Bridge setup

[Antirain]

I've got a Trophyline Covert saddle which has a 3/8" rope bridge girth hitched right side and prussic/ carabiner on the left. My problem is that between the kinda long prussic and carabiner, I have 2 issues- when trying to run a short bridge and when (on rare occassions) trying to rotate hips to right- in either case prussic knot limits movement of the tether carabiner. My 1st thought was if I could eliminate the bridge carabiner by somehow attaching prussic directly off of Bridge loop.

In considering this I have seen H2's Triad bridge and mentions of adjustable amsteel bridges which sound interesting. For now I want to make use of what I have but, if amsteel bridges are becoming more norm, then I'd think about changing down the road. I have 7/64 & 1/8" Amsteel but no 1/4" as I have made my own daisy chain stick attach. And gear ropes.

 

[Jimdude]

I’m sure people with more knowledge will chime it, but I can tell you that I had a CGM Sidewinder that had a rope bridge with an amsteel loop prusik’d on the bridge loop and to the rope as well. I don’t know what size continuous loop you would need to make the 2 prusiks, but it can be done.

 

[25ftup]

Staggs in the wild has a video where he makes his own bridge. He uses a carabiner on one’s side like yours, but on the other he uses a schwabisch hitch secured to the bridge loop with a double fisherman’s knot, no carabiner.

That is how I’m running my bridge and have had no issues and it’s really easy to adjust. With the carabiner on the one side I’m still able to open my bridge to take my saddle off. Just one idea you could look at.

 

[samu]

You don't need to go to amsteel. Sure it's light and easy to splice so you get compact connections. My biggest problem with it was how tight the adjustment prusik knot hitches on it. Would be basically two hand operation just to loosen the knot and get bridge adjusted.

So I went with the rope bridge, Length of Petzl Volta blake hitched the other end to left bridge loop, then used Salewa master cord to attach to the left side with distel hitch, then prusik hitch around the bridge loop and finish with hunters bend or flat overhand + backup. Slightly more bulky but it doesn't seem to get in the way in use + it remains adjustable even after being loaded.

 

[GWHGoat]

I have the same issue with my trophyine bridge. For now I just added a wrap to the factory prussic to shorten it. It seems to be working so far. Can loosen with with one hand still.

 

[CharlieTN]

Some photos of your setup would certainly help. It’s a good likely hood you could shorten the friction hitch on the one side give you a few extra inches of movement. A lot of the factory setups us insanely long friction hitch ropes There might also be something that could be done to the other end as well. Shoot some photos showing both ends and let’s see what can be done.

 

[Black Titan]

Tagging because I'm curious as well, and have the same issue. My prusik in my bridge is huge. I like the carabiner attachment though because I can just detach the bridge when I want go take the saddle off. I've heard some mention using a ropeman 1, which I'm considering doing, but would be a little nervous about mechanical failure or rope breakage, hanging off the ropeman 100% of the time.

BT

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

I have a webbing bridge I quite like with a carabiner on left and sewn onto right. I do run into a bit of a similar mobility issue with the tri-glide and the stitching but it only takes a couple of inches off my bridge mobility and it’s not critically impairing me. Maybe try an 8mm rope with a 5mm prusik to shave some overall bulk in the bridge area. Not much smaller than what you already have but it might do the trick.

 

[Antirain]

I have the same issue with my trophyine bridge. For now I just added a wrap to the factory prussic to shorten it. It seems to be working so far. Can loosen with with one hand still.

I had done same with mine but found that locked up the prussic pretty hard after loading.

 

[1simplemann]

I like a short bridge. If I understand you right, when you go to pivot your Bridge friction hitch is hitting your tether carabiner and you can't keep pivoting? I had same problem. I had a sticht hitch on my bridge and my tether. It releases REALLY easy. I would pivot and bump that carabiner and go for a ride! Scary. An Amsteel whoopie sling bridge will solve that. No friction hitch! Slides right over. Easy to make.

 

[Dope on a Rope]

I noticed the same with the adjustable amsteel bridge I made, but the one I’m using now(came on Tethrd saddle) doesn’t have an issue. Following

 

[Brocky]

A “solution” to prevent bridge hitch bumping, something to cocoon it. The slots allows the hitch to be compressed, the other one uses a ring and pull cord instead.

 

[Iron_llama]

I mostly hunt out of an RCH+Drey combo but I started with a legacy XOP saddle. Bridge consists of a Michoacan hitch on either bridge loop, Prussic'd onto the loops. The opposite end of the bridge is attached via scaffold knot, below the Michoacan/Prussic. Unweighted, I can loosen the Michoacan and slide it up or down the loop to dial in comfort/prevent wedgies. Being above the scaffold, the friction hitches prevent the scaffold from sliding up the bridge loop. The Michoacan is very compact, probably extends past the bridge loop about as much as a carabiner.

 

[Antirain]

So I ended up getting a7mm x 25" prussic loop and made the same connection as that Triad bridge I mentioned. That makes my connection to the bridge loop half the length I had and the swabish hitch definitely breaks easier than the prusic hitch I had... and I get rid of a carabiner. A 19" loop would have been better as I had to run an extra prussic wrap around the bridge loop but that worked great and gets me more rotation room on bridge!

 

[Craft518]

Say I were to buy a continuous loop of Amstel to try this. What would be the loop size I got from the Amstel guy?

8”, 10”, or 12” 3/16?