We are very grateful to Colin Wells of Climb Magazine for allowing us to use his excellent review that appeared in issue 26:
The title of this excellent instructional DVD is a partial misnomer; in addition to self-rescue techniques the presenters also take the viewer through a complete beginner's guide to ropework and basic equipment - it's amazing how much has been crammed in. Clearly and attractively filmed in locations around Snowdonia, Gogarth, Malham and the Peak, the narrative belts along at a brisk pace. Sanders' and Long's ropeside manner is exemplary. There's no pretentious soliloquising or patronising dumbing down - the presenters assume you're adult enough to know what you're doing and deliver the information with a no-nonsense, down-to-earth confidence. Despite the best part of three decades of teaching this kind of stuff to groups at places like Plas-y-Brenin there's little sign of ennui in their delivery, in fact they look and sound like they're almost on the verge of enjoying themselves, and you feel a smile is playing about their faces the whole time threatening to break out at any moment. The result is that the DVD is inexplicably entertaining as well as informative. The overall effect is like being in the company of a pair of avuncular climbing geezers who are happy to dispense pearls of wisdom from their vast experience, but who aren't out to force you to listen. You ought to though, because this could save your life - or at the very least save you a bit of embarrassment.
Self Rescue takes full advantage of the utility of the DVD format over print media when explaining ropetricks such as bypassing a knot on abseil or forming a kleimheist prussic. Explaining such knotty origami in a dynamic three-dimensional form is so much more rapidly comprehensible to most normal people. This is not, however, necessarily an axiomatic advantage of film, as other recent slow and boring instructional DVDs have proved. By way of contrast, Self Rescue for Climbers is a professional job packed with common practical advice for any climber. Also includes a couple of bonus features, including a geekily fascinating day spent at DMM's Llanberis test-rig stretching krabs, slings and rocks to destruction just for the hell of it. Highly recommended.
By Olly Sanders and Steve Long, 150 mins.
Released 2007.