mark wrote:

2 carabiner brake: two carabiners laid end to end with enough overlap to
pass the ropes through. Rope is woven through the two overlapping carabiners
as it would be through a descending rack. This is best done with the funny
banana shaped locking carabiners that used to be favored by Czech and other
east European climbers. In fact, I first saw this done by a Czech climber
who proudly told me that this was "East European Technique".

Sounds a bit like an alpine clutch.. I have abseiled on a Munther
hitch before which is a variation. Alpine clutch: two stacked/opposed
carabiners clipped in to harness. Rope goes throug both then wraps
round and goes through one.

Munther hitch is nearly a clove hitch.

4 carabiner brake: 2 carabiners are stacked on top of one another w/ gates
opposed and reversed. A bight of rope is fed through these carabiners, then
2 more are clipped across the first two to form a brake bar, as in a
descending rack. With enough carabiners, one can build as long a descending
rack as one wishes. Works best w/ oval carabiners. Very effective, very
dependable, every climber should know this technique.


--
mark

BTW I am all in favour of improvising because e.g. incidents on non SRT
trips are exactly where you may have to.


Indeed..

...d