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Who the heck is making Amsteel tethers and Amsteel prussic combos and selling them on FB???
- Thread starter Vtbow
- Start date
This is a good thread. if only to get people thinking about their gear and how much risk they're taking vs. what they ASSUME they're taking even with commercially available products/equipment
I agree. As i stated i ordered a cruzr adjustable amsteel bridge that my be changed into a some sort of gear hanger down the road and stay with standard rope as my adjustable bridge. As i diver i completely understand knowing your equipment, redundancy and having a plan. 30 feet deep or 30 ft high mistakes can cost you your life, dont skimp on oz when your life depends on it.
I was just saying through PM that I, as do all of us DIY'ers who post their project here and elsewhere, need to try and do a better job of discussing those risks, and rewards of using materials and equipment that might be questionable to others. I have certianly taken that away from this discussion so far, and will do so in the future.
Now I understand why gear reviews are so much more popular! How does @Nutterbuster get 10.2 million views talking about a tree recliner whilst sippin brews?
Now I understand why gear reviews are so much more popular! How does @Nutterbuster get 10.2 million views talking about a tree recliner whilst sippin brews?
If I got 10 million views I'd quit my day job and run off the the Bahamas with a supermodel.
I must admit it was a thread very similar to this one about a year ago (as I recall @kyler1945 intiated it) that convinced me to make changes to my one stick setup. I had been climbing with my old setup for over a year and was very comfortable with it and had very little concern. The discussion in that thread forced me to consider some things I hadn't accounted for and to implement some changes. These threads can be very valuable if they help one person decide to make informed changes for the better.
What, you're gonna tattle that I call her a supermodel?You're piling up the "Don't tell my wife" quotes now buddy!
I have been using my DIY Amsteel utilibridge all summer practicing and all season and have not had it slip once. It is however a real pain in the ass to break and move.
I pretty confident an Amsteel tether will hold just fine.
I pretty confident an Amsteel tether will hold just fine.
They're certainly not the only ones to test dyneema prusiks ( e.g. http://paci.com.au/downloads_public/knots/14_Report_hitches_PBavaresco.pdf ) but perhaps the only ones to approach the test with the attitude of "let's make amsteel pass" ratherthan "is this a good idea?"
I’ve seen Amsteel burn while hammock camping. I was using a tree strap made of 1” Dyneema webbing connected to my hammock via a Becket hitch to 7/64” Amsteel continuous loop. I didn’t fully seat the Becket hitch and upon sitting in the hammock was slowly lowered to the ground. This was not a quick, violent loading and failure. It still burned about 1/3 of the way through the Amsteel.
Having said that, I make my own Amsteel Utilibridges for my saddles. I use full bury 1/4” for the bridge and 3/16” continuous loop for the adjustment. I have the prussic backed up 100% of the time.
As far as manufacturers selling stuff that isn’t safe... most treestand manufacturers include safety harnesses that are a joke. Lineman’s loops with one row of stitching. Made in China. But they get that 100% seal of approval from TMA (also a joke) because they have a belt, leg straps and shoulder straps. Of the 20 most popular rock climbing harnesses, I would be willing to bet that NONE of would be approved by TMA. Think about that for a while.
Sorry for the tangent. I actually agree that some people who casually browse the forum might come to the conclusion that Amsteel is the infallible panacea. We probably need more discussions like the OP has initiated. Im with [mention]always89y [/mention] though. I have used and spliced Amsteel for decades and trust it and myself in certain saddle situations. I wouldn’t sell it to others.
Having said that, I make my own Amsteel Utilibridges for my saddles. I use full bury 1/4” for the bridge and 3/16” continuous loop for the adjustment. I have the prussic backed up 100% of the time.
As far as manufacturers selling stuff that isn’t safe... most treestand manufacturers include safety harnesses that are a joke. Lineman’s loops with one row of stitching. Made in China. But they get that 100% seal of approval from TMA (also a joke) because they have a belt, leg straps and shoulder straps. Of the 20 most popular rock climbing harnesses, I would be willing to bet that NONE of would be approved by TMA. Think about that for a while.
Sorry for the tangent. I actually agree that some people who casually browse the forum might come to the conclusion that Amsteel is the infallible panacea. We probably need more discussions like the OP has initiated. Im with [mention]always89y [/mention] though. I have used and spliced Amsteel for decades and trust it and myself in certain saddle situations. I wouldn’t sell it to others.
TMA is 100% CYA and working to lock out small competitors and very little for safety. Make products just safe enough to blame the user. of course that describes most all certification.
There's actually lots of dyneema/ spectra testing that had been done in the climbing world...that's actually why it's uses haven limited to what it has, and no notes are advisable.
DMM did a drop test with it compared to a standard static rope....the dyneema snapped like the band on some 20 year old underpants.
Yup, DMM has done a bunch of good testing on tied spectra runners/slings!
I'm still amazed at the level of aggressive scrutiny bolts have been subject to, relative to other stuff that's so much sketchier. They're just an aid for positioning yourself up the tree! Not life-support like a damn bridge (or tether). (and on a more serious note, I do feel that in many ways they're actually one of the safer methods out there, when used correctly.)
This is an important point. I believe that some think Saddlehunters are breaking new ground and using these materials in a way that's never been considered before. But, these uses have been considered, and thoroughly tested, and found to be lacking by professional climbers that are more weight conscious than even Saddlehunters. It shouldn't matter that climbers are hundreds of feet above the ground and we're only 20 feet, falls from both of these distances can result in death.
Would you be able to elaborate on this a little? As in what were your questions and their answers.
Also, if you dont mind, what are you using for a bridge and why?