What is current "state of the art" rappel gear for SH?

[sureshotscott]

Can't recall if this has been discussed lately, so apologies if this has been covered recently.

I typically climb with Lone Wolf Hand Climber. I would like option to rappel from certain trees where I have to adjust the traction belt during the climb up. Adjusting this belt is a PITA so if weight/bulk penalty of carrying rappel gear is not too high I'd rather just rappel down.

What's the latest/greatest rope and device combination for doing this?

 

[Dmathews87]

latest and greatest is going to be the madrock safeguard and rope of your choice which seems to be canyon elite for most or C-IV.

If its lightweight you want you could always just use a figure 8 or what i use, an ATC. (ive never been a fan of the safeguard). Use the rappel line as your tether just to cut out one more rope\weight you have.

 

[RedJB81]

This is what I use for going up and rappelling down the tree when one sticking, along with an Ultimate One Stick for my platform from Eastern Woods Outdoors; IMO you can't go wrong using it for what you're wanting to do.

40' of Canyon Elite Rope
Madrock Safeguard (https://madrock.com/products/safeguard)
One 8mm Steel Oval Quick Link.
7/64 Amsteel Blue 40' in length with spliced eyes for your retrieve line and gear hoist
One Black Diamond Black Oval Screw Gate Carabiner

 

[elk yinzer]

You can rappel from a munter hitch on a biner. It's not my favorite, but it's the most lightweight. Everyone should know it as a bail-out option, but it's a bit too finicky with the lower-diameter ropes most of us use.

Next up you would have your friction-assisted rappel devices, figure 8, ATC, and the like. Some of those also struggle with 8-9 mil ropes.

Madrock Safeguard, 30 ft. of Oplux/Resc Tec, and a stainless quick link is my rappel setup. I just prefer the simplicity of the mechanical device and the fact that it can turn right around into an ascender without tying off and re-rigging, which most of the simpler setups cannot.

 

[sureshotscott]

Definitely a device would be preferred, just to keep things simple.

 

[dramsey25]

You can rappel from a munter hitch on a biner. It's not my favorite, but it's the most lightweight. Everyone should know it as a bail-out option, but it's a bit too finicky with the lower-diameter ropes most of us use.

Next up you would have your friction-assisted rappel devices, figure 8, ATC, and the like. Some of those also struggle with 8-9 mil ropes.

Madrock Safeguard, 30 ft. of Oplux/Resc Tec, and a stainless quick link is my rappel setup. I just prefer the simplicity of the mechanical device and the fact that it can turn right around into an ascender without tying off and re-rigging, which most of the simpler setups cannot.

I use the Munter and a carabiner. Simple, easy, cheap, lightweight, and less metal than a device.

 

[thedutchtouch]

Safeguard if you use it for going up and down. Although I dunno, isn't using it as a progress capture device out of spec? Then maybe not.

ATC gets my vote if it's just for simple and down only. +Autoblock if you need to stop for stick removal or something on the way down

 

[Horn]

Safeguard if you use it for going up and down. Although I dunno, isn't using it as a progress capture device out of spec? Then maybe not.

ATC gets my vote if it's just for simple and down only. +Autoblock if you need to stop for stick removal or something on the way down

Curious, have you tried a figure 8 also? If so why the ATC?

 

[thedutchtouch]

Curious, have you tried a figure 8 also? If so why the ATC?

Have not/have heard they are simple and reliable as well though. I never bothered trying one because the ATC works well and I've heard an 8 can twist up your rope? Though don't have direct experience to verify

 

[Dmathews87]

Curious, have you tried a figure 8 also? If so why the ATC?

Just to add my 2 cents....I also hunt off of the ATC with a schwabisch above which works perfectly...never found a good way to do this with the fig 8.

 

[sureshotscott]

Trying to figure out rope compatibility with Safeguard. Looking at tech specs for Safeguard, does this sound right? I'm seeing recs for 8mm rope.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0272/5951/files/Safeguard_Instructions_170128a2-5b24-4fbe-841f-3cfbf2e2b9a9.pdf?v=1623079342

The Safeguard will accommodate 8.9-11.0 mm diameter single dynamic rope....

 

[Horn]

Have not/have heard they are simple and reliable as well though. I never bothered trying one because the ATC works well and I've heard an 8 can twist up your rope? Though don't have direct experience to verify

I think it can twist ropes yes but I haven't found it to be an issue so far. I did notice twisting with a munter

Just to add my 2 cents....I also hunt off of the ATC with a schwabisch above which works perfectly...never found a good way to do this with the fig 8.

Good to know! I might need to try that

 

[Horn]

Trying to figure out rope compatibility with Safeguard. Looking at tech specs for Safeguard, does this sound right? I'm seeing recs for 8mm rope.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0272/5951/files/Safeguard_Instructions_170128a2-5b24-4fbe-841f-3cfbf2e2b9a9.pdf?v=1623079342

I thought there were two uses specified but I don't see that. If memory serves the smaller ropes were for belay only... I do believe it was 8.9 - 11 for rappelling and that's why the caynon elite and madrock combo got so popular, it's the near the minimum . People are using 8mm ropes to rap on. My experience makes me think one's weight is the biggest factor there, heavy people are going to want the bigger rope for more friction

 

[Weldabeast]

In my experience a single munter twists the heck outta ur rope....but if u add the second wrap to make the super/monster munter u get little to no twisting

 

[Dmathews87]

Good to know! I might need to try that

the biggest thing for me too was i didnt like switching to the fig 8 when ready to get down, the ATC schwabisch combo solves that, when im done, i just rappel down, no switching. I use a auto block with it just because.

 

[Loopwing]

I switched to a gri gri, it is a smoother ride than the madrock.

 

[dalton916]

I use an ATC and it’s smooth as glass.

 

[Loopwing]

The reason I went with a device over an ATC, figure 8, or munter is if I want to stop halfway down, I just let go of the handle. No knots, extra wraps, or other things, just let go of the handle and I am suspended.
I have used a gri gri, madrock, atc, figure 8, figure 9, munter, and I am sure a few I forgot.
Settled on the gri gri.

 

[dalton916]

The reason I went with the ATC is the same, let go of the autoblock and I stop, lol. It’s definitely to each his own, but the way I look at it is devices fail so I went with the ATC.

My ATC and caribiner stays on bridge and my autoblock stays on my rappel rope so no retyping of anything. I am, however curious about this “ATC with Schwabisch above” mentioned above. I would like to use my rappel line for a tether, but I always seem to feel “off center” when I try it.

If I’m envisioning this correctly I would have the ATC and autoblock setup as usual and use a Schwabisch hitch above the ATC kinda like a regular tether?

 

[Dmathews87]

The reason I went with the ATC is the same, let go of the autoblock and I stop, lol. It’s definitely to each his own, but the way I look at it is devices fail so I went with the ATC.

My ATC and caribiner stays on bridge and my autoblock stays on my rappel rope so no retyping of anything. I am, however curious about this “ATC with Schwabisch above” mentioned above. I would like to use my rappel line for a tether, but I always seem to feel “off center” when I try it.

If I’m envisioning this correctly I would have the ATC and autoblock setup as usual and use a Schwabisch hitch above the ATC kinda like a regular tether?

correct. I basically do the same as this video here:

schwabisch above ATC and autoblock on my right loop