Rack users: Attachment

[gdstorrick]

Post deleted.

[Extremeophile]

I was puzzled by all the people that said that they attached the rack directly to the harness, wondering how y'all do that. Do you really mean directly, or do you mean directly to a half-round screwlink (which I call a screwlink connection)? This may be wordplay, but if so, it may be skewing the survey.

Gary

I answered "directly" and meant that I have my half-round going through the eye of the rack. I assumed the other answers meant that there is one more link in the chain, e.g. "screwlink" means a 7mm oval maillion between the half-round and the eye of the rack. Perhaps there has been some confusion.

[gdstorrick]

Post deleted.

[Stan Allison]

I don't use a rack, so not voting. I do connect my descender with a carabiner both recreational and at work.

Here's a couple scenarios to think about though:

1 - you are in an exposed location (ie don't want to remove harness) and you need your descender for a rescue, now!

2 - you are doing a pickoff rescue and things go sideways - you want to escape the system and get the hell out of there,

I know what system I would rather have.

What he said.

I don't use a rack either so I didn't vote. I also connect my descender with a carabiner at work and play. Although a caver may be able to enjoy an entire vertical caving career without encountering scenarios 1 or 2 above, if any of these situations were encountered having a detachable descender would be highly desirable and might make the difference between a successful pickoff/self-rescue and an unsuccesful one with two people stuck on rope.

In some of the caves I explore, there are narrow meanders, crawls and other obstacles between drops that wouldn't allow me to pass with even a mini rack hanging off the front of my harness. Having a detachable descender makes negotiating these obstacles between drops faster, easier and more comfortable for the boys/girls.

Do all of you who who keep your descenders directly attached to your seat harness maillon just cave in single-drop caves or multi-drop caves with walking passages? Even when I'm caving in multi-drop caves with walking passages I find it much more comfortable to clip my descender on a side harness loop when traveling a significant distance between drops.

[Patrick Wilson]

I was puzzled by all the people that said that they attached the rack directly to the harness, wondering how y'all do that. Do you really mean directly, or do you mean directly to a half-round screwlink (which I call a screwlink connection)? This may be wordplay, but if so, it may be skewing the survey.

Gary

I answered "directly" and meant that I have my half-round going through the eye of the rack. I assumed the other answers meant that there is one more link in the chain, e.g. "screwlink" means a 7mm oval maillion between the half-round and the eye of the rack. Perhaps there has been some confusion.

That's precisely what I intended on this poll. I edited the original post to hopefully clarify this.