How To Set Up A Rappel Extension

AMGA instructors Dale Remsburg and Olivia Race explain five techniques for building a rappel extension.

[outkastbowiecollaborationi]

Really appreciate how they explained pros and cons of everything.

[cowtheif]

Thank you OR and AMGA for these! Really good filming and instruction. I hope you continue making these.

[hardrocklobsterroll]

Thank you so much for these videos they are a lifesaver. On top of that, I like that you show lots of different means to the same end. It's really useful in sparking creativity and ingenuity; something that is really hard on the side of a wall.

[cindysteuart]

Just excellent, easy to understand, clear explanation... Thank you

[anthonyhaamen]

The dual petzl connect adjust is a dream to use. Pretty bulky though especially if you’re carrying gear. I’ve switched down to the regular connect adjust for my pas, and use a double length runner tied in an eight through my tie in points for rap extension. Perfect combo!

[laszlopricz]

I love the Petzl connect. Perfect. Great tool.

[billjensen]

I was going to use a purcel prusik for my pas but is that bad? The last comment suggest I shouldn't. I was planning on getting a petzyl connect in the future but maybe I should get it sooner.

[bryanwhipple]

Any reason not to use an alpine butterfly for the middle knot? Thanks.

[Needafollower]

Hi thank you for this video! Does it matter if you used a dyneema sling to make the extender the lady used with the bight? I think this is the one I’d use! I’m new to climbing 👍🏽

[wolfberg_gpasca]

Guides in italy also use the bowline to tie the sling to the harness

[khvediri]

Better put backup before ATC because 1) you are safer for a period of time and 2) the mass of rope is on the knot and does not make it hard to put rope in an ATC

[OneTradeMan]

I have the single version of the petzl connect lanyard. Do you think it’s fine to tie an overhand on a bight in the middle and use that as the extension point?

[jimijimi]

How is your tether stowed when climbing? I use this system and I’ve had it snag on ice more than once.

[jackiceful]

In same rap setting with back up using small dyneema. At the knot in middle for the rap device - as knot reduce strength (more on dyneema) - what do Dave and Olivia thinks of using a clove hitch ONLY if end from anchor is reclip to harness ... slippage not tested in this use as far as I know but should reduce strength less than a knot (and is convenient to untie)?

[ivanlawrence]

I girth to my tie in, clip back to the belay loop, then clove hitch a carabinier into the center as the rappel attachment. But now I'm thinking of replacing the girth hitch with a bowline on a bight.

[DeShark]

"It's gonna be hard to reach the limits of this material in a practical climbing application"

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that exactly what the DMM video was discussing? Even falling just the length of the sling (2 foot) was enough to generate enough forces to break the material with a dyneema sling. I get that in practice there's the extra dynamic elements like the body being soft, the other elements (cordelette for example) absorbing some of the forces etc, so maybe he's right that the forces will be reduced in a practical scenario, but I think that it should be stressed that if you shock load the anchors, you might actually fairly easily generate enough forces to break the sling, especially if you're using a sling that's not brand new as they used in the DMM video.

The rest of the video is awesome and I use a sling to tether myself as well, I just make sure that I *never* let any slack develop in the sling. Usually I'll use the rope and I was glad to see that being the recommendation in this video.

[DanielSchaffrath]

Options for length are easily achievable by using a cow hitch in your (hopefully auto-locking) carabiner.

[timmamok]

My only question is 'why rappel on an extension in the first place'?

[civedm]

I think I'd rather have one sling for a PAS and another for the rappel extension. I was under the impression that loading or even shock loading the "shelf", as he mentioned, between his girth hitch and overhand knot was bad, because loading that overhand knot like that greatly reduces its strength. If you load it like that, you can see the force literally trying to peel the knot open or tear it apart as oppose to clinching the knot tighter.

[DanielSchaffrath]

As the knot for your belay device it is highly recommended to use a bowline as it opens up easily - as opposed to the overhand knot.