A fall noted on facebook. A comment I saw.

[bj139]

People often comment about all the ropes I have up the tree but I pay them no mind. My backup tether is only good if it is on the tree not in my pouch. Although unlikely my climbing rope would fail, if it did my tether is there ready to catch me. It is underneath my main rope in a spot that I don't swing my xbow anyway.

 

[KYRanger]

I have to say that when getting into the tree tonight, I was thinking about this thread. I took a few extra precautionary steps. I like to have confidence in my gear, I’m picky about it, but as we all know accidents happen.

I‘m glad the FB poster continues to give us updates. So now we know he believes the tether rope failed. I too am perplexed by what sounds like a catastrophic rope failure. The op said it was new, and the first time he used it. Hopefully he fully recovers and is able to review his gear and provide us with more specific details. He’s lucky he wasn’t killed.

Do any of you use a scaffold knot? I use a scaffold knot on my rappel rope to my delta link. I’m not sure if others use the scaffold knot, but I ran across this video that was alarming. Maybe it’s been posted here before, but in case it hasn’t, it’s worth watching. Its only a few minutes long.

 

[raisins]

I have to say that when getting into the tree tonight, I was thinking about this thread. I took a few extra precautionary steps. I like to have confidence in my gear, I’m picky about it, but as we all know accidents happen.

I‘m glad the FB poster continues to give us updates. So now we know he believes the tether rope failed. I too am perplexed by what sounds like a catastrophic rope failure. The op said it was new, and the first time he used it. Hopefully he fully recovers and is able to review his gear and provide us with more specific details. He’s lucky he wasn’t killed.

Do any of you use a scaffold knot? I use a scaffold knot on my rappel rope to my delta link. I’m not sure if others use the scaffold knot, but I ran across this video that was alarming. Maybe it’s been posted here before, but in case it hasn’t, it’s worth watching. Its only a few minutes long.

At least that one fails immediately. So, if you test your scaffold knot at ground level, you'll see it.

There's another way to tie one wrong where you don't put the tag end over the original line and then back through the original loop. So, your two lines under the barrels are parallel and not crossing and locking each other. This one will slowly slip, which is worse than a catastrophic failure. I don't think you should use scaffold knots or fisherman knots until you've tied a bunch, done it wrong a few times, and know how to inspect them. I just re-tied some stuff and after I was done, I took a fid and pulled the knot apart and mentally traced it like 3 times.

 

[Hunter260]

This forum has really helped me spot a bad climb and Exodus Trailcams - who’s content I generally like otherwise - just did a feature presentation full of bad technique.

I think I’m going to make a saddle setup video and point out the little things I try to do when I climb. Most of the full setup videos are just showing off gear

 

[EricS]

The guy made another post on Facebook. He’s saying his oplux tether failed as in snapped. He didn’t elaborate as to how it failed just that it snapped and he used no mechanical ascenders and there was no problem with the prussik.

 

[Weldabeast]

Maybe factory splice? I had a muddy rope that had a funny spot in it.... When the prusik got around that area I could feel an irregularitie in the core... I assumed it was some kind of splice in the core. I retired that 1 the same day I noticed that weird spot

 

[Hunter260]

The guy made another post on Facebook. He’s saying his oplux tether failed as in snapped. He didn’t elaborate as to how it failed just that it snapped and he used no mechanical ascenders and there was no problem with the prussik.

Idk. Seems pretty unlikely honestly

 

[Vtbow]

The guy made another post on Facebook. He’s saying his oplux tether failed as in snapped. He didn’t elaborate as to how it failed just that it snapped and he used no mechanical ascenders and there was no problem with the prussik.

I'm going risk sounding facetious here, but high end ropes don't just "fail" when used within manufacturer parameters and taken care of. They test them so they know exactly what will cause a failure and when, otherwise there'd be a lot of dead people out there.

One of the biggest impacts on rope integrity is how you treat it and what in the environment you expose it to. This includes chemicals like bug spray, harsh detergents, or just throwing it in the back of the truck the week after the rototiller was in there. Life support ropes should be treated with the utmost respect and care.

 

[EricS]

I'm going risk sounding facetious here, but high end ropes don't just "fail" when used within manufacturer parameters and taken care of. They test them so they know exactly what will cause a failure and when, otherwise there'd be a lot of dead people out there.

One of the biggest impacts on rope integrity is how you treat it and what in the environment you expose it to. This includes chemicals like bug spray, harsh detergents, or just throwing it in the back of the truck the week after the rototiller was in there. Life support ropes should be treated with the utmost respect and care.

He claims it’s the first time he’s used it. So far I’ve seen a couple other falls related to bridge/tether failure. Both were just improperly tied knots. I wish I knew more about what happened. Whether it was a knot failure or seen eye issue or maybe a diy sewn eye or splice.
That’s one reason I like an adjustable bridge. I know of at least two falls caused by someone tying on a webbing bridge and completely failed at tying the knot. You would think everyone could tie a water knot But that has proven not to be the case.

