How much of a difference does friction really make?”
Short answer: a whole bunch. Long answer: read Technical Analysis of Friction in Hauling Systems “Ok that primitive setup doesn’t sound so bad, why don’t you guys recommend it?” We sell them because they can work, but they don’t work well for the majority of people. For some people, especially climbers and river guides we do strongly encourage at least knowing how to making a primitive tightening system (Z system/3:1/whatever you call it). It’s a useful tool for lots of things but when it comes down to ease of use and cost effectiveness other options can be very worthwhile to look into while your at it. Hey, more techniques and knowledge just mean a free new tool for your mental toolbox so why not learn all of the methods and pick the right one for your needs. If you are a climber who wants to learn all about rigging techniques and think you might need to set a haul line for an injured climber or do multipitch with lots of gear, then you’ll want to spend the time to at least try the pu
