I use multiple sticks and rappel down. Like Spartan said I basically just walk down the tree taking off my sticks as I come down. Using a moveable aider on the way up rappelling down is much safer for me. Doing it this way is still a lot of fun in my book also. Walk down the sticks, walk down the tree between sticks staying in full control this way is very safe in my opinion and limited experience with it since I just started doing this last year. Rappelling that is.
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Multiple sticks and repelling
- Thread starter Coopsdaddy
- Start date
This is what I went to middle of last season from One-Sticking. Four TD One Sticks and an EWO Three step bottom stick Aider specifically made for these sticks (can’t secure the aider to the middle tube). So far I’m sticking with it. I ditched the rappel rope to reduce weight and bulk. My only issue is the aider hanging in the wind, so I may be using the BWMG GC-1 for the TD sticks instead. It’s a CAYG system. My issue is remembering to use the LB on the way down!!! It is highly, highly recommended; however to have a back up rappel system available to you though. DAISNAID!
While I do not rappel using sticks and cable aiders, I definitely would with a moveable aider. Dropped the aider, no bid deal, rappel down.
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On the one hand, 35ft of rappel rope is about the weight of a ONE stick. On the other hand, you need a tether anyways.
35ft Canyon CIV = 500g, so 1.1lbs
12ft Sewn eye CIV Tether = ~.41lbs
If you're comfortable hunting from rappel, it's not much weight added in rope.
I think I'd buy two lines to rotate, in case one gets wet.
35ft Canyon CIV = 500g, so 1.1lbs
12ft Sewn eye CIV Tether = ~.41lbs
If you're comfortable hunting from rappel, it's not much weight added in rope.
I think I'd buy two lines to rotate, in case one gets wet.
Rappelling down is always going to be safer than climbing down with a lineman. I do it whether I'm multi sticking (generally 4 sticks with a single step aider on each, my beast sticks have cable, my incoming latitude sticks will have amsteel) or one sticking. I've never had an issue with leaning trees- sometimes you do swing away from the tree, but I've always just been able to stretch out and pull myself back, whether it's a few feet off of the tree or swinging around to the opposite side of the stick. I also generally walk down the tree instead of just lowering myself on the rope with no point of contact so this scenario doesn't happen too much.
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That's how I ran last year, 3 to 4 stick and rappel down. Work out great and definitely much safer and a hell of alot more fun. Going to 1 Stick this coming season .
I would rappel . I have done it many times. It's a lot safer coming down in the dark . I am one sticking but if I use my 4 sticks with aiders I definitely rappel down. I have hunted out of leaning trees and have yet to have trouble getting my sticks off the tree. It would have to be a hell of a leaning tree not to be able to reach your sticks and the first two stick I can remove from the ground.
Once I got into saddle hunting I went straight to 1-sticking and haven't climbed multiple sticks since. But I can't see any real reason not to rappel down regardless of how I climb up.
Just for fun let me take the other side.
If I climb up with a safe method, using a linesman rope and tether. I see no reason to rappel.
I have a 2TC kit with me on my saddle/harness for a emergency get me down.
Fair enough. If you use your tether on the way down as your LB is not adequate for fall prevention. But if you're using your tether and lowering down the tree as you climb down.... how different is that from rappelling?
Mind you, the only ascending and descending I care about is my own; I'm not invested in how anybody else gets up and down the tree. So I'm not trying to argue, just play devil's advocate.
Even back when I hunted out of a Summit Viper climber I never liked the industry standard to deal with a fall or stand failure - simply hang until someone can come and get you. So I started looking into various methods of self rescue. I have a background in rock climbing and rappelling so I immediately began to consider that. In the process of researching that I stumbled across saddle hunting. The first year I climbed the 3 hawk heliums with aiders using the lineman’s rope but as has been debated extensively, that is not really meant to catch you in a fall. Then on-sticking caught my attention and I haven’t looked back.
I climb with the rappel rope as my tether. In the event of an issue I don’t want to have to fiddle with hooking up my rappel rope and switching over (a tricky and potentially dangerous switch if you don’t practice it a good bit). If something was to happen, I can be rappelling down in seconds to deal with whatever it may be. I also carry a backup system to climb the rope if I was to drop something on the way up the tree (which I’ve done with my glasses before).
Even when I set multiple sticks for my daughter to hunt, she rappels down. In the dark, at the end of the day, it’s just safer.
I climb with the rappel rope as my tether. In the event of an issue I don’t want to have to fiddle with hooking up my rappel rope and switching over (a tricky and potentially dangerous switch if you don’t practice it a good bit). If something was to happen, I can be rappelling down in seconds to deal with whatever it may be. I also carry a backup system to climb the rope if I was to drop something on the way up the tree (which I’ve done with my glasses before).
Even when I set multiple sticks for my daughter to hunt, she rappels down. In the dark, at the end of the day, it’s just safer.
Could you go into your backup system and rappel setup? My backup is a Garda footloop, and I have to install a figure-8 to descend. Which works, but it's a bit of fiddling if I'm in the midst of an emergency.
I dont rappel because its fun (granted it is) i rappel because its safer being attached at all times and having a valid escape plan that doesnt involve me stuck in a tree. As mentioned climbing in the dark with aiders, especially amsteel aiders, can get a little sketchy which a rappel line helps alleviate.
Because I’m using the Madrock Safeguard, I am attached to it the whole time. Yes, there is always the problem with it clanking so I just slow down and pay attention. By using the Safeguard, or something similar like the Grigri +, in order to rappel I just have to drop the rappel rope which I carry in a CGM Dropout bag, grab the rope and the lever and go. No switching over of any kind. I started out using a figure-8 and agree with what many say, it is a much smoother rappel. But to keep from switching over I’ll take the bit rougher rappel of the safeguard. Besides, we’re not exactly going for long rappels anyway.
I know a lot of guys like to backup the safeguard with a prussik or other friction hitch either above or below but technically Madrock does not suggest that.
One thing you might consider if you don’t want the expense of the Safeguard or Grigri + is to use a Munter hitch instead of the figure-8. Using whatever friction hitch you want for being attached to the tether, go ahead and use your rappel rope as the tether. When your’e ready to rappel down, adding a Munter hitch below the friction hitch is very easy and just requires a single carabiner. Also, the Munter is a great rappel method for the shot distances we do.
Im using a schwabisch hitch with a black diamond atc vs the madrock. I hunt on my rappel line using this and have a autoblock on my right loop (just for added safety) When im done hunting, i just start going down, no fiddling and getting extra equipment out.