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Anyone have to climb with gear donned on an antenna requiring a go & throw with no platform at the top? How do you prepare to jump once at the top?

I thought maybe using a carabiner on my chest strap to hook into the object so I have both hands to work with. That seems a little shady. Is there a more secure way?

All the objects I have experience on have lots of room at the top to gear up, but I am moving somewhere that I do not think will allow me such a luxury.

Thoughts....?

I climbed, carabinered in at the end, hooked up the static line, unclipped myself and went.

so year, it could have been done with a go and throw, but SL seemed like a better option...

not sure how helpful this is

What seems shady about that to you? As long as you're chest strap is double backed and you choose something solid to clip the biner onto whats the worst that could happen? Use locking biners for extra security if youre worried they might unclip by accident.

oops, thought you were talking about the safety of repositioning yourself on an outside for a go and throw..

oops.

the other alternatives to carabiner on the chestrap are :

climbing harness under your rig (bulky, but quite doable)
3ft to 6ft sling through your articulation rings with both ends of the sling being locked in a carabiner
if you have no articulation, than the same sling through your legstaps

all of those work just fine. or at least have worked for me on numerous occasions :)

If you decide to go the harness route, the Arc'teryx R, M, and S series harness's are really low profile. Haven't worn it under a rig but I imagine it wouldn't be that obtrusive.

http://www.arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?EN/Mens/Climbing_Gear

Having Jumped down a harness or 2, under rigs, and wingsuits...

My favorite for 'not really needed, I am a pussy' climbing harness-

http://www.argear.com/...limbing-harness.html

As a base jumper who hates climbing, I don't know how I ended up with 3 climbing harnesses... That's right, I scare easy, and have aversion to exposure...

I've seen these. But even though its lighter, its also thicker. The Arc'teryx is made from a single webbing flat swami so it shouldnt be felt under the rig harness. And the bonus would be that the harness belt is wide so it is comfortable as well. Who know, both good choices for someone who may want the versatility to be able to climb other things, and the piece of mind that he may not get from a biner on the chest strap.

My memories of the via ferrara still include the constant clipping sound of your caribeaners on the cable, dude

I used a regular sport climbing harness under my rig and a strop/locking karabiner for an outside 170' smokestack climb exiting from the ladder. Clipped on at the top, set up S/L, turned and went (unclipping biner 1st). Sketchiest part was turning around on the narrow ladder with no side-verts and a rig on. Not as easy as you might think!

Being old, scared, and in medium shape from
numerous surgeries I was not excited about
my first outside climb either...

The first few times I used a home made loop
with a carabiner on one end and metal ring on
the other end, ran my chest strap through the
circle and could clip the beaner to anything on
the way up or when resting.

Once up top I climbed inside the lattice work
of the structure (275' 3-legged freestanding
cell tower) and positioned myself with butt
on one cross member, each foot on another,
and readied my PC for a Go & Throw jump.

Getting from inside to jump position with
only one hand was interesting/tricky the
first time but if I can do it you can too.

I bought a used fall arrester but after doing
4 or 5 outside climbs I feel fine going bare
so it is yours if you want it.

In the attached pictures you will see
the wire used for the fall arrester,
which automatically grabs the wire
if you fall like your seatbelt ratchet.

I have a few of those around my area I have yet to jump. I'll still a puss when it comes to heights and outside climbs. I'll jump them sooner or later.

Blitzkreig, via email & PM, sent me some
valuable advice on doing my first outside
climb a couple years ago:

1. use the side that has pegs going
all the way up and 2. don't let go until
you are ready to jump.

haha, sound advice i'd say!

but also, i do those kind of jumps quite often... all i ever do is:

1. always be holding on with one hand

or

2. put both arms over a horizontal beam (locking it down into my armpits) while i tighten my leg straps and set up my PC.

FWIW i like the idea of clipping in and all that, but i've never done it.

If you can find an old Vertex container from BR with the Alpine option, it has a build in climbing harness. Or just exit on your back throw the PC and kick over and the pack tray opens.

Ody

Done outside climbs to Stowed, HH and SL with no plat. Done with tie in and with out. Outside climb is same risk as inside, just feels worse (In my opinion-if you fall inside you turn into a pinball, outside you just hit the ground or guy lines :P ). Clipping in adds complexity, gear, a snag point if you choose to just tuck the biner away, etc. I would rather climb slow and methodically, make sure I am getting good holds each time I take a step up, hook my leg/arm in to rest and NOT FALL!

Bottom line-have your rig ready to jump when you start climb (Pins primed, PC checked, etc). Worst case is setting up for a HH in high winds o_0... I always just hook a foot inside, get an armpit hooked so you have both hands free. Most external climbs I've done are either freestanders or really narrow guyed mast. Plenty of cross braces on small guyed masts to latch into. Make sure you don't fall till at least 200 ft and if you do, pull ;)

Dean Potter "freebases" way ridiculous "external" climbs. It's just what you feel comfy with.