• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Tether safety backup?

bob1sh said:
So on days you’re in the saddle at 10 ft, do you plan for that and only take say 2 sticks that day? Or what do you do if you always take in say 4 sticks and only decide to use 2? Leave them at the base of the tree? Again, I’m new here so I appreciate the time you’re taking to respond.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I'm a long time bow hunter, but this is my first year saddle hunting. So, I don't want to misrepresent myself as a grizzled expert.

But I just had this happen. I just attach one of my sticks to my pack and let it hang out there while I hunted. I'm usually not 100% on the tree I'm hunting that day, so I always carried all 4 of my sticks (even when tree stand hunting). If I was certain I wouldn't need all 4 (known tree), then I'd probably not carry them all.

I also use a carry as you go (CAYG) aider which allows me to space sticks out close to 4 feet apart. Once this year, I knew I was only going a short height, so I climbed without the CAYG aider and got to height a bit quicker that way with all 4 sticks on the tree.
 
bj139 said:
I can't remember if it was mentioned about the Ropeman ripping the sheath off the rope at 4kN also caused failure of the inner rope starnds. I don't think so and those strands might still support you. I don't use a Ropeman anymore, just in case.
Click to expand...
In one of the test cases of that study, the rope was completely severed. I believe at a slightly higher loading but not that much higher.
 
mattsteg said:
In one of the test cases of that study, the rope was completely severed. I believe at a slightly higher loading but not that much higher.
Click to expand...

Were any friction hitches tested? I"m curious if a distel or prusik would slip, melt, etc.
 
raisins said:
Were any friction hitches tested? I"m curious if a distel or prusik would slip, melt, etc.
Click to expand...

As I get better with ropes I’m going to get away from the Ropeman.. even the Blake’s is easier to move than a prusik and I’m seeing a lot use from vt’s


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
raisins said:
Were any friction hitches tested? I"m curious if a distel or prusik would slip, melt, etc.
Click to expand...
My memory is that there were a lot of hitches tested. I think i posted it last year, and probably others have also.

Above all it's a good reminder to rock a stopper knot. Hitches slip (which is a feature, not a bug).
 
bob1sh said:
Wow that’s a wealth of knowledge right there. Raisins which hitches are you using for both lineman’s and tether?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I have a DIY adjustable bridge on my saddle. All 3 hitches on it are 6 wrap prusiks because these do not need to be moved often and/or with one hand. Plus, I have the most confidence in the 6 wrap prusik because it really digs in in both directions and does not want to accidentally move. Also, the hitch on the bridge loops must resist movement in either direction.

On my main tether and on my lineman's lanyard, I am using 5 over 1 wrap distel hitches because I do need to move these regularly after putting weight on them and the distel works better (but only in only one direction...down). The common distel hitch shown on knot tying web sites is a 4 over 1 wrap, but that would not hold my weight when using Oplux with a TRC hitch, so I added one more wrap.
 
bob1sh said:
Wow that’s a wealth of knowledge right there. Raisins which hitches are you using for both lineman’s and tether?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I’m not raisins but the schwebash is nice! I saw something called the cosmo hitch on here a few days ago that looked promising.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
raisins said:
Run my lineman's lanyard around the tree with a girth hitch to provide an attachment point below my main tether. I run this short so basically I just have a carabiner hanging off the tree to snap into. I have 2 carabiners on the lanyard and so it can be fully detached from the saddle to do this. I then girth hitch a 3 foot nylon climbing sling around my saddle belt and clip this to the hanging carabiner from my lineman's lanyard. I adjust this so that it is loose and below my main tether so that it will not restrict movement. My bridge and/or main tether could break and I'd still be hanging from my belt. Makes me feel safer when 25 feet up over some rocks.

I only use rope friction hitches and do not use mechanical ascenders, such as a ropeman. On the way up with sticks, I use both a lineman's lanyard and tether. At height, I tie temporary stopper knots so that nothing can slide more than a few inches.
Click to expand...

Any pics of this set up? Thanks
 
Jrain904 said:
Any pics of this set up? Thanks
Click to expand...

not right now....i don't have a tree in my yard and don't wanna put my tether on a telephone pole (splinters and creosote)

i'll snap a few when i can
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top