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I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong with my madrock lifeguard belay.

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Davycrocket684

Active Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2019
Messages
143
So long story short I'm trying hard to get into srt climbing with my jx3. However when I get my madrock under full load of my body, to get it to rappel I have to pull down on the lever hard enough to the point that it's actually hurting my hand from prying down on the release lever so hard. I have yet to go more then a few feet off the ground because I just can't get it to rappel. When I do pull the lever down enough to get the rope to start moving it's like a jolt and I instantly let go of the lever and I more or less bounce. My rope is a Sterling HTP Green Static 9mm Rope. I'm more then sure I'm putting the rope in there correctly. I have a autoblock I'm planning on clipping into my lineman's belt loop when I can get this device to rappel but at this point I can't get 5 feet off the ground because I'm afraid of getting high up and not being able to come down.
 
Here are two videos that show what I found. I think the belay devices are designed for softer, stretchier rock climbing rope.
 
That's one thing I had thought of because it is rated for 8.9 to 11 mm and my rope is on the smaller end of what can be used but the rope I have I bought because of jcline's video on youtube where he did srt climb and his did just fine. Maybe his rope was static I'm not sure....maybe I need to try it with the auto block but I'm not sure that will change anything.
 
I switched back to my 9mm HTP for hunting. I was using 8.5mm dynamic rope which fed better. I attach my ascender to my bridge with a climbing sling and just move it down two feet at a time. That way, I am attached to the rope at two separate points on the way up and down.
 
The HTP rope should work just fine. Are you holding the tag end of the rope down and not allowing it to feed through when respelling? When you pull the lever down the clamp should open and you can use your brake hand to feed rope or squeeze the autoblock if you use one.


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I try to hold the tag end of the rope with my right hand and pull the lever with my left. I think I'm going to try using the auto block to hold the rope for me and then squeeze the autoblock gently as I pull the lever.
 
If you pull too hard it brakes again... Are you pulling on the tag end or just holding it loosely? If you add tension on the tag end with your brake hand...you brake. If you're moving the lever so far that it hurts, you're probably back into the "panic brake" portion of its travel.
 
Take a look at your rope I noticed that while rappelling down it kinda bunched up as it’s being stretched I used a auto block and almost couldn’t get down the last 5 ft I had to squeeze the holy crap out of it. My other back up rope doesn’t do that and that’s a static rope. Some ropes don’t do this even though some do and they all climbing/rappelling rope. Go figure?
 
mattsteg said:
If you pull too hard it brakes again... Are you pulling on the tag end or just holding it loosely? If you add tension on the tag end with your brake hand...you brake. If you're moving the lever so far that it hurts, you're probably back into the "panic brake" portion of its travel.
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The Lifeguard doesn't have a "panic" mode.
 
yeah i'm just holding the line taut, not holding it with all my might. Truthfully now that I think about it, there are times where I even let go of the line (again this a few feet off the ground because I'm scared of it at this point) and have to pull down on the lever with both hands to get the rope to feed through and let me down.
 
Davycrocket684 said:
yeah i'm just holding the line taut, not holding it with all my might. Truthfully now that I think about it, there are times where I even let go of the line (again this a few feet off the ground because I'm scared of it at this point) and have to pull down on the lever with both hands to get the rope to feed through and let me down.
Click to expand...
it takes only a small amount of pressure from your brake end to cause the device to brake (by design), and the "sweet spot" where it releases is relatively narrow. if you are pulling on the lever, then let go of the brake strand to pull harder, you are most likely already in the "panic brake" range of the lifeguard.

  1. Release lever - it stops you.
  2. Pull lever gradually - it will release you gently, but if you put any tension on the tag/brake end of the rope...it will continue to hold you.
  3. Pull lever further - it will brake again (to prevent it from dumping you down a rope if you panic and grabhard while descending)

There's a good chance that you're pulling straight to position 3, and then pulling harder.
 
mattsteg said:
it takes only a small amount of pressure from your brake end to cause the device to brake (by design), and the "sweet spot" where it releases is relatively narrow. if you are pulling on the lever, then let go of the brake strand to pull harder, you are most likely already in the "panic brake" range of the lifeguard.

  1. Release lever - it stops you.
  2. Pull lever gradually - it will release you gently, but if you put any tension on the tag/brake end of the rope...it will continue to hold you.
  3. Pull lever further - it will brake again (to prevent it from dumping you down a rope if you panic and grabhard while descending)

There's a good chance that you're pulling straight to position 3, and then pulling harder.
Click to expand...
I will try and pull lighter and find said sweet spot, however bj139 says there is no panic mode with this device. My only question to what your saying is that when I'm pull harder and harder shouldn't it never release the rope then because if I pull hard enough (basically using two hands and pulling my body weight into it, it does release the rope)
 
I wonder if the spring has anything to do with your issue. I use the Safeguard(springless), there is definitely a learning curve but nothing beats zipping out of a tree like a ninja.... practice practice,
 
I'm going to try with the auto block and i'm going to try and just lightly pull and see what I can come up with and report back.
 
Swingin' Free said:
I wonder if the spring has anything to do with your issue. I use the Safeguard(springless), there is definitely a learning curve but nothing beats zipping out of a tree like a ninja.... practice practice,
Click to expand...
The spring shouldn't have any affect. I have used both the Lifeguard and Safeguard and didn't notice any difference between them on rappel. I can't imagine what is going wrong, assuming its threaded correctly in the device. When I pull on the handle and that cam releases and it lets go. The only thing keeping me from free fall is the pressure of my grip on the tag end of the rope. I've used exclusively static rope from 8mm to 12mm in mine with no issues other than my ability to grip the rope with my free hand (the 8mm is obviously hardrer to grasp than the 12mm).
 
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