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Using my tether as a lineman’s rope?

greg728

greg728

Active Member
SH Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2021
Messages
197
Location
Pennsylvania
I got a rappel setup this year so I’m going to be using my rappel rope as my tether. My lineman’s rope is not in the best condition so I was curious if I can use my old tether in its place as a lineman’s rope while I ascend up the tree? I’m going to be one/two sticking so I’ll be tethered to the tree but I like to also use a lineman’s rope when climbing my aider and creating slack in my tether so I’ma little more secure. Would my original tether rope suffice as a lineman’s temporarily until I get a new one?
 
As long as you have a method of attaching it to your linesman loops any piece of rope can become a linesman rope, so yes
 
Yep, absolutely. Depending how you set it up and store it, it can have multiple uses.
1. If you girth hitch the rope through the tether eye/figure eight knot around one of your lineman's belt loops, it's always connected to your saddle. You need only one carabiner on the other end. If you daisy chain it or stuff it in a dump pouch, it's very easily to grab and set as a lineman's belt. Add a tender to use it one-handed.
2. If you put two carabiners on (one on each end) and keep it free stuffed in a dump pouch (not looped around a lineman's belt loop), then it's more utilitarian. Can be a lineman's belt, a back up tether, or a self-rescue foot loop tether (2TC idea) if you ever find yourself hanging on the tree without a footrest and need something to push against and help you release your main tether. It's a little less handy to use a lineman's belt this way, however.
 
Absolutely..yes... I run one LB and a rappel line/ tether... if one sticking, I just leapfrog around branches with the LB as a tether... if that's the last branch I have to go around, I just hunt off the tether (that I also use as a LB)... then rappel off the longer line after the hunt... I typically walk in with 3 beast sticks... all with amsteel aiders...one has a 2 step... I decide whether I'm one sticking or regular ol stick climbing depending on the tree
 
Awesome thanks everyone. I was more curious on the safety aspects of using a tether rope as a lineman’s. I know lineman’s aren’t supposed to be used as a tether so I wasn’t sure if the same thing applied vice versa.
 
I think your lineman's belt and tether should each be capable of life support, because that's really what they're both doing; albeit used in different ways—and I don't advocate ever trusting your lineman's belt without a tether (unless it's within the first few few off the ground and is really just for a positioning aid). Assuming you select your ropes and hitch cords appropriately, you should be able to use either interchangeably.
 
greg728 said:
Awesome thanks everyone. I was more curious on the safety aspects of using a tether rope as a lineman’s. I know lineman’s aren’t supposed to be used as a tether so I wasn’t sure if the same thing applied vice versa.
Click to expand...

Just curious, what type of rope are you using for you LB and your tether? As @Marmuzz said both should be rated for life support.
 
greg728 said:
I got a rappel setup this year so I’m going to be using my rappel rope as my tether. My lineman’s rope is not in the best condition so I was curious if I can use my old tether in its place as a lineman’s rope while I ascend up the tree? I’m going to be one/two sticking so I’ll be tethered to the tree but I like to also use a lineman’s rope when climbing my aider and creating slack in my tether so I’ma little more secure. Would my original tether rope suffice as a lineman’s temporarily until I get a new one?
Click to expand...
Yes your tether can be used as a positioning lanyard as well
 
greg728 said:
Awesome thanks everyone. I was more curious on the safety aspects of using a tether rope as a lineman’s. I know lineman’s aren’t supposed to be used as a tether so I wasn’t sure if the same thing applied vice versa.
Click to expand...
Just to be clear your lineman’s rope (also known as a positioning lanyard) should be rated the same as your tether as it is possible to fall on your lineman’s rope. So it should have the same life safety rating as your tether and vice versa.
 
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