Freefall Abseiling And Rap Running In Texas

Freefall abseiling (or rappelling) and rap running are great land activities suitable for all abilities and levels of expertise. They"re also starting to take off in Austin, Dallas, Houston and elsewhere in Texas, with individuals gathering their equipment and heading off into nearby hills and cliffs.

You want to begin with a straight-forward abseil or rappel down the face of a cliff. This will give you the chance to slowly build up your confidence before you take on your final descent using the technique "rap running". Rap running is a lot like abseiling, except that you descend the rock face forward. The right instructor will make sure that your experience is enjoyable - but, most of all -- safe. You should not participate in this activity if you"re not comfortable with it.

Most regular abseilling sites are around 150 feet high and with a natural overhang. It is a great activity which can be enjoyed all year round. However, weather conditions are important. (For example, this should not be done in the rain.) Don't be put off if you have a fear of heights. Many individuals overcome this fear during their first sessions. Remember, all individuals don"t have the same ability so each descent should be tailored to the individual.

To abseil or rap run properly, you must have the proper equipment:

A helmet -- You need to wear a helmet to protect your head from bumps and falling rocks. If needed, a light source can be mounted on the helmet in order to keep the hands free.
Gloves -- Gloves will protect your hands from the rope and from scrapes with the cliff walls.
Footwear -- Wear boots or other sturdy footwear with good grips.
Kneepads and elbow-pads -- These are popular to protect your joints during crawls or hits.
Ropes -- The most important and biggest safety issue in this sport, ropes used for descending are typically of Kernmantle rope construction. They have a multi-strand core protected by an abrasion-resistant woven sheath. For most abseil or rap running applications, low-stretch rope -- typically approximately 2% stretch when under the load of a typical bodyweight -- is used to reduce bouncing and allow easier rope ascension.
Harness -- Another extremely important piece of safety equipment is a harness fastened around the waist. A comfortable harness is important for descents that may take several hours.
Descender - This is a device or hitch that"s designed to allow rope to be doled out in a controlled fashion, under your body"s load, with a minimal amount of effort. The speed with which the rope is allowed to pass through the descender is controlled by increasing or decreasing the amount of friction applied to the rope. The more friction you apply with the descender, the slower the rope moves. Some mechanical descenders include braking bars, the figure eight, the abseil rack, the "bobbin", the gold tail, and the "sky genie" (used by some window-washers and wildfire fighters).

Now that you know the basics of abseiling and rap running, you can approach the sport safely. Exercising with caution to obtain maximum benefit can certainly affect your health, and eventually your wallet as well. If you"re a young individual who tries to keep informed and maintain a healthy condition and lifestyle, you should take a look at the revolutionary, comprehensive and highly-affordable individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for you. Visit our website, www.precedent.com, for more information. We offer a unique and innovative suite of individual health insurance solutions, including highly-competitive HSA-qualified plans, and an unparalleled "real time" application and acceptance experience.

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