Contrary to what the name might suggest, a rappelling ring is not a rappel device. Nor are rap rings intended as a tool for a climbing anchor to safeguard you as you climb above the anchor. Instead, this simple ring of aluminum or steel is meant as a leave-behind item to establish a safe rappel station on a climbing route. But before you can safely rap off a rappel ring, you have to make sure it's properly anchored to support your weight.
Step 1
Ascend the rock face to the fixed anchor where you plan to install the rappel ring. Ideally the anchor should consist of at least two solid bolts and hangers properly drilled into the rock. If another rappel ring is already in place, you must decide for yourself whether to trust your weight to it. If you decide not to use the other rappel ring, you can install your own.
Step 2
Clip a personal anchor, daisy chain or pair of webbing slings girth-hitched to your harness into both of the anchor bolts or shuts. Use locking carabiners and verify that the carabiners are locked and that the safety tether holds your weight before you signal your partner to take you off belay.
Step 3
Thread a length of 1-inch nylon through the hanger on each anchor bolt. Then thread each length of webbing straight through both rap rings.
Step 4
Tie each length of webbing into a loop with a water knot, leaving enough loose webbing on each end of the knot to tie an additional "safety knot." Adjust the loop length, if necessary, so that the rap rings hang down between the two anchors like a pendant on a string. The angle between the two webbing loops should measure less than 40 degrees.
Step 5
Leave your safety tether clipped into the anchor bolts and attached to your harness. Pull up several arms-length of rope and tie a knot on a bight. Clip this knot to your harness with a carabiner so you can't accidentally drop the rope.
Step 6
Untie the tie-in knot from your harness, still leaving the safety tether in place -- the only thing supporting your weight at this point. Thread the end of the rope straight through both rap rings. Tie a knot in the portion of the rope that you threaded through the rings and clip this knot to your harness. The rope is now secured to your harness at two points.
Step 7
Unclip the first knot-on-a-bight you attached to your harness and undo the knot. Feed the rope through both rappel rings until you reach the middle mark on your rope. If your rope doesn't have a middle mark, keep threading until both ends of the rope will clearly reach the end of the ground or the next rap station.
Step 8
Unclip the remaining rope knot from your harness, undo the knot and allow the end of the rope to fall. If you're at all concerned that the rope isn't roughly even and might slide through the rap rings leaving you stranded, tie a knot in the midsection and clip it to your harness.
Step 9
Verify that the rope passes straight through both rap rings and that both ends reach down to the ground or the next rap station. Also verify that the water knots you tied are secure and that each webbing sling passes through one of the anchor bolts and both rap rings. Then rig for rappel and descend.
Tips and Warnings
- If you're at all unsure whether the ends of the rope are even, pull both ends up, even them out and feed them down together. You can also tie the ends of the rope together or tie a knot in each end to ensure you don't accidentally rappel off the ends, but this technique introduces its own set of potential challenges.
- Climbing is a dangerous activity, no matter how well you manage your risk. One small mistake or out-of-control-factor can get you or a friend killed. Ask a professional instructor or experienced climber you trust to double-check you as you first learn to build rap anchors.
Things You'll Need
- 2 lengths of 1-inch or thicker nylon webbing
- 2 rappel rings
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