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Climbing with tether and swapping to repel.. Why?

Because on the same rope, to switch from the tether-purpose friction hitch (connected to my bridge) down to the rappel-purpose friction hitch (connected to my right linesman loop), it creates a short period where I am not tethered at all to the tree. Yes, it wouldn’t be long and I could just throw on my linemans belt and cinch it tight, but I just don’t like the idea of even momentarily not having a tether connection at hunting height.
 
I tether on my rappel rope … and I am never not connected to tree switch over form a tether function to a rappelling function.

Gear : Oplux, grivel monoblock

Used as a tether, the tag long end sits in the dump pouch…

I tether in with either an autoblock or a prussic knot …

When it comes time to rappel, I slide down my tether knot a little. Above it I attach my grivel monoblock to the robe then to my bridge…. Ready to rappel.

(As an option, if your autoblock is too high to comfortably operate, can still move the autoblock carabiner to a lower point (linesman loop) all while always being attached to the tree … ).


I don’t know if those using an ATC use an autoblock in combination, but I’m no SpecOps or SWAT guy AND would highly recommend safety over cool… top hand releases (slides) the knot and the lower controls the tag end…. If I ever let go, I stop (in theory). Of/when I need both hands on the way down I am free to do so - but learn to tie a stopper slip knot one handed :p
 
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I switch over at height. I bought a flex on here and it had a web bridge. It had a web bridge so I tied on an oplux bridge as well to determine which one I preferred. I don’t like the web bridge so I made it shorter than the Oplux.

Climbing (one stick) I use my tether connected to the longer Oplux bridge. When it time to come down I connect my rappel line to web bridge using an ATC and an autoblock below connected to my lineman’s loop. I draw the rappel setup tight taking pressure off the tether.

At this point the tether is slack and I remove it and rappel down. I have yet to use the rappel line as a tether because I do not want to deal with the extra line. It stays Daisy chained on my lineman’s loop until it’s time to come down.
 
I don’t see a need to use anything else really. You hook up at the bottom and basically test your setup right from the start. We are all human and can make simple silly mistakes. Last thing I want to do is fumble around with my repel gear in the dark 25ft up. I have 35’ of canyon CIV. I just wrap it like a extension cord and stuff it into my dump pouch. I keep a linemen’s daisy chained on my saddle for if I do have to get around branches.
 
RamBam said:
I don’t see a need to use anything else really. You hook up at the bottom and basically test your setup right from the start. We are all human and can make simple silly mistakes. Last thing I want to do is fumble around with my repel gear in the dark 25ft up. I have 35’ of canyon CIV. I just wrap it like a extension cord and stuff it into my dump pouch. I keep a linemen’s daisy chained on my saddle for if I do have to get around branches.
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I use a Cruzr XC and I took the Amsteel adjustable bridge off and use an adjustable Oplux bridge. I also 1 stick and use 40’ Oplux start at the bottom on my line and just daisy chain it when I get to height and stuff in my side pouch I also keep a linesman daisy chained so I can move around limbs and such. When I’m done just pull the line out and drop down. I never am not attached to the tree.
 
You know that's what I do and I don't know why. It's smarter using the rapell rope because if something happened to your climbing system you can just rapell down. I'm going to start climbing with my rapell line it just makes sense.
 
For me, I climb my rope, switch over to my tether to hunt and switch back to rappel. I do this for 2 reasons:

1. Rope management. Having 50' of rope (will be 90' next year) leaves alot of standing end to manage. Even when putting it in my rope bag that hangs from my gear strap, you still need to leave enough out of the bag to freely move around the tree. For me, it's a PITA.

2. Tether height. On many occasions, my canopy anchor or peak is several feet above my head which makes my bridge angle steep. I prefer my tether at about nose height when standing as that seems to offer the best bridge angle regardless if I'm leaning or sitting. While I could just climb to that peak, rarely is it at the best location free of shooting obstructions.

