept most of these requirements: the double bulin , the sack stitch and the figure eight knot . The figure eight best meets the above criteria for beginners.

Sack stitch

The sack stitch is a secure rope knot that was mainly used in the past. Its advantages are the simplicity and the uncomplicated visual verifiability. Compared to the figure eight knot, it is less voluminous. In the case of new ropes, additional protection using a regular lay knot is sometimes recommended. Pohl et al. generally recommend such an additional safety device in order to rule out possible loosening after loosening the knot. The knot is difficult to loosen again after heavy use. It is therefore only rarely used for roping up, but mostly only when connecting chest and hip belts (combination belt) with a hose band.

Figure eight knot

The figure-of-eight knot is taught by all mountain and rescue organizations and recommended as a basic rope knot, which makes it the most commonly used standard knot for roping up today. It is easy to learn, has a good visual control and can be removed again even after exercise.

In many competition regulations, the figure-eight knot is mandatory for roping in climbing competitions . The figure eight knot has two main disadvantages: after a heavy load it is often difficult to loosen and after tying off a residual knot (an end eight ) that can get jammed when the rope is pulled off if you forget to loosen it.

Double bulin

The double bulin knot is a safe knot for roping up, which can be loosened even after heavy loads, such as when bouldering routes or frequent falls. In this respect it is superior to other nodes. Another advantage is that it does not leave a residual knot when untying.

Its disadvantage is the visual appearance, which makes the final visual inspection by the climber and his partner difficult. The Bulin knot is therefore particularly suitable for advanced sport climbers .

Other knots

The Bulin 1.5 is also widespread in America . The anchor hitch represents a special case , which is only suitable for direct roping in a rope switch.

It happens occasionally that climbers also use other knots. However, this is not recommended because their safety has not been tested to the same extent and the characteristics are not known as precisely as with the commonly used rope knots. The simple Bulin , which was frequently used until the 1970s, is now discouraged because it can detach itself when subjected to a ring load, which has already caused several fatal falls.

history

In the early days of alpinism, mountaineers tied the rope directly around their bodies without a climbing harness . The ropes were made of hemp and therefore hardly stretched. Rope breaks were frequent and falls were life-threatening, so that one rarely climbed the performance limit.

In 1952, Ken Tarbuck invented a rope knot that was supposed to soften a fall. This is basically a clamping knot that forms an adjustable loop . If the jerk is too high, the knot brakes the fall by slipping through it and only blocks when there is a harmless force. Together with a dynamic safety technology, it should reduce the impact force . The so-called tarbuck knot , however, never found widespread use, because dynamic ropes at affordable prices soon came onto the market.

At the end of the 1960s the first seat belt with two leg loops appeared, which made easier knots possible. With the increased safety reserves, climbers ventured more to their physical limits and the number of falls increased. While knots such as sack stitch and spar stitch were used as rope knots in the early days , the need for a knot that can be easily loosened even after a fall has increased. Here the figure-eight knot and the bulin emerged as knots that meet this requirement.

In the 1970s, experts began to discourage the use of the bulin, as research into some fatal accidents had found that it could not withstand ring loading. Despite publications in specialist literature, the Bulin persisted in the climbing scene. When there was a serious accident at the 1992 World Cup due to an opening Bulin, the international judges decided that only eight knots were allowed to be used.

Meanwhile, two improvements to the single bulin are also considered safe: the double bulin and the bulin 1.5. The latter, however, is not one of the knots recommended by the alpine clubs, as it is very difficult to visually control.

Rope with a carabiner

In the top rope may also, according to doctrine carabiner be roped. However, this method is very dangerous for roping up a leader . According to general doctrine, two karabiners should be used redundantly. Schubert recommends two screw carabiners in opposite directions as the ideal solution. Schubert also regards the use of two carabiners in opposite directions, at least one of which is screw-type, as acceptable . Other authors such as Hofmann (2008) also consider two normal carabiners attached in opposite directions without a screw cap or the sole use of special Safebiners (from Safe carabiners) as safe. Schubert agrees with the thesis that special safebiners (not normal screw or twist lock carabiners) such as the ball lock or the belay master are safe enough on their own. However, he thinks that it is still good to use two carabiners for two reasons: On the one hand, a doctrine should be formulated in a simple manner and, on the other hand, carabiner breaks due to material errors can be secured.

Roping up on the glacier is a special case of roping up with a carabiner . Against the tradition of roping up with a screw carabiner, redundant roping to two screw carabiners is safer.

