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Climbing Anchors, 2nd (How To Climb Series) | 
 enlarge | Authors: John Long, Bob Gaines
Publisher: Falcon
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
Buy New: $6.99
You Save: $8.96 (56%)
New (30) Used (10) from $6.30
Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 80264
Media: Paperback
Edition: 2nd
Pages: 240
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.7 x 6 x 0.4
ISBN: 0762723262
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.522
EAN: 9780762723263
ASIN: 0762723262
Publication Date: September 1, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
BUILDING YOUR OWN INDOOR GYMbrHOW TO CLIMBbrul/ul
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 Required reading for outdoor climbers January 1, 2009
K. G. Lee (Princeton, NJ)
I was just starting out on outdoor climbing this year when I decided I had to get this book. 'Climbing Anchors' sounded to me at first like it dealt purely with setting up top-rope and belay anchors, but it has a wealth of information on placing trad gear as well. br / br /The first half has detailed discussions on the different types of pro, ranging from natural pro to passive/active pieces and fixed gear. John Long talks about how (and how not to) use these protection systems. It's still pretty up-to-date circa 2008, with the only omission I can think of being the Omega Linkcams. br / br /The latter part deals with falls forces and anchor-building, with a large portion devoted to equalizing anchors. Near the end Long introduces a new equalizing system called the equalette, which is both (somewhat) self-equalizing and resistant to shock loading if a component fails. br / br /After reading this book, I gained enough confidence in gear placement that I was leading easy trad within my first season of outdoor climbing. br / br /The book is well-illustrated throughout with both photographs and diagrams, and the author's assertions are backed with test data where available. It's also surprisingly readable, with the history of the various pieces of gear thrown in, as well as humorous anecdotes from his own climbing career. br / br /Overall an important book for climbers and aspiring climbers to read. br /
great reference! June 28, 2008
D. Murphy (Boston, MA)
A great reference book for those learning to climb outside the gym and to set up anchors.
Excellent book, with a lot of up to date information. October 21, 2007
Eric Keppel
I like this book a lot. I've been climbing for over 20 years, but took a break in the last 5 or so and am just getting back into it. A lot can change in 5 years, and this book really was a big help in getting familiar with the latest in anchor system building. The real test data for various systems is a big plus that exposes problems with many systems I once viewed as 'good enough' (using John Long's terminology). If you were taught only one or two methods of setting up anchor systems, get this book. You'll be surprised how much variety can be in the various systems, and you'll see how one system can have advantages over others in different situations. To end on a funny note, I got a real kick out of the front and back cover pictures. It would seem that given that both pictures are of climbers on apparently chossy unstable towers, the strength of their anchor systems is the least of their worries! I'm not sure if this was intentional, but it did make me giggle to see such photos on an anchor system book. :)
 too complicated to be useful ? October 2, 2007
Luna Rossa (Colorado)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
I was a little disappointed about John Long new anchor book. I felt the book lost touch with the reality that climbing safe often means climbing fast, especially in the mountains and on long routes. . While the new tests reported on belay anchors are interesting, they seem to miss statistical validity and the conditions used to carry out the tests seem very extreme and seldom occur in real climbing. What the book does not say is how many accidents have occurred in the real climbing world because of the type of failures that were observed in the testing lab. If that is a significant number, I am willing to change the way I rig my anchors, otherwise it is probably better if I stick to my older simpler method. The solutions proposed to make better (more equalized) anchors are so complicated that it is difficult to imagine how to rig them properly after you climbed 20 pitches with a power bar for lunch. Maybe the information disclosed in the book is useful in specific cases, when all your pieces are awful. I am not an expert, but I just wonder if trying to make belay anchors so complicated at all the time, even when your pieces are great, may cause more accidents due to mistakes and more epics due to wasted time. I would appreciate an expert opinion on this matter. Thanks.
Concise, informative, and well researched June 13, 2007
P. G Lee (Bay Area, CA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a well written and well researched book. The most significant aspect for me are the new tests on various anchors presented in the book. As a novice outdoor climber, I was most interested in rigging good top-rope anchors and was quite surpised to learn about the faults of the cordelette. Fortunately he introduces a better alternative called the equalette. He also dispels some myths about the sliding X and the fear many have of potential shock loading. The chapter where he describes the tests of various anchor setups is quite eye opening. It really begs for additional tests to be performed and has me thinking about what other false assumptions exist in this sport. A good reference and essential reading for any outdoor climber.
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