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Amsteel whoopi slings question

T

TexasCountyMo

New Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2020
Messages
30
I switched to whoopi slings before last year and most of the time I end up fighting them a little to get snug. When I have the sling around the tree and both ends attached to the versa button I pull the tag end to tighten but nothing happens. Typically I end up pushing the tag end to tighten instead of pulling if that makes sense. That way I can get some of the slack out and then secure the tag and climb up. Last year I was "pushing" to tighten and then would take the tag end back around the tree and wrap around the versa button but I was concerned that this would eventually weaken the strands that surround the full bury.

If this doesn't make sense I can post a video.
 
The buried part holds both directions when the outer braid is under tension. So don't pre-tension the leg that creates the outer part of the bury before you try to pull slack out. Adjust, hook up, set stick, it doesn't need to be tight before you set the stick. If you for some reason need the rope tighter, turn it into U.S.A style with a tender.
 
I messed around with whoopee slings on Predators and sticks. I realized that the way to tighten them was to pull the tag end towards me instead of pulling it away, like you'd do with a conventional cam buckle. It seems counter intuitive to pull towards you, but when you do it, the outer section of the bury loosens up and allows the inner rope to pull thru. It almost looks like the outer rope is being damaged, unraveling, or just not looking pristine. But as soon as you weight the platform it pretty much corrects itself. BTW, I was using 1/4" Amsteel at the time so I can't comment on how a smaller diameter will behave.

Whoopee slings work okay on sticks because they don't need to handle side pressure as much as a platform needs to. A stable platform needs to have the rope/strap as horizontal around the tree as possible, at least that's the way Predators behave. Sticks can get away with an angled rope and still be stable enough for climbing.

But the issue with getting the proper tension with a whoopee on a platform isn't the actual setting of the stand, the issue is the removal of the stand. I've had the whoopee so tight that I had great difficulty getting it off the button and/or getting the bury to release. There were some times that I was very close to believing I'd have to cut the Amsteel in order to remove the stand.

I firmly believe the better way to go is with an Amsteel daisy chain and a truckers hitch. Bring the rope around the tree, then around the button, then thru a daisy loop, pull back towards the button to tighten the rope. At that point, you'll have to decide if you want to hook a loop back onto the button, or you may want to make a wrap or 2 around the post and then hook to the button. It all depends on how the daisy loops line up with the button. You can also make a few fraps (like done in lashing) around the Amstel behind the post.

There has been some older posts on SH that demonstrate a knotless wrap around the button. It works but for amsteel I wouldn't want to completely trust that it would never slip. In that case you can still do the knotless wrap, but I'd advise that you still hook a daisy loop around the button or other solid item to safeguard against the rope ever slipping.

I have 3 Predators. One has the stock Tethrd strap/buckle, one has a Roller Cam strap/buckle which is far superior to the stock strap (I love Roller Cam straps), and the 3rd Predator has aa 1/8" Amsteel daisy chain. It gets tight on the tree, it stays tight on the tree through out an all day hunt. Even webbing tends to stretch out a slight bit which can lead to the need to adjust the set slightly during the day. That has not happened to me with the daisy chain. Try it, I think you'll like it. No metal either.
 
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Allegheny Tom said:
I messed around with whoopee slings on Predators and sticks. I realized that the way to tighten them was to pull the tag end towards me instead of pulling it away, like you'd do with a conventional cam buckle. It seems counter intuitive to pull towards you, but when you do it, the outer section of the bury loosens up and allows the inner rope to pull thru. It almost looks like the outer rope is being damaged, unraveling, or just not looking pristine. But as soon as you weight the platform it pretty much corrects itself. BTW, I was using 1/4" Amsteel at the time so I can't comment on how a smaller diameter will behave.

Whoopee slings work okay on sticks because they don't need to handle side pressure as much as a platform needs to. A stable platform needs to have the rope/strap as horizontal around the tree as possible, at least that's the way Predators behave. Sticks can get away with an angled rope and still be stable enough for climbing.

But the issue with getting the proper tension with a whoopee on a platform isn't the actual setting of the stand, the issue is the removal of the stand. I've had the whoopee so tight that I had great difficulty getting it off the button and/or getting the bury to release. There were some times that I was very close to believing I'd have to cut the Amsteel in order to remove the stand.

I firmly believe the better way to go is with an Amsteel daisy chain and a truckers hitch. Bring the rope around the tree, then around the button, then thru a daisy loop, pull back towards the button to tighten the rope. At that point, you'll have to decide if you want to hook a loop back onto the button, or you may want to make a wrap or 2 around the post and then hook to the button. It all depends on how the daisy loops line up with the button. You can also make a few fraps (like done in lashing) around the Amstel behind the post.

There has been some older posts on SH that demonstrate a knotless wrap around the button. It works but for amsteel I wouldn't want to completely trust that it would never slip. In that case you can still do the knotless wrap, but I'd advise that you still hook a daisy loop around the button or other solid item to safeguard against the rope ever slipping.