 

[bj139]

I used the water knot on webbing for a bridge but sewed the tag ends down to the main part. I wouldn't trust it otherwise. I kept looking at that thin single piece of webbing and realized my life was hanging from that alone. I have since gone to 2 rated climbing slings and don't worry about my bridge anymore.

 

[d_rek]

I used the water knot on webbing for a bridge but sewed the tag ends down to the main part. I wouldn't trust it otherwise. I kept looking at that thin single piece of webbing and realized my life was hanging from that alone. I have since gone to 2 rated climbing slings and don't worry about my bridge anymore.

The water knot I use on my CYAG aider becomes so incredibly tight after becoming loaded i'd fear a webbing failure long before the knot ever failed.

 

[Ontariofarmer]

Timely post. I tried one sticking for the first time yesterday. I started using my tether and LB but then felt really restricted by it so removed and only used my tether. It was much easier for me that way but I now see the danger with that. Gonna rethink how I do it next time.

I make long moves when one sticking. I have an EWO stick with a three step 16 inch per step sewn aider with a cam cleat and never bend down to remove the stick, I remove it with a jerk and just re attach the stick so my lineman's belt is never in the way and never needs to be removed.

I can see having to remove the lineman's belt if you just shimmy the stick up the tree or bend down to remove it.

 

[ThePennsylvanian]

No matter what gear is used, the most important thing to remember is that, you are the ONLY one who is responsible for your safety. Take the time to learn the gear you use, learn to properly check your gear, and do it every single time it's used. When I was in Iraq there was a big bill board on the road leaving the wire, it said "What's changed? Know your environment! Complacency kills!" I honestly feel it applies here, your in environment is your gear, know your gear so that when something is wrong it sticks out to you, even the small things!

 

[Ontariofarmer]

Well I pray the fallen climbers recover and climb again. Just try new things close to the ground and if you are new go with stock equipment and practice first.
It took me 20 practice runs to get proficient at one sticking. First time, I hated it. Tenth time I liked it. Twenty time I can do it in the dark. Fifty times, It seems easy and perfected for me.

Rappelling, After 10 times it seems easy but I mark up my safeguard so I will not hook it up improperly.

I double check all biners to make sure they are closed properly.

 

[bj139]

No matter what gear is used, the most important thing to remember is that, you are the ONLY one who is responsible for your safety. Take the time to learn the gear you use, learn to properly check your gear, and do it every single time it's used. When I was in Iraq there was a big bill board on the road leaving the wire, it said "What's changed? Know your environment! Complacency kills!" I honestly feel it applies here, your in environment is your gear, know your gear so that when something is wrong it sticks out to you, even the small things!

When hunting, I have an urge to only use the climbing method I am most familiar with since I know where the problems are. I can climb SRT without a second thought about how to do it. Not so with any other method I have tried and not used much. I don't want to be lying in a crumpled heap under a tree half a mile in the woods. It would be bad.

 

[raisins]

I think that this thread is putting a burr in a lot of our minds, moving us away from the assumption that "that rope is so strong that it would never break". Especially those of us that run Oplux. I inspected all my ropes last night. On my last climb, I looked down a few times, and I standing on the tag end of my rope and I was smashing it against the top of a Hawk Helium step. I squeezed my rope all the way down looking for inconsistencies due to that and any cuts in the sheath.

My conclusion is that I will try to use ropes that are neither core nor sheath dependent, in other words a rope where either component is strong enough to hold you. Is there a a list of those and is Oplux on it? I tried to loop up the sheath strength of Oplux, but ended up just finding out that in general Technora is really strong.

Barring the use of a rope with a sheath that can hold you on its own, would it be better for our uses to use just a bare rope (no sheath)? That way you can directly inspect the part that is holding you. A sheathed rope with a weak sheath might hide some sins until something happens. Thoughts on that?

Edit: Does anyone know the term for a rope that has a sheath strong enough to hold weight? Non-core dependent?

 

[bj139]

I was climbing on 8.5mm rock climbing rope and it was softer and thinner than my 9mm Sterling HTP. The size difference was not much but the HTP is stiffer and feels much stronger. I started using that again this hunting season and it feels better. All else being equal, thicker is better. (That's what she said). Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[parkersdad]

Makes me think I should go back to my Stacked Outdoor plastic sticks. I don’t think they would hurt you as bad if you were to fall across them.


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[cedar paul]

Gravity in this case is not your friend. I know we are all trying to make the lightest most efficient way to ascend a tree but please know your gear and watch out using materials outside the perimeters of their design. Just because a line is rated for x amount of breaking strength doesn't mean it is to be used in a climbing situation. I also concur that if possible use a tether/ cinched climbing line when using sticks/ steps because just the use of a linesman belt doesn't stop a fall just slow you down. Be methodical and always check you gear - remember a shortcut here could mean an express trip to the ground. In Europe and other countries when using SRT you are required to run another safety line to catch you in the event of a fall that being said I still climb srt without full knowing the risk.

 

[neonomad]

Makes me think I should go back to my Stacked Outdoor plastic sticks. I don’t think they would hurt you as bad if you were to fall across them.


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Never thought of this, good point.

Edit: bet they still hurt.