What makes a good knot? There are three elements to tying a good knot. One, it’s easy to tie. Two, it won’t slip or come undone and three, it’s easy to untie. The figure eight follow through has all three elements. It’s easy to tie. It will not come undone, and it’s easy to untie when needed. Rock climbers use this knot to tie into their rope before starting a climb. There are other knots that can be used, such as the double figure eight, or even the bowline, but the follow through is the standard knot  for climbing and that’s because it’s easy to inspect and it’s a knot you can trust. So when your 75 to 100 feet in the air and your forearms are burning you want to know that your knot is going to hold.  I found a good you tube video that shows a great demonstration on how to tie this great knot. Watch this video and practice this knot until you can do it in your sleep.

The B-52 is an awesome piece of gear. I own and use this device every time I go climbing. In my mind it is one of the best belay devices out there. Some of the features of the B-52 is that it is very lightweight and is able to handle various rope sizes that feeds quickly and smoothly. I’ve been lowered before by self locking belay devices and it feels like I’m riding in my grandmas car, stop, go, stop, go. It is just one bumpy ride. But with the B-52 you have maximum stopping power, when needed, and a decent that is as smooth as a babies bottom. Rappelling with the B-52 is also a dream. Another feature that I love to use is the auto-blocking feature when bringing up a second. You can set it up in such a way that all you have to do is take the seconds slack, and if there is a fall the B-52 will lock and keep you buddy from falling 10 feet, that is another story for later. Also If ever in a jam the B-52 can be used as an emergency ascender. This is a fantastic device that I would recommend getting. It has all the features you need for a great day of climbing. Be smart, be safe, and keep climbing on.