Activity for QuantumBrick‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: How to make it easier to untie a figure-8 knot after finishing a climb? The figure-8 knot is characteristically hard to untie after falls. What many climbers do is, once the knot is done, to come back with the end of the rope inside the last bight - this is a sort of Yosemite finish. It makes the knot easier to untie, since after removing the extra strand, a lot of room ... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: In case of a tsunami, would swimming out to sea be an escape strategy? Imagine two strings of different densities, which are tied together at a point. Suppose you hit the string with the largest density several times with your hand, generating a sequence of traveling pulses. Due to conservation of momentum, when the pulses reach the lower density string, two things will... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why don't climbing professional use all their fingers on small holds? Every time a climber finds a way to place more fingers on a hold, he/she will. If he/she is not using all fingers, it's because: They're training their fingers to get stronger, It's impossible to place more fingers on the hold, They have injured fingers they do not want to use and worsen, They're ... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Does a Mammut Smart Alpine belay device go well with a Black Diamond Gridlock carabiner? Any other recommendations? I have used the Mammut Smart Alpine with many biners, including the GridLock. My impression is that, while the Smart does have the tendency to get caught and stuck when the rope runs over the lock when using a common biner, it still gets caught with a cross-load protecting one (although it is less co... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Transition from ascending to descending a rope Ascending a fixed rope using an ATC guide in lead mode is totally valid, but it is not the "quickest" method (IMHO). Usually what is taught in basic climbing and self rescue courses is to ascend with two prusik loops: One for you foot, and one for your weight. Ascending with an ATC is ok because it i... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why is it bad to use your whole foot in rock climbing It's a matter of practice, but also a matter of feel: When stepping with the front of your foot you have a smaller contact area, so the pressure is higher than using the whole foot. This increases sensitivity to the rock underneath (extremely important with smaller holds), strengthens the muscles you... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Stuck at high camps, what do climbers do to deter boredom? Although the question asks specifically about high altitude camps, my answer is about camps high on a wall, i.e. on big walls, because that's all I know. I also believe portaledge camps are unbelievably boring. A further disclamer is that this answer is also sort of indirect, since I have never been... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is there really no way to rescue a climber from the death zone? If you can get to the person, a rescue operation is 90% done. A danger zone is a danger zone because spotting someone is often impossible, let alone getting near them. I never heard of anyone passing near someone that was dying and ignoring it, even in the massive scam Everest is. Edit: I didn't kn... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should I do exercises for finger strength as an intermediate, heavy climber? Everyone who has taught climbing for a while has noticed that women are better beginner climbers than men, mostly because they're lighter, have smaller hands (so can grab smaller holds more comfortably) and have less strength, which forces them to use their feet and body positioning properly. This se... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Train climbing with additional weight? Adding weight is an extremely efficient way to strengthen core, leg and back muscles - and also your fingers, depending on what kind of training you are doing. I have been training with extra weight for quite a while, and I think I can add something to the discussion. Most people interested in climb... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Etiquette of playing musical instruments on popular hikes Would you start playing the clarinet on a bus? It's also noisy, somehow. People also wouldn't expect complete silence. Would you be the one to guarantee there is no possibility of silence at all? Public places are just that: public. There are people and if you play music, everyone is forced to hear ... (more)	—	about 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are there particular grades that indoor climbers often struggle with I can only answer from my personal perspective. It might not be statistically relevant, but I dare say it could be a little generalisable. I have been climbing actively (more than 3 days a week), both indoors and outdoors, for the past 3+ years. I have climbed with beginners and was mentored by peop... (more)	—	almost 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to progress in rock climbing after grades v4 / 5.11+? The existing answers are very good, but I have some tips that were not emphasized enough: Train with friends. You need to be very mature to be able to visualize and correct your own problems by creating movements that feel hard for you. Forget about that. Exploit the fact that people are different,... (more)	—	almost 7 years ago
