I have been rappelling regularly for over 10 years now and have tried a lot of different things. What you use, how, and where requires some experience, which of course cannot be fully conveyed in a short blog post like this. But in short: when climbing, you use different equipment than in canyoning or rescue work. This setup is intended as guidance for people who want to rappel for fun, for geocaching, or in the context of tactical exercises. The setup is strongest for rappelling in areas with trees. This list is only a suggestion and by no means an official doctrine or the best solution for everything. There are many other options and configurations that also allow for safe rappelling. And financially, you can easily ruin yourself with gear, as there are seemingly endless devices for almost every purpose. I want to simplify things a bit and give a general recommendation that is fairly easy to use and therefore also reasonably safe. Of course, a certain residual risk and danger always remains!

Disclaimer and Basics

Rappelling comes with considerable risks! Some of them are obvious, others are hidden. Therefore, it’s best to book a course and/or bring someone along who knows what they’re doing. Many techniques and procedures can also be practiced at low heights of up to 2m to minimize the risk of accidents. Knowledge is always the foundation for safe use. So familiarize yourself thoroughly with the topic beforehand, try procedures in a safe environment, and stay attentive and focused at all times!

Items for the Team

Some items can be acquired as a team, and it’s sufficient if these items are readily available.

Semi-static rope

With a semi-static rope commonly referred to as a static rope, i.e. a rope according to EN1891 Type A, you have many options and a fairly large safety reserve. I recommend a diameter of 11mm, as it’s easy to grip, offers reserves, and works well even with professional devices. As for length, I usually recommend 60m, as this gives you some buffer. When rappelling on two strands, you can descend 30m without having to connect two ropes with a knot. Or you can rappel about 60m in one go if the rope is fixed at the top. You also gain flexibility for trees that are set back from the edge. And the consequences of a rope that’s too short are usually far more exhausting, annoying, and potentially even dangerous than carrying a longer rope. If you know that your local crag only offers heights of up to 10m, then 30m should be sufficient. But I would ALWAYS carry a few extra meters. And ALWAYS remember end knots in case you misjudge the length!

8–10m accessory cord

I usually use 6mm aramid accessory cord, as it is particularly strong and cut-resistant and grips well as a prusik even on thin ropes. A cheaper alternative is 7mm polyamide accessory cord. A long piece of accessory cord can be used in many versatile ways:
– Improvised rappel harness
– Anchor setups (small trees, multiple bolts, pitons, …)
– Rope extension
– As a pull-down line
– Lowering/rappelling over a knot (e.g. with a damaged rope)
– As a “handrail” in slippery terrain
– Foot loop when ascending the rope
– Material for additional prusiks
– Can be tied into a purcell prusik

Long sling

You could of course pack more accessory cord, but a sewn sling is often easier and more direct to use. A 240cm sling can easily be wrapped around medium-thickness trees or other structures to create a quickly usable anchor point. Or it can be used to connect two bolts into an anchor. You can of course use longer slings – but anything shorter than 240cm is quickly too short. Especially if the sling is permanently carried with an HMS carabiner, you can quickly attach a rope or secure yourself against a fall when building an anchor. I like the Edelrid TechWeb Sling or the Texora Mamba Sling, but of course other certified and cheaper slings work just as well.

Prusik loop

A prusik loop can be used to grip the rope. It is there for possible rescue scenarios and as a spare prusik for the group. In an emergency, you can of course also cut new prusik loops from the long piece of accessory cord. You can use sewn prusiks like the Beal Jammy, or tie your own prusik. More on this can be found in the prusik section of the personal kit.

3× HMS carabiners

With these carabiners, the accessory cord, sling, and prusik can be clipped to the harness of the most experienced person or to a mutually agreed location. This way, you can build anchors or perform simple rescues with the gear. I’ll write more about HMS carabiners below in the personal equipment section.

Personal Equipment for Each Individual

Now we get to the personal items. While these can be shared, it’s easier and advisable that EVERYONE who is rappelling or moving in areas with fall or rockfall hazards has their own.

Protective helmet

It’s best to use a certified climbing helmet. The helmet protects against falling objects (rocks, devices, carabiners), impacts, and also helps protect the head in a fall. Some ballistic helmets are certified for impact protection similar to climbing or industrial helmets, and a non-certified helmet is possibly still better than no helmet at all. But if I had to make a recommendation, I would advise certified climbing helmets according to EN12492 or industrial helmets according to EN397. Ideally with foam not only on top but also on the sides and back. As an example, I’ve chosen the Petzl Boreo.

Climbing harness

You can also rappel with improvised harnesses, but it’s much easier to use a proper harness. If you hang in the harness for a long time (around 20 minutes or more), wide webbing or padding is advisable. But if you’re “just” rappelling, a simple harness is usually sufficient, such as the Singing Rock Top. It’s black, very affordable, universal size, and can also be worn under a battle belt. The only slightly annoying thing is the tie-in loop, which is not a ring, meaning carabiners sit differently than on, for example, the Petzl Falcon Mountain or Petzl Aspic. These two Petzl harnesses are the better choice if you actually climb rock and/or carry more gear, as they have a different tie-in loop, more gear loops, and are more comfortable. The waist padding can be removed on both. In between, there are many other harnesses that are just as suitable.

