1: Use a backup

This may be the most important rule in increasing your safety while rappelling.  When setting up your rappel, incorporate a prussic (or an autoblock, which is quicker to rig) below your rappel device.  If using an extension this can be clipped directly to your harness’ belay loop.  It is important that the prussic does not slide up into your rappel device, which can interfere with the braking of the device, and is another reason that an extension is important.  The backup will allow you go hands free in order to deal with rope tangles and in the event you were hit by something while rappelling (very common while on the ice) you will not lose control even if you let go.  Furthermore, by putting a backup on the rope, if you ever threaded the ropes incorrectly and committed to the rappel, the backup ensures you are still connected to the ropes and will prevent an otherwise catastrophe! (more…)

I was super reluctant to try out a pair of crack gloves…  While I have taped my hands in the past for certain routes, the idea of wearing a crack glove really seemed like cheating!  Nonetheless, I gave them a try and it is hard to go back now!  For me, the real advantage is taking them on Alpine rock routes.  First, they are much lighter than carrying a roll of tape on a long approach.  Second, they take seconds to put on opposed to making a decent tape glove, which makes them super convenient to wear when you need them and take them off when you don’t.  Often on a long alpine route there may only be a pitch where taping up would be nice, so with the Splitter glove clipped to your harness you can easily put them on and save some damage to your skin!  These gloves are super light and much less bulky then many of the other crack gloves offered. They seem like they could be destroyed in one pitch, but I have worn them on several outing and so far they are stood up very well!

If you are looking for an awesome insulating layer that wi

ll keep
you warm, breath and work alone as an
outerlayer as well, look no further.  I got to use this jacket last season and it is great.  The days of wearing simple fleece insulating layers are over for me!  The Polartec “Alpha” fabric in this jacket does an awesome job of breathing, retain it’s warmth when wet, blocking the wind and looking good around town too!  This jacket is right at home using ski touring or ice climbing.