Activity for Joseph Nields‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: Using a Girth Hitch in Alpine Draws Yes, this will reduce the strength of your sling. Look at the rating on your carabiner, though. It's probably something like: 23kn, 7kn, 7kn. What will reduce the strength of your system most? Loading your biner sideways! This technique is a great way to mitigate that risk. Much more worth the red... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Question	—	Should you occasionally use locking biners on pieces of protection when using alpine draws? Since I mostly climb trad style, I don't use quickdraws for leading outside of the gym. I use alpine quick draws (two biners joined by dyneema slings) which offer benefits of adjustable length, reduced rope drag, and most importantly reduced movement (which reduces the chance a piece of protection wa... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Question	—	What's a good, lightweight solution for portable cookware? If I'm going on a four-day hike, I don't want to lug around a 15-lb cast iron dutch oven. I've thought of graniteware, but the handle on a saucepan is a bit bulky and makes packing it awkward. What do other people use? (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Question	—	What is the best rope material to use for climbing protection? I've been doing some research on what type of cord to use for resligning some hexes, and I found something very surprising here. Basically, the paper seems to suggest that while the tensile strength of high performance cord vastly outperforms nylon, the strength once it's tied in any sort of knot is... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Question	—	Is dyneema rope without a sheath safe for climbing? I recently was given some old Chouinard hexes my uncle used back in the 70s. They look great, and I see no reason why I can't re-sling them and use them as perfectly safe protection. I've found some 5mm Dyneema rated for over 5000lbs, but I can't find any as good rope with a sheath. I know that wit... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Question	—	How can you safely set up a climbing anchor from above? Let's say I'm walking to the top of a really nice cliff. Take a look at this beauty: And there are some nice cracks to place some protection in, with the slings/rope coming off the cliff, kinda like so: What's a good way to set up, equalize, and knot the anchor while on the cliff? Assume there... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago