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Simple way to add a redundant bridge

John RB

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
848
Location
Fort Washington, PA
Having a 2nd or redundant bridge can be a handy positioning, climbing and safety feature no matter how you climb. This is how I tie mine. I like my primary bridge very long to minimize hip pinch and my backup nice and short. If you're not familiar with my rope climbing system, there's a playlist for it on the channel. But in summary, i am always attached to the climbing rope in 2 places. If a friction hitch or even a carabiner were to fail, I have redundancy. It might seem unnecessary, but it doesn't cost me anything and provides incredible peace of mind. An arborist once told me: if you think your system is safe, climb 3x higher in it... do you still feel safe? Well, I do, and this is one of the reasons.
 
I don't see any advantage to the lines crossing over or the hunter's bend. Is there any? Here are my two bridges for redundancy.
 
Good question: I like my beaner easy to operate with my right hand and like it oriented left to right rather than pointing away from me. That's the best orientation for putting in the munter friction hitch and descending on it.
 
No thank you. I've been climbing for 25+ years and one thing you learn rock climbing is that webbing/cord (whether flat or circular) wears itself out way faster against other webbing/cord than anything else that isn't a sharp edge. Webbing/amsteel rubbing across itself over and over as I twist in the saddle is not something I want. That will wear your bridge(s) way faster than just a single bridge and I'd argue (without any scientific evidence) will fail faster than a single bridge. You got abrasion on both top and bottom surface of the bridge every time you rotate. If you want a second bridge, make it entirely independent of the first bridge and making no contact anywhere. Otherwise, it's not truly redundant. Add another carabiner to your system and you're magic, other than the sound potential, if you're worried about that.
 
No thank you. I've been climbing for 25+ years and one thing you learn rock climbing is that webbing/cord (whether flat or circular) wears itself out way faster against other webbing/cord than anything else that isn't a sharp edge. Webbing/amsteel rubbing across itself over and over as I twist in the saddle is not something I want. That will wear your bridge(s) way faster than just a single bridge and I'd argue (without any scientific evidence) will fail faster than a single bridge. You got abrasion on both top and bottom surface of the bridge every time you rotate. If you want a second bridge, make it entirely independent of the first bridge and making no contact anywhere. Otherwise, it's not truly redundant. Add another carabiner to your system and you're magic, other than the sound potential, if you're worried about that.
I agree with what you're saying, but there is no movement of anything inside the bridge loops. The only part that moves is the beaner
No thank you. I've been climbing for 25+ years and one thing you learn rock climbing is that webbing/cord (whether flat or circular) wears itself out way faster against other webbing/cord than anything else that isn't a sharp edge. Webbing/amsteel rubbing across itself over and over as I twist in the saddle is not something I want. That will wear your bridge(s) way faster than just a single bridge and I'd argue (without any scientific evidence) will fail faster than a single bridge. You got abrasion on both top and bottom surface of the bridge every time you rotate. If you want a second bridge, make it entirely independent of the first bridge and making no contact anywhere. Otherwise, it's not truly redundant. Add another carabiner to your system and you're magic, other than the sound potential, if you're worried about that.
There is zero movement of my bridge inside the loops. And there is zero rubbing of rope on rope. The ropes cross but do not move. Only the beaner moves, and because this is my redundant bridge, it never takes load anyway. Its there in the event of a failure of the primary bridge.
 
No thank you. I've been climbing for 25+ years and one thing you learn rock climbing is that webbing/cord (whether flat or circular) wears itself out way faster against other webbing/cord than anything else that isn't a sharp edge. Webbing/amsteel rubbing across itself over and over as I twist in the saddle is not something I want. That will wear your bridge(s) way faster than just a single bridge and I'd argue (without any scientific evidence) will fail faster than a single bridge. You got abrasion on both top and bottom surface of the bridge every time you rotate. If you want a second bridge, make it entirely independent of the first bridge and making no contact anywhere. Otherwise, it's not truly redundant. Add another carabiner to your system and you're magic, other than the sound potential, if you're worried about that.

