Topic: Safety First or Hoorah Henries? (Read 9189 times)

Rusty Madra · « **on:** September 26, 2014 »

I was reading this article:

http://www.climbing.com/news/unbelayvable-a-20-grappling-hook-from-amazon/

In which climbers were in shock and condemnation at seeing a group of inexperienced climbers/outdoors people use a Ninja style grappling hook to climb up a route.

Quite quickly I got bored of their condemnation and the school of thought that suggests unless you have all the gear and the chat you don't belong anywhere near the outdoors.

Part of me thought fair play to these guys: getting out with no real equipment and no idea but loads of guts and a sense of adventure.

Where these guys idiots? Should they be condemned or commended?

Fred · « **Reply #1 on:** September 26, 2014 »

Interesting article. The author describes the terrain as 4th class which probably implies that it wasn't actually that steep, maybe just a series of steps and ledges on steep ground. I would be more concerned about the quality of the hook and line. It probably was a bit reckless and if they had an accident, it would be everyone else's problem but I sort of admire their spirit.

fred

Rich.H · « **Reply #2 on:** September 26, 2014 »

I think my biggest gripe with that sort of thing would be the damage caused to the landscape more than any safety issues. The article doesn't specify but I will guess that the folks with the hook were not experienced climbers hense their thinking that it was a good idea, though I would not like to think of some real climber one day falling because a surface had been damaged by loons like this. So in that regard I would happily jump on board and drive the condemnation band wagon, it was just reckless and harmful to the outdoors that others wish to enjoy too.

However on the general issue of folks being a bit risky with their own sport, I take the approach that as long as you are only endangering yourself and if anything goes wrong you do not expect others to give up time or risk to save you. Then sure go ahead and enjoy yourself, some folks want to take a nice slow climb up a peak with lots of gear and plenty of rope, others may decide it's a mars bar and an ipod of off we go, I think fair play to both as it's better than sitting on the rear watching telly. My bugbear though is when some idiot decides to take risks without bothering to either know what they are doing or even knowing what equipment to use, and then expects emergency services to rush to their aid. Those folks I would happily leave to their doom so more time can be devoted to the ones who are victims of genuine circumstance.

The article though does have a whiff of Daily Mail about it and the author seems to have a beef about how the folks were enjoying themselves far more than any actual concerns over things.

RedLeader · « **Reply #3 on:** October 02, 2014 »

I suppose there's a line between stupidity and extreme when it comes to this sort of stuff. Just because something's dangerous doesn't mean you shouldn't do it but there's no point being stupid about things. I'd say these guys were somewhere inbetween.

This is stupidity!

Rich.H · « **Reply #4 on:** October 02, 2014 »

Ah those oddball Russian and eastern Europeans, however try looking up James Kingston on youtube and you will see a fine example of stupidity at it's best.

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Author Topic: Safety First or Hoorah Henries? (Read 9189 times)

Rusty Madra

Safety First or Hoorah Henries?

Fred

Re: Safety First or Hoorah Henries?

Rich.H

Re: Safety First or Hoorah Henries?

RedLeader

Re: Safety First or Hoorah Henries?

Rich.H

Re: Safety First or Hoorah Henries?

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