How to Set Up an Improvised Rappel

Dropped your belay device at the anchor? Don't panic! Here's three ways to set up an improvised rappel using techniques approved by the American Mountain Guides Association.

[@melissameder4741]

Great to watch informative vids without the backyard inflated egos. Keep it up. 👍

[@kris.monroe]

PRICELESS information! Thank you so much for this.

[@mikaelpetersson9113]

Just yesterday I practised rappelling with a munter hitch and a carabiner brake (the first variant in this excellent video). The carabiner brake was really nice. I used only 3 locking carabiners though. This didn't generate that much friction, so I tried threading the rope from below and up through the first carabiner, the one attached to my harnes. Much better friction that way! And by positioning the carabiners so that the screw gate faces away from the rope, I can be fairly certain that the rope doesn't affect the locking mechanism. The second carabiner brake variant looked really interesting, will try that next time! And yes, I have dropped my ATC once...

[@you2tooyou2too]

A caution for the 3-biner rig is that, especially on low-angle, if the rig becomes unloaded momentarily, the top biner can fall (into the 6-biner configuration), & flat-load the middle biner gate which can fail when the load returns ! (Of course, your safety can save you but not your biner.)

[@ADVNevada]

Great video!

[@mountaineer5596]

Good info. Thanks!

[@misterlarryb]

Nice! Hadn't seen the third (3 carabiner) option before. Interesting, around 2:35, that you put the double strand Munter load closer to the gate, contrary to dogma, but give a good reason- so the brake strands don't rub and unlock the gate. Also makes sense to brake in a comfortable position that allows use of the autoblock backup, even though this also goes against convention to apply max brake upwards and alongside the load strand. The double strands must be providing adequate friction. LOL - made me think!

[@chopsjazz1]

Old school! This is what we had to build before the ATC came along.

[@patrickgarrett8373]

Thank you

[@randomcitizen2384]

I used a munter with a third hand on a single rope once and it worked fine.

[@NorthEastAlpineStart]

If you hold the brake strand parallel with the loaded strand when rapping with the Munter you eliminate the downside of twisting (just like proper lowering with the Munter). This “up” orientation of the brake hand is counter intuitive but actually increases the control/friction of the rappel (and eliminates that annoying twisting).

[@badcommenter4687]

Yes, but while the twisting is somewhat less pronounced in the increased friction position, you can't really attach a backup prusik to it that way on the braking strand, can you (you could attach a backup on the loaded strand, but that brings some other issues into it, like relying on the thinner rep cord to tighten reliably AND hold all your weight AND not slip and burn through, and you also gotta know how to unload it...). You could probably use a Monster (Super) Munter, which supposedly negates the twist (haven't tried it, as on my ropes it has too much friction), but unless you use really thin, really smooth ropes or have a double weight (perhaps in an improvised rescue for lowering two or rapping with another injured climber), it would usually have just too much friction for a smooth and normal speed rappel (as said, depending on your ropes). All in all, while all those methods work, they are (unlike direct belay with a Munter, which is accepted for many situations) primarily for emergencies, when you loose your descent device. Still indispensable, in case you are stuck at anchor having just dropped your shiny new descender :) Of course, you might just do a Dülfersitz rappel if you loose all your gear and the harness, but with modern thin ropes, it is a real PITA (literally) :D

[@eyescreamcake]

That seems like a lot of work. You have to hold up the weight of the entire rope the entire time that you're rappelling?

[@flaviohenriquebezerradasil4037]

Seus videos são bastantes instrutivos, parabéns.

[@DerrickNedzelMtnBike]

super helpful info, thanks! Is that Moab Utah in the background?

[@TeddyYoung26]

Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas, Nevada!

[@f1sk8mm]

Any thoughts on the military method? A wrap around a caribiner (though it was on a Swiss seat) with a belayer holding the rope below? Seems like it could also accommodate a third hand...

[@Notjudecamberos]

Having a belayer typically wouldn’t necessitate a rappel. That redundant system is so joes don’t become pancakes at basic lol.

[@refaiabdeen5943]

Cheers Mate!

[@fab1000]

A munter hich on a locking biner + prussik seems wayyyyy less complicated, 6 biners, lol

[@joestevenson5568]

Right? Carry 6 spare biners or learn this one very simple knot.

