How to Rig a Retrievable Rappelling Anchor | Bowline

Today in the LiveRogue laboratory Eli looks at a way to build a retrievable Rappelling anchor using a bowline and a pull rope.

WARNING! Don’t forget that getting off the couch is inherently dangerous! You must assume all the risk prior to embarking on an adventure. Any person using skill/equipment is personally responsible for learning the proper techniques involved, assumes all risks, and accepts full responsibility for all damages or injury, to include but not limited to death. Test and practice with your equipment in a safe manner to determine compatibility and performance characteristics before deploying during an adventure. If you cannot master a system / process / skill / equipment that we have used, or question any part of this video, consider this video for entertainment purposes only!

[ajd]

Thank you, I have been looking at how to do this for ages, great video :)

[vieuxacadian]

Nice setup . I've just run through the anchors and performed double line rappel .

[reneeschke]

Hell no– I'm absolutely not rapping on an open bowline.

[BlanketTruth]

If you have length of paracord equal or greater than your rope then why not just pull the bow line knot from the bottom why should it have to come untied above you? Just pull and pull until the bowline is in your hands untie it and then pull the p cord behind it. Way safer. Right? Am I missing something? That's how I make retrievable slackline anchors in the park way high up without climbing...

[akusantafe]

A MARVELOUS solution! Thank you! Elegant!

[noertdk]

Carabiner block/ or stopping knot and some paracord and pull it down.

[Jmach]

well explained, but the last person rappeling takes the most risk and has really to check his bowline before descending...

[JoBianco]

What is the advantage of this over a blocked system with a pull cord?

[jbol]

How would one go about retrieving a grappling hook after descending? Especially if it's quite high up?

[GregoryPagano]

There are easier and safer ways to build a retrievable rappel.

I feel like this puts a lot of unnecessary risk on the last person since a bowline is no longer safe without a backup knot. Not to mention the friction of trying to pull the knot undone and all the extra hardware that can now get stuck above while pulling down the ropes.

Maybe there’s a use case for this but I don’t really see the benefits over other methods.

[seaotter]

Nice video. Helpful. Need to practice it and work out any kinks. So many ways to ghost

[justinb]

What happens when the last climber is rappelling and the tag line gets caught around their leg and they pull the bowline apart? All of these retrievable systems with the tag line that dismantles the anchor knot are scary. Even if they get down safe there is going to be gear falling down. Why wouldn't you tie a running bowline around the rappel strand with a tag line instead?

[PapP]

What method for singe stand retrievable rapp do you suggest for mussy hooks?

[samsungtvu]

Cool but sketchy without a backup, they have a tendency of untying themselves.

[trekkingnb]

If that cord gets caught and undos the bowline…goodbye. Much better and safer ways.

[CristoforRua-xpmm]

De verdad piensas que se deben de poner los parabolts, puntos fijos tan cerca uno de otro? Tu crees que te los vas ha encontrar tan cerca uno de otro? En pared artificial si, por otro lado, hay que utilizar siempre mosquetones y cuerdas homologadas.

[sandr]

А вы это пробовали сделать, после рывка или нагрузки? несработает🧐

[chavenord]

Truly a terrible technique that should never be used. Just use a simple tag line tied to the rappel rope.

[otowncolby]

There are better ways. Using a bowline without a backup knot is SUPER sketchy. If you're going to do this, at least tie a long tail, but still, just use a better method.

[jorycamille]

That didn’t look like a bowline knot..