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Ropeman Safety

I totally agree with you but the ratings are what they are. However , I would not want to test the ropeman with a large fall which is extremely unlikely for us. Force is increased with the distance you fall. I doubt we would fall more than 2 feet with a loose tether.

I completely agree with you. And to be clear, my point wasn't about disregarding safe practices. Safety is the most important thing we do. I wanted to point out that it would have to be a catastrophic accident to test the limits of this gear. We use this stuff completely differently than rock climbers.
 
I completely agree with you. And to be clear, my point wasn't about disregarding safe practices. Safety is the most important thing we do. I wanted to point out that it would have to be a catastrophic accident to test the limits of this gear. We use this stuff completely differently than rock climbers.
We are on the same page:blush: I use the ropeman 1 with 9 mm rope not recommended but I have a backup prussic which I doubt is necessary
 
Absolutely agree with you guys it's highly unlikely to happen. I just wanted to make sure I was being as safe as I could be within reason. I've spent a lot of time working at heights and you can do something 1000 times no problem but the 1001 something highly unlikely goes wrong, you need your safety equipment to be rated properly. And maybe it's just ingrained in my mind a little differently because of safety videos and such that show extremely unlikely things happen and a lot of people have lost their lives cause of that. Personally, I just feel more at ease following the generally accepted safe practices for this type of activity or work. And thanks for the replies on this guys, I appreciate the help and ideas.
 
Absolutely agree with you guys it's highly unlikely to happen. I just wanted to make sure I was being as safe as I could be within reason. I've spent a lot of time working at heights and you can do something 1000 times no problem but the 1001 something highly unlikely goes wrong, you need your safety equipment to be rated properly. And maybe it's just ingrained in my mind a little differently because of safety videos and such that show extremely unlikely things happen and a lot of people have lost their lives cause of that. Personally, I just feel more at ease following the generally accepted safe practices for this type of activity or work. And thanks for the replies on this guys, I appreciate the help and ideas.
No one on this site will ever judge for preaching safety, and I am one of the biggest members of the safety police on here. Especially when people start modifying stuff and doing DIY, we can never be too safe or vocal. I always appreciate a second thought on an idea.
 
Yea, I think back to when my dad and I used to build treestands when I was a kid and it seems a miracle we never fell. Then we used actual seatbelts from old cars for a while too lol.

I agree .... I look back 25 years ago , when I first started using treestands and ameristeps and never used or heard of a safety harness. Maybe you remember when they started supplying the strap with a loop to go around the tree then over your head and under your arms lmao. That made me even more nervous than not using a safety harness but at least it made a great deer drag lol
 
I agree .... I look back 25 years ago , when I first started using treestands and ameristeps and never used or heard of a safety harness. Maybe you remember when they started supplying the strap with a loop to go around the tree then over your head and under your arms lmao. That made me even more nervous than not using a safety harness but at least it made a great deer drag lol
LOL. I was going to say that it made a great deer drag also! I still have one of them sitting around. I only stopped using it as a deer drag when I started using a sled instead.
 
LOL. I was going to say that it made a great deer drag also! I still have one of them sitting around. I only stopped using it as a deer drag when I started using a sled instead.
I remember building some stands with wood, super sketchy, no harness or anything

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Just got my first ropeman 1 today in the mail! I tried it out in the yard this afternoon and I can see why you guys like it so much over the prussic knot. I feel very secure using it.
 
It held my 210 pounds when my step gave out and I dropped 8" or so real fast.... real fast!
 
I've used Ropeman 1 on Bluewater 9mm static and it was fine.

The dangers are that it crushes/cuts the rope. Or that the rope doesn't grab and it slips. An inconvenience would be that the rope gets jammed.

Those things would be obvious if they were happening.

I wouldn't use it on thinner rope than 9mm. You can see that it doesn't fill up the mechanism at 9mm. But static 9mm holds tight
 
It held my 210 pounds when my step gave out and I dropped 8" or so real fast.... real fast!
What kind of harness were you wearing? What kind of step? How high up?

More details please. I'm very interested.

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g2,
Actually I mentioned it in the "Climbing methods and platforms" section under the ameristep thread. It was a real "PUCKER" moment! Had my Anderson sling with climbing belt back up on. only dropped less than a foot. Strange thing is I have used those steps with a strap works ratchet strap for over three seasons now. I even change out the strap every year. First step broke then about 4 or 5 min. later still in did belief, as I was bouncing a little another went! I then thought it was time to climb back down. Still 3 left on that strap :) .
When I get back home from this scouting trip on Sunday, I will try and get some pics. up here. Good thing I have a back up set with me....... although I will tread lightly!
 
YIKES
No slack on the tether!!!

g2,
Actually I mentioned it in the "Climbing methods and platforms" section under the ameristep thread. It was a real "PUCKER" moment! Had my Anderson sling with climbing belt back up on. only dropped less than a foot. Strange thing is I have used those steps with a strap works ratchet strap for over three seasons now. I even change out the strap every year. First step broke then about 4 or 5 min. later still in did belief, as I was bouncing a little another went! I then thought it was time to climb back down. Still 3 left on that strap :) .
When I get back home from this scouting trip on Sunday, I will try and get some pics. up here. Good thing I have a back up set with me....... although I will tread lightly!
 
Was standing up shifting from assassin to first step to the left, previously was knees to the tree on the assassin.
 
I use 2 ropemans on my system. On my tether, a ropeman is connected allowing me easy adjustment, but the tag end of the rope has a loop, not a stopper knot. I connect the looped tag end to my bridge. The second ropeman is on the linemans. The looped tag end is connected to my side D loop. If the ropeman were to break, the looped ends are connected to the harness.
 
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I love the ropeman but it could fail so always have a figure 8 loop in your rope clipped into your biner. (knot at end of rope won't help) If ropeman fails you will free fall till rope catches you. At that point you will be laughing / crying cause you just cheated death lol. Happened a lot when i used to rock climb, your all good.
 
The most likely FALL is that you fall off of your platform while your tether is loose or low on the tree. Or while you are advancing up a tree using one stick or aider.

ANY TIME I step up, the tail is in my right hand and I pull it up so that there isn't any slack while I am balancing on an aider or something else
 
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