I have 3 Predators. One has the stock Tethrd strap/buckle, one has a Roller Cam strap/buckle which is far superior to the stock strap (I love Roller Cam straps), and the 3rd Predator has aa 1/8" Amsteel daisy chain. It gets tight on the tree, it stays tight on the tree through out an all day hunt. Even webbing tends to stretch out a slight bit which can lead to the need to adjust the set slightly during the day. That has not happened to me with the daisy chain. Try it, I think you'll like it. No metal either.
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i second the daisy chain. i've tried em all and always come back to ole daisy. easy in the tree and safe.
 
I put a whoopi sling on my one stick this season to solve an issue I had. It was a Hail Mary but it solved the problem I needed solved. That being said, there is a learning curve with that rascal. My issue was I was over tightening. I would set my stick, open loop over versa button, sling goes round from left, behind tree to the right, fixed loop over the button then I would grab the tag end behind/before it goes through the other section of amsteel and pull all the slack out THEN grab the tag end with my left had and pull it across my body to snug it down. Set the stick and climb.

The problem was it was too tight to efficiently loosen it up and I was fighting that rascal to get it loose to move it up the tree. The solution was to leave a little slack and let it have some angle. That way I can now pull up on the stick to loosen it. grab the fixed portion to and pull it toward me where the amsteel dives inside itself to loosen the finger trap then the tag is easy to slide back to give more slack to either take it off the button or move it up the tree. After 15-20 climbs with it this season I finally have it where I'm pretty efficient with it and it is rock solid and even with a little down angle I've not had any kick out issues from side pressure once at hunting height.
 
Glenn said:
I put a whoopi sling on my one stick this season to solve an issue I had. It was a Hail Mary but it solved the problem I needed solved. That being said, there is a learning curve with that rascal. My issue was I was over tightening. I would set my stick, open loop over versa button, sling goes round from left, behind tree to the right, fixed loop over the button then I would grab the tag end behind/before it goes through the other section of amsteel and pull all the slack out THEN grab the tag end with my left had and pull it across my body to snug it down. Set the stick and climb.

The problem was it was too tight to efficiently loosen it up and I was fighting that rascal to get it loose to move it up the tree. The solution was to leave a little slack and let it have some angle. That way I can now pull up on the stick to loosen it. grab the fixed portion to and pull it toward me where the amsteel dives inside itself to loosen the finger trap then the tag is easy to slide back to give more slack to either take it off the button or move it up the tree. After 15-20 climbs with it this season I finally have it where I'm pretty efficient with it and it is rock solid and even with a little down angle I've not had any kick out issues from side pressure once at hunting height.
Click to expand...
you should see the huge angle on my sticks/daisy chain and no issues. experiment w angle and get comfy with whats safe.
 
Will Harris said:
you should see the huge angle on my sticks/daisy chain and no issues. experiment w angle and get comfy with whats safe.
Click to expand...
Exactly. I was going by my old mentality when using the LW cam buckles I've used for decades. Monkey fist that sucker and get it TIGHT!!! Not with that sling. Had to fiddle with it a bit. But the path to efficiency goes through inefficiency.
 
samu said:
The buried part holds both directions when the outer braid is under tension. So don't pre-tension the leg that creates the outer part of the bury before you try to pull slack out. Adjust, hook up, set stick, it doesn't need to be tight before you set the stick. If you for some reason need the rope tighter, turn it into U.S.A style with a tender.
Click to expand...

I had seen this U.S.A style but attachment methods can get real complicated. I like the WS a lot and was wondering if I was doing something wrong. I climb so many different sized trees that I'm thinking the next set I buy will be daisy chains for easier setup. Video link posted above but I do think your suggestion of relieving tension before adjusting the loop is a good one. I should pay more attention to that "pre step" before cinching down.

is the USA style simply a whoopi sling with Swabisch Hitch?
 
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TexasCountyMo said:
I had seen this U.S.A style but attachment methods can get real complicated. I like the WS a lot and was wondering if I was doing something wrong. I climb so many different sized trees that I'm thinking the next set I buy will be daisy chains for easier setup. Video link posted above but I do think your suggestion of relieving tension before adjusting the loop is a good one. I should pay more attention to that "pre step" before cinching down.

is the USA style simply a whoopi sling with Swabisch Hitch?
Click to expand...
Well this is Hang Free version with plastic tender. DIYable and the tender doesn’t need to be plastic, just a bight of amsteel works too.
 
samu said:
Well this is Hang Free version with plastic tender. DIYable and the tender doesn’t need to be plastic, just a bight of amsteel works too.
Click to expand...

That looks like a tether, not a USA...what am I not seeing there?

I replaced my tether, bridge and linesman with Hang Free options before this season. I like the linesman, decided to use the tether as a backup and did not like the adjustable bridge at all. Waaaaaay to long so I removed the adjustable part and tied directly to my saddle now.
 
TexasCountyMo said:
That looks like a tether, not a USA...what am I not seeing there?

I replaced my tether, bridge and linesman with Hang Free options before this season. I like the linesman, decided to use the tether as a backup and did not like the adjustable bridge at all. Waaaaaay to long so I removed the adjustable part and tied directly to my saddle now.
Click to expand...
Well basically it is same construction as a tether, just thinner and bit shorter.

EWO version https://doublesteps.com/product/usa/
 
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