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Primary tether attachment with figure 8

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one-eyed-jack

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Nov 20, 2019
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I’ll be one-sticking this season. I’d like to use an 8mm rope with a figure 8 to rappel down. What would I use for my tether attachment when hunting? prusik? Then do I just unhook that once I’m tied in to my figure 8?
Thanks for all the suggestions!
 
trailblazer75

trailblazer75

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Dec 24, 2018
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You could just run a figure 8 in a rappel configuration. Then set a friction hitch on the running end below the figure 8. This would allow you to descend one handed and "lock off" without having to have a figure 8 with ears. I did this for 2-3 years before I looked into other means of descending. It definitely works well and I still usually keep a figure 8 and prussik cord in a pouch just in case.

The way to set it up is to just run your figure 8 as normal and tie a prussik (or a better friction hitch) in the system below the 8. I would then clip that to my right side lineman's loop. I'd tie an overhand and clip that back into my bridge carabiner as a safety and then when it's time to descend, simply unclip the overhand, untie is and squeeze the friction hitch.

It doesn't create much heat/wear and tear on your ropes because the bulk of the force is on the figure 8, which is smooth and the friction hitch is easy to break loose but not dangerously so.
 
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one-eyed-jack

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Thank you! Super helpful but I need to unpack a bit. Any chance you have access to a photo? What friction knot would you recommend instead of prusik? Thanks so much for your help.
 
trailblazer75

trailblazer75

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I don't at the moment but I can rig it up when I get off work and follow up with you.

I personally bought beale cordlette from EWO and tied scaffold hitches on either end. I bought them cut to 3 feet.

Once I knew my scaffold hitches were good I used a schwebisch hitch personally because I liked how it was unidirectional (the prussik is not) and how easy it was to break loose without having to fight it one handed. A prussik will tend to bind up and be hard to get to release.

I'll post some videos that I used for tying the hitch and photos of it all rigged up later on.
 
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GreginPA

GreginPA

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You could tie an alpine butterfly in your tether if you are the type that does not adjust their tether much.
 
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phatkaw

phatkaw

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@one-eyed-jack , you can use a separate tether for Climbing with a Schwabich or Distel hitch and hunt with that. (I use Swabisch's)
No need to toss down your rappel rope until you're ready to come down.

^^^ That's how I roll...
 
Last edited:
trailblazer75

trailblazer75

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GreginPA said:
You could tie an alpine butterfly in your tether if you are the type that does not adjust their tether much.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't that be kinda difficult to climb with it that way? I never considered doing that but I guess it would eliminate a carabiner and a cord from your system.
 
trailblazer75

trailblazer75

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phatkaw said:
I was wondering that too...



Greg might be on to something?

I'll have to look up how to tie the 'butterfly. (hope I can tie it with one hand) lol
Click to expand...

Personally I want my placement on the tether to be adjustable as I climb.

I forgot to mention this.

As I'm climbing my schwebisch is clipped into my bridge as my main connection, climb the tree and hunt. When its time to rappel I set my LB and lean on it. Unclip schwebish and move to LB loop. Get slack and put figure 8 in tether/rappel system and clip to bridge. Weight and make adjustments. Remove LB. Rappel. My figure 8 isn't always in the system, only when its time to rappel.
 
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Yazoo Hntr

Yazoo Hntr

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Jul 27, 2019
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trailblazer75 said:
I think you'll like that but the figure 8 being in the system full time really limits your ability to position yourself on the line. You can always go down rope that way, but not back up it very effectively.
Click to expand...
I am actually just climbing up on the schwabisch hitch and will have a tender that allows the adjustment. When I get ready to come down I'll put a lineman's belt around the tree, move the schwabisch hitch to a lineman's loop, install the figure 8 and rappel. I don't care for the madrock.
 
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trailblazer75

trailblazer75

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Yazoo Hntr said:
I am actually just climbing up on the schwabisch hitch and will have a tender that allows the adjustment. When I get ready to come down I'll put a lineman's belt around the tree, move the schwabisch hitch to a lineman's loop, install the figure 8 and rappel. I don't care for the madrock.
Click to expand...
Ahh this is the exact way I was attempting to articulate.
 
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phatkaw

phatkaw

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one-eyed-jack said:
I’ll be one-sticking this season. I’d like to use an 8mm rope with a figure 8 to rappel down. What would I use for my tether attachment when hunting? prusik? Then do I just unhook that once I’m tied in to my figure 8?
Thanks for all the suggestions!
Click to expand...

@one-eyed-jack , this is 'my way'...
It works great for me! It might help you by giving you something to watch and you can take away from it what you like or don't like...

Figure of 8 progress capture???

Any of yins guys heard of doing this? I never have. I’ve been doing it for over a month. I think I invented it? It’s legit. It works great! I saw Nice Guy Dave from Wesspur do sumthin’ like this but my way is waayyy easier... Just rig yourself up to descend, then take your tag end and wrap...
saddlehunter.com
 
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Yazoo Hntr

Yazoo Hntr

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Jul 27, 2019
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The only down side is I have to untie and retie the schwabisch each time I climb, but that is not an issue too me. That will be part of my prep each time before I leave the truck and even the night before a morning hunt.
 
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phatkaw

phatkaw

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Feb 23, 2021
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Yazoo Hntr said:
I am actually just climbing up on the schwabisch hitch and will have a tender that allows the adjustment. When I get ready to come down I'll put a lineman's belt around the tree, move the schwabisch hitch to a lineman's loop, install the figure 8 and rappel. I don't care for the madrock.
Click to expand...

So, you just move the Swabisch and the tender back to the quick link end of the rope after every rappel?
 
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