Kestrel knots vs. Splices

[Dragsmack]

After receiving my Kestrel, I started to think all of the figure 8 knots and large carabiners added alot of bulk. Have many of you switched to splices and smaller hardware? Where did it make the most sense, tether, bridge, linesman belt? Is everyone sticking to 11mm rope for all?

 

[swampsnyper]

Some have spliced loop ends on ropes. Good option if you know how or have the patience to do it. Some use down to 9mm rope. Just have to be sure your devices such as ropemans are rated for the diameter rope you are using. I think the ropeman1 is rated for 10mm-13mm. Knots do add a lot of bulk and use up a lot of rope.

 

[boyne bowhunter]

I spliced one end of the bridge and attached it using a Petzel Open ring. The other end is adjustable using a Ropeman 1 and a carabiner. That reduces the bulk a bunch. I also like the spice over the knots because I had trouble assuring the tag end of the rope wasn't sticking up where it might be caught by the bowstring passing by.

I had the a similar arrangement for my lineman's belt only I used two biners rather than the Petzel ring. However, I just made a 7/64 amsteel whoopie sling lineman's belt as shown by @Jcar in post 59 in the thread below. Thanks @Jcar, great idea! That reduced the rope bulk a bunch more.

I'm primarily using the Wild Edge Stepps using @Cain 's method or SRT for tree access so I don't use my lineman's belt a lot but it's nice to have it with you for when you do need it.

http://saddlehunter.com/community/i...s-im-changing-after-saddlepalooza.5768/page-3

 

[Peterk1234]

I spliced everything; tether, lineman's, and bridge. Easier to pack away, easier to move the the tether up the tree. Oh, and it looks cool too. I used a wire coat hanger to splice my 11mm static rope.

 

[Dragsmack]

I spliced everything; tether, lineman's, and bridge. Easier to pack away, easier to move the the tether up the tree. Oh, and it looks cool too. I used a wire coat hanger to splice my 11mm static rope.

View attachment 4010

View attachment 4011

That looks great. I was thinking the same thing, but possibly buying rope with pre spliced eyes from one of the climbing or arborist websites.

 

[Dragsmack]

I spliced one end of the bridge and attached it using a Petzel Open ring. The other end is adjustable using a Ropeman 1 and a carabiner. That reduces the bulk a bunch. I also like the spice over the knots because I had trouble assuring the tag end of the rope wasn't sticking up where it might be caught by the bowstring passing by.

I had the a similar arrangement for my lineman's belt only I used two biners rather than the Petzel ring. However, I just made a 7/64 amsteel whoopie sling lineman's belt as shown by @Jcar in post 59 in the thread below. Thanks @Jcar, great idea! That reduced the rope bulk a bunch more.

I'm primarily using the Wild Edge Stepps using @Cain 's method or SRT for tree access so I don't use my lineman's belt a lot but it's nice to have it with you for when you do need it.

http://saddlehunter.com/community/i...s-im-changing-after-saddlepalooza.5768/page-3

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Awesome! That is the direction I think that I am heading. My understanding is that I will either have to splice line myself to have it attach to existing closed loops on the saddle or use a Petzyl ring? I have not ever spliced anything so I was thinking about buying line with pre spliced eyes from a climbing or arborist website. Does that sound like a good idea?

I am going to look at the Amsteel bridge idea. Itmseems like everyone was really impressed with it! Thank you!

 

[kelly.jayp]

I put a fixed webbing bridge on with water knots. That got rid of a lot of bulk near my hips and let’s my bridge turn more


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[boyne bowhunter]

.
Awesome! That is the direction I think that I am heading. My understanding is that I will either have to splice line myself to have it attach to existing closed loops on the saddle or use a Petzyl ring? I have not ever spliced anything so I was thinking about buying line with pre spliced eyes from a climbing or arborist website. Does that sound like a good idea?

I am going to look at the Amsteel bridge idea. Itmseems like everyone was really impressed with it! Thank you!

I bought some extra Predator rope and spliced it but I wouldn't recommend that route . . . its difficult to splice. You can buy it by the foot at Wespur.com and they'll splice for you for an additional charge if that's what you decide to use. Worth the effort and security of having a professional splice, IMO.

 

[Peterk1234]

It was my first time ever splicing. It takes a bit of work to splice the 11mm line. I had it tied to the column of my basement. My wife said I was shaking the house when is was pulling to do the bury

It really is not that hard to do. It just takes some effort to bury the core. It is actually a lot of fun. I tried it first with some old double braid I had lying around. Plenty of vids on youtube.

The amsteel is very easy to do.

Now, if someone could show me an easy way to do a diamond knot...................

 

[Dragsmack]

I put a fixed webbing bridge on with water knots. That got rid of a lot of bulk near my hips and let’s my bridge turn more


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If I set my tether at head high and bring the blakes hitch all the way up, my factory kestrel bridge still has me sitting way low with my knees past 90 degrees. I am thinking that I want a much shorter fixed bridge unless I am missing something?

 

[Dragsmack]

It was my first time ever splicing. It takes a bit of work to splice the 11mm line. I had it tied to the column of my basement. My wife said I was shaking the house when is was pulling to do the bury

It really is not that hard to do. It just takes some effort to bury the core. It is actually a lot of fun. I tried it first with some old double braid I had lying around. Plenty of vids on youtube.

The amsteel is very easy to do.

Now, if someone could show me an easy way to do a diamond knot...................

Do you feel like it is safe? Is there a decent way to test it or be pretty confident without loading it and compromising it.

 

[Peterk1234]

Do you feel like it is safe? Is there a decent way to test it or be pretty confident without loading it and compromising it.

Much safer than a knot. Splice you retain up 90%, I think. With a knot about 60%, probably less. You can always whip your splice with serving string (I did that on my first one).

Try it and test at ground level. Heck, tie it to your car bumper and test it. It won't budge.

 

[kelly.jayp]

If I set my tether at head high and bring the blakes hitch all the way up, my factory kestrel bridge still has me sitting way low with my knees past 90 degrees. I am thinking that I want a much shorter fixed bridge unless I am missing something?

I had similar problem and I took the stock bridge from the kestrel down to 28 inches initially then went to 24. Then went to webbing and ditched the carabiner. I may go shorter still. I can sit or lean easily on that setup. I tend to do mostly lean but will lower down to take weight off my feet periodically. The long bridge seems to be less than ideal for most - some like it - think Boswell does but seems like many more are in the 24” range - another option is an adjustable bridge with a ropeman but I don’t see the need in my set up. Some like that flexibility though - esp SRT guys


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[Dragsmack]

I had similar problem and I took the stock bridge from the kestrel down to 28 inches initially then went to 24. Then went to webbing and ditched the carabiner. I may go shorter still. I can sit or lean easily on that setup. I tend to do mostly lean but will lower down to take weight off my feet periodically. The long bridge seems to be less than ideal for most - some like it - think Boswell does but seems like many more are in the 24” range - another option is an adjustable bridge with a ropeman but I don’t see the need in my set up. Some like that flexibility though - esp SRT guys


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Are you measuring bridge length from fixed loop on kestrel to the fixed loop on the other side, including any hardware?

 

[kelly.jayp]

Are you measuring bridge length from fixed loop on kestrel to the fixed loop on the other side, including any hardware?

Yes. In some thread on here a couple of months ago someone suggested and @redsquirrel decreed that to be the standard when measuring bridge lengths :;

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