I wouldnt say much better....its literally pulling a lever....i dont know if you could get much better than that.I like how easy it is taking up slack with the ATC tending the schwabish. It's much better than the Madrock. Think I'm going to ditch the Madrock and go back to the tried and true ATC/friction hitch combo.
I really like that. I might have to get an ATC.For anyone interested in the schwabisch combo,he does a good job of breaking it down more here:
I really like that. I might have to get an ATC.
Tending slack to shorten distance from device or friction hitch to tether girth hitch around tree. Lever is only for rappel down, not upward motionI wouldnt say much better....its literally pulling a lever....i dont know if you could get much better than that.
just pulling up on your rope....i dont know how you improve on just pulling up your rope.Tending slack to shorten distance from device or friction hitch to tether girth hitch around tree. Lever is only for rappel down, not upward motion
I climb on my friction hitch and install a figure-8 at height, above my climbing hitch, in an extended rappel configuration. I generally like having my backup below my descender. But... using my descender as a progress capture and a tender for my friction hitch is efficient.I switched over to this after seeing that video and I really like it. I had been just switching over from tether to my ATC/Rappel set up at the end of the hunt, but now I just hunt from the set up in the video and don't have to switch over.
For anyone interested in the schwabisch combo,he does a good job of breaking it down more here:
madrock probably never intended for hunters to use their equipment. they are probably covering all their ass's nowInteresting. He say's in another video that the Madrock instructions say to not put anything above or below the Safeguard, which they do (more than likely for liability reasons). But in this video, he got a response back from Madrock saying a prusik above is recommended as a backup ...
that thing is 220 dollars and almost a pound of weight.......I'm a rope access tech and own a small arb company. I take a more cautious approach than others. I would never use a Madrock for saddle hunting. I would however use a GriGri/GriGri+ at height (not for onesticking), because they can be "locked off."
My go to is the Elderid Megawatt. Auto locking, hands free device. Can work from 8.9mm-11.7mm ropeView attachment 92489
While it's *probably* safe, the F4 was not tested to the same standards as other descenders. It only has the NFPA cert and no others. NFPA has no tests around supporting a weight for X period of time. But they do have drop tests. To me, I wouldn't feel comfortable hanging off of it for hours.With everyone running the skinny ropes now, the F4 is really a nice option. Just so many ways you can use it, either in a 2TC, SRT system or as a rapelling sytem for stick or even climber stands
Guys complain about weight (this things not heavy), but will haul in 2lbs of camera filming gearthat thing is 220 dollars and almost a pound of weight.......
no i carry a madrock thats a third of a pound for four years without a single problem lolGuys complain about weight (this things not heavy), but will haul in 2lbs of camera filming gear
It's rare that I hang solely off the belay devices. If I do they are backed up with a swabish hitch above the device.While it's *probably* safe, the F4 was not tested to the same standards as other descenders. It only has the NFPA cert and no others. NFPA has no tests around supporting a weight for X period of time. But they do have drop tests. To me, I wouldn't feel comfortable hanging off of it for hours.
Look up canyon mode for your figure 8.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.
They say not to tie a knot or an autoblock on the brake line side. When he reached out to them about using it hands free for self rappel, they recommended a friction hitch placed above the device. It’s not solely a liability thing, if you were to have a dynamic event, an autoblock or hitch on the brake line side, would stop the rope from stretching and pulling itself into the belay device (which allows it better “shock absorption”) which can put too much force on the main pin and cause it to fail. Is it likely any of us would fall far enough? Probably not, however our forces could be high simply because we are usually using static ropes to climb and rappel on….Interesting. He say's in another video that the Madrock instructions say to not put anything above or below the Safeguard, which they do (more than likely for liability reasons). But in this video, he got a response back from Madrock saying a prusik above is recommended as a backup ...
You’re sound advise has left an empty space around here. It’s good to see you back in the fold, even if just for a moment.They say not to tie a knot or an autoblock on the brake line side. When he reached out to them about using it hands free for self rappel, they recommended a friction hitch placed above the device. It’s not solely a liability thing, if you were to have a dynamic event, an autoblock or hitch on the brake line side, would stop the rope from stretching and pulling itself into the belay device (which allows it better “shock absorption”) which can put too much force on the main pin and cause it to fail. Is it likely any of us would fall far enough? Probably not, however our forces could be high simply because we are usually using static ropes to climb and rappel on….
I tried quite a few options including an ATC, a figure 8 (which I keep as an emergency back up in my back pack), a Madrock safeguard, and a Petzl Gri Gri plus. I’ve used 10mm HTP, 8mm oplux (packs great but that’s about the only advantage to oplux in my opinion) and 9mm pro tac.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?