Easy way is to make sure your saddle has a strong belt/buckle and then girth hitch a nylon sling to the belt and then attach that to the tree with your lineman's belt used as a back up tether, with this second tether below primary and with slack. If you really wanna go nuts, put on a backup riggers built (climb webbing and cobra buckle for DIY) and girth hitch it and the saddle belt with the sling.
 
Easy way is to make sure your saddle has a strong belt/buckle and then girth hitch a nylon sling to the belt and then attach that to the tree with your lineman's belt used as a back up tether, with this second tether below primary and with slack. If you really wanna go nuts, put on a backup riggers built (climb webbing and cobra buckle for DIY) and girth hitch it and the saddle belt with the sling.
Hey buddy. I understand what you're describing, but I can't recommend it. The original post and video was about a backup bridge using the existing bridge loops. The reason for having 2 bridges is typically for creating separation between our points of attachment to the tree or our rigging. Rope climbers often benefit from it. The bridge loops provide the ONLY points of attachment on a saddle which support our center of gravity. The lineman's loops and the belt do not. The belt holds the saddle to us and the lineman's loops hold us to the tree for positioning, under horizontal, not vertical tension. I climb on an extremely safe system, and i rarely use my lineman's belt, only when the tree has a strong lean and i need to get closer to it. We shouldn't ever fall onto a tether tied to our belt or lineman's. If that happen, it should only happen because some critical component failed. If you are creating a redundant tether, thats cool, but different than what i am describing and my recommendation is that you rig it into your bridge loops and nothing else. That make sense?
 
To each his own. But, after seeing many of the setups a lot here use, I can’t understand all the bulk and such some of these configurations come with.



In my mind, It’s hard to argue with an adjustable bridge. What am I missing? Is this search boredom driven or are their advantages. I’m being honest too. No wise guy intent. I’m just confused.


The advantages to a saddle are negated when you have pouches full of gear and ropes, a wad of daisy chained ropes in the tree, and all the fiddle factor that comes with so many different ropes, accessories, etc.... why make your seat and your set so busy with all these options?
 
To each his own. But, after seeing many of the setups a lot here use, I can’t understand all the bulk and such some of these configurations come with.



In my mind, It’s hard to argue with an adjustable bridge. What am I missing? Is this search boredom driven or are their advantages. I’m being honest too. No wise guy intent. I’m just confused.


The advantages to a saddle are negated when you have pouches full of gear and ropes, a wad of daisy chained ropes in the tree, and all the fiddle factor that comes with so many different ropes, accessories, etc.... why make your seat and your set so busy with all these options?
I think, WYSIWYG. If you want less, go for it. If more, do that. Everyone is different. I like backups so I use more.
 
To each his own. But, after seeing many of the setups a lot here use, I can’t understand all the bulk and such some of these configurations come with.



In my mind, It’s hard to argue with an adjustable bridge. What am I missing? Is this search boredom driven or are their advantages. I’m being honest too. No wise guy intent. I’m just confused.


The advantages to a saddle are negated when you have pouches full of gear and ropes, a wad of daisy chained ropes in the tree, and all the fiddle factor that comes with so many different ropes, accessories, etc.... why make your seat and your set so busy with all these options?
Hey buddy. I get it. There are multiple reasons for my 2nd bridge, and I get the fact that you may not need one. 1. My factory saddle bridge can only be adjusted under load. My bridge is always under load. No platform for me.

2. For safety, i want a redundant bridge. It's safer than one adjustable bridge. My systems only failure points are 1. The tree 2. A break in the primary climbing line. 3. The saddle, not including the bridge. I can't claim that unless i have 2.

3. Rope climbers generally need some room to work ABOVE the bridge. And so we do our sit on the long bridge and engage the short for ascending and descending.

4. I need 2 points of attachment on the rope in order for my system tp pass the whistle test. This means that at anytime on the ascent, sit, or descent, i can completely let go of the system with hands and feet (or have a heart attack and go unconscious) and i am safe. Around the 5.5 minute mark, you'll see my munter go on the redundant bridge on my descent. Later, i let go.
 
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