Tree Tether Rope

[Saddle9]

Okay so I have built a tree tether rope. I need help with getting the rope to a hunt able size. I had the guys at Back Country North in my home town help with gaining knowledge on the correct rope millimeter for safety as well as tying the double figure eight knots on both ends.

I started with a 12' piece of 8mil climbing rope, I would loose 2'4" of rope on each end with the double figure eight knots plus leaving a tag end for safety. I added another piece of rope 6mil for my prussic knot.

On the tree saddle the tree tether is 11'5", but you go around the tree twice. How long of a rope tether does everyone use? I tested mine out and found that I easily could remove 3' total (guessing) and still be comfortable.

If you use a rope for a tether and are willing to untie your knots and do a total measurement end to end please help me. I do understand that each tree diameter is different which factors into the amount of rope needed, simply trying to get the rope down to a usable hunting size.

 

[redsquirrel]

I just measured mine and without removing the figure 8 on one end and stopper knot on the other the length is about 7.5 feet. I wrap around the tree once. When I made the tether I used a big tree to measure out the rope to make sure I always have enough.

 

[essdub]

when I use climbing sticks or tree steps and the aero evolution, I most often have an 8 ft tree strap.
But I also rope climb which would mean my rope becomes my tree strap and it will be 40-50 ft long usually.
Then, recently I began to use lightweight custom saddles/harnesses/etc and I'm becoming more sold on the practice of using the same 20 ft length of rope as my bridge, flip line/lineman climbing belt, and tree strap.
As long as it's long enough to wrap around tree (with knots tired in it) and give you some length for adjusting, it shouldn't matter. If you don't hunt out of huge trees and don't want a lot of rope dangling or having to shove it in a pouch, then somewhere in the 7-10 ft range should be plenty of rope to play with


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[kenn1320]

I think I started with a 12ft piece and find its about perfect. I have double figure 8's on both ends, but shortened the tag on them to about 3" and wrapped with electrical tape. I use 7/16 blue water assault line, which is a bit over 11mm. I look at it sometimes when Im up in the air and think man it looks wimpy, cant imagine being on 8mm rope. Whats the working load on that rope and Im assuming its static rope?

 

[g2outdoors]

I believe I started with a 12' length to get my finished length of 8'. Honestly I could probably get away with a 6' finished length the extra couple feet don't weigh much and is probably worth it just in case.

 

[kenn1320]

I believe I started with a 12' length to get my finished length of 8'. Honestly I could probably get away with a 6' finished length the extra couple feet don't weigh much and is probably worth it just in case.

I agree, just depends on what your doing. With my set up Im following Daves lead and have a long bridge and snug my ropeman1 right up to the figure 8 loop at the tree. If I wasnt using the other end to attached to my climbing harness(safety back up for my diy saddle) I would only need 4ft.

 

[DIYSaddler]

But I also rope climb which would mean my rope becomes my tree strap and it will be 40-50 ft long usually.
Then, recently I began to use lightweight custom saddles/harnesses/etc and I'm becoming more sold on the practice of using the same 20 ft length of rope as my bridge, flip line/lineman climbing belt, and tree strap.

I know this isn't the rope climbing forum but I'm curious. You're using the climbing line as your saddle bridge or as your lanyard?

 

[essdub]

Same rope as saddles bridge, lineman belt/flip line, and as tree strap. Here's a pic from right now in the woods. Maybe you can see how I'm doing it. Of course right now I'm only using it as bridge and tree strap. But you can see the coiled up length in the carabiner on my right side is plenty long enough to use as all three (prussic cord or rope grabs of some kind are necessary)

The other good thing about using one rope is that once you start getting fatigued, just wrap the loose rope around and use it as back rest like this

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[DIYSaddler]

Same rope as saddles bridge, lineman belt/flip line, and as tree strap. Here's a pic from right now in the woods. Maybe you can see how I'm doing it. Of course right now I'm only using it as bridge and tree strap. But you can see the coiled up length in the carabiner on my right side is plenty long enough to use as all three (prussic cord or rope grabs of some kind are necessary)
The other good thing about using one rope is that once you start getting fatigued, just wrap the loose rope around and use it as back rest like this

Ok. Same rope as climbing rope used for your bridge not one continuous piece of cordage.

You might want to reverse the biner for you rope grab on your bridge. So if you grab and pull toward yourself for repositioning you don't accidentally unlock the gate and pop it off the rope man device.

 

[essdub]

One continuous piece of rope. Twenty feet long.I do carry another eight foot piece of rope in case of emergency, but I use the same twenty foot piece of continuous cordage as my bridge, flip line, and tree strap. I'll take it off the saddle when I get back to the house and take pics to show how I'm using it as an all in one rope.
Thanks, .I noticed the carabiner after I got into tree. It'll just stay there until I come down in a couple hours.


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[DIYSaddler]

I'll take it off the saddle when I get back to the house and take pics to show how I'm using it as an all in one rope.

Cool

 

[essdub]

pic 1, and 2 are of saddle and rope - carabiners and prussic cord also in pics

pic 3 shows attaching bridge


pic 4 and 5 show attaching long tail end of rope around tree into flipline /lineman belt with prussic on left side to adjust to tree. using the linemans belt will pull the bridge very tight on your waist due to the Kong duck adjustment on bridge- that's why I have a long figure eight knot on the left side of my bridge (because it stops the rope from pulling too tight). this is another safety while climbing to prevent me from falling out .then you proceed to climb tree using whichever method you prefer.




after you've reached hunting height. take the long tail end of rope and tie a figure eight follow through to make your tree strap





attach ropeman or prussic or whatever you like from tree strap to bridge




next pic detach lineman belt and stow the excess rope in dump pouch or wrap it around your back for a back rest





I'm not very good at things like this, so I hope that the pics are in order and this makes sense

 

[DIYSaddler]

Essdub are you still using rope climbing techniques or strictly gaffs for ascending?

 

[essdub]

Whatever I feel like at the moment. Climbing sticks, stepps, screw in steps, rope ascent, gaffs, j just whatever I feel like the situation calls for. I like the gaffs and the all in one rope for light weight and going into very thick cover. Like where I'm at right now

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[essdub]

Re: RE: Re: Tree Tether Rope

Essdub are you still using rope climbing techniques or strictly gaffs for ascending?

I do this same thing (except you don't need flip line to climb rope -just use the rope as bridge and to climb)with my forty to sixty foot ropes if I'm rope climbing. Except, since I'm on my property, when I come down with the grigri2, I leave the rope in the tree. As long as I plan to be back at that location within a few days or a week. Heck I've got a few ropes that have been in the trees since season opened in September. I do worry about those though. If squirrel or something were to chew on it, it could be bad for me.

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[DIYSaddler]

Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: Tree Tether Rope

Heck I've got a few ropes that have been in the trees since season opened in September. I do worry about those though. If squirrel or something were to chew on it, it could be bad for me.

I've been leaving masons twine in the trees I want to come back and hunt again. It has a breaking strength of like 150lbs, most people walk past and never notice it, it's light and easy to carry, also great temporary cordage in an emergency, and 500' is around 7 bucks.

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[essdub]

Yeah. I have some paracord in some trees for that same reason. The only thing is ,that I've had it get hung up or stuck when trying to pull my rope up while it's dark and I end up making a lot of noise trying to get it to cooperate.

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