Question	—	Grigri+ vs grigri 2 I just got a sample of Petzl's new assisted braking device, the Grigri+. I must admit I look at it with a lot of disdain, mostly because It's bulkier than the Grigri 2; It's heavier than the Grigri 2; The possibility to choose between lead and top rope modes adds a new mechanical component, which s... (more)	—	almost 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: How much less efficient is a solar charger when on a car's dashboard instead of in direct sunlight? Shouldn't be less efficient at all - or at least, approximately as efficient. Solar panels generate energy utilising the band-gap structure inherent to semiconductor materials. This means that, to generate current, you need to dislodge an electron from the valence band to the conductor band, and the... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Question	—	The dangers of simul-rappelling To simul-rappel, the technique goes as follows: Prepare to rappel as usual, passing the rope through bomber bolts; Tie knots on both ends of the rope; Attach your personal anchoring system (PAS) to your partner's PAS or belay loop (or remain tied to him in any other way); Set the gear to rappel fro... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Question	—	Big wall strategies for a three-member team I'm off this weekend for a three-day big wall with two other friends. I read "Big Walls", by Long and Middendorf, but the book is too old and doesn't really mention strategies for a three-member crew. For a two-member crew, the strategy is quite standard: Climber 1 (C1) climbs pitch, attached to a ... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it OK to keep a dyneema sling under constant tension (slackline)? What you describe is called creep. According to this technical manual Creep is a material property frequently misunderstood and can be defined as the continued extension of a material when subjected to constant, long-term static loading. There are several types of dyneema and some of them have ... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Question	—	How to tie an EBSB bowline? According to the most comprehensive reference ever written on bowlines, the EBSB bowline (which is a variation of another variation, called the EBDB bowline, together with a sort of Yosemite finish) is probably the safest easily undone tie-in knot for climbing. It looks like this: Now that's what ... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: No testing for temperature-dependent effects on climbing ropes? As I said in the comments, I believe my findings deserve an answer on their own. These matters are urgent and I'm a little troubled by what I've found. I've sent emails to three major rope manufacturers (Petzl, Beal, Mammut). Only Mammut cared to even write me an answer - which made me feel lonely a... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do you tie in to the centre of a rope? You can tie in using a Bowline on a bight; Figure 8 knot on a bight; Overhand knot; Then attaching one or two opposing locking carabiners to the loop of your harness. You should never: Attach to your double leg and waist loops (the loops you usually tie in to), since this would create three fo... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can you clean new bolt holes with water? Disclaimer: This answer reflects nothing else than my own opinion on this subject, since I've never used water to clean holes nor know anyone that does so. So, first thing I'd like to ask you is: why? You'd have to carry more weight, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with cleaning the holes usin... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Differences between shock absorber and via ferrata set No. An industrial shock absorber cannot be used as a via ferrata set, because: Via ferrata sets are intended to absorb falls that exceed a person's height. EN 355 (industrial absorbers) mentions a drop test that involves a 100kg mass being dropped from 1.75m such that the final resultant force cann... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it possible to walk from the UK/France to Georgia? Since you're asking how to get from the UK to somewhere, I'll assume you're an UK citizen. Below you'll find a picture that shows your visa requirements. You have two options: coming from above (crossing to Russia) and coming from below (crossing the whole Turkey). I'm pretty sure you'll pick the ... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the intention behind webbing the rope through snow? The answer is in this video: https://youtu.be/seCiupa4I6U?t=1m2s I'm not sure if it's the same traverse as the OP posted, but I'd bet on it. The thing that looks like a biner between the columns is indeed a biner, probably from an ice/snow anchor. The holes (especially the large one) are due to this... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Double Mariner Mechanical Advantage I think a picture is worth more than a thousand words in this case. Let's first see how the 3:1 pulley system works. I'm choosing the colours so that any changes in pulley or force modulus will be easily visible, and this sketch is nothing but a simplified physicist's view of the 3:1 pulley system t... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Question	—	No testing for temperature-dependent effects on climbing ropes? I'm reading the UIAA standard for climbing ropes, which is supplemented by the EN 892 norm (which I can't provide a link to, since this would be piracy). I'm sort of confused about the fact that, even though they do test the ropes for abrasion, humidity and high fall factor effects, nothing is mentio... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: How should I prepare my body for prolonged exposure to heat? I lived in a city where temperatures didn't rise above 31°C until I was 18 year old, and then moved to another where summer easily gets above 42°C (real feel can reach 54°C). I'm a climber, and I do climb in those temperatures. I can only advise you based on my experience. When I got... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Question	—	Safety in re-slinging old trad gear I have read some posts here regarding the expiration dates of climbing material, especially trad gear. Friends and nuts (as all climbing equipment) have a lifespan of 10 years according to all manufacturers, but I believe the expiration dates of some pieces are longer than our own lives. This is the ... (more)	—	about 8 years ago