Rope in the middle of the rope

Roping in the middle of the rope (or on any other rope section except the rope ends) is necessary if more than two people form a rope team with one rope, or if a very long single rope is used as a half or double rope and consequently one is in the middle of the rope. The following options can be practiced:

  1. Roping up with a carabiner: For this purpose, a loop is made in the rope with a sack stitch, figure eight or butterfly knot (alpine butterfly), to which the climber can attach using a locking carabiner (see the chapter on roping up with a carabiner). This has the advantage that the climber can easily unhook himself from the rope if necessary, and the disadvantages of roping up with carabiners.
  2. The direct roping in a rope switch: First the climber knots an arm-length loop from the rope as a rope switch using a sack stitch, figure eight or butterfly knot. For direct roping into the rope switch, the climber uses an anchor stitch that occurs when he leads the rope loop through the rope loop of the climbing harness to the knot of the rope switch and then climbs through the rope loop with his body.
  3. The direct roping in the middle of the rope: The double bulin is suitable for this, but laid and not plugged in. The middle of the rope, now the "end" of the rope, is passed through the rope loop of the climbing harness, then the eye is placed in front of the harness and the end is passed through. The belt is now in the knot. Now the bay is led over the knot and the climbing harness, if you already have the harness on you have to make the bay large, lead it over your body and climb through. Finally, tighten the knot until it has reached the usual size.

Roping up for special disciplines

Roping up in climbing competitions

In international climbing competitions, harnesses are used to climb. According to the IFSC rules, the figure of eight knot, secured with an additional stopper knot, is mandatory for roping up. In Germany, the rules of the IFSC are decisive. In Switzerland, Article 6.8 of the national regulations states that the figure of eight has to be roped out.

Roping on the glacier

On the glacier, several mountaineers rope themselves on the same rope in order to have more holding reserves in the event of a crevasse fall. Roping up only with a hip belt is recommended, as it has the advantage that the risk of being carried away is reduced, while at the same time it must be accepted that with heavy backpacks this increases the risk of falling over again. Ultimately, a decision must be made on a case-by-case basis. Traditionally, a screw carabiner is used to rope the glacier. Schubert notes that to date there have been no accidents with it, as falling into a crevasse is a rare occurrence. Nevertheless, he recommends a redundant roping up with two screw carabiners.

Roping up with different types of harnesses

Basically, roping up with a hip belt and roping up with a hip and chest belt is equivalent, although, as an exception, the hip / chest belt combination is safer for children, overweight people and when climbing with a backpack. It should also be mentioned that roping up with a chest strap is extremely dangerous for adults and children and should not be practiced under any circumstances. When hanging in the chest strap, the cardiovascular system is severely impaired. This so-called hanging trauma poses an acute danger to life.

Seat belts

Hip or seat belts are most needed today. Contrary to previous concerns, they are sufficiently safe for sport climbing even when used alone. With this type of belt, the rope must be roped in such a way that both the waist belt and the leg loops are loaded. This is achieved by roping to the waist belt eyelet and the leg loop bridge, as recommended by some harness manufacturers, or by roping directly to the securing ring (also known as the central loop). The distance between the knot and the waist belt loop is also important. While this does not affect the holding force, a knot tied close to the harness allows the climber to get closer to the hook, making it easier to work on routes.

Combination of seat and chest belt

Chest and hip belts are connected by a figure eight strap. A one and a half meter long cord is connected to the rope loop of the hip belt with a sack stitch. The free ends are then pulled through the loops of the chest strap and knotted. The whole construct then resembles an eight. Before using sling material which is knotted with a sling knot, you are warned, as this knot is not secure enough with slings .

Dangers when roping up

If a few factors are taken into account, all errors in the context of rope-up can be virtually ruled out. Please note:

  • Only use the figure eight knot or, at best, the sack stitch or double bulin knot.
  • Always carry out the partner check consistently.
  • Rope with carabiners only in top rope and with two carabiners, of which at least one screw carabiner is screwed on.

Nonetheless, a large German study on behavioral errors in the climbing hall showed that one percent of the ropes were incorrectly performed overall and 2.1% when the subsequent ascent was considered in isolation . In the area of ​​the ascent, roping up with this error rate was the most common behavior error.

Incomplete knot

This mistake is the most common mistake when roping up and is of great practical importance. The risk increases with routine. At the beginning of the climbing career, the process of knotting must be done consciously. The further the learning process progresses, the more the process of tying the knot is automated and thus carried out without much involvement of the conscious mind. If the automated process is disrupted, for example by an unusual event, the knot remains incomplete without the climber being aware of this. The great routine also means that there is no need for frequent, fear-related visual follow-up checks for beginners. The climber now begins the climbing activity and falls when the rope is first loaded. A prominent victim of such a mistake was the World Cup winner Lynn Hill , who fell in the Buoux climbing area and was very lucky to survive injured. The only way to avoid this most common mistake when roping up is to have a partner check carried out consistently.

