It's More Than You Think! Why Modern Tools Help Ascending the Climbing Rope

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Tools evolve. I’ve talked about this before. As the technology in climbing changes, that necessitates that our techniques change. Sure, we could ignore the changing technologies, and just use the “old school” methods of our past, but much of the technological advancement in climbing has made this “inherently risky activity” more safe. No, it will never be perfectly safe, but we can add to our risk margins if we can employ new tools in the right way.

This is why I did a video about the equipment I always have on my climbing rack.

… and it’s why I did a very recent video about the diverse soft good (slings, prusik loops, etc.) that I now carry on my harness.

In this particular video, you see a lot of me using two very specific tools: the Petzl Micro Traxion Pully and the Petzl Tibloc Ultralight Emergency Ascender.

This video is a great example of how the use of modern tools has fundamentally changes a climbing rescue procedure. We now set up rope ascension systems in a completely different configuration (waist connection point lowest on the rope and foot connection point highest on the rope) than we used to. And that configuration has made what was the most difficult part of the procedure, getting over a lip at the top of a rope-ascent, much easier. The video goes deep into the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of it all.

But behind all of this is the willingness to keep learning. I feel so strongly about this, we did a short specifically on the need to be a ‘continuous learner,’ and I am reiterating that point again, here.

Learning can’t stop because the technology won’t stop, and the ripple effects (technology change to technique change to knowledge demanded) that creates is unavoidable. So, while we can make the choice to rely on the tools and techniques of yesterday, we can only do so while also accepting that we are potentially limiting our safety and our enjoyment, as those same advances we are avoiding are the ones that are adding safety and making some difficult aspects of climbing simpler.

It isn’t “irrational” to decide that ‘I don’t want to keep up with all of this change. This is good enough and safe enough.’ But it is limiting. We can accept that limit, sure. I make that same choice when it comes to phones. I just don’t care about the latest, greatest model. I buy a new one when my old one just can’t keep up with battery life any more. I do the same with cars, I’ve owned all of my cars for more than a decade, each time. I learn more about the new technologies when I have to buy a new car because my old car just doesn’t reliably run anymore. So, we can do the same with climbing.

But since climbing is both my principle hobby for enjoyment and is a risky thing with life-threatening consequences, I don’t make that same choice when it comes to vertical rock, ice, and mountains.