No experience with the Beal Birdie but I don't believe the Safeguard has been discontinued. It's still listed for sale on their website.With the Madrock Safeguard apparently being discontinued I am looking for an alternative to use to get into rappelling out of the tree. Looking at a beal birdie. Anyone used this particular one with good luck?
in stock at Backcountry
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I see the lifeguard on there but not the safeguard. Are they basically the same?
I have one and tried it a few times and it worked the same as my Safeguard. I would buy it again if I wanted to save $30.
This is with 8.5mm rock climbing rope.
It will allow the rope to feed through easily like the Lifeguard. It will lock in place under tension. I would use either and not be concerned. The Safeguard does NOT lock on the rope when not under tension. It is just free to flop open or closed since there is no spring at all.Specific question for you since you have experience with it. I’m going to be one-stick climbing with rappelling down. Would the Birdie work to leave on the rappel rope as it was being used for my tether? It will hold the same as the safeguard when tension is taken off or will it allow rope to feed through easily like the lifeguard?
I don't mean open or closed off the carabiner but open or closed on the rope. Maybe cinched or uncinched.I'm not sure what you mean by the Safeguard is free to flop open or closed. With the carabiner properly installed, it will stay in place on the rope unless you move it by hand. Once oriented properly or load is applied, it secures the rope. Maybe we are saying the same thing.