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Rappelling @redsquirrel

ImThere

ImThere

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2015
Messages
6,592
Location
Lewisburg, TN
@ redsquirrel
Can you please post pics of your set up and explain it for a dummy like me?


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Rappelling is pretty simple. You really only need 4 things.
1. You need a long rope. I carry 40' of 9mm Samson Ultratech. I bought mine here (either diameter will work). I also had them sew an eye splice in.
2. You need some sort of descender and locking carabiner. I use a Rock Exotica Orca Carabiner and a Mad Rock Lifeguard descender. Any climbing rated carabiner will work. You could also use any descender. A lot of guys here use the Petzl Gri-Gri2. I also used a Rock Exotic Mini 8 descender. It worked very well.
3. You need another carabiner or a link to girth hitch your rope around the tree. I use this one.
4. You need to attach a small retrieval line to your loop at the top of the tree in order to get your rappelling rope down after you're done. I use Samson Zing it. A lot of guys use paracord.

Once you have your gear, you just need to practice at low heights until you feel comfortable. I promise it's way more difficult in your head than it is in practice.

Here are some videos that helped me get started.



 
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To actually rappel out of the tree here is the process.

1. Girth hitch your rappel rope to the tree.
2. Attach your descender/carabiner to the rappel rope.
3. Attach your descender to your bridge/harness.
4. Slowly descend.
5. Once you're on the ground, you pull your yellow retrieval line to get your rappelling rope down.

The only tricky part is stopping to retrieve your platform. That's where the mechanical descender, like the Madrock Lifeguard, comes in handy. Previously I was using the figure 8 descender and I had to tie off (like in the video above). It worked fine, but it was a little nerve wracking. With the mechanical descender, you still have to tie off, but that is simply a backup to the mechanics.


b1ba5a8e3b13071aadbb0694b3049518.jpg


Sent from my Galaxy S8.
 
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The other thing I forgot is an autoblock. This is basically a loop of cord attached to your harness and the rappel rope. It's a backup or safety device if the rope slips out of your hand.

 
g2outdoors said:
To actually rappel out of the tree here is the process.

1. Girth hitch your rappel rope to the tree.
2. Attach your descender/carabiner to the rappel rope.
3. Attach your descender to your bridge/harness.
4. Slowly descend.
5. Once you're on the ground, you pull your yellow retrieval line to get your rappelling rope down.

The only tricky part is stopping to retrieve your platform. That's where the mechanical descender, like the Madrock Lifeguard, comes in handy. Previously I was using the figure 8 descender and I had to tie off (like in the video above). It worked fine, but it was a little nerve wracking. With the mechanical descender, you still have to tie off, but that is simply a backup to the mechanics.


b1ba5a8e3b13071aadbb0694b3049518.jpg


Sent from my Galaxy S8.
Click to expand...
I'll have the madrock lifeguard and I still have trouble getting it to lock off. What am I doing wrong?

I plan on using an auto block anyway. But I am frustrated by the lifeguard.

Sent from my HTC U11 using Tapatalk
 
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