Rappelling

Being both a Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician, I have read several books on rescue and rappelling as they are part of my almost daily life. This book is a must-read for anyone who works in public safety or who enjoys the outdoors. From beginner to expert, this book will tell you everything you need to know, and a lot of interesting facts. It covers everything!

There are a few things I like about this book. First of all, it comes in a sturdy hardcover. This makes it easy to take to the field without worrying about getting it damaged. Second, the author takes the "beginner" from beginning to end and does not assume technical expertise. Third, there are a number of excellent photos that show technical information close up. Fourth, there is information on new equipment as well as tried and tested older rescue equipment and proceedures. Finally, it is "user-friendly" and builds an interest in the art of rappelling.

The revised second edition of this book is now 10 years old (1988) and into its 9th printing. Only a very good book lasts that long and Martin's "Rappelling" has passed this test of time.This book has good chapters on body rappels, anchors, getting over, special methods and more. The chapter of harnesses should have included more types of self tied harnesses. The chapter on descenders included 2.7 gazillion different types and I guess more have been invented in the past 10 years. The chapter on psychology was useful.Most people into rappelling these days are probably in it for recreation - weekend amateurs, summer camps, church groups, Scouts, etc. I suppose that most deaths and injuries occur in these groups. A section on crowd control, group dynamics, what to do in case of an accident, etc. would be helpful. Some accident statistics and some true stories of what went wrong with actual groups would have been a good addition. More of a slant toward recreational rappelling would be nice.Glad I got the book.