OpenTrackRacer wrote:I think the Stop is the way to go but I'm curious to hear Hank's (and anyone else's) thoughts on my testing.
I might weigh in again...
I think the Stop is probably the best option <edit> of those described</edit>. I think once you spend more time on rope using a shunt or prussik you might quickly get sick of them and end up leaving them off, the Stop equips you well for almost any cave (except perhaps really long pitches with no rebelays).
My thoughts as some have said before in this topic are: I'd be wary of using equipment such as a Stop or shunt / prussik as a substitute for training or good technique, I personally prefer to recognize vertical ropework as risky and make sure you approach it in a way that reduces the risks involved without adding more complications or relying on equipment to catch you. Good technique and a simple and effective system are the best forms of safety IMHO.
In a nutshell: Recognize vertical ropework as inherently hazardous try as much as you can to control those hazards but maintain a simplicity to your system, the more you add to your system the more there is to get wrong.
Be aware that the Stop does tend to let (not teach ) you form bad habits and you need to aware of this and be strongly critical of your technique and make sure the stop feature does not become something you depend on. Ideally IMO you would learn on a bobbin style descender first and then switch to the Stop but I can see how this would be expensive and perhaps annoying.