Bad knot

Incorrect execution of the node. In the beginning there is a certain risk of making mistakes with the rope knot due to lack of knowledge. Such an error may change the holding force of the knot. In the worst case, this can lead to a crash. The fact that this rarely occurs is due to the fact that the beginner is more afraid and therefore attaches his rope knot in a particularly concentrated and conscious manner. Another reason for this is that the figure-of-eight knot that is usually used is on the one hand very well known and on the other hand easy to check. This facilitates internal and external checks (partner check). If the knot is correctly tied on a 10 millimeter thick rope, the free end of the rope must be at least 10 centimeters long so that the knot ensures the greatest possible safety.

Rope in the wrong place

In addition to the front rope loop into which the rope has to be tied, climbing harnesses also have equipment loops. These are on the side and are used to hang up climbing equipment. Since they have no safety function, they cannot withstand any major loads. In practice it happens again and again that climbers rope themselves on these loops and fall when they tear. Another cause of accidents of this type when roping up with the carabiner is that the carabiner is attached to a non-holding knot or a side loop of the knot.

Inappropriate knot

Unsuitable knots are especially those that can loosen under certain circumstances. The best-known example of this is the simple bulin knot (also called bowline ). The Bulin knot was a standard rope knot recommended in textbooks for many decades.

Error when roping up with a carabiner

Roping up with the carabiner has some pitfalls.

Basically, the carabiner may only be roped in top rope or if there is no danger of falling, and even there a single carabiner is not enough. If this principle is ignored, it can have fatal consequences.

Individual carabiners without screw fasteners can become unhooked by movements of the rope and / or the climber. Although this is less likely with screw carabiners, it has nevertheless happened a few times, as accident analyzes show. The probability that a carabiner will open by itself is roughly 1 in 1,000,000. This appears to be a small risk. However, if the figures are related to the large number of carabiners being attached, it becomes clear that in Germany, ten accidents occurred with non-redundant roping up with special twistlock carabiners alone.

Furthermore, carabiners have significantly less high breaking load values ​​when subjected to transverse loads and can even break when exposed to a fall. Such loads caused by turning the carabiner in the rope loop of the belt are a frequent consequence of the different loading directions of the cable.

Frequent, relatively undisputed mistakes with this type of rope are:

  • The use of carabiners to rope in a leader. Correct would be: direct roping with a rope knot.
  • The use of carabiners to rope up a second climber or top rope climber in larger cross aisles that allow a pendulum fall. Correct would be: direct roping with a rope knot.
  • Only one carabiner is used. Correct would be: Redundancy through two carabiners (controversial exceptions are special Safebiner).
  • Two carabiners are not attached in opposite directions. Correct would be: Hook in the opposite way so that the carabiner openings are on different sides.

Missing partner check

The missing partner check is actually not a mistake in the rope-up, but rather the lack of rope control. Since many errors can be discovered by checking by the partner before a critical situation or even an accident occurs, this has a significant influence in terms of accident prophylaxis.

literature

  • Mountain Rescue Service Tirol (publisher): Rope up, abseil, secure, save perfectly . Geo book, 2003, ISBN 3-925308-10-5 .
  • Michael Hofmann: Safely secure: Sport climbing - ice - BigWall . 1st edition. Panico-Alpinverlag, Köngen 2005, ISBN 3-936740-18-6 .
  • Martin Lutz, Peter Mair: AnseilART - Injury pattern when falling into a rope . In: Berg & Steigen . No. 2 , 2002, p. 50–53 ( bergundstieg.at [PDF; 645 kB ]).
  • Karl Schrag: Roping up while sport climbing . In: Communications from the DAV . Issue 6/1997, pp. 475-476.
  • Kurt Winkler, Hanspeter Brehm, Jürg Haltmeier: Mountain sports summer. Technology, tactics, security. SAC Verlag, Bern 2006, ISBN 3-85902-247-4 .

