Express set

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Different express sets
Sewn tape sling for quickdraw set; on the left the eye with rubber attachment for the rope carabiner, on the right the more flexible eye for the mountain-side carabiner

The Expressset (short Exe called colloquially express sling ) is a securing means that the climbing is used. It consists of two normal carabiners , which are connected to each other by a sewn sling . The most important application is the creation of a flexible connection between the rope and a fixed point , especially an intermediate safety device .

function

A major advantage of express sets compared to a single carabiner is that the movements of the rope are dampened by the loop and the weight of the carabiner and are less transmitted to the securing point. This is particularly important in the case of a sensitively placed clamping wedge or a serrated loop, as these may only be loaded in the intended directions and can be levered out by movement.

One advantage that also comes into play in modern sport climbing with bolts is the shortening of the rope route. The rope is also at a greater distance from the wall, which means that it experiences less friction, the climber feels less rope pull and the rope can be pulled more easily.

The express set has the advantage of being quick and easy to use compared to connecting the fixed point and carabiner using a strap loop.

construction

Express sets usually consist of two aluminum snap-action carabiners and a sling made of polyamide , polyethylene ( Dyneema ), polyester or a corresponding mixed fabric that connects the two carabiners. The length of the connecting loop is usually at least 10 cm for sport climbing, but much longer versions are also available.

Nowadays, the loops for express sets usually have one larger and one smaller loop. The larger loop is used with the mountain-side carabiner, the smaller loop with the rope-side carabiner. Often the rope-side carabiner is also attached to the loop with a rubber sleeve or rubber insert.

The larger opening for the mountain carabiner ensures the flexibility of the express set. The tight loop and the rubber fixation make it easier to hang in the rope and prevent the carabiner from twisting and thus in the event of a fall, a dangerous transverse load on the carabiner.

It has been discussed in the past whether this fixation also makes sense on the rock-side carabiner. However, the safety research of the alpine clubs now recommends not to fix the wall-side carabiner. On the contrary, an eye that is as loose as possible should be used to prevent possible tilting of the carabiner in the bolt and the resulting unfavorable transverse and bending loads that can lead to breakage of the carabiner.

The catches of the normal carabiners can be solid or made of spring wire, the solid ones are straight or curved. Solid straight snapper are used on the mountain-side carabiner, curved snapper on the rope side, they improve the handling when clipping the rope. Wire catches have a lower mass inertia and reduce the likelihood that the carabiner will open for a fraction of a second when it hits the wall.

The snap openings of the carabiners can point in the same or in opposite directions. It is common practice to attach it to the loop in the same direction and have it point away from the continuing climbing route.

safety

When climbing, both the tensile strength of the sling and the breaking strength of the snap hooks are vital.

The valid for the loops of the Express sets standard is EN 566. It requires that the loops at least 22  k N having breaking strength to be indicated (at standardized test execution), its year of production must, and the visible seams that color must stand out from the strip material.

The carabiner are predominantly normal carabiner (type B) according to EN 12275 with a minimum tensile strength of 20  k N (lengthwise) or 7 kN (transverse open or snaps).

The tensile strength of the slings decreases with increasing age; current tests show, especially with Dyneema material, a decrease in tensile strength to 13–15 kN after 3–5 years of use. Older studies already showed a clear connection between appearance and tear resistance. Tattered, frayed or even torn quickdraws hold less.

Express sets should be inspected regularly as part of personal protective equipment . They should be changed approximately every five years if used weekly or more frequently, and every seven to ten years if used less frequently. In addition, the loops of the quickdraw sets should be replaced,

  • when the seams are worn out,
  • if the noose has come into contact with acids (accidents with the influence of sulfuric acid, e.g. from batteries, are known),
  • when the noose is broken,
  • or if the sling does not have a CE mark .

application

An intermediate safety device attached with an express set
Carabiner wear on an express set: Above rope-side sanding, below hook-side with potentially rope-endangering grooves

A climber in lead climbing out the necessary number of Express sets to the loops of his climbing harness with it. The carabiner of an express set is hooked into the hook (or other fixed points) with each intermediate securing with the straight catch and the rope is guided through the carabiner with the curved catch. This should always be maintained as sharp-edged hooks can leave grooves in the metal of the carabiner. Such damage does not affect the strength of the carabiner, but it would damage a rope that might run through it. To reduce the likelihood of accidental unhooking, the rope is always fed through the carabiner, starting from the wall. For the same reason, the sling should be hung in such a way that the opening of the catch points in the opposite direction to the climbing direction.

Express sets with loops of different lengths are often used. Longer loops lead to a certain lengthening of the fall distance, but offer the possibility of ensuring a straight course of the rope even with poorly placed intermediate securing and transfer less rope movement to the fixed point, which is often necessary in alpine terrain .

