Monkey's Fist Protection?

So I have read about and heard 'legends' of old school climbers using monkey's fists as protection. Has anyone here ever done it? I mean the knot is simple to tie, can be made rather light and strong, and using the right cordage could in theory handle quite a bit. I'd love to hear what you think about their application. Would anyone here throw a few on their sling?

no, I own cams, stoppers, and all kinds of cool stuff that works great.

I've rapped off of a prussic knot shoved in a crack before. Seemed fine at the time. With the right type of constricting crack that opens up in the back you can get a solid piece of gear in with just cordage.

Much too specialized to bother carrying specifically on your rack, anywhere a knot would work, a nut would work just a well but everywhere a nut would work, a knot is not as likely to fit as well.

I have not done this but would give it a go if I was headed here:

on-sight.de/gebiete/index.h…

This site has info about knotted pro:

joergbrutscher.homepage.t-o…

Full disclousre: knot my picture. I cannot remember where this came from, but I downloaded it sometime back. Food for thought?

In Elbsandstein Germany, knots are the ONLY pro allowed.

BirminghamBen thanks for that picture! That is pretty awesome I must admit. Coldatom, is that by law or just a habit of practice by the locals?

Someone here has to have seen the video "the sharp end". There is a whole entire segment of them climbing only with knots and whipping on them.

BirminghamBen wrote:Full disclousre: knot my picture. I cannot remember where this came from, but I downloaded it sometime back. Food for thought?

yeah.. i think that dude's balls are probably the size of those monkeyfists

dude, sucks if you need the monkey fist on the BOTTOM of your shoulder sling pile! FUCK! i shake putting cams w/ ergonomic trigger fingers in on my hard sends, can you imagine trying to get to that bottom monkey fist? monkey fists flying everywhere on young leader ascents! LOL...

when you drop your fist do you scream, "balls!!!!!"

does it even hurt to have a monkey fist land on your head from above? do you swing it around fast and then throw it back?!

awesome pic,

jon

Rob B wrote:BirminghamBen thanks for that picture! That is pretty awesome I must admit. Coldatom, is that by law or just a habit of practice by the locals?

I'm told by a friend that it's the law. They're worried about damaging the rock. And they figure if people have been able to protect with just knots for generations, than you can too.

Plus, you can buy a trad rack of knots for $50!

The rules regarding the sandstone climbing in Germany and the Czech Republic are varied. No metal protective gear such as cams or nuts are allowed, but some places allow the use of bolts or large doorknocker-sized rings, but how often these get used can vary. Chalk is allowed in some places, but not in most. Toproping is not allowed on many cliffs, and in some areas you can only climb freestanding towers, not cliffs that are accessible by hiking. Many cliffs are closed during the late fall through early spring. These rules are made by both the state and the local climbing organizations and clubs, which are more influential than we are used to in the United States. The reason given behind all these rules is to impact the soft rock in the most minimal way possible.

The average climbing experience there is to rack up with a lot of various-sized knots, from huge monkey fists down to overhand knots in flat webbing or 5mm cord, as well as loose cord to tie off any hourglass shaped pockets. A route may have a few large rings, similar to oversized ring pitons, that have been drilled and hammered into place. The easier routes will have none of these, but even the hardest lines won't have them below the height of 5 meters, with generous spacing to the next one, if it exists. Climbers place knots between the rings if they can, gingerly picking their way up the loose sandstone, with holds that may break any moment, hoping that the crux comes after the ring and not at the end of the runout before it.

Thank you to everyone who has had some knowledge and input. I guess I am gonna just have to knot up, make a few, and try it out. I'd still really love to hear from some venerable climbers who have done it and see what they have to say on the subject. Who knows maybe we can get a retro knot climb movement going.

First rack:

I never took a fall on the fist though.... too damn scared

Eric Krantz, thank you for the photo. Thats actually quite inspiring for me. I can understand your reservations falling on a fist but thats awesome to know that someone on here actually used them. Andrew Haag, thanks for the recommendations I'll try and get my mitts on those, and nice picture of you on mr. slate.

I think I would need some really big "huevos" to try the monkey's fist at Indian Creek........ wonder if anyone has done it?????

There´s a good test of the stength/holding power of various jammed knots done by Jörg Brutscher at the University of Dresden, in German but you´ll get the idea:-

joergbrutscher.homepage.t-o…

Mia Tucholke wrote:I think I would need some really big "huevos" to try the monkey's fist at Indian Creek........ wonder if anyone has done it?????

You need a nice slot for the fist, completely absent at the Indian Creek climbs I've seen. Monkey fist would be a poor (read: deadly) choice there, but only if you fell!

There´s a good test of the stength/holding power of various jammed knots done by Jörg Brutscher at the University of Dresden, in German but you´ll get the idea:-

www.joergbrutscher.homepage.t-online.de/knoten.htm

English version is up thread.

Jim Titt wrote:There´s a good test of the stength/holding power of various jammed knots done by Jörg Brutscher at the University of Dresden, in German but you´ll get the idea:- joergbrutscher.homepage.t-o…

Hey man this is awesome! Wish I read German but yeah i totally get the idea. Luckily one of my climbing partners speaks and reads German (he went to school in Trier for a year) so when he gets back from fishing salmon in Alaska this summer I'll have him give me the fine details. But this is a great resource, especially since the pictures and graphs help me figure out the general gist.

SilverSnurfer wrote:I have not done this but would give it a go if I was headed here: on-sight.de/gebiete/index.h… This site has info about knotted pro: joergbrutscher.homepage.t-o…

SilverSnurfer I am so shocked I somehow missed your post. The english translation of that article is AWESOME!