Safety question about the purcell prusik

If the the device is tied to itself with a 3/2 prusik and tied to your harness at the other end (the sidethat connects the bitter ends) is the device safe if one loop only is used at the anchor and the other "loop" is not connected to anything?

Sorry to be picky but you'll have to clarify your question a little better. I've been climbing on a PP for over 10 years and would use nothing else as far as a PAS goes.

one side has two loops. is it safe to tie off with one and leave the other available to say tie a klemheist for a rappell. I'll take a picture of what I mean an post it.

Don't want to be that guy but...

... YER GONNA DIE!

my gin an tonika says i speel juss fine

ditch the mega jul and get the alpine smart. then you won't have to deal with a backup and the raps are sooooooooooo much smoother than the mega-jul.

the PAS as anchor and rap backup...try to stay on topic

I have a similar question. Normally I use the purcell prusik girth hitched to my tie in loops as a PAS when cleaning sport routes. I have always had 1 locker through both of the adjustable length loops on the PP clipped to 1 bolt, then I back that up with a quick draw on the other bolt (2-bolt anchor). What if I were to use 2 lockers, 1 through each of the loops on the PP, so I could clip 1 locker/loop to each bolt?

I have a feeling its a bad idea because the 2 loops being pulled away from each other by the bolts would put more stress on the prusik knot, also if a bolt failed all of the force would be on 1 strand of the girth hitch.

Any opinions? How do you usually go about baking up the PP so that your not only on 1 bolt during cleaning?

I guess this is essentially the same questin asked by the OP. I think were both wondering if it is safe to use each loop of the PP independently.

i'm not informed enough to say about using one strand, although I wouldn't do it if tied with 6mm perlon. as for cliping the other bolt, if i'm cleaning the anchor, i clip the anchor (after removing the anchor set-up from one bolt) to my belay loop and my tether to the other bolt and call it good.

But it wouldn't be MP if i didn't end this with a "YER GONNA DIE!!!"

aad453 wrote:... I think were both wondering if it is safe to use each loop of the PP independently.

The common way to rig a PP for abseiling is to place a clove hitch in the cord between the harness and the prusik knot for the rap device, and use the main PP loop for a tether to the chain at the stance.

Image to be found here: people.bath.ac.uk/dac33/hig…

I would suggest that using one loop for securing yourself at a stance would be poor if the PP was tied of 6mm cord.

Definitely "could" be done but dont know why you would. If simplicity is what you are going for, that rig is definitely not it! Looking at the photos in the above link Im left shaking my head and asking "why". What ever happened to keep it simple? Here is my rig for rappelling with my 6 year old. We each have a PP attached to the rappel device allowing adjustability. You could easily rig a back up on the brake hand side to your leg loop if needed.

Do tell.

So you feel that a FF 2 fall on a PP and a sling will result in the same impact forces?

With all due respect you need to do some research. Prussiks slip at high loads which absorbs. They do not fail but do slip. I believe it is at about 6-7kn. This is why in rescue systems they use tandem prussiks for catching rescue loads.
Look into it.

Ugh. This is painful.

It's say right in those test "slow pull tests". Is that a fall?
Do your research (properly)
It's fact

I'll do some for you

monosar.org/search_and_resc…

rockclimbing.com/forum/Clim…

The second link is a forum that has links.

Kirk Mauthner lives in the purcells. Kind of a big name in the rescue world. He's done lots of testing. Again, look into it.

Through my experience, the P.P. is definitely a shock absorbing system. First, the slip from a prussik tightening takes a ton of load off anchors/protection. Second, a P.P. is always made from a nylon cordette (dynamic properties) rather than dyneema (not sure if this will even catch when loaded). Also, I would not load each strand individually as it will be very time consuming trying to adjust the strands independently after making them different lengths.

Edit: Also carrying a P.P. has so many more uses than a "P.A.S.- only" system.

It's about time someone backed me up on this.
Not trying to be a jerk on here but just can't believe how many people are mis/uninformed about prussiks.

Rigging for Rescue has done some extensive testing of Purcell Prussiks and other lanyards (daisy chains, Pas, other)

You can view their full reports and test results on their webpage riggingforrescue.com

Report titles:
daisy chains & other lanyards

Lanyards II - an examination of Purcell Prussiks