HMS carabiner

Large HMS-shaped carabiners are suitable for belaying with a munter hitch, rappelling, or lowering someone. Thanks to their size, they sit well in the hand and are the most versatile carabiners. I recommend Tri-Lock closures, as they close automatically (still always check yourself – click test!) and remain closed even under vibration, as can occur when lowering or rappelling. I like the AustriAlpin Rondo HMS with 3-way lock, as it has a balanced size and the round cross-section allows the rope to run smoothly. The AustriAlpin Pirum with Tri-Lock also feels great in the hand thanks to its shape and size. If you want a small set with only a few carabiners, I think it’s wise to make the entire set out of Tri-Lock HMS carabiners – even if it’s not the lightest option. With larger sets or more experience, you can then replace some carabiners with D-shaped, oval, snap-gate, screw-lock, or others. But especially with gloves and limited visibility, small carabiners can become fiddly 🙂
Overall, my recommendation is to carry five carabiners: 1× for the rappel device, 1× for the prusik, 1× for self-belay, and 1–2× spare carabiners in case you lose one or need to do something more complex as a team. Ideally, avoid running ropes through carabiners that have been clipped into sharp-edged bolt hangers, as sharp edges can develop over time and potentially damage the rope.

Alpine tube as rappel device

A tube device is primarily a belay device used in alpine climbing, ice climbing, and sometimes sport climbing. But it also offers many advantages for rappelling compared to alternatives. It doesn’t twist the rope and provides sufficient friction to rappel in a controlled manner even with a backpack or gear. Additionally, an alpine tube allows rappelling on one or two ropes at the same time, and in an “emergency” you can even ascend a double strand. The DMM Pivot is an excellent tube, very well made, and works well even with 11mm ropes. Petzl, Black Diamond, and others also offer solid and suitable tubes. You just need to pay attention to compatibility, as some are designed specifically for thin ropes. With a tube, you can influence friction beforehand, which requires some experience. There are also assisted-braking “auto-tubes”, but I don’t recommend them for rappelling.

Quickdraw sling as rappel extension

For this setup, I use a 17cm Petzl Express with two HMS carabiners and two rubber keepers. The keepers prevent the carabiners from rotating and becoming cross-loaded. The extension allows the prusik to be used below the tube, making it easier to release again after loading. It also keeps the rappel device a bit farther away from your gear, allowing you to brake easily with both hands below the tube. With this setup, the rappel kit is compact, you can quickly detach from the rope, and pre-rigging is easy. With pre-rigging, the rappel systems for several people are already attached to the rope. Then people only need to approach the rappel point one by one, clip in, and rappel without each person having to build their own system. If you’re a pair, you can also perform a partner check for both systems this way.

Prusik loop

With a prusik on the rope below the rappel device, you have a backup that holds the rope if you let go. There are some extreme scenarios where a prusik may not grip, but if you’re careful and attentive, it allows you to take both hands off the rope while rappelling. You need about 1.5m of accessory cord, which you tie into a loop with a tripple fisherman’s knot. The length should be chosen so that the prusik maintains enough distance from the rappel device across different rope diameters. I usually recommend 6mm aramid accessory cord, e.g. from Tendon, as it is durable and grips well even on thin ropes.

120cm sling

A 120cm sling can be used as a self-belay to clip in near the edge at an anchor, or as a foot loop when ascending the rope. For example, there’s the Singing Rock Open Sling 14mm, but other certified slings work just as well.

Shopping List for Simple Rappelling

These items are only suggestions. For simplicity, I’ve selected everything from one retailer that I like to shop from and have had good experiences with. I paid attention to color, price, and simplicity. Of course, almost every item has a worthy alternative. Especially at the beginning, it makes sense to keep the setup simple and affordable.

For the team (approx. 215€):
– Semi-static rope EN1891 Type A, 60m, 11mm (Blacksafe Hardcore 11.0 mm)
– 240cm sling (Edelrid PES Sling 16mm)
– 8–10m accessory cord (Blacksafe ProCord 7mm)
– Prusik loop (1.5m Tendon 6mm aramid accessory cord)
– 3× HMS carabiner Tri-Lock (AustriAlpin Rondo 3-way autolock)

For each person (approx. 215€):
– Climbing helmet (Petzl Boreo)
– Climbing harness (Singing Rock Top)
– 120cm sling (Singing Rock Open Sling 14mm)
– Prusik loop (1.5m Tendon 6mm aramid accessory cord)
– Quickdraw (Petzl Express 17cm)
– Rubber keeper (Aliens RUBBER-FIX 206)
– 1× large carabiner (AustriAlpin PIRUM 3-way autolock)
– 4× HMS carabiner Tri-Lock (AustriAlpin Rondo 3-way autolock)

Other Equipment

In addition, you of course need everything else you normally need outdoors. A useful addition can be edge protection, which can also be improvised from old wool blankets, cardboard, or old clothing. Always think about light! While you can walk home in the dark, working on and with ropes in the dark is much more difficult.

Video on the Topic