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Enty
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 5, 2011 - 03:28pm PT
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How poor does your bottom anchor need to be before you consider using a screamer?
Or should you put one into the system everytime - even with nice big bolts?
Cheers
E
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Enty
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 5, 2011 - 04:06pm PT
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At your bottom anchor - before leading off.
Your rope is fixed and some people use a screamer to reduce the shock load on the anchor if you fall. Just wondering if it's worth it when the belay is bomber i.e. a couple of good bolts.
E
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Johnny K.
climber
Southern,California
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Maybe if you wanted to be super cautious on some slim pieces to use a screamer,but on some bolts?No.They will hold up fine,just equalize properly for the upward pull.
Ideally if its gear,3 solid pieces for upward pull and one solid piece for downward.If its bolts(proper rawl etc)Two bolts is more than enough with one equalization master point for upward pull.By all means use a screamer if you want.
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Enty
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 5, 2011 - 04:11pm PT
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Cool. That's what I thought.
I'm not actually planning on going up hill with a shitty anchor anyway!
E
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Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
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If you fall shortly after leaving the anchor while soloing, you will have no partner belaying you to absorb some of the fall. The force onto the anchor could be quite severe and a Screamer would help mitigate some of that force.
I'd rather be better safe than sorry, eh?
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Prod
Trad climber
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I agree with Mark.
He taught me a lot of what I know though.
Prod.
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Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
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What mark said. Also, rig things so you haul bag also acts to absorb the fall (unless you are using a system where the bag is hanging on a fifi-hook, but that is a different story). Be careful that if you put a draw on an anchor bot as you leave the station that it is long enough to allow the screamer to deploy without jamming up against it.
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Levy
Big Wall climber
So Cal
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What Moof said. Use your haulbag to absorb some of the upwards pull if you whip.
Oh yeah,......
Yer gonna die!
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Enty
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 6, 2011 - 04:15am PT
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Thanks for the answers. Just as I thought really.
Cheers
E
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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If the belay isn't totally bomber beef it up.
Using the haulbag as a damper is good, but ultimately it is all about anchor strength.
Oh yeah, and as a variant to the usual, if you solo walls,....
yer gonna LIVE!
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aaronjones
Social climber
ditch
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use a screamer on bomber bolts. it doesn't keep the anchor from ripping it keeps you from getting beat up in the fall...
took a 40 footer onto the anchor while short fixed speed climbing the trip with ivo, no screamer. it felt like getting hit by a f-ing truck. took half hour to get the clove undone...
lesson-use a screamer
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Factor 2 fall?
Yeah that'll give you a jerk.
(You can pre-empt the tight knot by slipping the end of a short piece of rope into the knot THAT DOES NOT HAVE A BIG FUSED BALL OF MELTED PERLON ON THE END. That way, after the knot is overly tightened, one can just yank out the end and the knot is loosened.
I learned this quickly when I had mules and used bits of retired rope to tie them up.
A mule can pull a knot tighter than you would believe possible!)
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Johnny K.
climber
Southern,California
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Coming from a guy with a busted face,haha. Do whatever you feel comfortable(use a screamer or dont,regardless know how to setup your haul system in accordance with your lead setup),just dont end up looking like Matt Thomsen above hahaha.
Btw piton rons way is awesome.
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j-tree
Big Wall climber
bay area, ca
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Embarrassed ad hominem defensive deflection fail.
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Slabby D
Trad climber
B'ham WA
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I do a fair bit of soloing (but clearly not as much as some of these monkeys), generally day trips up IVs and Vs which means I don't have a huge haulbag to counterweight with. After considering the physics of it all I a) try really hard not to fall right off the anchor b) don't backclean off the anchor c) use a good thick rope with a lower than average impact rating d) build a sturdy anchor oriented inline with the expected force e) clovehitch the first piece to a screamer (this 1- keeps the anchor oriented and 2- will result in a lower force on the piece should you fall on it f) clip the next several pieces with screamers regardless of how bomber they are and g) even though you don't fight ropedrag runner the rope so it runs cleanly to the anchor.
Couple thoughts
A screamer on piece will do a lot more to reduce overall forces on everything than a screamer on the anchor due to friction across biners.
IMO once you're 25-30' out a screamer is a bit redundant as your rope is a much larger and efficent shock reducer presuming it runs cleanly to the anchor.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Aaron,
Was that the fall where you hurt your shoulder? What happened?
How's the bod these days? See you in the spring?
Cheers,
Pete
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Which is better for a safer, softer catch: a screamer or your pig (assuming you have a pretty heavy one)?
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Captain...or Skully
climber
The Seas of Stone.
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Think of it this way, Melissa. You can use the bag many times.
Screamer, 1 time(if you pop it).
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Johnny K.
climber
Southern,California
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Matt why the hostility lol ? No harm done,with a profile picture like that you cant help but get jabs thrown at ya :P .I am not trying to give BAD advice,Just giving info on what i know works and has worked for many others,we are all still here.
Do you use screamers on bolted anchors ALWAYS?I am not disagreeing with mark,pete or anyone else.I am just stating my info and contributing to this thread,you can communicate back and forth,there is no right or wrong,it comes down to what works best for YOU.Thats why this forum is here?
Read what I said in my very first post.Use a screamer or don't.You dont NEED to though.That is all up to YOU.
The bottom line is,screamers werent around always.Many people still solo aid without screamers and old school gear.People know how to minimize impact by using their hauling system and climbing rope setups properly.
Personally i dont have an assortment of screamers to just spare.I use a clove hitch,not a gri gri etc etc.I personally dont use a screamer at a bolted anchor(by all means use one if you want, if you have them).I will use a screamer on a sketchy piece or a gear anchor if its less than ideal.
If you have an assortment of gear,sure put a screamer on the anchor as mark said.I am not saying any way is wrong,but at a solid bolted anchor,if you have your setup properly rigged,you can use that screamer somewhere else rather than on the anchor.No you dont NEED the screamer,but if you want it there,go ahead by all means.In my experience there is more than enough energy absorbed by the lead rope and the haul system to take a good fall without a screamer attached straight to a bolted anchor and not feel like you hit a wall of bricks at 100mph.
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