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Rappelling gear/setup

You can also "extend " belay device away from harness\ saddle. It makes it easier to switch hands if needed on the brake strand . It also gives you extra space between autoblock & rappel device. You don't want autoblock\prussic to get stuck in ATC.
 
I use the GRIGRI 2 (it’s surprisingly light) You pull a lever which changes the angle of the device allowing you to descend. If your hand comes off you will stop. It also allows you to work hands free while detaching your platform/steps. For my repel rope I tie a loop (over hand knot on a bite) on the end of the rope and wrap the rope around the tree run the free which goes to the ground back through the loop. Then on the tree side of the loop I attach a carabiner with a tag line. When I rappel to the ground I pull on the rope attached the carabiner which slides my rope back through the eye. The carabiner reduces friction facilitating an easy retrieval.


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I have a grigri and a madrock lifeguard that are great for rappelling and stopping on the way down, Im just comfortable with the belay device and its lighter/smaller and less expensive for someone just starting out like the original poster
 
ATC with aut block is simple and light but I use an ISC D4 descender . I use my rappell line as my tree tether and the descender replaces the Ropeman . I offset the additional weight of the D4 with 10.5mm static rappell line. It is so nice after the hunt to come down and be connected to the tree both going up as well as coming down.
 
Having an adjustable bridge is very beneficial for comfort in the tree as well and being able to shorten for ascending is a plus.
 
I just tie a piece of 30 foot paracord to the knot on the girth hitch and when I'm on the ground I pull the rope down. It loosens the girth hitch and falls to the ground. If there are limbs on the way down I pull the paracord loosening the girth hitch until the rope feeds all the way through the girth hitch
 
@JCLINE84 thanks for the vid dude very helpful! Autoblock question...any size recommendations? I’m looking at a 6.8mm x 13.5” or 19”. I run an adjustable bridge too


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M
AntlerAddict76 said:
@JCLINE84 thanks for the vid dude very helpful! Autoblock question...any size recommendations? I’m looking at a 6.8mm x 13.5” or 19”. I run an adjustable bridge too


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Click to expand...
Mine is an 11 inch 6.5mm. Works great, 13 inches would be good
 
Thx. Practiced rigging up a variable controller system in the basement tonight. Can’t wait to try outside!


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There is the link to the sewn prusik loop I use for my autoblock for people asking
 
Ctclimberguy42 said:
You can also "extend " belay device away from harness\ saddle. It makes it easier to switch hands if needed on the brake strand . It also gives you extra space between autoblock & rappel device. You don't want autoblock\prussic to get stuck in ATC.
Click to expand...
Man that's a good point. You want to use a shorter bridge but not short enough that the prusik gets stuck on the belay. That would be a mess that left you stranded halfway down
 
The Sterling Hollow Block is a very good autoblock\prussic option as well. I use it on rocks as well as trees.

What is a "Variable Controller system?"

My thoughts on rapelling the 20- 30 feet from the tree are "Keep it Simple". Extended ATC & autoblock\prussic,and you can stop at will, get all your Stepps or Sticks untied on way down and it's lightweight.
Grigri2 works great too, but I wouldn't go buy a $95 grigri just to rap 20-30ft out of a tree, besides it's heavier than an ATC & hollow block. However, with a few extra "bits" you can rap down rope & set tree up for SRT with grigri. I have been rock climbing for 9 years and a majority of the injurys\deaths I read about happen during the rap down. I know, I almost became a statistic 7 years ago & had I not "double checked" my set up I wouldn't be typing this. With rappelling, simple, & safe is good. Oh yeah...
Check, check, double-check.
 
My wild country belay/rapell device says variable controller on it, it think it’s called an atc also


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Not sure, have had it forever and barely used. It looks just like the one in @JCLINE84’s video


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