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Amsteel bridge

kenn1320 said:
The bury is right by one of the saddle loops, giving lots of travel. Im using 3" and it hasnt moved a bit. Im currently at 28", but have a 19" tail if I wanted to really open it up. Could I get by with a fixed, sure, but would have to stitch one end or use a biner. I might go to a biner only because it would eliminate me needing a separate bridge and 2 biners when I use my HBS. Changing bridge length does change pressure points and I do change it on long sits occasionally. As for my tether height, Im staring right at the tether ring around the tree. The distance from my ropeman to the ring is fairly short. Im only adjusting the height of that occasionally to reduce leg fatigue as Im mainly a stander using the saddle as a means to keep from falling when I lean out.
Click to expand...
So, your bury is close to the FIXED loop...basically having a double rope going thru the carabiner (when its adjust to its shortest length)?

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Allegheny Tom said:
So, your bury is close to the FIXED loop...basically having a double rope going thru the carabiner (when its adjust to its shortest length)?

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Click to expand...

No, on opposite side, single line through biner. I actually have tail adjusted so its held lightly in place by fixed loop, so double bridge through biner, but only 1 is weight bearing. With mine the longer the bridge, the closer the bury gets to biner. That could be a bump going through biner. Where its at now, I can turn 90 deg easy.
 
kenn1320 said:
No, on opposite side, single line through biner. I actually have tail adjusted so its held lightly in place by fixed loop, so double bridge through biner, but only 1 is weight bearing. With mine the longer the bridge, the closer the bury gets to biner. That could be a bump going through biner. Where its at now, I can turn 90 deg easy.
Click to expand...
I'm experimenting a little. Hope I explain this clearly...
I had a short, fixed Amsteel bridge for most of the season. I spent several all day sits with it and I liked it, but Since it wasn't adjustable, I really didn't know if it was the best it could be. So a whoopie is the ticket to play with bridge length.
But I'm doing it slightly different than kenn.
One thing I did with my fixed bridge was I did not form my fixed loop AROUND the saddle loop. I just made the locked brummel and girth hitched it around the saddle loop. What I like about the girth is that it clinches the saddle loop exactly where I place it and it stays there. Sometimes it feels more comfortable if the loop has a little more "pull" slightly toward one end or the other on the saddle loop. A lower girth tends to cup the bottom straps and (for me) lessens hip pressure. Its just a tiny adjustment but it changes how the saddle feels. Even an inch one direction or the other changes comfort.
So...with the whoopie bridge, I did the same girth (on my left side), I ran the rope over to the other bridge loop and wrapped it to form another girth on THAT side, too. My fixed bridge just had a lock stitch loop on that side, which didn't clinch the saddle loop...it didn't stay on the saddle loop exactly where I wanted it.
I came off that 2nd girth and back over to near the fixed loop and made the whoopie bury. I did slip the tag end through the fixed, locked brummel to just keep it in place better.
I will have both "strands" of the Amsteel running through the carabiner, but like kenn's, only one will be weight bearing.
So, this bridge is adjustable in TWO ways...length, and also the angle of pull on the bridge loops. Im not sure how often I will adjust length...once I really dial-in the length that I like best, I will probably go back to a fixed length. But the girth on the bridge loops is something I won't eliminate. Adjusting the angle of pull (by changing to spot of the clinch along the bridge loop) is something I think guys should try. The girth will keep it where you want it. Try it.

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Last edited:
Cool Tom, hope you like it. My saddle isn't commercially available, so the girth mod wouldn't do anything for me. I might upgrade to smaller amsteel since I have a rch for safety.
 
One tip for anyone doing a lock stitch...DON'T USE THREAD THAT IS SIMILAR IN COLOR TO YOUR AMSTEEL!
Use a contrasting color just in case you ever want to undo the lock stitch. My thread was almost exactly the color of Amsteel...not easy to see and remove those stitches.

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definately agree with Tom on the lower cinch point of the brigde, the lower the better for me. reinforced loops should be the whole length so you can fine tune it more. cups butt better so you dont feel like your constantly sliding down.
 
Gregg D Vance said:
definately agree with Tom on the lower cinch point of the brigde, the lower the better for me. reinforced loops should be the whole length so you can fine tune it more. cups butt better so you dont feel like your constantly sliding down.
Click to expand...

I felt like that constantly when I had a TS. Had to keep pulling it down every couple hours. Once you get a good fitting/designed saddle you won't have that issue.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
I'm experimenting a little. Hope I explain this clearly...
I had a short, fixed Amsteel bridge for most of the season. I spent several all day sits with it and I liked it, but Since it wasn't adjustable, I really didn't know if it was the best it could be. So a whoopie is the ticket to play with bridge length.
But I'm doing it slightly different than kenn.
One thing I did with my fixed bridge was I did not form my fixed loop AROUND the saddle loop. I just made the locked brummel and girth hitched it around the saddle loop. What I like about the girth is that it clinches the saddle loop exactly where I place it and it stays there. Sometimes it feels more comfortable if the loop has a little more "pull" slightly toward one end or the other on the saddle loop. A lower girth tends to cup the bottom straps and (for me) lessens hip pressure. Its just a tiny adjustment but it changes how the saddle feels. Even an inch one direction or the other changes comfort.
So...with the whoopie bridge, I did the same girth (on my left side), I ran the rope over to the other bridge loop and wrapped it to form another girth on THAT side, too. My fixed bridge just had a lock stitch loop on that side, which didn't clinch the saddle loop...it didn't stay on the saddle loop exactly where I wanted it.
I came off that 2nd girth and back over to near the fixed loop and made the whoopie bury. I did slip the tag end through the fixed, locked brummel to just keep it in place better.
I will have both "strands" of the Amsteel running through the carabiner, but like kenn's, only one will be weight bearing.
So, this bridge is adjustable in TWO ways...length, and also the angle of pull on the bridge loops. Im not sure how often I will adjust length...once I really dial-in the length that I like best, I will probably go back to a fixed length. But the girth on the bridge loops is something I won't eliminate. Adjusting the angle of pull (by changing to spot of the clinch along the bridge loop) is something I think guys should try. The girth will keep it where you want it. Try it.

