Learning to rappel questions

[RandomHero18]

Hey guys, I have been doing a lot of research about rappelling after a hunt. Currently, I am using 4 sticks and a platform and want to try something new and lighter so working on getting everything I need to 2 tether climb and rappel down. After some research, I think I'm going to get the Mammut 2.0 smart device mainly because safeguards cant be found and the price point is a big deal for me (just had my first kid and selling the sticks to afford rappelling equipment). After all that my question comes down to once I get to hunting height if I am using my rappel rope as a tether what do you guys use to stay at height I thought the Mammut would replace the prusik but the more I look at it I don't think that it does. Do I just need to carry a separate rope and make a prusik once I'm at height?

Sorry for the long-winded post.

 

[trailblazer75]

What I did for a long time was attach a schwebasch hitch to my tether and use that as my main connection point. In this instance my tether was my rappel rope. Once I decided to get down, I'd attach my lineman's belt and move my hitch to my right lineman's loop. Then I'd clip in a figure 8 and rappel with the schwebasch as an autoblock. That way I could simply use the equipment I had on hand with minimal extra stuff to pack in. I use a LIFEGUARD now and have no troubles. But many people don't trust it.

 

[Jtaylor]

There is zero need for a device, especially at the small 20ft rappels we do. 2 carabiners and an autoblock is all you need. Actually just rope is all you need if you're proficient in a couple climbing knots. Look up super munter hitch and buy some decent rope, a couple carabiners and an autoblock and you'll be set.

 

[sdoyle1]

Hey guys, I have been doing a lot of research about rappelling after a hunt. Currently, I am using 4 sticks and a platform and want to try something new and lighter so working on getting everything I need to 2 tether climb and rappel down. After some research, I think I'm going to get the Mammut 2.0 smart device mainly because safeguards cant be found and the price point is a big deal for me (just had my first kid and selling the sticks to afford rappelling equipment). After all that my question comes down to once I get to hunting height if I am using my rappel rope as a tether what do you guys use to stay at height I thought the Mammut would replace the prusik but the more I look at it I don't think that it does. Do I just need to carry a separate rope and make a prusik once I'm at height?

Sorry for the long-winded post.

If you’re just rappeling you could go with a Munter hitch, an atc, or a figure eight and save some money. I use the Munter hitch which requires nothing more than a carabiner. I do have a hitch above it that provides a backup or the ability to stop on the rappel.


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[RandomHero18]

There is zero need for a device, especially at the small 20ft rappels we do. 2 carabiners and an autoblock is all you need. Actually just rope is all you need if you're proficient in a couple climbing knots. Look up super munter hitch and buy some decent rope, a couple carabiners and an autoblock and you'll be set.

That sounds promising maybe ill try that first. But still wondering how you stay secure at hunting height?

 

[TooBigToFit]

Use your normal friction hitch when hunting. Before descending, use your linesman's belt, convert over to your rappel device/hitch, and ease up on the linesman until your weight is all on your rappel setup.

 

[sdoyle1]

Hey guys, I have been doing a lot of research about rappelling after a hunt. Currently, I am using 4 sticks and a platform and want to try something new and lighter so working on getting everything I need to 2 tether climb and rappel down. After some research, I think I'm going to get the Mammut 2.0 smart device mainly because safeguards cant be found and the price point is a big deal for me (just had my first kid and selling the sticks to afford rappelling equipment). After all that my question comes down to once I get to hunting height if I am using my rappel rope as a tether what do you guys use to stay at height I thought the Mammut would replace the prusik but the more I look at it I don't think that it does. Do I just need to carry a separate rope and make a prusik once I'm at height?

Sorry for the long-winded post.

If you’re just rappeling you could go with a Munter hitch, an atc, or a figure eight and save some money. I use the Munter hitch which requires nothing more than a carabiner. I do have a hitch above it that provides a backup or the ability to stop on the rappel.


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[Wirrex]

Use your normal friction hitch when hunting. Before descending, use your linesman's belt, convert over to your rappel device/hitch, and ease up on the linesman until your weight is all on your rappel setup.

