Canyoneering practices get shaped by the type of canyons we do, and the gear we use.
If we frequent routes with nice bolt placements, we grow fond of adjustable safety tethers and SAS systems. If we frequent routes with bushes and cairns as anchors we get to love courtesy-rigging and retrievable-riggings.
As time passes by, we tend to lose sight of how limited our playground may be, and start seeing the canyoneering world through a very narrow lens.
One of the gear items that shape our rigging choices is rope.Recreational canyoneers have been sold the notion that thinner and lighter ropes are better.
But, for professional guiding, submitting clients to the unpleasantness of thin fast ropes is rarely a good choice. Nice supple 9.x ropes make for a better client’s experience as well as better guiding.
Rope diameter and rope-hand, affect the options to rig releasable. Euro-Braids are possible with thin ropes. A big fat 9.x will not go through the small figure 8 hole.
Expand your rigging options with a purpose:
– For different rope diameters
– For different master point situations (floating vs. rock contact — Blocks & Redirects)
