Customer Reviews

How to Climb Series: Climbing Anchors

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The big problem with Chockstone/Falcon's "How to rock climb" series is that too many of their books, particularly those written by John Long, seem to contain huge sections cut-and-pasted from other titles in this series.

Alas, "Climbing Anchors" is no exception. If you have a copy of the book "How To Rock Climb", you already have about 50% of the matter covered in this book. What remains is useful, but hardly justifies the cost of a full book.

If this book contained a section on setting up pulley systems, it might be more worthwhile.

A bit out of date (for example, he talks about cordelettes like they're something really rare and new) and some of the black and white photos of anchor systems are difficult to see, but I still learned a lot from this book (in conjunction with hands-on learning, of course). It helps to have the companion book (More Climbing Anchors) because some of the techniques in there are a little more up to date. I liked how he talked about the pros/cons of each anchor setup and situation. I've heard that Bob Gaines and John Long are working on a new book on anchors, but not sure when that's supposed to be out.

This book is extremely valuable for learning how to place protection or setting up anchors for trad climbing or top rope anchor setup. My friends and I carefully studied this book and went out and practiced placing gear and setting up anchors from the ground. When we went and took an anchor building class, we learned a lot of good tips, but the information we learned from this book helped us rapidly advance in our class. This book also is very helpful after you learn your basics because you can analyze various anchor setups and compare it to the analysis in the book. One drawback of this or any other book is that a picture is never as good as inspecting protection on your own at various angles close up. For this reason, you will want to go climbing with a more experienced partner or an instructor so they can give you more detailed feedback on your own protection placement skills.

The first half of this book, which discusses protection and placements, is invaluable. However, when Long turns to complete anchors, the text becomes somewhat confusing. The section on opposing nuts using clove hitches, for example, may befuddle the beginner. The anchor analysis section is great in theory, but the black and white pictures are a little blurry and hard to see. Nevertheless, this is a very useful reference work.

This book and its companion "More Climbing Anchors" are good to have if you will be doing any multipitch climbing. This book gives the principles of making anchors then shows examples of actual anchors and critiques each. Very helpful.
The problem is the author, like many traditional climbers and guides, prefer to use the climbing rope as part of the anchor. This complicates things in a rescue situation. Slings and coralettes should be used for the belay anchors. Keep that in mind and this book will be very helpful for you in "real" climbing.

This book is required reading for every aspiring rock climber. Long provides explanations of the subtleties of placing nuts and cams that cannot be found anywhere else in print. The book's one flaw is that it somewhat overemphasizes using the rope to equalize multi-point anchor systems, a problem that is corrected in "More Climbing Anchors," the companion text by John Long and Bob Gaines.

In this day and age of punk kids, raiding the rocks and getting vertical with an attitude of "well I've seen Cliffhanger, let's go", this book offers a sensible if not manditory alternative. Climbing Anchors is what every aspiring climber needs to read to obtain the theoretical know-how of every anchoring system. If you are new to rock climbing, it is nearly your responsibility to read this book to develop an appreciation and understanding of all the mechanics and forces involved in the sport. Heed this advice and you'll stay alive while having fun. This is the best book of John Long's How to Rock Climb series.

...but this is a fantastic book. I have been climbing since I was in high school, and I'm only 22, but I have had a desire to lead trad since the beginning and if there is anything that I can say to make feel more comfortable about spending [money] just to be safe, then I want to say it. This book changed my perception about trad before I was even able to develop one on my own. I read this book cover to cover in 48 hrs. not because it was spell-binding but because it is such valid information. Look, you need this, and Mountaineering "The Freedon of the Hills," to begin the library of an adventure seeking individual. But, this book is specifically useful because of all of it's definitively perfect pictures of placements of passive gear and active camming devices. You want this book, believe me, and if you won't buy it then e-mail me and I'll sell you mine, or give it to you because it would be a crying shame to deck out just because you were too silly to purchase a book on "How not to die, and have fun doing it."

I cant believe that John Long can tell such hilarious, scary storries yet the accuracy and seriousness with which he describes his subject is absolutely top rate. I'd had years of good trad experience before reading this but its added a lot for me. Also, he doesnt write like some stuffy old git who doesnt climb any more.

Maybe you're taking the classic aproach to learning the fine art of traditional leading and anchor building (namely trial and error -- survive the first year and maybe you will have learned something), or maybe just curious what the occasional refernece to a cordelette on rec.climbing is all about. In any case John Longs approach to anchor building is an easy to understand (meaning plenty of photos and examples!) and knowledge packed book backed up by John's years of experience on the rock and complemented by his skills as a story teller. A recommended reference for the beginner tinkering with gear on the ground or the experienced leader who has perhaps grown rusty (and anyone else who occasionally has to construct and trust an anchor...).