While they are mostly removed after climbing, it is also common practice to leave the express sets on for a long time (also for use by other climbers) on particularly difficult routes ( pink point ). In climbing gyms, quickdraws are usually permanently attached to the wall, with a screw chain link replacing the wall-side carabiner.

Apart from their usual purpose, express sets are also used for other purposes. For example, they are suitable for building a Gardaschinge , but are also used, for example, for building stands .

history

The invention of the express set in today's sense is attributed to the American climber Jim Erickson. For a long time it was common to either attach single carabiners or use slings, which were only available in lengths of 8  feet (2.4 m). As early as the 1960s, Erickson recognized the advantages of a short connection between two carabiners in modern sport climbing and used improvised quickdraws. In January 1972, he finally made four pre-made 9  inch (23 cm) long quickdraws that soon began to catch on. However, there are also reports of the use of similar structures in Yosemite Valley by other climbers as early as 1970.

Web links

Commons : Expresssets  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Wikibooks: Express sets  - learning and teaching materials

swell

  1. ↑ German Alpine Club: Broken carbines: Did it "click"? Retrieved September 23, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Clamping devices ( Memento from November 15, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
  3. ↑ a b c Craig Luebben: Rock Climbing: Mastering Basic Skills . The Mountaineers Books, 2004, ISBN 0-89886-743-6 , pp. 70 .
  4. ^ A b Matt Samet, Mike Tea, Dave Pegg: Climbing Dictionary . The Mountaineers Books, 2011, ISBN 978-1-59485-502-3 , pp. 173 .
  5. ↑ a b Quickdraw ( Memento from December 9, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
  6. ^ A b c Andrew Bisharat: Sport Climbing: From Top Rope to Redpoint, Techniques for Climbing Success . The Mountaineers Books, 2009, ISBN 978-1-59485-270-1 , pp. 72-74 .
  7. ^ Alison Dennis, Sling Materials Explained. In: Weighmyrack Blog. March 9, 2016, accessed September 23, 2019 .
  8. ↑ a b Pit Schubert: Alpine rope technology: Equipment - Technology - Safety . 10th edition. Bergverlag Rother, Munich 1997, ISBN 3-7633-6083-2 , p. 13 .
  9. ↑ Pit Schubert: Safety and Risk in Rock and Ice 01. Experiences and results from the safety research of the German Alpine Club . 8th edition. Bergverlag Rother, Munich 2009.
  10. ↑ Chris Semmel: Broken carbine x2 . In: German Alpine Association , Austrian Alpine Association , Alpine Association South Tyrol , Swiss Alpine Club (publisher): bergundstieg . No. 2 . Innsbruck 2012, p. 52-55 .
  11. ↑ Pete Derrett: Choosing Quickdraws. In: Dick's Climbing. September 15, 2019, accessed on September 23, 2019 .
  12. ↑ DIN EN 566: 2006 Mountaineering equipment - slings - safety requirements and test methods . Beuth Verlag, Berlin 2006, p. 11 .
  13. ↑ a b c d Peter Albert: Zerreissprobe. In the test: slings of exes . In: Climb! No. 9 , 2008, p. 34-39 .
  14. ↑ DIN EN 12275: 2013 Mountaineering equipment - Carabiners - Safety requirements and test methods . Beuth Verlag, Berlin 2013, p. 26 .
  15. ↑ Christoph Hummel and Florian Hellberg: News from the rascal jungle. Update slings and cords. In: Panorama . No. 5 , 2014, p. 60–63 ( alpenverein.de [PDF]).
  16. ^ Pit Schubert : snapper, screwdriver and companion . Standard testing of carabiners. In: German Alpine Association , Austrian Alpine Association , Alpine Association South Tyrol , Swiss Alpine Club (publisher): bergundstieg . No. 1 . Innsbruck 2004, p. 66 ( bergundstieg.at [PDF; accessed on April 29, 2015]).
  17. ↑ Robert Renzler: The 12 (climbing) commandments . The climbing rules of the Alpine Club, part 2. In: German Alpine Club, Austrian Alpine Club, Alpine Club South Tyrol, Swiss Alpine Club (publisher): bergundstieg . No. 2 . Innsbruck 2000, p. 12 ( bergundstieg.at [PDF; accessed on April 29, 2015]).
  18. ↑ The Mountaineers: Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills, 50th Anniversary . The Mountaineers Books, 2010, ISBN 978-1-59485-137-7 , pp. 259 .
  19. ↑ Emanuel Wassermann, Michael Wicky: stood. rope up. come. Stand construction in (plaisir) multi-pitch routes. In: German Alpine Association , Austrian Alpine Association , Alpine Association South Tyrol , Swiss Alpine Club (publisher): bergundstieg . No. 2 . Innsbruck 2007, p. 52-59 .