Page 124 - Rappelling

fingers. I conducted several tests over the last year If using an autoblock at your leg loop, make sure
with my autoblock rigged at my leg loop and my your harness buckle cannot be defeated by an out-
rappel device (ATC) at my belay loop. With someone ward pull, or better yet, use a harness with a fixed
giving me a fireman’s belay to back me up, I flipped (no buckle) leg loop design.
upside down to see if the autoblock would grab and In recent years professional guides have devel-
hold. In three out of four tests it failed to grip, since oped a safer method simply by extending the
it had ridden up against my ATC, and the rope kept rappel device with a sling attached to the harness
sliding right through. It’s not a foolproof backup. and rigging the autoblock clipped into the belay
Also, recent harness leg loop buckle designs loop. I like to rig a double-length sewn nylon sling
(particularly the Black Diamond trakFIT and Petzl threaded through both points at the front of my
“doubleback” buckle systems) can loosen when a harness (where your rope tie-in goes through) and
carabiner is clipped into them and pulled outward. tied with an overhand knot, to gain redundancy at

A rappeller’s-eye view of an extended
rappel device with autoblock backup.
Here the autoblock is gripping the
rope—notice the distance between
the autoblock cord and the ATC
rappel device. No matter what
happens with the rappeller, even
if he or she flips upside down, the
autoblock will not come in contact
with the rappel device.

Rappelling Safely 113

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