Going to Costa Blanca this easter, wanted to do some via ferrate routes but don't want to pay £60 for a rig. I have heard that using slings is a bad idea because they don't stretch.
Thinking about using metre offcuts of single climbing rope attached to some krabs. You can buy climbing rope offcuts for £1.50 a metre, I have plenty of snap gates = via ferrate rig for £3.
Just wanted to check that I am not doing anything blindingly stupid by doing this.
If not then do a search on the forums here and you will see a number of posts that discuss homemade vs purchased. They will tell you about dynamic forces etc and give you a better understanding.
Saw all kinds of setup in the Dolomites last year - some looked pretty awful, but until you fall you will not actually know.
In reply to kit perry:
Assuming this is not a joke...
Buy a rig or at least hire one.
The forces invoved are pretty enormous - I've seen anchors that are 6-8 m apart. Falling that far with 1m of rope out would really ruin your holiday.
In reply to kit perry: certainly slings are a very bad idea. using dynamic rope is only slightly less foolish given the 'give' in it but over the length of the cow tails you would have, this 'give' is going to be minimal. as such I would highly advise the use of some type of screamer to the system.
As long as you don't fall off you'll be fine. If you fall off, you are quite likely to die.
The key component of the via ferrata kits is the shock absorber - either a little device like a belay plate with several tight turns of the rope, or a screamer style stitch ripping thing. I managed to pick up a basic kit for ~£25-30 in Italy but I have also hired them for about 4 euros.
In reply to kit perry:
Unless you have a really strong desire to be able to wear jeans 3 sizes smaller I would suggest you buy or rent a proper rig: Taking a high factor fall onto a not very dynamic system will likely break your pelvis. I was unlucky enough to take a fall onto a static system a couple of years back and it wasn't pleasant; I only fell about 4ft, you'll be falling a lot further! Via Ferrata falls are often very high factor, hence the need for shock absorbers that work effectively.
In reply to kit perry: during a first aid course I attended once I was shown an X ray of some one who had taken an 1.5m fall onto a static sling,his spine was in two peices seperated by 3 inches, he didnt have a very good Holiday!
> (In reply to Monk)
>
> maybe i'll rent if it is only 4 euros. Seemed like a bright idea at the time..
>
> 3m run out on 1m of rope...
>
> Fall Factor 4? is that lethal?
>
if you consider the impact force at fall factor 1.77 can reach 7 0r 8Kn depending on the rope used, FF4 is possibly [sarcasm]a little bit painful [/sarcasm]
In reply to kit perry: First time i did a Via Ferrata just made my own rig with quick draws (!!!!!) - realised latter this was probably one of the more dangerous climbing things i have done...... luckily for me didn't fall - as others have said it is the friction plate thing at the centre of the set up that is the really really important bit
Kit all thats been said above is true I work in rope access and can tell you that YOU NEED AN ABSORPICA PACK.Any sling that is shock loaded is a bad idea and its not what they are designed for.
Using short cows tails is ok if you know what your doing and dont put yourself into a fall factor.However on via ferrata ground you need a proper fall arrest system to lower impact forces or you will die simple.
Dont be tight get out and buy yourself a system from CAMP or Petzl its your life its precious.
I bought the Kong friction devices to rig up my own VF kit for about 5 euros each. However, once you've factored in some new rope to thread them (rather than some spare 9mm that the cat's pissed on) and proper VF krabs, you're not really saving that much money.
Incidentally, where did you get details of VF on the Costa Blanca?
I've got a green thing with lots of holes in it. I've threaded it corect ly but have no faith it will actually slip in a fall. Not sure how I can really test it to convince myself.
Why not just buy a cheap rig for around £20 on the net. It'll by you piece of mind instead of asking if your can jerry rig something out of bits of rope and snapgates?
In reply to kit perry:
If you own a screamer for your other aspects of climbing you could probably make quite a safe system out of that? Still wouldn't beat a proper kit thought, and as people have said, they are very cheap to hire.
In reply to rustaldo: Why do people insist on thinking this sort of post is a troll. A troll is a post in which you're purposely trying to ryle someone, which to be fair is not the case here. And the fact is it's considerably more stupid and "noobish" to not ask the question in the first place. Don't be an idiot and just slate the guy - he's asking for your help and you just ended up souding like an elitist arrogant prick. And while I'm at it learn some frickin English.
juntao10 Mar 2011
In reply to rustaldo: well youre a dick. its just an honest question why get all on your high horse about it.
> Just wanted to check that I am not doing anything blindingly stupid by doing this.
You are.
If you don't fall you'll be fine. If you do fall you could die. Stack the odds in your favor, get the right kit. You can possibly hire it or you can buy one and sell it on afterwards to cover costs. The krabs are a lot tougher and the energy dissipation is much better.
