• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Oval Quick Link - Why Is It Safe?

DB4x4

DB4x4

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2018
Messages
1,870
I searched for an answer to this, but couldn't find exactly what I was looking for..

Using a carabiner to complete your tether girth hitch is unsafe since you can side load it. So why exactly is the oval quick link safer? Because it is smaller and less likely to side load? Because it has a higher strength rating?
 
Last edited:
You’re right on both, it takes a sharper edge to affect it than a carabiner, and nearly impossible to side load with cord or rope.
 
I think most of the snap links are aluminum and most screw (quick) links are steel. I think my triangle screw link has a 30kN rating.... Personally I am more concerned with placing the link in bending than the cross loading situation since the girth hitch is hard to truly cross load.

Im not an expert, these are just my observations.
 
The ratings on those things are way low compared to what they break at (I don't know why they do that?).

Here are tests of them. (whole vid is great)


They are freakishly strong. Don't quote me, but I recall it is a combo of their higher strength, how steel deforms more than aluminum before breaking/steel just has better properties but is heavy, and how the screw gate works joining both sides without a pivot hinge....that makes them shrug off a cross load. Plus, a cross load on a medium sized tree isn't nearly what a load on a hard rock edge would be like (I think).

I use a delta screw link on my tether and have total confidence in it. It's probably the strongest thing on my entire set up (actually I'm sure it is).
 
Last edited:
DB4x4 said:
I searched for an answer to this, but couldn't find exactly what I was looking for..

Using a carabiner to complete your tether girth hitch is unsafe since you can side load it. So why exactly is the oval quick link safer? Because it is smaller and less likely to side load? Because it has a higher strength rating?
Click to expand...

I’m using the delta link (triangle) and just bought an oval instead. I don’t like that one side of the rope moves up and down the one side (long side) of the triangle. It is easier to hook up, and it’s built stronger than a carbiner


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
ShortFuse said:
I’m using the delta link (triangle) and just bought an oval instead. I don’t like that one side of the rope moves up and down the one side (long side) of the triangle. It is easier to hook up, and it’s built stronger than a carbiner


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

My scaffold knot just found the corner opposite the gate and lives there now.
 
I believe mostly because it's steel. I have a couple steel carabiners and have wondered if they would work instead of a quick link on my rappelling rope.
 
rutjr said:
I believe mostly because it's steel. I have a couple steel carabiners and have wondered if they would work instead of a quick link on my rappelling rope.
Click to expand...

People worry about “side loading” I haven’t seen it happen, but the delta is way more compact


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
ShortFuse said:
People worry about “side loading” I haven’t seen it happen, but the delta is way more compact


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Don't wanna give anyone ideas, but there is a video where someone takes an aluminum autolock carabiner, girth hitches it onto a small sturdy branch (so it is way more side loaded than on any trunk you would hook around) and used a come along to basically pull the tree over. The carabiner embeds itself into the tree, but it works fine and suffers no damage. I've posted the video here before. A carabiner on a tether on a medium tree hardly even touches the tree. Cross loading pictures showing what to avoid show the carabiner right on a rock ledge.
 
Last edited:
I tie a surgeon loop knot or double overhand with a big loop and then bull hitch to delta link .. figure 8 loop work also
 
Side loading is when a significant force is applied agains the side of the carabiner. If you’ve ever looked at the KN ratings stamp on a carabiner they show their strength loaded from end to end as designed as well as loaded across the gate. There’s a significant difference because the force is now placed on the weakest part, the gate and hinges.

The issue side-loading carabiners is that again the weakest parts, the pins that and attachment points are now taking the most force from an angle they’re not designed to handle it from. With a quick link because it basically acts like a continuous steel loop once tightened up, it can handle the side pressure much better. Hope that helps to explain why The screw-link or delta link is stronger and better suited for what we’re doing. Most screw-links are made of steel versus the aluminum of carabiners which also helps.

Now with that said, the side loading that we would be subjecting either one to is nothing compared to the worse case scenario that rock-climbing envisions, side-loaded across a sharp rock face. However, it should still be a concern and skinnier trees would run the risk of a greater chance of side-loading compared to larger trees.
 
Weldabeast said:
This video is using paracord but if u tie this bull hitch on ur delta link and it will help it stay more centered



Looks like this ....

View attachment 42811
Click to expand...

This will be an excellent way to attach a bridge to a fleece saddle.

Edit: After tying this based on the video, I realized it is the same knot used by many pack and jacket makers to attach zipper cord pulls so you don't lose them, and that there is an easier way to tie it IF you can pull the end of the rope through (end of rope isn't attached to anything and the rope isn't crazy long). Tie a girth hitch and loosen it so you can grab part that crosses the two strands horizontally, pull some slack in that cross piece, give it a 180 degree twist forming a loop, then pull your tag end through that loop (you just made a girth hitch locked by a twist so the rope constricts both sides). If anyone tries it on paracord, you'll see it right away I think.
 
Last edited:
raisins said:
This will be an excellent way to attach a bridge to a fleece saddle.

Edit: After tying this based on the video, I realized it is the same knot used by many pack and jacket makers to attach zipper cord pulls so you don't lose them, and that there is an easier way to tie it IF you can pull the end of the rope through (end of rope isn't attached to anything and the rope isn't crazy long). Tie a girth hitch and loosen it so you can grab part that crosses the two strands horizontally, pull some slack in that cross piece, give it a 180 degree twist forming a loop, then pull your tag end through that loop (you just made a girth hitch locked by a twist so the rope constricts both sides). If anyone tries it on paracord, you'll see it right away I think.
Click to expand...
Cow hitch works but will loosen so u gotta make it grow a pair. I like having my biner stay in 1 spot on my linesman's belt and bull hitch is a good option to keep ur biner from flopping... obviously works for the delta link situation also. I vaguely remember DaveT possibly using this knot on his fleece saddle video when he standing in the kitchen


Edit: whenever I'm trying tether or linesman's knot to make the eye/loop if I had to guess the loop is roughly 8-12 inches.... That will give u plenty of rope to work with.... It can be a real pain to tie if ur loop isnt large enough
 
Last edited:
Weldabeast said:
Cow hitch works but will loosen so u gotta make it grow a pair. I like having my biner stay in 1 spot on my linesman's belt and bull hitch is a good option to keep ur biner from flopping... obviously works for the delta link situation also. I vaguely remember DaveT possibly using this knot on his fleece saddle video when he standing in the kitchen


Edit: whenever I'm trying tether or linesman's knot to make the eye/loop if I had to guess the loop is roughly 8-12 inches.... That will give u plenty of rope to work with.... It can be a real pain to tie if ur loop isnt large enough
Click to expand...

Yep, DaveT did, but I don't think it locks quite as good as what you posted. He took a regular cow (girth) hitch and pulled apart the two "ears" of it and then rotated them both a 180 degree turn inward.
 
What delta link are you all using? I need to order another one, but what I’m finding on Amazon are all “marine grade”.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top