Emergency rappelling with and without carabiner!

Setting up an improvised rappel with or without a carabiner is another essential skill in our rope-craft series. Especially in emergency situations, but also if you just lost your primary rappelling device, the knowledge of how to safely descend a rope is a lifesaver. In this tutorial, we'll show how to rappel with only a rope and how to use carabiners for improvised rappelling set-ups.

Knots, Rope, and Cordage - Playlist

0:00 Intro
0:24 Body Rappelling
1:45 Munter Hitch Rappelling
3:56 Iten Brake
6:07 Carabiner Brake ("The Classic")

[dubbitywap]

I dropped my reverso this past weekend on a cliff. I pulled out my phone, found your video on youtube, and was able to get down to the ground safely. Thanks for the excellent tutorial. It was literally a life-saver!

[ryanmccabe]

This is definitely one of the better videos I've seen on this topic

[matthiasmartin]

Iten brake worked beautifully today, thanks for showing us.

[pobz]

rope twisting with a munter is no joke! I rappelled with one last year and absolutely could not manage to untwist the ropes fully since I couldn’t see the top of the rope! That led to us unable to pull the rope down, I had to climb back up the rope all the way.

Didn’t know about Iten brake!!! Thanks a lot for the info I will definitely keep that knowledge in my tool bag!

[andrewstambaugh]

As a hiker, woodsman, boulderer, i liked your commentary and clear demonstration.
*I could see these becoming useful for rescue, * such as descending to a car or motorcycle crashed off an embankment.

I guess i should add 2-3 SS Carbineers to my gear.

[donb]

Excellent teaching style, especially providing the reasons for using the techniques. Climb on!

[CheckingYourRealityForYou]

grias di bruda. video idea: quick release rope belt for emergencies (burning building with your family, falling through ice, rescue someone on cliff) that u can wear for everyday w your jeans. maybe use carabiner as belt clip. you fold rope in half, wasting very necessary length (7 story building is 100ft tall!). maybe use thin-strand-kevlar?

[simonjenkins]

I'd love to see these demonstrated too to see how much effort is involved in breaking / how quickly you slow down.
Great content. Thanks

[yl]

Just an idea with regard to the classic configuration, from a tree surgeon in hamilton. I notice that the first carabiner could be functionally substituted for a solid ring, as the gate is never opened on that carabiner for the purposes of the configuration. I realise it may mean carrying an additional piece of hardware itself potentially connected by a small tool carrying carabiner in turn. Just something to consider. Interested to hear your thoughts.

[TaccaT]

Munter, Eaton, dulfersitz are some of the first things I show, when teaching how to rappel. Knowing how to descend when you’ve lost your device, have only 1, or no carabiners is important knowledge to file away. As well, being prepared to ascend doubled ropes is an important backup bit of knowledge. Whether with slings, shoe laces, or QuickDraws.

[patdunphy]

Carabiner break nice to see old school

[majas]

Most important! Keep in mind that rappelling is a slowed down process not a marathon! (if you do it properly the ropes will not be burning then)

[jessed]

Thanks! Why can't you clip the lower carabiner in the classic carabiner brake directly to your harness?

[pobz]

Hey man I don’t get it, I looked up Iten Brake, Iten rappel, a bunch of videos and google searches on rappelling and
I can’t find anything else on the Iten brake! Where did you get this from?? It looks fine to me, but it would greatly reassure me if some other licensed people could confirm its safety/potential drawbacks.
Thanks!

[Raylovepalomar]

2 key things missing in this video are A) you can super munter the rappel to not twist the rope and create more friction B) you should flip the pear shaped biners so that the rope is running through and over the small curve not the large curve if using the carabiner rappel which would also create opposite/opposed screw gates rudicing the risk that the rock runs over the screw gate and ultimately increasing the risk one or both of the biners not being locked while rappelling

[TobbeBoll]

Let's say a fire started in the apartment building, would it work with these methods of rappelling, attaching the rope to the balcony railing?

[rappelclub]

What about the carabiner wrap method used in the military????

[andreasweber]

I’ve seen screw lock carabiners getting unlocked by the rope half way during a repelling. Luckily the girl had no accident and switched to 3-way lock systems at her next stand. But she got scared shitless

[kraftzion]

I think the super munter is useful too.

[brettmcconochie]

Hey Fabio, I hadn't heard of the Iten Brake. Thanks for showing it. One question about the Iten Brake, will it cause your rope to become twisted as you rappel. If so, how badly will it twist the rope?

Thanks