Web links

Wikibooks: climbing / embedding  - learning and teaching materials

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Dieter Elsner, Jochen Haase: Bergsport Handbuch . 1st edition. rororo, Reinbek 2001, ISBN 3-499-61002-7 , p. 91 .
  2. ^ A b Wolfgang Pohl, Christoph Schellhammer, Georg Sojer: rope and safety technology. The practical book for beginners and advanced users . Bruckmann Verlag, Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3-7654-4742-6 , p. 80 .
  3. ↑ Jürgen Schmied, Frank Schweinheim: Sport climbing. For beginners and advanced . Bruckmann, Munich 2003, p. 70.
  4. ^ A b Wolfgang Pohl, Christoph Schellhammer, Georg Sojer: rope and safety technology. The practical book for beginners and advanced users . Bruckmann Verlag, Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3-7654-4742-6 , p. 81 .
  5. ↑ Jürgen Schmied, Frank Schweinheim: Sport climbing for beginners and advanced . Bruckmann Verlag, Munich 2003, ISBN 3-7654-3682-8 , p. 71 .
  6. ↑ a b Ulrich Eberhard: Safety aspects in school climbing . In: Go climb a rock! Sport climbing - Current aspects for teaching, practicing and experiencing. 2001, ISBN 3-88020-379-2 , pp. 59 .
  7. ↑ a b c Michael Hofmann: On the ropes, set, go! . In: Climb! . Issue 1/2008, pp. 52–53.
  8. ↑ a b c Dietmar Hahm: Two second climbers with a rope switch. Retrieved January 9, 2017 .
  9. ↑ Image: historical "rope belts". (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on December 26, 2013 ; accessed on November 6, 2015 .
  10. ^ Pit Schubert: Safety and risk in rock and ice . 6th edition. tape 1 . Bergverlag Rother, 2001, ISBN 3-7633-6016-6 .
  11. ↑ a b c d e f Pit Schubert: Carabiners for roping up. What risk and what to do about it? In: mountaineering . Edition 2/2001. PDF access: January 13, 2008, p. 18.
  12. ↑ a b Michael Hofmann: On the ropes, set, go! In: Climb! Issue 1/2008, p. 53.
  13. ↑ International Federation of Sport Climbing (Ed.): Rules 2016 . S. 18 ( ifsc-climbing.org [PDF; accessed January 9, 2017]).
  14. ↑ Technical Commission Sport Climbing of the SAC: Regulations for National Sport Climbing Competitions 2015 ( PDF ( Memento of the original from April 17, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ) Accessed April 6, 2015. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.sac-cas.ch
  15. ^ A b c Wolfgang Pohl, Christoph Schellhammer, Georg Sojer: rope and safety technology. The practical book for beginners and advanced users . Bruckmann Verlag, Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3-7654-4742-6 , p. 89 .
  16. ↑ Wolfgang Pohl, Christoph Schellhammer, Georg Sojer: rope and safety technology. The practical book for beginners and advanced users . Bruckmann Verlag, Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3-7654-4742-6 , p. 88 .
  17. ↑ M. Roeggla et al .: Cardiorespiratory response to free suspension simulating the situation between fall and rescue in a rock climbing accident . In: Wilderness and Environmental Medicine . No. 7 (2) , May 1996, pp. 109-114 , PMID 11990103 .
  18. ^ Dietrich Hasse: Climbing scene and fashion death . In: The mountaineer . No. 2 , 1984, p. 5-6 .
  19. ↑ M. Hohlrieder et al .: Pattern of injury after rock-climbing falls is not determined by harness type . In: Wilderness and Environmental Medicine . Edition Spring 2007, 18 (1): 30-5, PMID 17447711 , p. 30 ff.
  20. ^ Pit Schubert: Safety and risk in rock and ice . Volume 2. Rother, Munich 2002, p. 313.
  21. ↑ Walter Siebert: Let's wait a few more deaths . In: mountaineering . No. 2 , 2007, p. 38–45 ( bergundstieg.at [PDF; accessed on January 9, 2017]).
  22. ^ Jan Mersch, Pauli Trenkwalder, Martin Schwiersch, Dieter Stopper: Hall climbing . In: Mountaineering . No. 1 , 2005, p. 62 ( bergundstieg.at [PDF; accessed on January 9, 2017]).
  23. ↑ Heinz Zak: Rock Stars - The world's best free climbers . Bergverlag Rother , Munich 1995, ISBN 3-7633-7040-4 ; P. 19
  24. ^ Pit Schubert: Safety and risk in rock and ice . Volume 2. Rother, Munich 2002, p. 207.
  25. ↑ Author collective: Mountaineering. A textbook for trainers and active people . Sportverlag, Berlin (East) 1975, p. 64.
  26. ^ Pit Schubert: Carabiners for roping up. What risk and what to do about it? In: Mountaineering . Edition 2/2001, PDF , accessed: January 13, 2008, p. 17.