GriGri + vs MR Safeguard.

[bj139]

Is the basic idea that the friction hitch (autoblock) is what does the actual holding should you stop and the device just slows you down? Or, if you let go will the device hold you and the hitch just backs that up?

I measured the force required to stop me with 11mm Bluewater Assault line and a Grivel Pro Master ATC. I had a 3 turn prusik for an autoblock. I connected the spring scale to the prusik. If I pulled down more than 5 lbs on the spring scale I would stop. Less on the scale and I would move down. This was with my weight of 175lbs on the ATC. This shows that my descending weight could be controlled by my hand exerting a force of zero to 10 lbs on the tail end of the rope..

 

[robstewart]

Completely optional. I personally put my regular tether on the tree at hunting height, get connected, then disconnect and stow all my SRT equipment. My Safeguard is available for a backup on rappel if needed but my primary device for descending is an ATC with an autoblock below.

If you stay connected to your mechanical belay, just add a friction hitch of some sort. I wouldn’t solely rely on a belay device while hunting.


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I’ve done both. If I’m one sticking then my rappel rope is already good for my tether. Since I use a fleece saddle I connect it with a prusik above my SG and transfer my weight into the saddle. Then I put an oh crap knot on the rope a couple inches below everything.

If I SRT my rappel rope is never where I want my tether so my lineman rope doubles as my tether. Fleece saddle connects to that and SG stays connected to rappel rope. Oh crap knot goes on rappel rope.

Personally I prefer to rappel with my safeguard instead of carrying more gear and having to transition over.

As others have said, if you use your hand on the tag end to control your speed then the safeguard isn’t jerky. I did find if I’m gentle with the lever and don’t try and go to fast I can come down with just the safeguard but I prefer two hands anyway.


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[robstewart]

Last year I hung off the MR Safeguard a lot when I climbed (I single stick) using my rappel rope. I backed it up using a slip knot right under it per petzel's instruction while hanging. This year I climbed/hunted exclusively on a short tether with a distel. When I got ready to get down I hooked up the rappel rope and swapped to the Safeguard .

Why did you switch? I went the other direction and now climb with my rappel tether.


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[robstewart]

I would hook up to a shorter tether. I’d be afraid if I needed to move, the longer rope would also move down at ground level spooking the deer.

I use the end of the rope to pull up my backpack. Then I stuff the rope into my backpack hanging in the tree beside me.


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[robstewart]

Yes. I have it anyway in case I want to move higher in the tree so I use it in case something fails on my main rope.

I do the same. Only added point is my short tether is also my lineman. You are doing the same?


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[boyne bowhunter]

Why did you switch? I went the other direction and now climb with my rappel tether.


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First reason, and probably the biggest, is that in I hunt in wet weather right at the point of freezing throughout Nov. here in northern Michigan. Once the cooler air starts to move over the warmer waters of Lake Michigan we get a lot of lake effect rain and snow. Climbing, hanging and rappelling on the long rope gets the whole length of rope wet over the course of hunt and it freezes. I hunt remote from home and don't have a real good way to dry things out other than hanging them in front of the heat exhaust in the camper. The rappel device works okay with it frozen but the stiff rope becomes almost unusable from a packing and unpacking standpoint. Going to short tethers gave me a better option to swap them out between hunts if necessary and they are easier to dry. Also 7' of frozen rope is easier to deal with than 40'. Now I leave the rappel rope in my pack while hunting and I just attach the rappel line immediately before I rappel down and take it off right after I hit the ground. It stays dryer that way.

Second reason, is I'm quieter on a short tether. I'm using a threaded link on my girth hitch to ease transition around limbs so I don't have to pull 40 ft of rope through the eye each time. When I step up on my stick and slack the rope sometime the girth hitch comes loose and the link slides down the rope. On the rappel line I had my Safeguard installed it would hit it and make a metallic clank. On the short tethers I'm running a tended distel hitch so the link can't come in contact with anything metal. It can't get beyond the coils.

A third benefit is that I don't have to coil up the tag end of the rappel line up while sitting. II know, its a little thing but it is still a thing.

 

[bj139]

I do the same. Only added point is my short tether is also my lineman. You are doing the same?


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No. I have a separate LB made from 8mm rope girth hitched to my saddle. I haven't used it in about 6 months since I climb SRT. It is so small and light that I don't really notice it in my GI sustainment pouch hanging on my saddle. I will just leave it there. My backup tether was also 8mm rope but it didn't seem thick enough so I went back to 11mm rope for my tether since it supports all my weight but the LB doesn't so 8mm is enough. Not Oplux.

 

[weekender21]

I use the end of the rope to pull up my backpack. Then I stuff the rope into my backpack hanging in the tree beside me.


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Same here, dual purpose and in the tree out of the way.


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[robstewart]

Same here, dual purpose and in the tree out of the way.


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I haven't tried it yet but I've liberated my ropeman from my lineman rope and I plan on trying it as a capture pulley to help haul my gear up.

 

[bj139]

I use my climbing rope to pull up my crossbow and my pulldown line to pull up my pack. I figure dropping my pack would cause less damage to valuables than if I dropped my crossbow. Paracord vs. 8.5mm climbing rope.

 

[robstewart]

I haven't tried it yet but I've liberated my ropeman from my lineman rope and I plan on trying it as a capture pulley to help haul my gear up.

I went in the garage and tried using my ropeman as a progress capture pulley. The best way I could come up with was to put a prusik on my rope up near the girth hitch. Next I connected a ropeman upside down to my rope and the caribiner through it to the prusik.

By pulling the rope through the ropeman and down it acts like a pulley but when I let go it locks.

To do this while I am still connected to the rope I would need to grab the tag end hanging below my RCH and bring it up to the prusik/ropeman above me. Otherwise if I transitioned to another tether it would work and maybe be less awkward.

There could also be an advantage to using another tether for the caribiner/prusik side.

If I were to connect my bow to a short piece of rope and then connect that to my bag I could pull the bag up and the bow would follow.

Another thought I just had was if I connected my bag so it’s hanging on a prusik just above the ground and the end of my rope to my bow that might work too.

I’m going to try doing some predator hunting from my saddle this spring and test and maybe film all this.


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[bj139]

I went in the garage and tried using my ropeman as a progress capture pulley. The best way I could come up with was to put a prusik on my rope up near the girth hitch. Next I connected a ropeman upside down to my rope and the caribiner through it to the prusik.

By pulling the rope through the ropeman and down it acts like a pulley but when I let go it locks.

To do this while I am still connected to the rope I would need to grab the tag end hanging below my RCH and bring it up to the prusik/ropeman above me. Otherwise if I transitioned to another tether it would work and maybe be less awkward.

There could also be an advantage to using another tether for the caribiner/prusik side.

If I were to connect my bow to a short piece of rope and then connect that to my bag I could pull the bag up and the bow would follow.

Another thought I just had was if I connected my bag so it’s hanging on a prusik just above the ground and the end of my rope to my bow that might work too.

I’m going to try doing some predator hunting from my saddle this spring and test and maybe film all this.


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I believe you could also pull up and it would stay. If it is below you it might be easier.

 

[robstewart]

I believe you could also pull up and it would stay. If it is below you it might be easier.

Well pulling UP isn’t as ergonomic as redirecting and pulling down. Not unlike the benefits of a pulley on SRT. I got the idea from seeing the RollnRock in action. I’d buy one but I don’t need more gear lol


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