River Hunter
Well-Known Member
Was out getting a tree set up last weekend which was also my maiden voyage with my size 2 Kestrel.
First off some changes I made from stock set up in the two weeks I've had it..
I unhooked one side of my bridge, ran it around the tree, unhooked my 8mm lineman belt and re-situated it around the fork.
Am I late to the game or a trend setter?
In the 45 minutes I spent in it I have to say I'm loving it. I just need to figure out my bridge length / tether height to take the hip pinch out in the sitting position but when I'm leaning it doesn't get any better.
First off some changes I made from stock set up in the two weeks I've had it..
- I put a Ropeman 1 and carabiner on one side of the bridge - as it comes the bridge is way too long for my taste. And I haven't had enough experience with it to go with a fixed bridge yet.
- I made a lineman belt out of 8mm static rope and a Ropeman 1 - I know, it states 10mm minimum but I pulled and pulled on it and I can't get it to slip. So I'm going with it under the "use at your own risk" label. Packs down to nothing.
- Added the speed hooks G2 found on Amazon (I actually found it first but I'll give credit to him for posting it first). I use 4 sticks, at ground level I can attach two sticks and the other two I slip the stand-offs in the elastic band of the speed hooks for easy access. Super slick.
- Added 2 entrenchment tool covers to the back of the Kestrel to hold my tether, lineman belt, and back band.
- Swapped out the tiny prussik knots for the backband for a Nite-Ize cam jam. I tied one end of the rope to one side of the backband, trimmed down the paracord, run it through the carabiner on the tether and then hook it to the other side of the backband.
I unhooked one side of my bridge, ran it around the tree, unhooked my 8mm lineman belt and re-situated it around the fork.
Am I late to the game or a trend setter?
In the 45 minutes I spent in it I have to say I'm loving it. I just need to figure out my bridge length / tether height to take the hip pinch out in the sitting position but when I'm leaning it doesn't get any better.