• 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 rope bridge

Mschmeiske

Mschmeiske

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2017
Messages
1,949
Location
New York
I’ve got some resc tech 8mm and trc 6mm rope that I considered making an adjustable bridge out of. I was curious how some of you made yours and what friction hitch you used? Drop some photos if you could or any links to videos!
 
I have used those same ropes as an additional, adjustable bridge on a Mantis. It works very well. Tied a Figure 8 Follow Through to secure the bridge to one side of the saddle, tied a stopper knot on the other end. Then tied a standard prusik with the TRC around the bridge rope and closed it with a double fishermans knot on the other side of the saddle. The challenge was tying the double fishermans knot with only about 3’ of cord after most of it had already been wound around the bridge, so as not to be a super long friction hitch. An easier way to do it would be to use a carabiner to connect the friction hitch to the saddle, and/or even add a carabiner to the opposite side so the whole bridge can be removed if desired. I just liked the metal free approach.
 
Mschmeiske said:
I’ve got some resc tech 8mm and trc 6mm rope that I considered making an adjustable bridge out of. I was curious how some of you made yours and what friction hitch you used? Drop some photos if you could or any links to videos!
Click to expand...
I tried amsteel. When tight it was extremely difficult to get loose. Plus amsteel does not recommend using their product this way. So I got 4' of oplux, some sterling TRC and out of one piece of cord I tied a Michoacan friction hitch on my oplux bridge. I then tied a prusik on my bridge loop and finally closed it with a hunters bend. I did this on both bridge loops. Easy to adjust post load. Very happy with it.
 
Mschmeiske said:
Have any photos you could share?
Click to expand...
Here ya go… a single girth hitch, while easy to adjust slides slowly at extreme angles so while it holds good it won’t stay put as you are weighed in it constantly. 3 wrap prusiks like some saddles use to attach hold great and they widen the bridge loop angle which can help alleviate some types of pinch you might feel, but they are very hard to adjust with one hand. A double wrap prusik is essentially a double girth hitch. It provides plenty of holding power in any angle on the bridge loop, and increases the angle some what, while still being easy to adjust with one hand once you take some weight off of it.
 
GetHomeSafe said:
I tried amsteel. When tight it was extremely difficult to get loose. Plus amsteel does not recommend using their product this way. So I got 4' of oplux, some sterling TRC and out of one piece of cord I tied a Michoacan friction hitch on my oplux bridge. I then tied a prusik on my bridge loop and finally closed it with a hunters bend. I did this on both bridge loops. Easy to adjust post load. Very happy with it.
Click to expand...
See my problem with oplux is that it’s not as strong as I would like. And it requires such small hitch cord for the friction hitch. No one can shorten their bridge without removing their weight from it, but with my amsteel bridge, I can lengthen it while loaded if I want. I can also adjust it with the use of one hand. But I also don’t use the traditional set ups of the utilibridge or the triad. So with oplux, I get a rope that isn’t near as strong, is more susceptible to bend radius and ultraviolet degradation. The only benefit is that it has a high melting point (900 degrees) but if your friction knot bites down as hard as amsteel does, friction will never be produced enough to cause the amsteel to fail. So all those knots in oplux would reduce its strength to below 3000 lbs however since a bridge is in doubled rope configuration I am sure it’s plenty strong enough. Just not my favorite for a bridge I’d use old fashion 11mm predator rope before I’d use oplux. I’m weird like that
 
Fl Canopy Stalker said:
@Mschmeiske here is one more of the full length and size reference for the bridge. View attachment 51199
Click to expand...

What kinda stopper knot funny business is going on with the hitch to bridge? You running a Blake’s? How do you like that? I’ve only used a Schwabish and it can lock down too tight to adjust even when unweighted. I’m also using 1/4 bridge and 3/16 hitch, so that may be contributing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
FrankNess14 said:
What kinds stopper knot funny business is going on with the hitch to bridge? You running a Blake’s? How do you like that? I’ve only used a Schwabish and it can lock down too tight to adjust even when unweighted. I’m also using 1/4 bridge and 3/16 hitch, so that may be contributing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I am running a Blake’s hitch. You had to go to smaller diameter to get your hitch to bite, the Blake’s hitch is the only friction hitch that allows you to use rope of the same diameter! Since the bridge is doubled rope, I use the Blake’s. It is essentially the exact same set up as an arborist climbing ddrt with an open system configuration
 
FrankNess14 said:
What kinda stopper knot funny business is going on with the hitch to bridge? You running a Blake’s? How do you like that? I’ve only used a Schwabish and it can lock down too tight to adjust even when unweighted. I’m also using 1/4 bridge and 3/16 hitch, so that may be contributing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I love it. It bites incredibly well when it’s weighted, it can be lengthened while under weight, and can be unweighted and shortened with the use of one hand.
 
I tied a Blake’s Hitch for my DIY waist belt on my Method.
It works good! Kinda leaves a big knob there though...

The HTP I used is awfully stiff for such tight curves in the knot. It makes me a tiny bit sketchy.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top