Check out the saddle hunter hitch. If your hunting off your rappel line as I do you can save yourself from carrying a lineman’s by using two friction hitches of your choice and tying another saddle hunter hitch. It works great.

 

[Jtaylor]

Check out the saddle hunter hitch. If your hunting off your rappel line as I do you can save yourself from carrying a lineman’s by using two friction hitches of your choice and tying another saddle hunter hitch. It works great.

How does that saddlehunter hitch release when you're ready to pull down the rope? And where do you hook your pull down rope?
The carabiner/toggle I'm guessing but it seems like it could bind pretty bad?
Maybe there's a video but I couldn't find one.

 

[MNFarmHunter]

If climbing 2TC, don't even pull out your rappel rope until it's time to come down and hunt off your your normal tether. If you eventually go the SRT route, I still switch over to a normal tether and store my climb/rappel rope for just that, climbing and rappelling.

 

[TommyDee]

What I did for a long time was attach a schwebasch hitch to my tether and use that as my main connection point. In this instance my tether was my rappel rope. Once I decided to get down, I'd attach my lineman's belt and move my hitch to my right lineman's loop. Then I'd clip in a figure 8 and rappel with the schwebasch as an autoblock. That way I could simply use the equipment I had on hand with minimal extra stuff to pack in. I use a LIFEGUARD now and have no troubles. But many people don't trust it.

I’m a similar rappel newbie, currently hunting with 3 sticks/aiders. Since I hunt with a swabisch/tender, im starting with this…rope back ordered, so this will need to wait til post rut. I’ll report back here in my experience. I might go even simpler than this and just clip in the 8 below the schwabisch.


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[Wirrex]

How does that saddlehunter hitch release when you're ready to pull down the rope? And where do you hook your pull down rope?
The carabiner/toggle I'm guessing but it seems like it could bind pretty bad?
Maybe there's a video but I couldn't find one.

You’re thinking of the JRB hitch. I use that one too but it still seems a little sketchy to me.

 

[trailblazer75]

I’m a similar rappel newbie, currently hunting with 3 sticks/aiders. Since I hunt with a swabisch/tender, im starting with this…rope back ordered, so this will need to wait til post rut. I’ll report back here in my experience. I might go even simpler than this and just clip in the 8 below the schwabisch.


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I didn’t like it below the hitch because the bulk of the weight was on the hitch instead of the figure 8 when I stopped. That made it a lot harder to break the hitch to keep rappelling than the way that I did it.


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[phatkaw]

That sounds promising maybe ill try that first. But still wondering how you stay secure at hunting height?

I climb and hunt with a separate tether.
Switch to rappel when you're ready to come down...

 

[Patriot38]

I tried rappelling with an ATC + autoblock and then switched to a safegaurd. To be honest I liked the ATC more and its WAY cheaper.

The safegaurd was just too hard for me to get a constant speed. The lock off feature was nice but if I were to do it again an ATC would be my option.

 

[Schemeecho]

When I climb, I'm climbing with the one-stick method and Just using a Tether and a Lineman's belt. I have my Tether set up with a Schwabisch Hitch keep me safe at hunting height. I have a separate Rappel Rope and a Figure 8 when on rappel. I have to admit, that I started to use @phatkaw's method as soon as he posted his video. I had never rappelled before, at that point. The use of creating 2 soft lock wraps around the figure 8 works very well and hasn't slipped yet. I have been using it since around July of this year, I think. I tried to get into a tree for a few hours every weekend to get the hang of it. It didn't take long to get use to it at all.

 

[Lowg08]

You will not lose any weight or aggravation. I went through the process of learning to rappel. Even went and got lessons from an avid rock climber. He suggested the easiest course of action is a belay device. This could require heavy rope. You could also use it to climb and etc. I was going to climb up in tree spikes and repel down. Come to find out. It was more hassle and just as heavy. I do know how to rappel now but it’s just a useless tool. As of now. I am also a certified rigger so knots are not an issue. Can tie most any knot in class three rubber gloves. Dark, cold hands and a small mistake in a knot or clipping the correct rope could prove disastrous.