Used a zip tie to fix a stripped climbing rope lock on a job in Tacoma

The lock on my Petzl Zigzag was slipping bad, and the shop was an hour away. I put a heavy duty zip tie through the cam hole as a temporary stop, and it held for the whole removal. Some guys say this is a dangerous hack, but it got me down safely and saved the day. What's your take on field fixes versus strict gear rules?

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3 Comments

victor_ward5mo ago

Zip ties are for bundling wires, not life support. Glad it worked, but that's a one way ticket to a Darwin Award.

10

uma_baker996mo ago

Respect the ingenuity. Wouldn't trust it for a second ascent.

2

logan_owens146mo ago

Yeah, I get that. My own rule is if I have to use more than three pieces of gear from the hardware store, the climb is officially a home repair project. I once tried something similar with a camming unit made from a ratchet strap and a doorstop. Held my weight for a solid ten seconds before I learned a quick lesson about gravity.

3