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Delta quick link or carabiner

R

Robbo

Active Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2018
Messages
144
Is it safe to use a carabiner instead of delta link for attaching tetherd for one sticking
 
phatkaw said:
View attachment 58696

I have a carabiner on one of my rappel ropes and it works fine.
I have no worries about it.
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I also use a large, extra strength carabiner on my rappel rope but I use a threaded link on my climbing tether. My personal justification for this is . . . and your mileage may vary . . . I one stick climb. During that process there is a possibility of a shock load on the tether. If that happens I want the additional strength provided by the link on my short climbing/hunting tether. When I get ready to rappel down, I attach my separate rappel line to the tree using the carabiner and transfer to it for rappelling. Since I am always suspended from that line with no slack, that biner will never be subjected to a shock load. The most load that it will see is the 260-270# (1.2kN) of my body and gear weight.

First off, I don't believe I'm truly cross loading the carabiner since it is supported on the underside by the rope passing through it. That keeps the edge of the carabiner off the tree. Secondly, based on some of the really harsh cross-loading test I've seen I am willing to accept the risk. Why? The more open profile of the large carabiner allows the rope to pass more freely back through it when I go to pull the rope out of the tree with my retrieval string. Its simply a matter of convenience for me. Evaluated risk versus reward.
 
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boyne bowhunter said:
Secondly, based on some of the really harsh cross-loading test I've seen I am willing to accept the risk.
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Yea, I watched that guy's video that breaks all the climbing stuff do carabiner side loading tests to failure.
They take A LOT of pressure before they break.
 
phatkaw said:
Yea, I watched that guy's video that breaks all the climbing stuff do carabiner side loading tests to failure.
They take A LOT of pressure before they break.
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Approx 7 or 8 kN if I recall correctly. That's well within the possible spectrum for a 2 factor fall if you climb above your tether a couple feet as many one sticking videos demonstrate.

It's not really side loading either, it's levering over a pivot point, bending forces come into play. But also he is leveraging it over a sharp aluminum angle and we are over a tree which has some give and distributes the force over more area.

That said, I use a biner that way off spec to attach my tether to the tree, but I don't one stick so I don't figure I need to bombproof as much.
 
Is there any particular carabiner that works better for this application? I’m putting stuff together for a one sticking set up and quick links are a pain.
 
Has anyone tried using a climbing rated carabiner/swivel in one? I am curious if the swivel would rotate enough to keep the biner end from side loading when used as a rope quick connect?
 
Don’t think a swivel would be much different, the main part of carabiner is still rigid. Choking around a wide circular object doesn’t apply the same concentrated force that all the warnings show of a carabiner being levered on the tip of a rock projection. Using a little common sense not to place the carabiner over a small bump, it would not put the carabiner under that type of stress.
 
This is the DMM carabiner with 8mm Oplux

Edit: The safety of this carabiner is that it takes (3) distinct movements to open, high tensile strength and
it is also one of the smallest units I have seen.
 

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Robbo said:
Is it safe to use a carabiner instead of delta link for attaching tetherd for one sticking
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Is there a reason you want to use a carabiner instead of a quick link? As stated, as long as you're not putting extreme pressure at single point, you should be fine. But again, safety first, you will be using a tool/item against the recommended use by the company. Well...you can say that about most things we saddle hunter are using. But think about why you want to use a carabiner instead and is it worth the risk.

Just from what you're posting, it seem you want the benefit of ease of opening and closing that a carabiner allow instead of a typical quicklink. But l would ask yourself how often would you be doing this? Unless I'm trying to move around branches, I only really close the quicklink once as tether myself to tree. Just my opinion. I might change to a deltalink because of the bigger opening. but I dont think a carabiner used out of spec is that much of an improvement vs the ease of mind in using a quicklink/deltalink that has alot higer KNs.
 
phatkaw said:
I don't think the actual opening isn't any bigger on a Delta link than it is on a quick link?
I have a bunch of each I could check but I'm at work right now.
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Hmm...you could be right. Might actually be smaller based on your posted picture and with the fact that its oval shape. I have heard that delta link slide better when you are trying to retrieve it with rope once you're done hunting. You have both setup, can you tell the differences?
 
Actually, one thing I noticed not long ago was on my green/purple Ultra-Tech (not pictured above).
That one has a 6mm Delta link and I had two rubber fender washers on it. One was for backup (kept near the knot) because they stretch after a while. Well, the one was getting kinda wore out so I slid both in service...
Once I was on the ground I could barely pull both through the link. I thought that I was going to have to do the climb of shame but I did finally get it to pop free.
I hope you follow that? ^^^
After using different ropes with different connections I think I do like the normal quick links a little bit more.
 
Another thing to consider, if you are going to use a biner, I do this on smaller diameter trees, is to wrap the tether around the tree twice and cross the ropes on the back. This puts almost zero leverage on the biner. And it keeps your tether from sliding down if you leave slack.

Second tip, I mostly lean and stand on my tether and the only time I am swinging out around the tree is to my strong side to shoot around the backside. I never swing the opposite direction which would be the direction that would leverage the biner against the tree. So by always orienting the biner this direction I am never putting much leverage on it.
1640117474910.png
 
HuumanCreed said:
Is there a reason you want to use a carabiner instead of a quick link? ...

Just from what you're posting, it seem you want the benefit of ease of opening and closing that a carabiner allow instead of a typical quicklink. But l would ask yourself how often would you be doing this? Unless I'm trying to move around branches, I only really close the quicklink once as tether myself to tree.
Click to expand...

This is definitely my perspective. Since the carabiner should also be screwed closed, how much time is actually saved? I use a single rope + quick link for one-sticking & rappelling and never think about position on the quick link.

I wish I was a headlight on a north-bound train
 
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