Once I climb and switch over to my tether, the standing end of the climbing rope gets put back in my rope bag. It stays out of the way yet is still connected to its anchor so switching back over for a quick rappel (if needed) isn't an issue.
 
I climb with a separate tether that is a dynamic climbing rope. That way if I do fall I have a rope rated for stretching and hopefully not breaking my spine. Then switch to oplux repel line at height and use the dynamic tether as my gear hanger.
 
I can do it either way, but I typically switch over when it's time to rappell down. I have multiple setups, but having separate tether is definately an advantage, for me, when its wet out. Many of the ropes we use absorb a bunch of water then rapelling on a wet or frozen line can get a bit dicey.
I can switch over without ever being disconnected from the tree... its pretty straight-forward.
 
I use 40’ of oplux, for my tether and to rappel on. I usually tether in after my 3rd stick then keep pushing my tether up the tree. Once I have everything set I hang my back and use my pull up rope to pull up the weapon. I then clip my pull up rope to my tether and wrap is on a figure 8 3d printed paracord keeper and hang it. I then pull my oplux up and just put it in the open cargo flap of my bag. I use a Madrock Safeguard the whole time. Keeps everything simple and easy. I also use the oplex to lower down the weapon.
 
I’m using my rappel rope as tether from the get go. I have a second short bridge that gets attached to my rope via prussik and carabiner below my main hitch. When time to get down, I’ll move that biner to lineman’s loop, then attach my belay below main hitch. Again using the short bridge. That prussik is also my brake when rappelling……woohoo!
I will never be untethered, but I will open my main carabiner to add my back support strap if I forget it at first. But I still have it attached to my main bridge as well as my redundant bridge w/prussik. Peace of mind with redundancy will help you to relax….and fall asleep in your saddle:sunglasses:
 
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philsanchez76 said:
I climb with a separate tether that is a dynamic climbing rope. That way if I do fall I have a rope rated for stretching and hopefully not breaking my spine. Then switch to oplux repel line at height and use the dynamic tether as my gear hanger.
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With the short lengths of rope that we are dealing with for a tether, the stretch in a dynamic rope really isn’t going to do a whole lot to absorb the fall. The main trick is to keep as much slack out as possible to make it more of a slip and bump against the tree instead of a fall.
 
Ive been using my rappel line for years. Two friction hitches to cross limbs and always stay connected. The saddle hunter hitch, I adopted last summer, makes it quick and easy. I tie my bow onto the the tail end so I don’t have to bother with a pull rope. When I’m at hunting height I toss the extra into my backpack. I don’t know why you would not be hunting from your rappel line.
 
Always connected to tree when I switch over from my climbing tether I use a Kong duck to use in my climbing tether when I’m ready to rappel I connect to tree and then to my bridge and I’m standing straight up and put my rappel rope above my tether set weight on it and loosen the Kong duck to get some slack but I’m weighted with rappel rope and disconnect the tether. Not once am I ever disconnected without being connected to tree so I’m not sure how some guys are worried about not being connected. For me it’s rope management and it’s easier to mange tether for a long hunt. My rappel rope is in my pack until it’s time to go and also I rappel with the F8. And when I used my MR I did it the same way. Key is to have a second carabiner to make the switch
 
I hunt trees with preset sticks on private ground I have access to but also one stick and repel down when hunting public or new locations on private. I’m the type to forget things if I’m constantly switching my gear set up so I prefer to leave my saddle setup with a lineman’s in the left pouch and a tether with a ropeman in the right that way no matter what, my saddle is always setup to hunt. If I’m gonna one stick I have a small drawstring bag with my rope, mammut, hollow block, and two carabiners that lives in the bottom of my pack. It’s easy and safe to switch for me as I just set my repelling rope up above my tether when I’m ready to get down. Let slack out of it and hook into your bridge and lineman’s loop then tighten it up. Then I let slack out of the ropeman until my weight is on my repelling setup and I can stash my tether back into I’m the dump pouch. Might be a little extra weight and hassle but I’m always setup to hunt either way and the only thing extra I have to remember to grab is a stick
 
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