Climbing How To: The Humble Prusik - how & why to tie 3 versions + make your Beal Jammy last longer!

[@thomaspinches9518]

it's much more relaxing watching you in front of the fire than outside in the rain!

[@JBMountainSkills]

Cheers!

[@jamesjenfesteryga4262]

Thanks mate, best part of that video was the little tie off at the end for hanging on the rack. Gonna use that for sure!

[@JBMountainSkills]

Glad it was useful!

[@martinmcmahon4236]

Brilliant video Jez, cheers for posting it up. Easily one of the clearest explanations of the different prusiks I've seen and their different advantages / disadvantages etc. I've often heard people say they use this or that prusik in different scenarios but great to know the reasons behind those choices!

[@alpinekiwi]

I'd love to see an episode on retrieving stuck ropes during an abseil. Last week after a big multipitch, we descended and on one rappel, the knot (of our two 50m ropes) got well and truly jammed in a crack during rope retrieval. No chance of getting it out. My partner ascended the ropes to free the knot, rapped back down to me and away we continued down. What made it tricky this time was we were rappelling down a face that we hadn't climbed. It was chossy and horrible. I'd love to see your take on ascending fixed ropes. Using two prusiks, using a tibloc/traction device etc. Do you carry anything on your harness for such a scenario on your big days? I should note, this is to ascend two ropes, but if it's the same as a single, then great...

[@SuperHoggs]

So helpful, thank you 😊

[@raphaelbeinhauer9242]

I usually only carry one prusik on me, (50 cm jammy, I only like full strenght stuff), but since I always have at least a couple of alpine draws on me, and a 120 cm dyneema sling is permanently girth hitched to my haul loop on my harness, I always have options for prusiks. As soon as I go for multipitch or alpine stuff, the 22kN 5mm dyneema accessory cord comes with me, either only the 5m or the 5m and 3m, that covers me for all sorts of uses, especially for rescues with load transfers or pick offs. The best hitch to use with flat dyeema slings is the kreuzklemmknoten, which is the reverse klemheist that you mentioned. On two strands of rope, one wrap will hold you, on a single strand you need two.

[@alpinekiwi]

Worth noting that if you have to use a nyneema sling as an emergency prussik, it should be discarded after. The heat from the friction is ok for the aramid slings, but destroying of dyneema...

[@raphaelbeinhauer9242]

@@alpinekiwi Using the kreuzklemm hitch, testing done by german mountain rescue has shown that heat from friction does not affect dyneema in at least the following situations: Rappel backup, with one or two person load. Attaching to a fixed rope, in descent or ascent. In situations where you use it as a static rope grab, such as haul systems or load transfers, you don't have any rope moving through the friction hitch except when resetting. So melting would be less of a concern there anyway. Regardless of this testing, of course it's important to be aware of dyneemas low melting point, and if after inspection yousee anything out of the ordinary, remove the item from service

[@mattbaker1683]

3 is 2, 2 is 1 and 1 is none... I carry a Beal jammy and a 7mm open (single strand) for use as my main ones, I have a 5mm tied loop on my nut key and a length of 6mm for my bag closing! Hopefully I'll never have to use it all but then again it's just substitution and redundancy, and the bag closure was crap, sticky etc. Trying different diameters is crucial IMO as they all behave differently, the 7mm I have has 2 strands pulled so is probably about as strong as 6mm, but much softer and grips better. Andy Kirkpatrick's book Down is great and gives a load of good tips on friction hitches, including the VT prusik which is great for passing knots, hopefully rarely needed but works great above the device if you know you have to pass a knot (rope joints or isolated damaged section)

[@JBMountainSkills]

Don’t forget you can use slings in some circumstances as a substitute. Eg. Ascending a rope your foot prusik could be a sling.

[@mattbaker1683]

@@JBMountainSkills good point, I have one of those fancy round edelrid 120s and it seems like it'd be great for that. I guess some people think about these things and some don't. I was at a gym showing a mate how to double prusik when some older people came along laughing about how they remembered prusiks from 30 years ago... They weight next to nothing, are cheap and can be used in loads of ways, so IMO are still an essential skill set to explore and learn properly, devices are great but not the be all and end all. Actually on a recent via ferrata trip we all had a laugh climbing a rope tied to the house, and all cases involved cheap bits of cord (you can't descend on a ropeman or a tibloc easily) 😂

[@savvasioannou9851]

Hey Jez. Another excellent video. Where is the link on how to do Double Fisherman's knot?

