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Ropeman Safety

I've had unsafe moments with a prusik because I want able to adjust it one handed and quickly. Nothing hazardous with a Ropeman. You should be backup clipped with ANYTHING (prusik included)
End of rope figure 8 clipped into the biner sufficient in your opinion?
 
Ok guys correct me if I'm wrong..... But wasn't the failure mode on the ropeman, especially on small ropes that it cut the rope? If you have a small rope and it cuts it, does it really matter if you tie the tail back to your carabiner? If the rope cuts at the ropeman, the tail tied to your carabiner is kinda worthless.... or maybe I'm seeing this wrong?

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There's just no way that's going to happen. And if that's how they made it fail, it says a lot about its strength.
I'm agreeing with you. I don't think the ropeman will fail before the rope, but I wanted to see if people read the same reports


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I don't know how a ropeman would fail, unless you drop it on the concrete all of the time, I feel like thats like saying a carabiner would fail, which I'm sure it happens, but what are the odds? although I guess anything can fail.
 
Ok guys correct me if I'm wrong..... But wasn't the failure mode on the ropeman, especially on small ropes that it cut the rope? If you have a small rope and it cuts it, does it really matter if you tie the tail back to your carabiner? If the rope cuts at the ropeman, the tail tied to your carabiner is kinda worthless.... or maybe I'm seeing this wrong?

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Yes I think you are right. I believe in the event of a fall the ropeman would basically cut through the small diameter rope. I can't remember my sources either though.
 
the other thing to take into consideration with all of this is that the general rule in climbing is a knot reduces the breaking strength of rope by 50%. so if the rope is rate to 8000, and you tie a figure 8 pass thru to make a loop (or a simple overhand knot) you've just reduced the breaking strength of that rope.

that being said its impossible to climb without knots, junctions, carabiners, etc...so we all have to accept a certain amount risk. like others have said, I've hunted long enough to be around when the 'first' elavated stands where 2x8s or 2x12s with Vs cut in the ends that were jammed in the crotch of trees. no tether, no seat, a wing and prayer. would I ever do that again, hell no. but I also understand that everything we do in saddle hunting is 'mechanical' in some regards and all mechanisms fail. we just have to safeguard then best we can.

(heck, while setting a trail camera on monday a gust of wind kicked up that I would describe as moderate, and it knocked a widowmaker out of a tree 30 yards from me. I felt the ground shake when it hit.)
 
YEAH....

This is my friend's climber stand that he grew up using with his dad. No tether.
But we are smarter than that!

The Ropeman is intended to be used an ascender. What we are doing is what is made for. It's just not for fall arrest.

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I like that setup. Prussik above the ropeman. I am going to add that (in addition to a figure 8 on loose end attached into carabiner that I already use). A redundancy for a ropeman failure, a redundancy for a rope being cut by the ropeman. My luck, I'll be in a tree that spontaneously combusts. Thanks!

The colors of the prussik rope looks like the prussik rope I bought from blue water.
 
I'm gonna steal that small chunk of 550 cord on the ropeman idea, brilliant! I will NOT back up my ropeman with a prusik or anything other than a figure eight knot at the end of my tether, the only time I only have my ropeman is when I'm using my xop hand climber. I just feel like the fall height that could happen is nothing like climbers typically deal with. Even when at height my sit drag is ties with a prusik and I keep both attached.



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In this Wild Country Video
they put their small "Astro" Carabiners on to make it easier to grab. But a little lanyard with a knot at the end does great and works well with gloves.

I can't get to this video?


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So just a few things about the Ropeman.

We like the Ropeman 1 because it does NOT slip. And the large teeth grab the rope without shredding it.

Funny thing...what's BAD about the Ropeman 1, it does NOT slip (even under very heavy loads) and the large teeth will damage the rope sheath when under very heavy loads.

4kn is where it damages the rope sheath.

The biggest fall I can imagine is that you are standing on your platform and your tether slips down the tree to your platform. At that very moment, your platform drops and you fall the length of your tether to your bridge.

This is why we don't stand around on our platform with slack in the tether. We don't climb up above a branch while leaving our tether set below.

Any time you are making a transition from a climbing stick to a platform for instance...tether is set! As you step up, get in the habit of taking up the slack as you move.
 
Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum and will be a newbie to saddle hunting. Just ordered the kestrel and can't wait to give it a try. Can't believe I've never really looked into it before. I am a rope and tower rescue specialist with a big fire department in Michigan. Therefore, I'm quite familiar with rope systems, knots and rigging of all sorts. Just did a rescue scenario off a tower 200 feet up yesterday as a matter of fact. Anyway, regarding the use of the Ropeman, I'm familiar with the device, however never used it myself. Am I understanding correctly that most are using the device for positioning? If so, are you using the device in line with the rope bridge or otherwise? Just another thought for similar, potentially quieter positioning device. Petzl has a relatively new device on the market called the petzl connect adjust or progress adjust. May be worth looking into as well.
 

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We are attaching our bridge to the Ropeman. The Ropeman is attached to the tether.l which is girth hitched to the tree.

The 'normal' setup is using a Blake's Hitch or Prusik instead. The Ropeman gives easy one handed adjustment and doesn't get stuck. Ultra convenient
 
Does it matter what way the carabiner is connected to the ropeman ? I connect with the tear drope side of the carabiner to the ropeman so I actually filp the carabiner over large sife down. I also connect a prusik note above the ropeman and the eye in the end of my tether to the carabiner better safe than sorry.
 
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