Been using these anchors for the last couple years thanks to your old video on this - thank you for putting this out there! You are basically the only climbing instructor on youtube pushing rope anchors, and they have been immensely helpful specifically for out of reach anchors!
Great video! It is fun to see how anchors are built in the UK. In the northeastern US, I often run pitches together and do not have enough rope left to build a belay with the rope
...THANK YOU, FOR SHARING YOUR WISDOM, AND EXPERIENCE! I'M TRYING TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT CLIMBING, IN GENERAL, ALTHOUGH, MY INTEREST IS MORE IN CLIMBING IN TREES, I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF USE OF THE "CLOVE-HITCH", AS A WAY TO "SECURE" A LINE/ROPE TO A CARABINER, ETC. HAVE YOU EVER TRIED ADDING A "THIRD" LOOP" TO IT, TO MAKE A "CLOVE AND A HALF", OR "DOUBLE-CLOVE-HITCH" (WHATEVER SEEMS A MORE APPROPRIATE NAME),... I THINK THAT IT ADDS A LOT MORE "SECURITY" THAN JUST A SIMPMPLE, "SINGLE-CLOVE-HITCH"...
Would love to see a collab between yourself and How Not 2! Be a great meeting of different standards, UK Vs US, Sport Vs Trad / big wall etc! Even if its just webcam type chats, be very interesting
Hi Jez very clear instructions as always. I was taught this way in the UK and often use it here in Australia where I now live. I was taught to tie the strands from the anchor into my rope loop by using figure eights. Although it’s not as fast as using the HMS and clove hitches as you show, it does require one less screwgate. Do you ever do it that way? Just wondering what your thought on that way are (is it a bit out of date?). I’m going to give your way with the HMS and clove hitches a go next time
Interesting, the only issue I see is that you're left with multiple eights on your harness - so you're putting yourself in a position where you're going to have to keep track of which eight you'll have to untie from. An on the same colored rope. For me anytime I'm untying the eight on my harness, it's a critical act. "Why the fuck am I doing this?" "Is there any other way?" "How do I mitigate this risk BEFORE I do it?" "When do I go back to normal operation." Am I out in my understanding of what you're asking though?
Good point, but the eights get tied onto the rope loop that you tied into your harness as the start of the climb. It’s never been an issue to differentiate which figure eight is which
I guess I'd call that way a little old skool, but I do still use it sometimes too. I'll usually default to the HMS + clove hitches, but sometimes if I need a 3rd piece I'll bring that leg of rope back to my harness and tie around the rope loop as per your method, so a combo. I like it, it's a neat way of saving a clip, the downside is it's a bit more of a faff to adjust.
That probably sums up my climbing ‘old school.’ Time for me to learn some new tricks When are you coming out to Australia for a climb Jez? Maybe and alternative to Spain?
A question I've always had: During the in reach/indirect belay anchor at 8:05 you mention, as I've always heard, to keep a "smile" in the rope to prevent the two pieces of gear from affecting each other. Then, at 10:45, you make an in reach/direct belay anchor by creating a master point with a figure-8, which immediately causes the two pieces of gear to be affected by one another. I have used both and they have always worked, but I'm curious what your thoughts are on that apparent contradiction. I suppose the belayer and a falling climber are both pulling in the downward direction during the direct belay, as opposed to a taught line between the two pieces pulling them inwards during the in direct belay. Thoughts?
Good question! One of the things I like about doing these videos is that it makes me question what I do to, and when editing this video thought exactly the same as you! My justification was that you're pulling the gear in such a similar direction that I can't see it being a problem, as opposed to creating something looking like an American Death Triangle.
Great video as always. You've mentioned loads about combining rope and sling, i don't think I've seen you demonstrate it, and i'm probably being dense and can't picture it. Say you've got bits of gear 1,2 & 3 with the sling making the anchor using 1&2. Would the rope use points 2&3, or simply 3? If you were then wanting a direct belay in guide mode - is that doable? Where would the master point be?
Good question! There is going to be a part 3 where I combine 3 / 4 pieces of kit, but... In your example: Build a sling belay on 1&2. That creates a master point if you like. Now treat that master point as one piece. Use the rope to build a belay using that master point and piece 3. Hope that helps!
