Does anyone one stick from a preset?

[casts_by_fly]

THIS! When I was practicing one sticking and rappelling back down and one sticking back up with my rappel rope four years ago when I first started saddle hunting I did find it more difficult for reasons you mentioned. Much easier and stable one sticking with a standard length tether then one that is attached 20+ feet up in a tree. Felt like a little worm dangling down from a long fishing pole. No bueno. Can it be done? Yes absolutely. But if safety is a factor as stated, it’s just not as safe or easy IMO. You still have to slide your friction hitch up obviously or slack is an issue regardless. Just didn’t feel near as stable for me especially on a tree even with a tiny pitch

I'll concur from a 2TC perspective. I've tried it twice and no bueno. I hunted an evening and left my rappel rope and platform in the tree. Next day I thought I'd just foot tether up and take up slack with my rappel rope like a long top tether. Even with a good top hitch (longhorn agile) that breaks easily, it was hard to manage the hitch, take up slack, and hold onto the tree all at once. Maybe a better hitch or even using a ropeman to do that would have been better (I think the ropeman would have worked better) but the better solution would have just been to use a second top tether and 2TC up like normal.

 

[ww874]

I bought a CT hand ascender and a amsteel foot loop for instances when I plan on coming back later. It was about $100 bucks and equipment money was well spent. The whole setup is small compact and weighs hardly anything. I keep it in my pack and it's wound up saving me more than once when I've either forgotten to clip on my pull down rope or if I forgot to unclip my tether locker. It's so easy to get back up the tree and you don't have to worry about slack.