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> ", "name": "burger-navigation-search", "type": "link"}}'> Search Home Skills Belaying Rappelling Technique Sport Climbing Trad Climbing Bouldering Nutrition Training News Competitions First Ascents Accidents Blogs Unbelayvable Gear Climbing Shoes Belay Devices Carabiners Harnesses Climbing Ropes Crash Pads Places Yosemite Red River Gorge Smith Rock Boulder Red Rock Indian Creek Joshua Tree The Gunks People Chris Sharma Adam Ondra Sasha Digiulian Alex Puccio Tommy Caldwell Kevin Jorgeson Photos Bouldering Sport Climbing Trad Climbing Alpine Climbing Ice Climbing Videos Bouldering Sport Climbing Trad Climbing Alpine Climbing Ice Climbing Gym Climbing Training Technique Gear Injury Prevention Gym News Community Magazine Climbing > ", "name": "navigation-search", "type": "button"}}' aria-label="Search"> Outside Feed Skills News Gear Places People Photos Videos Gym Climbing Magazine Climbing Outside Feed Skills News Gear Places People Photos Videos Gym Climbing Magazine Join Now Sign InBrette Harrington’s Love Affair with the Chinese Puzzle Wall
Brette Harrington and Marc-André Leclerc were the first to climb the stunning granite wall. After Leclerc died, Harrington kept going back.
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This eight-phase (12-month) training series will present specific workouts based on the principles of periodization. Each six-week segment will build upon the previous one.
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They Climbed On a Home Depot Rope—Thought A Real Rope Was Too Expensive
They figured they knew enough about climbing to wing it, but took a dangerous risk that could have cost them.
Kevin Corrigan Published Feb 7, 2024
During my senior year of high school, my friends and I were bored. We decided we collectively knew enough about climbing for it to be safe. We went to the local outfitter and bought harnesses, carabiners, and belay devices, but we scoffed at the price of a rope. It was way outside our budget. Instead, we went to Home Depot and bought 100 feet of poly cord that was rated for 200 pounds. We climbed on that rope all day, just easy 5.3 climbing on toprope. I’ve included a couple photos. It wasn’t until I was lowering at the end of the day that I realized what a mistake I’d made. The 100-foot rope had stretched to about 200 feet, shrinking to the size of 8mm cord. I bought a real climbing rope the following week. Wanted to share because we are all new at some point and even with the best intentions mistakes are made. We should collectively work together to improve safety across the sport. I wish someone would have stopped us from climbing on that poly rope.
—Kyle Harris, via email
—
LESSON: Modern climbing ropes include a number of climber-friendly features. They can hold thousands of pounds of force. They have durable sheaths that prevent abrasion and cutting. They have the ideal amount of stretch to catch a fall softly, and then bounce back to their original length and diameter. They’re supple and easy to tie and untie. They’re tested to meet rigorous safety standards. And they work great with modern belay devices. A random hardware store rope is not designed with any of these goals in mind, and can’t be expected to meet them. Always use proper climbing gear designed and rated for climbing.
Want more? Check out more installments in our ever-growing hall of shame:
Lucky He Didn’t Die. Lowered From a Toy Carabiner
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