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Climbing Knives
Tracy's Question:
We are getting ready to open an online-retail knife store. We will have survivalist knives. My question is what are the most important features you would look for in a knife for your climbing needs? Any input you can give me is greatly appreciated. We are looking for site content.
Regards,
— Tracy
Don's Answer:
Tracy,
I'll start with the story behind why I always carry a knife on a climb:
About a dozen winters ago, I got a call that a climber was injured high on a nearby ice route. Four of us responded, quickly reaching the climber who had fallen, broken his neck, and was paralyzed on a shelf of ice. Since the call also had reached a local ski center, some patrollers arrived with a wire litter. We pulled up the basket, but since it had not been not readied for a technical climbing rescue, it wasn't equiped with the rigging necessary for a roped lowering. No problem, we thought. Just cut one of our ropes into ten-foot sections. Now who has a knife?
Cutting a climbing rope by whacking it with an ice axe on a rock takes a lot longer than you might imagine. It was a Neanderthal scene, with us furiously whacking and whacking while the injured climber got colder and colder. It was then that I made the pledge never to be so caught again.
The knife I carry in the zippered pocket of my chalk bag is tiny, lightweight, and really, really sharp. I don't think there are any particular features a climber is looking for other than perhaps a loop that would make easy attachment to the harness with a mini-biner. Nor do I think the blade needs to be any longer then an inch-and-a-half.
The most common use on a climb is removing faded rappel slings—an important community service. But the knife will also be ready to cut a rope, fashion a rope and stick litter, remove clothes or harness from an injured climber, or slice your salami at lunch.
Climbers need to be on defense at all times. Defense means carrying a light, a knife, matches, a prusik cord, and a roll of tape. If you expect problems, you'll be ready to solve them. It would be a disaster to come up short in an emergency for the want of a simple, lightweight piece of gear.
Good luck,
—Don
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