Getting into the game

[Iron_llama]

Greetings, all...

So I've spent the last few weeks reading the archives here and I think I have a plan for this year, budget permitting:

I'll be climbing with the knockoff Muddy Stagger Steps I picked up at Menards a few years back. Heavy steel, but I already own them. I mostly hunt public land so tree bolts are right out.

I'll be making a couple of fleece saddles and experimenting with them. I'm leaning towards sewing the channels and doing some sort of adjustable bridge, either Amsteel or accessory cord and climbing rope.

I'm planning on knocking down a Muddy safety tether for my linesman loop and tether, leaving both long. I've got a couple of carabiners from tree stand harnesses so I'm probably covered there.

At this point I've identified a couple of shopping list items:
1" tubular webbing for linesmen belt
RCH
Amsteel
Prussik material

(Down the road: emergency rappelling setup, actual saddle)

The last time I wore an RCH I was a teenaged Boy Scout. From what I'm reading, i should look for a minimalist model without accessory or haul loops that would cause hot spots in the fleece. I wear a 46" waist (but that number is shrinking) and the options in that size are few and far between. I'm looking at a Headwall model or a Gym Dandy. Are there other factors I should consider? Or other brands that I should look at? Is the presence or absence of a belay loop something I should consider?

What sort of Prussik material should I be looking for, for Muddy static line? I'm probably going to order 20', so I have plenty to learn with.

While I'm tempted by the Harbor Freight Amsteel, and Amazon RCH models, I'm a bit hesitant to depend on knockoff Chinese products for safety at height. I know EWO carries Amsteel, is there a recommend vendor for XL RCH options?

What am I missing? Is there part of my plan I should re-consider?

Thanks all in advance.

 

[HuntNorthEast]

Greetings, all...

So I've spent the last few weeks reading the archives here and I think I have a plan for this year, budget permitting:

I'll be climbing with the knockoff Muddy Stagger Steps I picked up at Menards a few years back. Heavy steel, but I already own them. I mostly hunt public land so tree bolts are right out.

I'll be making a couple of fleece saddles and experimenting with them. I'm leaning towards sewing the channels and doing some sort of adjustable bridge, either Amsteel or accessory cord and climbing rope.

I'm planning on knocking down a Muddy safety tether for my linesman loop and tether, leaving both long. I've got a couple of carabiners from tree stand harnesses so I'm probably covered there.

At this point I've identified a couple of shopping list items:
1" tubular webbing for linesmen belt
RCH
Amsteel
Prussik material

(Down the road: emergency rappelling setup, actual saddle)

The last time I wore an RCH I was a teenaged Boy Scout. From what I'm reading, i should look for a minimalist model without accessory or haul loops that would cause hot spots in the fleece. I wear a 46" waist (but that number is shrinking) and the options in that size are few and far between. I'm looking at a Headwall model or a Gym Dandy. Are there other factors I should consider? Or other brands that I should look at? Is the presence or absence of a belay loop something I should consider?

What sort of Prussik material should I be looking for, for Muddy static line? I'm probably going to order 20', so I have plenty to learn with.

While I'm tempted by the Harbor Freight Amsteel, and Amazon RCH models, I'm a bit hesitant to depend on knockoff Chinese products for safety at height. I know EWO carries Amsteel, is there a recommend vendor for XL RCH options?

What am I missing? Is there part of my plan I should re-consider?

Thanks all in advance.

Just make sure if you are making most of your setup to over engineer it, verify all weight ratings, and double check the finished product at ground level.

I know you probably know this but I've had my cage rattled on here about safety so I am just passing on the concern!

 

[Iron_llama]

Thanks, I appreciate the concern. It seems an RCH and effective tether should address most safety concerns, but I don't want to take anything for granted.

 

[sojourner]

Gym Dandy. No problem for your size. Get 2” tubular webbing and 1” tubular webbing. The gym dandy waist strap is like 1.75”.

Slide the 2” around the gym dandy waist strap and the 1” tubular webbing. Then tie knots with loop for lineman’s belt. Put some cord in the loops to keep them open. I hunted multiple years with this and sit drag / fleece.

I am going back to commercial saddlspes this year. The jury is still out if i will stay commercial saddle or go back to RCH and sitdrag/fleece.

 

[sojourner]

And you use your belay loop to hook to your tether below the bridge. That will be your safety while hanging.

I just tie an alpine butterfly knot (easy to tie) and use a carabiner to hook to my belay loop.

 

[Iron_llama]

Thank you! That's very helpful. Somehow I missed that 2" tubular webbing was a thing and was planning to use a Battlebelt mod. This way I can move the battle belt to the gear hanger while in the fleece and avoid excess bulk.

What is the advantage to a butterfly knot + carabiner vs. a figure-8 on a bight for tying into the belay loop? I had been planning on tying (rather than clipping) in to avoid the possiblility of a carabiner failure. Is that frowned upon?

 

[sojourner]

Thank you! That's very helpful. Somehow I missed that 2" tubular webbing was a thing and was planning to use a Battlebelt mod. This way I can move the battle belt to the gear hanger while in the fleece and avoid excess bulk.

What is the advantage to a butterfly knot + carabiner vs. a figure-8 on a bight for tying into the belay loop? I had been planning on tying (rather than clipping) in to avoid the possiblility of a carabiner failure. Is that frowned upon?

Butterfly knot is dead easy to tie.

Alpine Butterfly Loop

The Alpine Butterfly Loop provides a secure loop in the middle of a piece of rope. Load can be safely applied: from the loop to either end of the rope; between the two ends with the loop hanging free; or to the loop with the load spread between the two ends.

www.animatedknots.com

Butterfly takes less rope length to tie.

Climbing rated biner would not be a risk.

Figure 8 is just as good, but, IMO, it is not as quick/easy as an alpine butterfly and a biner. If someone is comfortable with figure 8 right to the belay loop, then no difference.

For me, it is convenience, and less rope to use to use an alpine butterfly and biner.

Just remember, minimize the slack between the tether / prusik connection to your bridge and the knot (ab or f8) connection to belay loop and tether. If the sit drag or fleece gives out, you want to minimize the distance until your RCH catches.