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Click to expand...
I think you could do this with a fixed bridge without a lock stich. Make one of the loops big enough to be able to pass the saddle through when you girth hitch it too the loop. Does that make any sense?
 
Allegheny Tom said:
One thing I did with my fixed bridge was I did not form my fixed loop AROUND the saddle loop. I just made the locked brummel and girth hitched it around the saddle loop. What I like about the girth is that it clinches the saddle loop exactly where I place it and it stays there. Sometimes it feels more comfortable if the loop has a little more "pull" slightly toward one end or the other on the saddle loop. A lower girth tends to cup the bottom straps and (for me) lessens hip pressure. Its just a tiny adjustment but it changes how the saddle feels. Even an inch one direction or the other changes comfort.
So...with the whoopie bridge, I did the same girth (on my left side), I ran the rope over to the other bridge loop and wrapped it to form another girth on THAT side, too. My fixed bridge just had a lock stitch loop on that side, which didn't clinch the saddle loop...it didn't stay on the saddle loop exactly where I wanted it.
I came off that 2nd girth and back over to near the fixed loop and made the whoopie bury. I did slip the tag end through the fixed, locked brummel to just keep it in place better.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I really like this idea! I've got my 5/16 Amsteel Just waiting for my tools and this is what I'm going to do.
 
9d3a13e5c55600c83b22aa2333b4fb70.jpg

One side is a locked Brummell the other side is buried and sewn.


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I took my Kestrel out to try out my new bridge. It's awesome! I played with the girth hitches and you can change the pressure points with them just moving them into different locations in the bridge loops. I like it a lot. Only problem is I noticed my knot came undone that is on the sewn end. I'm guessing when I got in it the bridge stretched out some and the tension must have pulled the knot out. I'll have to do it over.
I really like it though.
 
rutjr said:
I took my Kestrel out to try out my new bridge. It's awesome! I played with the girth hitches and you can change the pressure points with them just moving them into different locations in the bridge loops. I like it a lot. Only problem is I noticed my knot came undone that is on the sewn end. I'm guessing when I got in it the bridge stretched out some and the tension must have pulled the knot out. I'll have to do it over.
I really like it though.
Click to expand...
An extra little back up to a loop is to wrap a zip tie or 2 around the rope at the junction where the loop buries into the rope. I wouldn't depend solely to take the place of proper rope techniques, but it will stop a bury from slipping out.
My 1st try at a stitch lock, I wasn't sure I had the bridge exactly the length I wanted, and I didnt want to have to undo a full blown stitch if I needed to change it. So instead of thread, I poked 4 zip ties thru the bury so I would have a workable loop to play with at ground level. It held perfectly fine.

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I stitched it over. I left the old stitches in also. I did a better job this time. I left more tag ends on the finished knot to bury in the Amsteel Came out nice if I do say so myself. :smiley:
 
I want to add an amsteel bridge but don't want a $100 roll. Any place to buy it by the ft. I tried REI but have to buy it by the bag pre cut.
 
Locked brummel one side on the belt then lock brummel the other side. See this updated video ...


Then connect the bridge to the other loop with this quick link. This quick link is stainless steel and rated at 25 kN which is 5620 lbs. It's actually stronger than most locking carabineers (check the kN on your locking carabineers) and it weighs 21 g ...

https://www.camp-usa.com/outdoor/product/carabiners/oval-quick-link-stainless/

I believe this is the lightest and strongest way to connect your bridge without a lock stitch and one side is removable. You can girth hitch the fixed side but you'll lose strength in the amsteel. Just Google "girth hitch losing strength". This is a well known compromise in rock climbing. Remember to wrench down the quick link before you go out.
 
skyjacker said:
Locked brummel one side on the belt then lock brummel the other side. See this updated video ...


Then connect the bridge to the other loop with this quick link. This quick link is stainless steel and rated at 25 kN which is 5620 lbs. It's actually stronger than most locking carabineers (check the kN on your locking carabineers) and it weighs 21 g ...

https://www.camp-usa.com/outdoor/product/carabiners/oval-quick-link-stainless/

I believe this is the lightest and strongest way to connect your bridge without a lock stitch and one side is removable. You can girth hitch the fixed side but you'll lose strength in the amsteel. Just Google "girth hitch losing strength". This is a well known compromise in rock climbing. Remember to wrench down the quick link before you go out.
Click to expand...

So what I gather is my girth hitch of 5/16 amsteel has a breaking point around 6000 lbs?
 
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