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All Repelling??

eightballwoody said:
If I was using multiple sticks, rappelling to me would be extra stuff to carry. Your already carrying the multiple sticks. Now you have to carry the rappel rope as well.

FWIW, I currently 1-stick and rappel which is how I jumped into saddle hunting.
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I’ve always carried rope for emergency rappel. Last thing I want to do is slide down the tree or call someone for help.


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ive been rappelling this season instead of climbing down like i did most of last year. it's much more fun, feels safer (i never liked trying to step down into an aider) and while i used to hate on one sticking, i may try it, because the only thing i don't like about the rappel down is taking the sticks off as i go
 
Rappelling down is quicker for me and I feel more safe rappelling. I've had sticks kick out on me in the dark climbing down and that's no fun.

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Now that I know how it's done and the fact I didn't have to buy anything more than just the rope, regardless of what climbing method I'm using I won't be climbing back down. With these light and pliable ropes 40 foot packs down to just about the same as what my original tether/linesman did when I first started out saddle hunting. To me it is much safer and faster. U already had to cuss and sweat going up....why do it twice if u don't have to?....no more craning ur neck to get the headlamp in the right position to see the step so u can step down, or I'm my case, no more having to deal with long aider in the dark..
 
To me, it's whether you are using aiders or not. Climbing down trying to get your feet into an aider is much more difficult especially in the dark or on tree w/ a little lean. If you use an aider on just the first set of sticks and don't mind carrying enough sticks to get to your desired height then rappelling probably doesn't make sense.
I prefer to carry just one 13" stick and rappel, less weight and less metal to bang on branches and brush walking in and out. After a little practice, it also feels MUCH SAFER to me and more efficient/quick to get back out of the woods at the end of a hunt.
Like everything, it all comes down to personal preference.
 
I got a question for you folks climbing down. Do you use your linemans belt on the way down?
I don't want to expierence a slip with a linemans belt and sticks. Sure,it is better than dying,but how much better?
I love the safety of rappelling in the dark what could go wrong being tied in with a friction hitch on my primary bridge and a munter on my secondary?
 
Bowmanmike said:
I got a question for you folks climbing down. Do you use your linemans belt on the way down?
I don't want to expierence a slip with a linemans belt and sticks. Sure,it is better than dying,but how much better?
I love the safety of rappelling in the dark what could go wrong being tied in with a friction hitch on my primary bridge and a munter on my secondary?
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I do use my linesman’s on the way down. But only to lean against while I take the sticks or steps off. I tend to hold it kind of not tensioned and just go down like a ladder and then lean into the belt if I stop.


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If I’d known then….I wouldn’t have 4 sticks! Just one, but my favorite one stick is the 36” w/single step aider. It’s so secure and I love a hard step versus any aider. I’m finally walking in w/everything on and only carrying my 1 stick. No more taking pack off and setting up. I get to tree, hang stick and start climbing! And yes, rappelling down is sooooo much fun! I’m pretty good at it now too, but I think I’ll leave my prussik on there for a brake…..I ain’t that good!
 
Bowmanmike said:
I got a question for you folks climbing down. Do you use your linemans belt on the way down?
I don't want to expierence a slip with a linemans belt and sticks. Sure,it is better than dying,but how much better?
I love the safety of rappelling in the dark what could go wrong being tied in with a friction hitch on my primary bridge and a munter on my secondary?
Click to expand...
It saved me this season. I bought a new pair of Hawk 20” helium’s. The 4th time I used them, I climbed up just fine. Then while climbing down, I stepped from the bottom step of the top stick down to the top of the step below. Luckily I had my linesman rope attached, tight and above waist level. I took down the top stick, and attached it to my saddle, the stick I was on just cut out. I dropped about 24 inches in a swinging motion into the tree. When I stood up my feet were on the bottom step of the next stick down. It jarred me a bit and skinned my knuckles up some but other than that I was no worse for the wear. If I hadn’t used my linesman rope properly, it would have been about a 14’ fall for me that I was not expecting or prepared for at all. When I got down, the stand-off had bent upward and the metal around the bolt was bowed out. Always use your linesman rope when ascending and descending the tree. Statistically, 1/3 people suffer some form of fall in their elevated hunting career.
 
Jimdude said:
Ione stick and rappelling down for me. Like anything else, it takes a few times to get comfortable doing it. Using and auto block slows down the decent and helps you learn. I know I shouldn’t, but lately I’ve been skipping the auto block and have no problem controlling my decent. In the beginning it was drop too fast… jerky stop… drop too fast again… hard jerking stop lol. Now I’m smooth and loving it.
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I was wondering approximately hours of practice did take for you to get comfortable with repelling down the tree? I plan on practicing in the spring.
 
Jimdude said:
Ione stick and rappelling down for me. Like anything else, it takes a few times to get comfortable doing it. Using and auto block slows down the decent and helps you learn. I know I shouldn’t, but lately I’ve been skipping the auto block and have no problem controlling my decent. In the beginning it was drop too fast… jerky stop… drop too fast again… hard jerking stop lol. Now I’m smooth and loving it.
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1st year one sticking and it took me 4 or 5 sits to get used to the repell. Been around 12 sits so far and got the sweet spot dialed in on the way down.

BTW, only used it 2 times before season started.
 
kidneystones_3000 said:
I was wondering approximately hours of practice did take for you to get comfortable with repelling down the tree? I plan on practicing in the spring.
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The learning curve is shorter than you think. Watch youtube videos and practice with figure 8, ATC, munter hitch and safeguard if you want to shell out the bucks and can find one. I had no previous experience with anything related to mtn climbing or rappelling and after maybe 3-4 times felt more comfortable than climbing down the tree. Still tweaking and learning but loving it.
 
kidneystones_3000 said:
I was wondering approximately hours of practice did take for you to get comfortable with repelling down the tree? I plan on practicing in the spring.
Click to expand...
Watch some of jrb's videos. I love rappelling using the double meech as my friction hitch and the munter in the biner. The double meech is so easy to break under load it is amazing.
Aside from the rope it will cost you 7' of accessory cord and an extra biner. And maybe some cord for an extra bridge.
 
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