Great concise video. Don’t let comments from random people annoy you too much, some people are very suspicious of methods they don’t already know or like
Great video! very clear instruction Just one question: In the case you are climbing on half ropes (either in-reach or out of reach anchor) would you clip/hitch both ropes to each anchor, or would just one rope to each anchor be suitable? Thanks!
Good question! Either would be safe but I’d tend to do left rope for left piece, right rope for right piece. Sometimes this might have to be the case for a big out of reach set up, to have enough rope to do it.
Good video again JB. I'm glad someone else asked about the two rope set up which I think most climbers in the UK doing routes above Severe would use. Keep up the good work.
I have a sneaking suspicion that rope anchors are more useful than those of us in the US are inclined to believe. I have a question regarding your BHKs in the rope anchors: how worried do you really need to be on the loops coming out of the knot? I have a really hard imagining that a knot with that much rope in it has the room to suck up a loop and if it did, the carabiners would not do a lot to stop that from happening. Is there any good reason to worry? Love these videos!!
Probably not too worried about it. But as it is an instructional video, the correct practice is not to leave loose loops. The good reason to worry is that if it does roll out, you are likely to be affecting the integrity of the anchor.
Slick one handed clove hitch, hard to see on video but when I use one handed clove the “ dead end “ of the rope comes out the wrong side, If that makes any sense 🙂
Hi, you seem to visit different parts of Spain for climbing. Have you ever been to Montserrat? What did you think? Its more for multipitch stuff but I think its beautiful and clouse to Barcelona!
I like the in-reach direct belay method but was anticipating you using the master point to clove hitch yourself then attach the belay device, seems a strange way to use it to attach yourself with cloves to the rope loop and to create a masterpoint. Any particular reason why/why not? Great video BTW, I will be sending this (and the sling belay one) to my mate who hasn't really done much outdoor climbing.
Was curious what the general consensus was on using old rope (good condition just past its use by date) for setting up anchors for belay, toprope, absail etc?
A lot of people use older than recommended soft gear and it will probably be OK, but then it may not be and it would be impossible to know. I do however know of a shop in North Wales who had a climbing rope in the window display for 13 years (according to the MRT guy who told me the story) and it was clearly beyond it's time period as per manufacturer recommendations, so they sent it back for testing, apparently it was good and broke above the test strength despite being hit with UV through the glass. I suspect the 10year thing is an arbitrary figure brought in by industry to protect themselves from liability rather than a cash cow and don't forget it provides a safety margin, so judgement is required. Nobody chops a good new rope to make an abseil anchor around a block, it's all retired old gear,some clearly better than others. For the uses you have stated it would likely be good, for potential large lead falls I'd say not. Probably.
@@mattbaker1683 Good Points Matt. trying to find a middle ground for my own headspace re. abbing / bailing on something that is load rated, so; planned addition to a crag? semi-static rope @ ~£2 a meter.** take up a route in case needing to duck out unexpectedly? Tubular Polyamide Webbing ISO'd for climbing use (the number of full length stripes potentially indicates the kN rating) both of these methods require the correct and well dressed knots with appropriate tail length & inspection prior to loading. ** if really going to town on it, searching out a static / semi static with a noted UV resistance value. certainly not ideal to chop the best & newest rope ends, but if it is a dire situation; I hope there would be no hesitation. :-j
Appreciate your professionalism and tutorials.
Been using these anchors for the last couple years thanks to your old video on this - thank you for putting this out there! You are basically the only climbing instructor on youtube pushing rope anchors, and they have been immensely helpful specifically for out of reach anchors!
Great to hear they've been useful!
You sound like you need a hug 😆 don't let the trolls get to you
Haha, I'm not quite there, yet 😂
Best learning videos in youtube. What a teacher 👏🏽
Great stuff as usual Jez 👍👍
Cheers!
Great video! It is fun to see how anchors are built in the UK. In the northeastern US, I often run pitches together and do not have enough rope left to build a belay with the rope
Glad you liked it!
