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How much of a fall to cut tether with kong duck

G

Gary330

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SH Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2019
Messages
70
Location
Missouri
Has anyone ever really seen a kong duck or a ropeman cut the rope in the event of a fall? I have avoided using them on my tether for some time now but practicing this year i have moved the kong duck to my tether for climbing (one sticking) and i like how easily i can take the slack out of my tether while climbing. Have been trying to climb using tether and linesman but feels really awkward climbing with the linesman up the aider. If I use the duck i can take alot of slack out of my climb up to the bottom step on my stick. Then move up the tether and step up to the top step while again taking slack out while i step up. Then reset the tether again for the next move of my stick up the tree. I have also started moving my stick only high enough to need the first step of my aider when advancing up the tree. I also use a screamer on the tether. I see alot of videos of guys one sticking with way more slack in the system than i would be comfortable with and I try to keep my rope as tight as i can while climbing. My thought is that maybe i would never really have enough slack in the event of a fall to cut/break the rope with the duck anyway.?.? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
Interesting you bring this up. I use a CT Roll N Lock. My buddy and I were out practicing a few things and I was set up on my tether about 6ft off the ground on a platform. I had installed a piece of 550 cord as an easier way to open up the device and somehow it got caught up in the teeth and I went for a 4ft ride and the device stopped at my stopper knot. Good reason to always have a stopper knot or I would have landed on my neck! Anyways, it didn't do much to the HTP 9mm rope I am using. It made it a little fuzzy at one area. Now, that doesn't exactly answer you question. I believe there are videos of how much force it takes to break specific ropes and the device itself.
 
I also use a CT rolln lock. Have not heard about the duck having the cutting issues the ropeman did, but ultimately went with the CT due to watching failure test videos that the how not to highline YouTube channel put out about it. I'd suggest checking them out.
 
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I have not looked into the ct rollnlock but I definitely will do that. And glad to hear a 4 foot fall is at least sometimes survivable. Lol. Though I do not want to test it.
 
I agree with the thought that if you keep from having slack, there's little chance of cutting the rope with any of the mechanical devices. In my opinion, including the Ropeman 1. Slack is the enemy. The mentioned fall was caused by an added cord which is to blame for that close call. That added cord set up what amounted to about four feet of "slack", in a manner of speaking. I can't imagine why one wouldn't avoid slack at all times. I don't even want to test my equipment with a one foot fall! Underwear is expensive nowadays!!
 
Gary330 said:
Has anyone ever really seen a kong duck or a ropeman cut the rope in the event of a fall? I have avoided using them on my tether for some time now but practicing this year i have moved the kong duck to my tether for climbing (one sticking) and i like how easily i can take the slack out of my tether while climbing. Have been trying to climb using tether and linesman but feels really awkward climbing with the linesman up the aider. If I use the duck i can take alot of slack out of my climb up to the bottom step on my stick. Then move up the tether and step up to the top step while again taking slack out while i step up. Then reset the tether again for the next move of my stick up the tree. I have also started moving my stick only high enough to need the first step of my aider when advancing up the tree. I also use a screamer on the tether. I see alot of videos of guys one sticking with way more slack in the system than i would be comfortable with and I try to keep my rope as tight as i can while climbing. My thought is that maybe i would never really have enough slack in the event of a fall to cut/break the rope with the duck anyway.?.? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
A better hitch and tender would slide just as easy as a device without the worries of cover stripping.
 
A 3/4”-1” bushing, or piece of 3/4” water pipe in the twist makes tending easier, and just a piece of cord with a stopper knot at the end makes it compact and cheaper than buying one with sewn eyes.
812A6BA6-ECAD-48A1-AF21-1835F1629E93.png
 
Hall17 said:
Interesting you bring this up. I use a CT Roll N Lock. My buddy and I were out practicing a few things and I was set up on my tether about 6ft off the ground on a platform. I had installed a piece of 550 cord as an easier way to open up the device and somehow it got caught up in the teeth and I went for a 4ft ride and the device stopped at my stopper knot. Good reason to always have a stopper knot or I would have landed on my neck! Anyways, it didn't do much to the HTP 9mm rope I am using. It made it a little fuzzy at one area. Now, that doesn't exactly answer you question. I believe there are videos of how much force it takes to break specific ropes and the device itself.
Click to expand...
I had a similar but not so scary incident with my CT roll-n-lock. I used a small zip tie for my release loop instead of paracord and the zip tie worked itself between the teeth and my tether causing slippage. Luckily I felt it slipping before putting full weight on it so I didn’t actually fall. I ended up adding a backup Distel hitch in addition to the CT after that incident. I also add a simple overhand knot about 8” below the CT as a stopper one I am connected to the tether in addition to the stopper that is at the end of the tether. The backups to the CT are a bit of a PIA but I had no pucker moments since making these changes.
 
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