Just a question...

The footlock is just that. A doubled rope hanging in free air. Depending on the chapter, you either use a looped lanyard with a friction hitch or paired ascenders to FL to the bell with a fire under your butt.

The belayed speed climb is a mad scramble up a tree. When I can find an excurrent tree to setup for the BSC I'm in heaven. Setting up a spiraling climb is fun. The climber can't see too far in advance to plan moves. This is more of an obstacle course than a sprint.

The climber has a belay rope attached to the back of a full body harness in case they slip.
 
Nope, just a single route from ground to the bell. Fastest way possible with no stops. There are many variations on this. Years ago this was a body thrust station. A route would be up the side of a, hopefully, leaning tree. Once the climber had blown out their shoulders by humping up the trunk they might find a few limbs to use. Now, fortunately I think, this event looks more like a fast climb to the top with a ground belay.

In time I think that this event could be run with a static climbing line and a chest ascender with a backup like in SRT. This would eliminate the drag of the belay rope on the climber. There are times that the climber gets ahead of the belay too. That could lead to a nasty fall if the "candy cane" got too long.
 
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you either use a looped lanyard with a friction hitch or paired ascenders to FL to the bell with a fire under your butt.

You'll find not many chapters allow ascenders in the footlock event as this goes against the idear of the event, and thier slower.
 
I think what Tom is getting at is that there have been many variations on this over the years. But yes, with a fixed belay line there is only one route for each climber to take, but there are many variations on where that route maybe, so expect the unexpected. I prefer to call this climb the Delayed Speed Climb!
 
this might sound dumb, but is there a way to practice belayed speed climbing without someone else belaying? i mean, is there a method of self belaying that works for this purpose?

also, besides the specifics and the crudity of my drawing, is this about how it would look, where the climber has no hitch or anything but is tied in to a pulley up top and back down to where they climb, while the belayer is taking slack?
 

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Very hard to say that there is a safe way. There are methods to be protected against a fall, but self rescue would then be the remaining issue should you slip into the self belay. Best to have a belayer on the ground. Your drawing is good, but the belay would be more stable if anchored to the base of the tree.
 
USing your drawing as an example, I did this event once with no climb line through FS (blue rope), they had a static line about 12 feet up to help reach the first branch then just freeclimb the tree with belay line(red rope) attached to saddle (must pretend it's not there and hope for a great belayer). Another time they just had the blue rope with the tail run through a Gri-Gri for belay, no red rope.
To practice this without belay you would simply freeclimb a close branching tree using three point contact and NOT racing, you should still bring 2 lanyards or short rope with you. To race the clock you must have a groundie on belay for you.
 
not that it matters really, but i think i figured out a way to self belay. its a one way loop with either a friction hitch and pulley or maybe a traxion (if they can be used this way) anchored to the base. However, im not sure the best way to descend on something like this. It might be neccessary to bring a lanyard to tie in and switch over, if someone were to actually try something like this. Also, i think that the climber would expereince a lot of drag from pulling the line through. . .
 

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If you used a system like yours to practice, then you need to be ready and able to switch over to a rappeling system at any given moment. The ability to self rescue is important.

If you use a system where you need to pull the line to tend your own slack anyway, then I would rather use a lockjack or hitch with extended bridge for this. It would allow you to rappel anytime you needed to.

I wouldn't try to practice this without a belay. Too many good climbers have been hurt doing this. I'd play it safe.
 
Very true Mark .

I have used the minii trax to do self belays. However, I have had the mini come open to . So it was not a full proof system Although , a good idea at the time.

The way practice for a belayed climb now without a belayer it to set a static with pulley, run a double line and about half my body weight in soil in a bucket or whatever is useful. Pull it up the tree around fifty feet.Do this in secsession

Although, this doesnt give you the the same effects of a real belay, it builds the strength you need to pull your body weight. Try this for about a month and you'll notice a huge difference in your speed.

I dont get the chance to do many belays in a conifer were you can just walk up the limbs. most of mine are just me and the rope on the trunk so, thats what I practice.

Greg
 
thanks for the info. i dont think i would ever try that system i drew, just a hypothetical. klimbinfool, if i understand you correctly, when you practice, your not actually climbing, just hauling a weighted bucket up the tree from the ground?
 
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