8mm Predator rappel rope

[Black Titan]

Anyone give this stuff a try yet? Just saw a kit being offered on HangFree and it's got me curious.

If you've tried it, is it working with a madrock or no?

What are your thoughts/opinions on it?

BT

 

[Horn]

I would need to double check to be 100% but I believe 8mm is out of spec for a rappel on the madrock. If I recall there used to be a spec for rappelling and a separate spec for belay, with belay allowing for smaller ropes.

I haven't tried that 8mm predator but having played with smaller ropes and different friction devices I would expect that 8mm to be pretty darn fast rappelling. By fast I mean it probably won't offer a lot of friction, so you might need to add extra friction if possible to make the decent manageable.

 

[CharlieTN]

Here’s what Madrock says on their website.

“For rescue / rigging use: 8.1mm to 11mm rope diameter

For climbing use: 8.9mm to 11mm rope diameter”

I’m not entirely sure what they mean by “rescue/rigging use.”

 

[CharlieTN]

As I sat and thought about the difference in stated usage and the limitations I can guess that it is because the great difference in potential forces that would be generated. Catching a climber on belay can and will produce considerably more forces than a static rappel. Now I’ll ad to this, I would lean to the climbing usage, especially because in most uses we have the potential to add a bit of slack, which would generate much more force than a simply static rappel. With the manner in which quite a few climb, especially 1-stickers who will have their tether down at their ankles, they would generate some brutal force and I would imagine the 8.1mm would slip considerably.

All of this is simple conjecture but I don’t want to be the one to find out.

 

[boyne bowhunter]

I haven't used the 8mm Predator but I do have experience using 8mm Oplux in the Madrock. My summary . . . at 225lbs it held but not great. Things got especially sporty rappelling with it when it was wet. I'm not sure of that's a function of the rope itself or the size. I'll say it was worth it to me to retire my Oplux and move back to a bit larger diameter rope for use in the Madrock.

 

[Black Titan]

I think if I decide to get some I'll combine it with a figure 8 instead of the madrock, and reserve its use to more of an ultralight setup for 2TC or something.

BT

 

[Black Titan]

Well looks like they're out of the predator camo with the sewn eye, which per their site has almost 1200lbs more mbs than the spliced eye. Looks like I'll have to wait unless I want to order 40ft of plain rope and use a scaffold knot on the delta link.

BT

 

[Chrighton]

I'm liking the rope, which I also purchased from hangfree. I have some spliced tethers (both hand spliced and sewn), not sure which I prefer yet. I also got 75ft of bulk rope. I haven't made it very far with playing around with it. I've been sticking to 9mm with my mechanical devices (madrock / grigri+).

 

[Black Titan]

I was trying to save some money by only ordering the rappel rope with the stitched eye, and a delta quick link, and figure 8. I have all the other stuff. But the 40ft stitched eye rappel rope was out of stock.

So my impatience got the best of me and I ordered the whole kit, which was in stock, but included about $60 worth of stuff I don't need because I already have it, but I figure I'll find a use for it. Having extra hitches and carabiners never hurts I guess.

BT

 

[Black Titan]

So I got my rappel rope last night. I haven't put it in a tree yet, but I wrapped it around a pole in the living room and hooked up to it.

The rope handles nice. It's not as stiff as my canyon elite, but doesn't really feel as flimsy as my rescutech/oplux either. It's kind of in between. The only oplux/rescutech i have to compare though is a linemans rope, so YMMV.

It seems easy to work with, and glides smoothly through the figure 8 rappel device. Coils up nice, feels good in the hand, and is pretty light weight to be a 40ft roll.

I'm also liking the delta quick link rather than the oval I have on the canyon elite. Just seems easier to work with. I'm sure it's 6 of 1, half a dozen of another, but something feels different about it.

I'll try to get my bow scale out later and get some weight comparisons if anyone is interested. For the picture below, I wear an XL glove.









BT

 

[Dsabhunt]

So I got my rappel rope last night. I haven't put it in a tree yet, but I wrapped it around a pole in the living room and hooked up to it.

The rope handles nice. It's not as stiff as my canyon elite, but doesn't really feel as flimsy as my rescutech/oplux either. It's kind of in between. The only oplux/rescutech i have to compare though is a linemans rope, so YMMV.

It seems easy to work with, and glides smoothly through the figure 8 rappel device. Coils up nice, feels good in the hand, and is pretty light weight to be a 40ft roll.

I'm also liking the delta quick link rather than the oval I have on the canyon elite. Just seems easier to work with. I'm sure it's 6 of 1, half a dozen of another, but something feels different about it.

I'll try to get my bow scale out later and get some weight comparisons if anyone is interested. For the picture below, I wear an XL glove.

View attachment 101897


View attachment 101898


View attachment 101899

BT

Does that 8mm predator fit in the smaller cgm side pouch? I have 40ft of the 8mm predator and don't know which size side pouch to get

 

[Black Titan]

Does that 8mm predator fit in the smaller cgm side pouch? I have 40ft of the 8mm predator and don't know which size side pouch to get

Hold on and I'll tell ya. I know the large pouch fits my 40ft of canyon elite with a little room to spare. I have a standard size too. I'll throw in in there and see.