...THANK YOU, FOR SHARING YOUR WISDOM, AND EXPERIENCE! I'M TRYING TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT CLIMBING, IN GENERAL, ALTHOUGH, MY INTEREST IS MORE IN CLIMBING IN TREES, I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF USE OF THE "CLOVE-HITCH", AS A WAY TO "SECURE" A LINE/ROPE TO A CARABINER, ETC. HAVE YOU EVER TRIED ADDING A "THIRD" LOOP" TO IT, TO MAKE A "CLOVE AND A HALF", OR "DOUBLE-CLOVE-HITCH" (WHATEVER SEEMS A MORE APPROPRIATE NAME),... I THINK THAT IT ADDS A LOT MORE "SECURITY" THAN JUST A SIMPMPLE, "SINGLE-CLOVE-HITCH"...
The best RUclips climbing instructor by a mile. 🫡
Super kind!
Would love to see a collab between yourself and How Not 2! Be a great meeting of different standards, UK Vs US, Sport Vs Trad / big wall etc! Even if its just webcam type chats, be very interesting
Thanks for the great videos!
Hi Jez very clear instructions as always. I was taught this way in the UK and often use it here in Australia where I now live. I was taught to tie the strands from the anchor into my rope loop by using figure eights. Although it’s not as fast as using the HMS and clove hitches as you show, it does require one less screwgate. Do you ever do it that way? Just wondering what your thought on that way are (is it a bit out of date?). I’m going to give your way with the HMS and clove hitches a go next time
Interesting, the only issue I see is that you're left with multiple eights on your harness - so you're putting yourself in a position where you're going to have to keep track of which eight you'll have to untie from. An on the same colored rope.
For me anytime I'm untying the eight on my harness, it's a critical act. "Why the fuck am I doing this?" "Is there any other way?" "How do I mitigate this risk BEFORE I do it?" "When do I go back to normal operation."
Am I out in my understanding of what you're asking though?
Good point, but the eights get tied onto the rope loop that you tied into your harness as the start of the climb. It’s never been an issue to differentiate which figure eight is which
I guess I'd call that way a little old skool, but I do still use it sometimes too. I'll usually default to the HMS + clove hitches, but sometimes if I need a 3rd piece I'll bring that leg of rope back to my harness and tie around the rope loop as per your method, so a combo.
I like it, it's a neat way of saving a clip, the downside is it's a bit more of a faff to adjust.
That probably sums up my climbing ‘old school.’ Time for me to learn some new tricks
When are you coming out to Australia for a climb Jez? Maybe and alternative to Spain?
@@JBMountainSkillsprobably even older school - pull a bight through your rope loop and tie off with two half-hitches around the strands.... 🙄
A question I've always had: During the in reach/indirect belay anchor at 8:05 you mention, as I've always heard, to keep a "smile" in the rope to prevent the two pieces of gear from affecting each other. Then, at 10:45, you make an in reach/direct belay anchor by creating a master point with a figure-8, which immediately causes the two pieces of gear to be affected by one another. I have used both and they have always worked, but I'm curious what your thoughts are on that apparent contradiction. I suppose the belayer and a falling climber are both pulling in the downward direction during the direct belay, as opposed to a taught line between the two pieces pulling them inwards during the in direct belay. Thoughts?
Good question! One of the things I like about doing these videos is that it makes me question what I do to, and when editing this video thought exactly the same as you!
My justification was that you're pulling the gear in such a similar direction that I can't see it being a problem, as opposed to creating something looking like an American Death Triangle.
A very tight smile and a master point using both pieces (granted a 90º
for big walling, could you use the end of the haul rope to set the rope anchor and still block lead??
No, because then you'd set off on the second lead without the haul rope. Better to use a dedicated anchor sling on a big wall
Great video as always.
You've mentioned loads about combining rope and sling, i don't think I've seen you demonstrate it, and i'm probably being dense and can't picture it.
Say you've got bits of gear 1,2 & 3 with the sling making the anchor using 1&2.
Would the rope use points 2&3, or simply 3?
If you were then wanting a direct belay in guide mode - is that doable? Where would the master point be?
Good question! There is going to be a part 3 where I combine 3 / 4 pieces of kit, but...
In your example:
Build a sling belay on 1&2. That creates a master point if you like. Now treat that master point as one piece.
Use the rope to build a belay using that master point and piece 3.
Hope that helps!
@@JBMountainSkills would it be possible to add a bit about building anchors with half ropes aswell, just highlighting what is done differently?
First comment ever
nice!
Great concise video. Don’t let comments from random people annoy you too much, some people are very suspicious of methods they don’t already know or like
Cheers!
