It’s now March 2014, about a year and a half after I bought my first length of the Gleistein Geostatic 9mm rope. The 31m length I bought was soaked at home and measured to 32m, no doubt down to Shaun at Hitch N Hike’s generous measuring style! I labelled it up as a 30m and …
Continue reading Gleistein GeoStatic NE 9mm rope – 18 months use
Author:Pete
Outdoor professional and enthusiast.
1 Log, 1 Tool, 1 Match
This was done as an entry to a Facebook competition on the Great British Bushcraft Group page. The challenge was to make a fire from 1 log or stick using only one cutting tool and with only 1 match to light it. It is a challenge that I have done a few times but often it …
Continue reading 1 Log, 1 Tool, 1 Match
A Summer Storm – 27/7/13
On the 27th July 2013 a storm hit the UK, falling on dry ground and empty watercourses the rainfall soon entered the cave systems of the Peak District. My wife and I took the opportunity to visit Bagshawe Cavern in flood condition. WARNING – Never enter a cave in flood or at risk of flood without …
Continue reading A Summer Storm – 27/7/13
2013 Petzl Croll & Basic review
I’m a self confessed gear junky. I love to play with shiny things and we all love a rope trick or two. I also like looking good when I work, image is important as a first impression can be the difference between a days work and no work. All vanities aside, I think that a professional …
Continue reading 2013 Petzl Croll & Basic review
New Bolts at Pindale Farm
Recently I have been spending a lot of time swinging about on the surface, either through testing knots or coaching SRT skills. For all of this I’ve been using the excellent tower facility up at Pindale Farm near Castleton. The SRT platform offers scaffolding bar belays and back-ups and the surrounding walls of the old mining buildings are equipped …
Continue reading New Bolts at Pindale Farm
Conclusions on the use of the BotB
So, the footage has circulated, tests have been done and reports and statements have been published. Where are we on BotBs? I echo the BCA advice that the BotB is safe to use provided that a cowstail is always clipped into both loops. I will continue to use the knot in my range of personal …
Continue reading Conclusions on the use of the BotB
2nd round of testing on the Bowline-on-the-Bight knot
Thinking that 2 heads were better than one I set out today with a good friend and colleague, Jez Parr. Jez in another CIC holder with many years of experience. He was also my mentor through the CIC scheme and the ideal person to bounce ideas off. Our first stop was local gear shop and …
Continue reading 2nd round of testing on the Bowline-on-the-Bight knot
Testing a method of failure with a Bowline-on-the-Bight knot
A recent video clip has come to light on UKCaving Forum from the French Caving School which identifies a method of failure for the Bowline-on-the-Bight knot. The School’s film shows a failure that could lead to serious injury or even death when clipped into only one arm of the Y-hang. I have not seen or …
Continue reading Testing a method of failure with a Bowline-on-the-Bight knot
300
This has been sat in my drafts folder for ages, so I’ve updated and published it today to continue my current theme of kit reviews and thoughts. Below is a photo of 4 of my Figure-of-8 descenders from the Peak Instruction kit store. 2 have had a maximum of a dozen abseils, the other 2 …
Continue reading 300
First Look at Gleistein GeoStatic NE 9mm semi-static rope
Here is a quick set of initial observations on Gleistein GeoStatic NE semi-static rope. A full write up will follow in the future. So, a few weeks ago I was chatting to a caving friend of mine who has turned outdoor gear importer/supplier and was told about a new type of semi-static rope available in …
Continue reading First Look at Gleistein GeoStatic NE 9mm semi-static rope