BT

 

[Dsabhunt]

Hold on and I'll tell ya. I know the large pouch fits my 40ft of canyon elite with a little room to spare. I have a standard size too. I'll throw in in there and see.

BT

Thanks. I remember from the cgm side pouch thread you had both and the only thing I can't decide on before I buy the pouches are which size to get

 

[Black Titan]

It fits with just a little room around it, but my standard size pouch I had Jerry put a divider in the main compartment so that takes up some room.

First pic is with all the crap I have stuffed in the standard size pouch. The standard size is really quite roomy.








It fits, and pulls out easily.

BT

 

[Black Titan]

Thanks. I remember from the cgm side pouch thread you had both and the only thing I can't decide on before I buy the pouches are which size to get

I think the standard size pouch would suit it well if you want to pack small, and there's still a little room in there for carabiners and the outside pouch would be perfect for a figure 8 device. If you want more room, the large would definitely fit it with plenty of room to spare.

I'm actually now considering getting a second standard size pouch specifically to keep this predator setup in, and leave my 9mm canyon elite and madrock in the other large pouch. But, I'd like to devise a way to make these a "quick detach" of some sort from the saddle, to just swap them and go based on how I'm hunting that day. I made one attempt, but it ended up adding too much length to the straps and the pouch hung down too far and flopped around.

I'm sure there's some sort of MOLLE attachment that would facilitate this, but I don't know enough about MOLLE to know all the different attachment styles.

BT

 

[Black Titan]

I think the standard size pouch would suit it well if you want to pack small, and there's still a little room in there for carabiners and the outside pouch would be perfect for a figure 8 device. If you want more room, the large would definitely fit it with plenty of room to spare.

I'm actually now considering getting a second standard size pouch specifically to keep this predator setup in, and leave my 9mm canyon elite and madrock in the other large pouch. But, I'd like to devise a way to make these a "quick detach" of some sort from the saddle, to just swap them and go based on how I'm hunting that day. I made one attempt, but it ended up adding too much length to the straps and the pouch hung down too far and flopped around.

I'm sure there's some sort of MOLLE attachment that would facilitate this, but I don't know enough about MOLLE to know all the different attachment styles.

BT

Something like this - the only way I can figure this to work is if I sew the webbing coming off the pouch a little further down and then reattach the quick clips through the loop it creates by sewing it over.





BT

 

[Horn]

@Black Titan , could you use kydex clips? Like an S or Z shape?

Like this?

Kydex Molle J-Hook

These work perfect for attaching to your saddle so you can hang your sticks/platform from paracord and easily grab them one-handed. Can also be used on a daisy chain to position a hook wherever you…

doublesteps.com

 

[Black Titan]

@Black Titan , could you use kydex clips? Like an S or Z shape?

Like this?

Kydex Molle J-Hook

These work perfect for attaching to your saddle so you can hang your sticks/platform from paracord and easily grab them one-handed. Can also be used on a daisy chain to position a hook wherever you…

doublesteps.com

Hmmm not sure if that would work or not due to the orientation of the straps coming off the pouches.



Jerry's design is actually quite ingenious, and works perfectly. I'm just trying to figure out a way to be a little more modular and easier to connect and disconnect. Perhaps even having the ability to pack in the pouches in a backpack then attaching them at the tree for deployment and use. If I did that I could probably ditch my suspender straps but for now they're necessary since I suffer a severe case of noassatol and without the straps the saddle slides down, pulling my pants with it lol. It doesn't do this if I have the pouches off.

BT

 

[Horn]

Hmmm not sure if that would work or not due to the orientation of the straps coming off the pouches.

View attachment 101907

Jerry's design is actually quite ingenious, and works perfectly. I'm just trying to figure out a way to be a little more modular and easier to connect and disconnect. Perhaps even having the ability to pack in the pouches in a backpack then attaching them at the tree for deployment and use. If I did that I could probably ditch my suspender straps but for now they're necessary since I suffer a severe case of noassatol and without the straps the saddle slides down, pulling my pants with it lol. It doesn't do this if I have the pouches off.

BT

I'll try to remember and look at my pouches, sounds like I'm considering doing something similar for my rappel kit, and hopefully my 2tc kit.

@bowhunthard88 , do you know of a MOLLE that might work for BT?

 

[Loopwing]

I haven't climbed or rappelled on my 8mm predator yet, BUT playing with it in the garage I like it a lot too.
Something else to think about for storage. How many of us actually climb to where the tag end of our rope is not touching the ground? I know I usually don't. I almost always cut my ropes down to 30ft and am happy with that. Think about how many wraps I lose in a storage pouch. Just because everyone else is running 40ft doesn't mean you have to.
Side note, I usually make myself a new lineman's rope out of the excess 10ft.