[@JBMountainSkills]

kzbin.infow_hvKv3Jk3k?si=k34Uj98_RUdmeNPy

[@savvasioannou9851]

@@JBMountainSkills Thanks Jez

[@savvasioannou9851]

​@@JBMountainSkillsI bought some two pieces of cord from V12 for a few £s

[@FreshClipMedia]

I use my second prussik as a potential lanyard wrapped around my DMM nut tool. Useful for when getting stubborn gear out on rappel.

[@JBMountainSkills]

Good tip. I have cord on my nut key for the same reason :)

[@aleperenyi]

Can i use this simmond 60cm prusick to connect to the anchor, once It is rated to 22kn? I mean use It as a normal sling to connect to the anchor?

[@JBMountainSkills]

Yeah for sure you can treat it like a regular sling.

[@jenniferjamesmorrison-toro9010]

Hi Jez. An upside down Kleimheist is named a Kreuzklem

[@vazap8662]

Prussiks and fries… same dilemma 🤣 Thanks for clarifying which is good at what so clearly.

[@JBMountainSkills]

Glad it was helpful!

[@RideBikes_Walkplaces]

what wood burner fan do you have? im in the market for one and cant decide what to get!

[@tragically1969]

EcoFan is the one to go for.

[@JBMountainSkills]

A cheapo Amazon one... it's not very good!

[@RideBikes_Walkplaces]

@@tragically1969 awesome rich ill have a look at them!

[@RideBikes_Walkplaces]

@@JBMountainSkills nice one I'll stay away from them!

[@AnonymousOtters]

How do you feel about the hollow block premade prusiks? Personally, I love mine and find it bites may more consistently than cord. They are rated loops as well, just not full strength like cord ones

[@JBMountainSkills]

I haven’t used one a lot, only when the occasional client brings one. We can’t buy them here in the U.K…

[@stef11488]

@@JBMountainSkills I came to mention the sterling hollow block, Its super durable, but then again I'm just a weekend warrior!

[@PAClimber]

too bulky

[@AnonymousOtters]

@@PAClimber Bulky? Lol, you've clearly never had one. They are smaller than a prusik

[@AnonymousOtters]

@@JBMountainSkills Gosh, I hadn't even considered they wouldn't be available, things you learn. Worth finding one and giving it a go I think. They don't fail w/the core coming through like you showed on your loop and they have a super consistent bite and release

[@Needafollower]

What’s the links to your self rescue videos

[@jeremyballard7461]

Triffic Jez!

[@shokodeny]

How long should the rope used to make the prusik be? Is 35 cm enough?

[@codingboy42]

The double fisherman alone consumes 40 cm of rope... I use 1-1.5m 5mm cord

[@shokodeny]

@codingboy42 I don't think I've asked my question properly, sorry. I meant the length of the ring... anyways, I bought a 35cm Jammy

[@JBMountainSkills]

Sorry, didnt see this. Ideally the 60cm Jammy if buying a pre made one. If making your own I prefer 50cm.

[@edwardpszczolkowski4791]

Worth calling out that the auto block shouldn’t really be used for any scenario where it is directly holding your body weight. In the case of acting as a brake hand / third hand, super good enough. But their ability to be defeated while under load and their overall lower holding power mean they aren’t suitable for a direct body weight hold like a traditional prussik is.

[@raphaelbeinhauer9242]

I would argue against that. As long as you have enough wraps for your rope and cord combination, and perform a loaded function check, there is nothing that speaks against using it like that. Of course it's not ideal for every scenario, i.e. I would not use it for your tether on top of a cliff as described in the video, where it functions more in a fall restraint setting, and the rope might not be under tension at all times, leaving the knot unloaded and prone to loosen. So in out of reach, cyclic loading and unloading situations I would not trust it with my safety, but under my constant supervision, it is a perfectly safe knot in my opinion. It can be tricky to get it to grap reliably though, you need to make sure you have enough wraps for your cord length. With a 30 cm loop, it might hold with 3 wraps, but probably not with a 60 cm sling. If if just won't bite every time, but you can't add more wraps, twist the tails before clipping them.

[@Kankudai69]

If the way you store them kills the sheat, why not move the “knot” over a little? Sometimes the solution can be so simple…

[@JBMountainSkills]

Nice idea but it doesn’t really work. The sewn join is too long and stiff for it to store neatly if you move the bend. The simple solution is to trim the plastic.

[@trombahonker]

I think your inside videos are great. Less time criticizing your need to film indoors; focus on the content you are choosing to produce. The surroundings don't matter so much as what you are communicating.

[@tomtom4405]

Stung by wasps?? Passé, so last season... this year it's "murder hornets"

[@Chris-Wernette]

The carabiner one you listed in the video as “carabiner” is mostly called the autoblock or sometimes called the French prusik here in the states. Sure you knew that, but for anyone on the video trying to figure out what it’s called. Cheers!