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Question about load ratings and such

M

mrsocks

New Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Messages
28
Location
NJ
So I've had this question before and finally see a perfect example of it written out and can share.

I was looking at the Kestrel Flex and at the bottom of the description it lists out all the strengths of the webbing and such.
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Component Specifications
Belt structure and seat frame: 1 3/4” nylon parachute webbing 6000 lbs
Belt buckle: ADF 1 3/4” Raptor buckle 18kN (4050 lbs)
Leg straps and webbing bridge: 1” nylon milspec flat webbing 5600 lbs
Leg strap buckles: ADF 1” Raptor buckles 4000 lbs
Carabiner on webbing or rope bridge: Fusion Essence autolocking 28 kN (6300 lbs)
Rope bridge: Samson Predator 11 mm double braid climbing rope 6000 lbs
Prusik cord: 10 mm polyester 2760 lbs

------------------

So the belt can support 6000 lbs.
BUT
the prusik cord can only hold 2760.

Now I know both are very high (though I think with a fall and some distance, you easily approach the cord number)
So isnt really this entire setup limited to the cord strentgh of 2760? I mean, if you fell, and the prusik grabbed you, isnt that the weakest link?
 
No offense but... maybe some people should just stay on the ground.


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The idea is never to fall. Always keep tension on your tether or linesman belt and do not give yourself the opportunity to fall on a slack line. That on its own will mitigate much of your worries.
 
DeerLaughAtMe said:
No offense but... maybe some people should just stay on the ground.
Click to expand...

:) I'm not asking because I am worried about falling (i mean, we should all have a healthy respect of the height and equipment to keep things safe), but just the aspect of 'weakest link', doesnt the 6000 lbs of the belt rating, get reduced to the 2760 of the cord? Especially since that is on the bridge.
There is a lot of good discussion and information on here as to loading and climbing equipment, so I was wondering if there was something I am missing in the equation that a cord with a 2760 rating doesnt somehow limit the 6000 rating of the belt in a sense.
 
The belt by default has to be larger diameter than the prusik for the prusik to work correctly hence the higher rating of the belt or tether...


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Yes, as stated you shouldn’t fall in a way that shock loaded it. You can use 2 prusiks or a ropeman with a prusik behind it for redundancy if you are concerned.

In rope rescue we use two prusiks, if the first failed on a shock load the fall before the second one caught would be too short to break it. In theory...


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Because a prusik is a loop there are two strands supporting weight. This in theory doubles the strength of the prusik. If a cord is rated at 2760, in theory your prusik should support 5,520. I recently read a study however that found prusiks broke well short of double the rating number but at a higher number than the rating of the single cord. It also found that the larger your main line, the higher the breaking strength of your prusik. Google "imperial breaking strength of single prusiks" if you're interested in reading it.
 
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