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"Spring Loaded" rope tether: works great!

E

Ex Umbra

Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2016
Messages
89
Greetings,
Well I got out and tried my first ever rope tether. It works great while climbing with my tree spikes/gaffs and the L belt. Then setting my platform, and tethering off with my new rope/prussik/carabiner tether.

BUT...then I tired no stick climbing with just my 5 step etrier (aider) girthed with rope to the tree and my rope tether for a climbing anchor. IT WAS SCAREY! My tether kept sliding down the tree to me allowing a lot of slack in the tether line. And in static climbing, as I said recently, the imperative rule in static climbing is to never let slack develop in your main anchor.

So I got to thinking and rummaging around in my sewing bin I have for my outdoor gear. I found a piece of small shock cord (bungee cord) about 18" long.

So I went back out and tied one end of the shock cord to my figure 8 loop knot with a Taught Line hitch knot then I stretched it about 6" over to the line that goes around the tree and tied it on there with another Taught Line hitch (which is adjustable similar to a prussic.)

PRESTO! the little shock cord kept the girthed loop snug on the tree. It never even tried to slip back down. And moving it up the tree was no trouble, just pull up on the rope and the shock cord stretches out and lets the loop slide up the tree. Win Win and extra SAFE. In fact, as I climbed up the tree I was able to easily move up the tether at a constant rate that I was moving up keeping the tether snug, with no slack, constantly which is the best scenario in static climbing.,

image_zpsyqrp97jq.jpeg





Have a good day Y'all!
 
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This is interesting please post some pics when you can and glad it worked.
 
Ex Umbra said:
Greetings,
Well I got out and tried my first ever rope tether. It works great while climbing with my tree spikes/gaffs and the L belt. Then setting my platform, and tethering off with my new rope/prussik/carabiner tether.

BUT...then I tired no stick climbing with just my 5 step etrier (aider) girthed with rope to the tree and my rope tether for a climbing anchor. IT WAS SCAREY! My tether kept sliding down the tree to me allowing a lot of slack in the tether line. And in static climbing, as I said recently, the imperative rule in static climbing is to never let slack develop in your main anchor.

So I got to thinking and rummaging around in my sewing bin I have for my outdoor gear. I found a piece of small shock cord (bungee cord) about 18" long.

So I went back out and tied one end of the shock cord to my figure 8 loop knot with a Taught Line hitch knot then I stretched it about 6" over to the line that goes around the tree and tied it on there with another Taught Line hitch (which is adjustable similar to a prussic.)

PRESTO! the little shock cord kept the girthed loop snug on the tree. It never even tried to slip back down. And moving it up the tree was no trouble, just pull up on the rope and the shock cord stretches out and lets the loop slide up the tree. Win Win and extra SAFE. In fact, as I climbed up the tree I was able to easily move up the tether at a constant rate that I was moving up keeping the tether snug, with no slack, constantly which is the best scenario in static climbing.,

I'll try to post a pic up after work today.


Have a good day Y'all!
Click to expand...
Good description of a great idea...I think I can picture it but will follow this post for your photos. It sounds like your tether loop has a 6" radius. I'm picturing the shock cord contracting the tag end of your girthed tether by that 6", right? If so, does your tether drop down some distance (6" or less) when you place the tether at final height after putting your weight into the tether so that your weight overcomes the shock cords resistance?

I imagine you could leave the end of the shock cord permanently tied to your figure 8, right? I understand the taut line hitch for the side other than the figure 8 knot (allows you to adjust to different size trees) but why the taught line hitch to attach to the figure 8? (I'm familiar with the knot...one way adjustment)

This sounds like it may be a better solution to the rope slip problem than castration bands as it sounds like the shock cord is not rubbing up against the tree which occurs with the castration bands (wear and tear).
 
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DXD said:
Good description of a great idea...I think I can picture it but will follow this post for your photos. It sounds like your tether loop has a 6" radius. I'm picturing the shock cord contracting the tag end of your girthed tether by that 6", right? If so, does your tether drop down some distance (6" or less) when you place the tether at final height after putting your weight into the tether so that your weight overcomes the shock cords resistance?

I imagine you could leave the end of the shock cord permanently tied to your figure 8, right? I understand the taut line hitch for the side other than the figure 8 knot (allows you to adjust to different size trees) but why the taught line hitch to attach to the figure 8? /QUOTE]
Click to expand...
 
I'm having a longer than normal work day today but I will get a pic up asap. Hopefully tonight.

But it's really simple.
Imagine your rope tether girthed around the tree. You have a fig. 8 loop in the end of your rope tether. You threaded the other end of the rope through the fig. 8 loop and pulled it so that you have a right loop/girth around the tree. The excess rope of the tether is hanging straight down below.

Take about 1 foot of shock cord and tie it onto the loop of the figure 8 loop.

(I tied my shock cord onto my fig. 8 loop with a taught line hitch, an adjustable knot like a Prussik. I did not want the shock cord tied in the crotch of the loop because it would get abraded by the single rope coming through. So after I tied it in with the taught line I slide the taught line knot out of the crotch of the loop and a couple inches back from the crotch onto the upper "leg" off the loop. Not rocket science. I'm just saying don't attach the shock cord right in the crotch of the loop. Tiei it 2" back from the crotch of the loop- either side of the crotch, doesn't matter.)

So now I have 1 foot of shock cord affixed to my figure 8 loop on the end of my tether with an adjustable knot.

Say, when looking at the tree the loop is on the left.

Okay so I pull the other end of my shock cord straight to the right say 8" and tie it into the rope on the right that comes around the tree with another taught line.

This knot I just tied on the right...I adjust it left and right to get enough "spring tension" on the loop around the tree and I'm good to go!


Yes I know a pic is worth 1000 words. I'll post One asap.

Cheers
 
Nice idea. I've used a ring. It's ok. A little too large. I don't remember the size and I'm flying around the Rockies this pairing. When I get home I'll check the size of the ring and find a smaller one. I've got 2 rope tethers set up, so I'll compare the ring to the bungee.


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I just received my castrating bands in the mail today. Dang I may need to buy the tool to get them on the rope.

That seems like a simple solve if it works. If I can't get it to work, I would love to visually see your finished project from a few angles like everyone else above....

Thanks for sharing. Love it and am in search mode for a solution to the same problem.
 
Hey that is a great idea. I may have to play with this a little to see if I like it. I know sometimes when climbing with one stick...the rope will get slack and fall down to the stick if I use a delta ring between my figure 8 and the working end of the rope. It doesnt normally happen if I dont use the delta ring though. However the delta ring makes it quicker to attach the rope to the tree and certainly helps on retrieving the line after repelling down.
 
Hi guys. A short series of vids.


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Apparently my face is too ugly and must be processed.
I didn't test the bungee yet.


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I'm trying to figure out a 'no knots' method for this (no tying while in the tree in the dark I mean).
If there was a way to cinch the cord with a SoftShackle maybe?? And it could be pre-rigged on the loop.

I've said this before, but Yale Bandit Rope isn't as prone to falling down as other ropes I have used.
I just ordered 30' of it
 
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