There's many people who think anything but a quad is deadly lol
Great video! very clear instruction
Just one question: In the case you are climbing on half ropes (either in-reach or out of reach anchor) would you clip/hitch both ropes to each anchor, or would just one rope to each anchor be suitable? Thanks!
Good question! Either would be safe but I’d tend to do left rope for left piece, right rope for right piece. Sometimes this might have to be the case for a big out of reach set up, to have enough rope to do it.
Good video again JB. I'm glad someone else asked about the two rope set up which I think most climbers in the UK doing routes above Severe would use. Keep up the good work.
Cheers!
Good work as ever, Jez. Best climbing instruction on RUclips. Safe as houses. You are sometimes CPD to some of us old timers! Lol.
Super kind!
Camera angles and distortion often make belay angles seem odd, you can’t really tell the angle from the videos ;
I have a sneaking suspicion that rope anchors are more useful than those of us in the US are inclined to believe.
I have a question regarding your BHKs in the rope anchors: how worried do you really need to be on the loops coming out of the knot? I have a really hard imagining that a knot with that much rope in it has the room to suck up a loop and if it did, the carabiners would not do a lot to stop that from happening. Is there any good reason to worry?
Love these videos!!
Probably not too worried about it. But as it is an instructional video, the correct practice is not to leave loose loops.
The good reason to worry is that if it does roll out, you are likely to be affecting the integrity of the anchor.
I think it's pretty unlikely with a well dressed knot... but it's something I still personally do.
Slick one handed clove hitch, hard to see on video but when I use one handed clove the “ dead end “ of the rope comes out the wrong side, If that makes any sense 🙂
Cool to see a master point on the rope belay, haven't done that before
Hi, you seem to visit different parts of Spain for climbing. Have you ever been to Montserrat? What did you think? Its more for multipitch stuff but I think its beautiful and clouse to Barcelona!
I've never been sadly, only looked up at it, maybe next winter! Looks super good.
Cheers Jez. Top Quality instructional vids. RCDI Training on Monday… Feeling well geared up for it. Regards, Ned
Enjoy 👊
Another great video Jez! Thanks for sharing!
Pleasure!
Always great content 👍
Cheers!
I like the in-reach direct belay method but was anticipating you using the master point to clove hitch yourself then attach the belay device, seems a strange way to use it to attach yourself with cloves to the rope loop and to create a masterpoint. Any particular reason why/why not? Great video BTW, I will be sending this (and the sling belay one) to my mate who hasn't really done much outdoor climbing.
Really great channel. Great attitude and promotion of an open dialogue amongst the community. I’ll send a donation. Thank you.
Was curious what the general consensus was on using old rope (good condition just past its use by date) for setting up anchors for belay, toprope, absail etc?
Whilst it might be ok, it'd be impossible for me to say "yes it's fine" dues to being outside of manufacturer's guidelines on lifespan.
if you are not going to climb on it; would you build an anchor out of it? i know my answer when i'm hanging off the fabric!!!! :-j
A lot of people use older than recommended soft gear and it will probably be OK, but then it may not be and it would be impossible to know. I do however know of a shop in North Wales who had a climbing rope in the window display for 13 years (according to the MRT guy who told me the story) and it was clearly beyond it's time period as per manufacturer recommendations, so they sent it back for testing, apparently it was good and broke above the test strength despite being hit with UV through the glass. I suspect the 10year thing is an arbitrary figure brought in by industry to protect themselves from liability rather than a cash cow and don't forget it provides a safety margin, so judgement is required. Nobody chops a good new rope to make an abseil anchor around a block, it's all retired old gear,some clearly better than others. For the uses you have stated it would likely be good, for potential large lead falls I'd say not. Probably.
@@mattbaker1683 Good Points Matt. trying to find a middle ground for my own headspace re. abbing / bailing on something that is load rated, so;
planned addition to a crag? semi-static rope @ ~£2 a meter.**
take up a route in case needing to duck out unexpectedly? Tubular Polyamide Webbing ISO'd for climbing use (the number of full length stripes potentially indicates the kN rating) both of these methods require the correct and well dressed knots with appropriate tail length & inspection prior to loading.
** if really going to town on it, searching out a static / semi static with a noted UV resistance value.
certainly not ideal to chop the best & newest rope ends, but if it is a dire situation; I hope there would be no hesitation. :-j