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Backing up your set up

Yeah... He would need 2 tree straps for the stand, 4 cables for the platform and another tether for the full body harness tied to a different location on the harness....All in the name of a backup safety system, that's a lot of stuff.

Yea.. not sure what I was thinking.
Regardless of safety, but even about going back to a hang on in general, haha.


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Great points.
I appreciate all the different views on this.
Seems that thorough inspection, keeping slack out of your tether(something I got lazy with while one sticking), and possibly some redundancy will keep my mind at ease.


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Yea.. not sure what I was thinking.
Regardless of safety, but even about going back to a hang on in general, haha.


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Hey, after 13 years saddle hunting on a ROS, I'm tweaking my system mostly because of self filming. Using my LWHC for limbless trees the last 2 years with a bow in one hand, camera in the other, showed me a platform makes it possible to spin weak side for a shot. The HC is to short (for me) but my new LWCG DS.5 is the perfect length.
 
This whole process and idea has me perplexed. If there is a part of my system I have to "back up" I don't use it. I check my gear everytime before, during, and after I hunt. If something looks worn or not safe, it gets replaced. If you have to "back up" anything in your system..... You should not be climbing on or with it!
 
This whole process and idea has me perplexed. If there is a part of my system I have to "back up" I don't use it. I check my gear everytime before, during, and after I hunt. If something looks worn or not safe, it gets replaced. If you have to "back up" anything in your system..... You should not be climbing on or with it!
The BACKUP is not for what you HAVE noticed that is wrong. It is for what you HAVEN"T noticed.
 
If you haven't noticed something, your set up is to complex. Tether, lineman, bridge, saddle, platform, means of climbing. 2 ropes, a saddle and metal, couple of straps. If you don't check that everytime in 5 minutes, you shouldn't be climbing.
 
Not trying to start something, Biggie said it best "mo money, mo problems"........"mo gear, mo things that could go wrong". Climb on whatever makes you feel safe. If you trust your back up more than your 1st stage, then why not just use your back up?
 
I get exactly what your saying. I try and keep my set up as simple as possible for that reason. I do like a Prusik backing up my CT Rollnlock on my tether JUST in case.

I have no clue, but do climbers and tree guys use any backups?
 
If you haven't noticed something, your set up is to complex. Tether, lineman, bridge, saddle, platform, means of climbing. 2 ropes, a saddle and metal, couple of straps. If you don't check that everytime in 5 minutes, you shouldn't be climbing.
Why 2 ropes? Isn't that redundant? You could use just one.
 
I get exactly what your saying. I try and keep my set up as simple as possible for that reason. I do like a Prusik backing up my CT Rollnlock on my tether JUST in case.

I have no clue, but do climbers and tree guys use any backups?
What do you think will fail on your CT? If there is a fear or concern it will fail, why use it? I am running kongs and ropeman's on my ropes. If there was a serious concern they would fail I wouldn't use them. Any and everything can fail, but that is where constant inspection comes in. As far as arborist and rock climbers go. They put more wear and tear on their gear in one day/week of work than we do during a couple seasons. Rock climbers have dynamic falls constantly, part of the sport. We can't really compare what we do to what they do, we can take their guidance but I wouldn't climb a rock face in a saddle without leg loops.
 
I honestly don't think the CT would/will fail. I guess I do it for my own peace of mind. Constant inspection is at least something I hope everyone does and you are correct it doesn't take long to do. We all do things differently for our own specific reasons I guess.
 
I agree, do what makes you feel safe. I have found that back ups give people a false sense of safety and security. If you rely on your 1st system then you take it more serious. If you have a back up, then you tend to rely on that "IF" anything goes wrong. Do you and just be safe up there!
 
The nice thing about this issue is if you want to use backups, you can. If you don't want to, don't. I don't know why people think that you don't inspect your gear if you use backups. A wrong assumption on their part, IMHO. If you are checking each piece of gear, I doubt you would forget to check it's backup.
 
Exactly. A backup, at least for me, is to replace a damaged piece of gear...before climbing. Having some redundancy built into the kit allows you to swap something out and continue to hunt vs. calling it off or worse.
 
I think the assumption was you assumed I assumed you didn't check your gear with back ups. I said I check my gear and if it is bad or questionable don't climb until it is right. Agreed do whatever you want. I am a safety officer with my job. If I saw a guy with a back up in his climbing device or fall protection I would stop him immediately.
 
Exactly. A backup, at least for me, is to replace a damaged piece of gear...before climbing. Having some redundancy built into the kit allows you to swap something out and continue to hunt vs. calling it off or worse.
A back up is a spare tether or other things in my truck. Not something that is Already attached, in case something breaks. If something is wrong with your set up, don't climb, don't use a prusik to back up a mechanical device. If you don't trust the mechanical to work, then don't use it. Why don't we carry multiple rifles, shotguns, or bows into the tree as back ups???? I do however keep a back up in my truck most times. If it fails, I take the broken out of rotation and out the correct gear into rotation.
 
I think the assumption was you assumed I assumed you didn't check your gear with back ups. I said I check my gear and if it is bad or questionable don't climb until it is right. Agreed do whatever you want. I am a safety officer with my job. If I saw a guy with a back up in his climbing device or fall protection I would stop him immediately.
Industrial climbers use 2 ropes for redundancy. You might want to check your safety manual. I guess this is too complicated to remember for some.
 
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Are we talking about the second rope you hook into with when you unhook the first so you are constantly hooked in? We are not industrial climbers. Hell you could wrap yourself in bubble wrap and never leave the couch.

All I was saying was, if you don't trust your first system, out shouldn't be climbing on it. No need for a back up. We are climbing 20 feet up a tree and sitting, not swinging, not cutting, not welding, not rubbing our tethers on jagged metal. Climb how you want, but if you have redundancies, oh should check your methods.
 
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