The Flat Overhand Bend, also called the Offset Overhand Bend, has gotten a bit of a bad reputation, sometimes being called the European Death Knot. But reputable organizations, like the American Mountain Guides Association, actually recommend this knot for double-strand rappels. So, what are the pros and cons of this knot, how do we tie it, when can we use it, and for what applications might it not be as good of choice?

When we have a damaged section of our rope and need to rappel (abseil) off the route, we can either go through a procedure to pass the knot while on a double-strand rappel, or we can switch to a single-strand rappel and avoid the knot pass altogether. But our setups into a single-strand rappel come with tradeoffs. Here are four methods along with some pros and cons for each.

Because our entire family of four are climbers (to varying degrees), we have climbed as a team of four, on occasion. This is an unusual occurrence for most climbers, but for families with two kids of similar age, it happens fairly regularly. The same methods that can efficiently get a family of four up a multi-pitch route can get any other four-person team up a route when splitting the team into two twosomes is not an option.

Given how often I and my twin sons climb together, we've had to get fairly efficient at belay stance transitions. One such transition that (hopefully) happens almost every climb is the transition from climbing to rappelling down the route. If we can make these transitions fast and safe, we save time to climb more or more readily beat the weather or darkness setting in. Here is one climbing-to-rappelling transition that works for a team of three.

My twin boys are new multi-pitch climbing leaders. That means they need to trust each other and I need to trust them, as well. How did I enter them into this new climbing discipline? Well, some of the work around exposure to, practice of, and eventual attempts at leading multi-pitch are relevant to any new multi-pitch leader.

Whether going from sea level to moderate altitude or from moderate altitude to high altitude, our bodies need time - and water - to adjust and adapt to the reduced oxygen we will take in. This video gives an overview of the physiology, the potential illnesses, and the preventative tactics that all come into play when we experience significant altitude changes.

With twin boys, this dad spends a lot of time climbing in a team of three, and we most frequently use double ropes. Double rope systems can create tangles that can dramatically slow the team's progress. So, here are three techniques that help us avoid or quickly resolve rope management issues before those issues get too severe.

I was asked if a tandem rappel could be done instead of a counterbalanced rappel because a tandem rappel is safer. In some circumstances, particularly in rescues, tandem rappels are used. But, while generally safer than a counterbalanced rappel, there are still too many safety and efficiency downsides for it to be a standard rappelling technique outside of emergency situations.