Question

“Isn't there a 'Woo Hoo new gear' thread out there?”

“There ought to be.....”

“there ya go :)
last edited: 5/30/07 8:07:46 AM”

“Thanks, guys.”

“I am looking to purchase some Rappel Rings from MountainGear.com and they are rated kN...can somebody help an ole man out here? What is a kN?”

“kilonewton?”

“Okay professor Crash.....So 20kN...will this hold you hanging from a rope? and I ain't trying to kill a newton...I don't even know who newton is!
last edited: 8/27/08 3:04:59 PM”

“yogisan is the person to ask but...

if its climbing gear, i imagine it has something to do with how much it will hold in case of a fall. kilonewton is probably mass x speed or something like that”

“One newton is the force required to cause a mass of one kilogram to accelerate at a rate of one meter per second squared in the absence of other force-producing effects”

“1 kN is about 220lb if I'm recalling correctly.

if you start looking at carabiners they will have a kN rating for if the carabiner is vertical, a rating for horizontal..and a kN for if the gate is closed or open. Just an FYI.

be mindful of recent rope recalls as well...someone posted a thread not long ago about a manuf rope recall. That may have been Yogi as well.”

“Okay...so 20kN up to 50kN would most definetly hold you above ground.”

“how many kN to hold a 250 pound man with a 75 pound backpack with a 1200 pound grizzly hangin off his bootlace falling towards the ground at 20 mph?
last edited: 8/27/08 4:57:20 PM”

“Don't forget the weight of CHITTY in the pants...”

“does it change the equation if the chitty is in the man or in the pants?”

“what or how are you rigging up?

and why not a carabiner?”

“And what about if his trousers are tucked into the boots?

Poor bear..................”

“CHITTY seems heaviest when you have to walk around with in in yur pants......already released......you never seem to notice any weight at all before the release...and how in the heck did we get on this .....

I am looking at aluminum and SS rapel rings....ALUM 20kN SS 50kN”

“20 kn would hold the most heinous of falls.

your good - very good with that rated strength.

The bigger question is what are you hanging that rap ring from?

Generally a rappel station is TWO lengths of 1 inch webbing tied in a water knot or fishermans knot with TWO rap rings incorporated - this set up is then fixed around a substantial tree (at least 6 inches in diameter), or from fixed bolts in the rock.

1 kn is generally equal to about 225 pounds of falling human. BUT take CAREFUL NOTE that a Kn is used to measure FALL FORCE - i.e. movement and inertia come into play.

But most climbing hardware is rated at a MINIMUM of 2 kn - and I trust it for a short fall. 20 kn is massive.

Keep in mind as well, BE REDUNDANT - never trust your life (or someone elses) to only one piece of gear, or sling, or webbing. Use a backup piece.
last edited: 8/27/08 5:55:35 PM”

“MikeP/ Thanks for your info...You answered my question. Thank you.”

“You bet. be safe and have FUN!

re-reading my note about rap station set up though - i think i want to clarify about that tree i mentioned. A LIVING tree please, one that's in solid ground and not hanging on for dear life leaned out over the cliff.

:)”

“At my course they would say to find a BFT (B=big, T=tree F=you figure it out).

Mike (Fridge) what are you planning to use these for? You cannot get safe climbing beta by (e)mail.

Doug”

“Ah, a new one for the collection!   Thanks ----

BASE………….Building, Antenna, Span, Earth
BFT……………Big #&%!$ing Tree
BLC…….……..Beer Line Cleaner

”