How do I clip a bolt to minimize the possibility of self-unclipping?
[back to top] [FAQ contents] From: Karl Lew When you clip the rope into a draw, the rope coming from the belayer should be closest to the rock, and the rope should go through the biner out towards you. If you clip the other way (i.e., backclip), your rope will be in towards the wall. Once you are backclipped, a fall can unclip you from the rope. Go see Using and understanding carabiners from Petzl. From: Todd Mummert The principle behind the danger is that since the rope is running from the front of the biner to the back (against the rock) as it rises, then any falls that occur may have the rope in a loop as it hits the biner. If this loop falls across the biner gate, it could cause the gate to open. Get a rope and biner out and see for yourself. I’m not saying it will cause the gate to open, but it’s possible. It’s more likely if the gate opening is down, and the biner is not free to move. It’s popular for sport climbing draws to be stiff enough (Petzl draws for example, biners held i
