Old timer's rope trick made me question my whole rig setup

Was up on a 60 foot oak in Portland yesterday. Guy I climb with sometimes, been doing this since the 80s, watched me fiddle with my friction hitch for five minutes. He just said 'you trust that knot more than your hands?' Told me he stopped using mechanical belays after a jammed device almost dropped him in 1998. Now he runs a simple Blake hitch and a backup lanyard. Made me think about how much gear I haul up vs how much I actually need on the limb. Anyone else downsized their saddle kit after seeing someone work with less?

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claire95813d ago

Went through the same thing after watching a guy I know work a whole removal with two slings and a Blake. Now I carry one third of what I used to and somehow get up the tree faster.

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