• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Adjustable bridge will this work?

T

Tking1

New Member
Joined
May 27, 2020
Messages
20
Ok, brand new to saddle hunting and my first day with the saddle I THINK I want an adjustable bridge that my Mantis does not have. I did a mock up using Paracord to show my idea, I WOULD NOT USE PARACORD. Any reason this, with the appropriate cordage, wouldn't work at least enough to determine if I really need or want an adjustable bridge? I don't want to cut this one off for no reason.
20200605_222033.jpg
 
My solution for the adjustable bridge is to just swap my adjustable lineman's belt. I'm carrying it anyway. I one stick up the tree and rappel back down so my process is something like this.

I climb the tree with my tether attached to the fixed amsteel bridge. My linesman's is securely hooked to one side of my saddle to the bridge loop (not the lineman's loop). Once at height I afix my platform and, with my tether tight, make the transition to it. Once I'm settled on the platform I pass the other end of lineman's over the amsteel bridge and securely connect the free end to the other bridge loop. With that done I unlock the bridge carabiner and clip the lineman's belt in. Now there's two ropes in the bridge biner. I then am able to adjust the lineman's to snug it up so its carrying the load instead of the fixed amsteel. Once unloaded I take the amsteel bridge out of the bridge carabiner and relock it. Now I'm fully hanging on an adjustable bridge (aka my lineman's belt).

This also helps when it's time to get down as well. I girth hitch my rappel line to the tree and attach my rappel device. I can then attach that to the loose amsteel fixed bridge that has been hanging loose in my lap during the hunt. Now I'm attached to the tree with two bridges attached to two different tethers. It's easy to take out the slack on the rappel line and transfer my weight to the fixed bridge/rappel rope so I can then remove the hunting tether and adjustable bridge from the tree and saddle.

Obviously the order of connections is important, you never want to be unsecured at height for any reason. Also make sure you fully secure/re-secure any carabiners you attach to during the process.
 
There's lots of how to videos on you tube and on this site that explain how to do this the right way with amsteel. Im sure you could use climbing rope but amsteel is alot easier to bury if you want to keep it neat/less bulky.

I wouldn't use a ropeman. It could work but not as safe without a backup and in my opinion way too expensive just for a bridge. I like one for my linemans belt but thats something you are going to be constantly adjusting. Once you have your bridge where you like it its not going to be too much fiddling around.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top