[@va7oloko]

@@joestevenson5568 hitch not a knot

[@samuelstolarik6886]

@@joestevenson5568 you could still use biners from quickdraws, just an idea. However munter hitch seems waaay more practical

[@eyescreamcake]

@@joestevenson5568 I mean if you just finished a climb you'll have a bunch of draws with biners on them

[@mattiti8523]

must be from a remnant from the time that people went wall climbing carrying 72 pitons and 43 oval carabiners

[@kirkjohnson8259]

I am a newbie here. Just curious if you would consider using 2 prusik knots or a Blake’s hitch in an emergency situation if you didn’t have all on those carabiners. I realized the purpose of your video was to show improvised repel setups. Like I said I am a newbie. By the way you do an excellent job explaining :)

[@Aholeintheozone]

Yea tie the end of the rope to your harness with a long tail, like 3 ft and tie that with a Blake's hitch to the other side of the rope and you can lower yourself. Just make sure the Blake's hitch is tight enough before disconnecting from the anchor.

[@chbou77730]

what climbing spot is it ? Whaoooo this view !

[@windriver2363]

It's Calico Hills in Red Rocks, Nevada.

[@chbou77730]

@@windriver2363 Thank you !! :) it was so beautiful !

[@hectorcuriel8356]

Great info. Make a habit to carry a figure 8 all the time will make everything a lot easy

[@kaimcguire5086]

Héctor Curiel never used a figure 8, have always done everything with an ATC Guide. Why add an extra device?

[@eyescreamcake]

If you're going to carry an extra belay device, then carry an extra of the ATC that you usually use!

[@officerwebb620]

Why do they have to be non lockers? I don't see the difference ...

[@ubiratajr9742]

Kamon 🧠🙏🙇🏿‍♂️ 🇧🇷

[@theoriginaldmac]

Red Rocks?

[@themeatpopsicle]

only one rock haha

[@zilch7116]

Step one during emergency: have tons of rope and tons of caribiners

[@123amsterdan456]

Why such a rush to show how to do the carabiners lock?

[@christinegerard4974]

Thank you. …not easy to memorize…

[@flaviohenriquebezerradasil4037]

show.

[@christinapankey1415]

I'm a tree climber and the first thing I don't like is a screw gate carabeaner

[@Aholeintheozone]

Screw gate biners have an advantage for rock climbing in that they act like normal biners the rest of the time. It would be nearly impossible to clip in to some anchors with a 3 way locking biner while holding on to the rock with your fingertips. There's also not a bunch of branches pressing on your gear rock climbing.

[@profd65]

It's sad that climbers today don't already know this stuff. Pathetic really.

[@jeroenfeher8107]

It's sad that you're shaming people trying to learn new things. Pathetic really.

[@profd65]

Yea, I should be nicer to people who claim to be climbers but don't even know the basics. I guess they don't teach this stuff at the local skate park or weed dispensary, do they bro?

[@jeroenfeher8107]

Even that response is truely cringeworthy. It's the response of someone with severe aspergers syndrome who is unable to put themselves in someone else's shoes. I guess you flopped out of your mom's womb with a figure 8 tied in the umbilical cord. Have you considered some people are new to climbing? Or people exist who know the techniques but need a refresher for whatever reason? People like you are what is toxic for any sport, hobby or activity. If all that comes out of your mouth is shit, then just stop talking.

[@tylernguyen7891]

A lot of climbers got their start in the gym where this stuff is never taught. I've met climbers who didn't know what a figure 8 is. Some gyms only use grigris so as a result their climbers don't know how to use a tube style device such as an atc. Some of my climbing buddies didn't even know what a fireman belay was until I showed them. Prior to watching this video o didn't know how to belay with those biner methods. My go-to was using a münter if I didn't have my atc or an 8. I didn't know the biner methods even though i'm a certified climbing and challenge course instructor through the Boy Scouts and the AMGA.

[@denislejeune9218]

@@jeroenfeher8107 Don't you know everything was so much better before? Climbing was better, mankind was better, diseases were better, I mean, nowadays everything is so awful and bad. Profd65 got dumped by his boyfriend in the 19th century and hasn't got over it yet, hence the constant trolling and the 'mama other people are shit but look mama how good I am'. But his mama died in the 16th century, and he hasn't realised yet.