I started saddle hunting this year with a modified Sit-Drag and RCH but recently upgraded to a Tetherd mantis. Loving it so far. Had one experience that I thought I should share, though.
One day while out exploring my hunting area and looking for an afternnon/evening ambush site, I discovered that my Oplux linemans belt was dragging along the ground behind me, still attached to one of the lineman loops on my RCH by its girth hitch. Apparently some brush had snagged it and pulled it out of its pouch without me noticing. As I coiled it back up and stuffed it into the pouch, I discovered that the Prusik and carabiner were gone, having apparently slid off the end of the line, where there should have been (and used to be) a stopper knot.
I usually use a figure 8 knot as a stopper, but may have had a single overhand knot on the lineman's belt - I'm not really sure. What I do know is that I had a stopper knot that came untied, and I'm lucky to have discovered it before I needed that knot to arrest what might have been a catastrophic fall.
I retraced my steps for a short way to try to find the lost gear, but ultimately had to replace the carabiner and Prusik loop. This time I used a fisherman's knot as a stopper at the end of my LB, and have been checking it regularly. It seems to be holding well.
Is the fisherman's knot a good choice for a stopper, or would something else work better? Not really interested in having the stopper knots on either my lineman's belt or tether come undone again.
One day while out exploring my hunting area and looking for an afternnon/evening ambush site, I discovered that my Oplux linemans belt was dragging along the ground behind me, still attached to one of the lineman loops on my RCH by its girth hitch. Apparently some brush had snagged it and pulled it out of its pouch without me noticing. As I coiled it back up and stuffed it into the pouch, I discovered that the Prusik and carabiner were gone, having apparently slid off the end of the line, where there should have been (and used to be) a stopper knot.
I usually use a figure 8 knot as a stopper, but may have had a single overhand knot on the lineman's belt - I'm not really sure. What I do know is that I had a stopper knot that came untied, and I'm lucky to have discovered it before I needed that knot to arrest what might have been a catastrophic fall.
I retraced my steps for a short way to try to find the lost gear, but ultimately had to replace the carabiner and Prusik loop. This time I used a fisherman's knot as a stopper at the end of my LB, and have been checking it regularly. It seems to be holding well.
Is the fisherman's knot a good choice for a stopper, or would something else work better? Not really interested in having the stopper knots on either my lineman's belt or tether come undone again.