• 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

Rappell Question

I prefer an atc on an extension with an autoblock backup bar none for single or double line rappels. Easier to slingshot off of, work with both static and dynamic, simple, light, easy to add 3:1 or other high angle rescue setups to the system without untying, nothing mechanical you're relying on...
That's some serious experience lol! What's your preferred SRT setup? I use my grigri as part of my SRT/Rads setup so it's already hooked up, guess I could use a prusik with a tender...

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
That's some serious experience lol! What's your preferred SRT setup? I use my grigri as part of my SRT/Rads setup so it's already hooked up, guess I could use a prusik with a tender...

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
I think SRT/RAD setups are pretty situational. The grigri system you're using is probably great and works well for what you're using it for. I"ve always been from the school of thought that its better when gear I'm carrying can have many multiple uses(like your gri gri is in your system). A couple slings, cordollette, biners, ATC, and prusik loops have a lot more versatility to me so I prefer setups that use a lot of those kinds of things. Hell even small changes like carrying spectra webbing instead of nylon makes them more versatile for use as prussiks/etc. The majority of my SRT experience(and knowledge) is in rescue situations/training on rock, ice, or caving where you need to be able to make an efficient system using the gear you have.

That being said, I like using a texas prusik style setup. It's a classic crevasse self rescue setup that is adaptable to a lot of different situations and is simple and light. If oyu happen to have a mini ascender it can work great in conjunction throughout the setup.

There are some other folks on here with some different backgrounds that could give you more insight on things like rope wrenches, and other specific gear designed for SRT/RAD. I've played with some, but not to the extent any of the arborist guys here have. If youre interested in the more "mountaineering" side of rope systems I suggest picking up a copy of "Freedom of the hills" it is like the mountaineering bible.
 
@Vtbow I have a pretty solid arborist foundation but I don’t know half of the stuff you are referring to (LOL and spinning down a YouTube/google rathole). I love learning new things and appreciate your input.
 
I think SRT/RAD setups are pretty situational. The grigri system you're using is probably great and works well for what you're using it for. I"ve always been from the school of thought that its better when gear I'm carrying can have many multiple uses(like your gri gri is in your system). A couple slings, cordollette, biners, ATC, and prusik loops have a lot more versatility to me so I prefer setups that use a lot of those kinds of things. Hell even small changes like carrying spectra webbing instead of nylon makes them more versatile for use as prussiks/etc. The majority of my SRT experience(and knowledge) is in rescue situations/training on rock, ice, or caving where you need to be able to make an efficient system using the gear you have.

That being said, I like using a texas prusik style setup. It's a classic crevasse self rescue setup that is adaptable to a lot of different situations and is simple and light. If oyu happen to have a mini ascender it can work great in conjunction throughout the setup.

There are some other folks on here with some different backgrounds that could give you more insight on things like rope wrenches, and other specific gear designed for SRT/RAD. I've played with some, but not to the extent any of the arborist guys here have. If youre interested in the more "mountaineering" side of rope systems I suggest picking up a copy of "Freedom of the hills" it is like the mountaineering bible.
Nice! I've looked at that book before, you sold me at simple and light! Time to upgrade the SRT setup lol.

Definitely gonna be hitting the Google, thanks again!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
I use a really small rope for rapelling. Outs made by Bluewater and rated to 3k #


Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
There are 3 - 6mm ropes I know of that are for rappelling. Petzl RAD, Mammut Rappel Cord 6mm, and Edelrid Rap Line II 6mm. All these ropes have Aramid weaved in for durability. I think all manufacturers recommend a double rope rappel with these ropes. They are crazy light though. Petzl is the most expensive but is the lightest at 22g/m. Mammut and Edelrid are 31g/m. So if you double the rope for rappel and you carry 60 ft (for a 30 ft rappel), you're looking at ~14 oz for the Petzl and ~20 oz for Mammut and Edelrid. The question is ... since the manufacturers recommend doubling the rope, can we find an 8mm or 9mm single rope (30 ft) lighter than this. Otherwise, I'd say these are nice setups for the weight.
 
My experience has been with RADS with a grigri but I have been looking at the Texas system and it seems like the way to go. Haven’t had a chance to practice it though.

I am thinking to use a Kong Duck as the upper ascender and a hand ascender for the foot loop.

Simpler than RADS it seems.

For the descent I may still use the grigri. We’ll see.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I did some google'n and didn't get very far, lol, can anyone point me in the right direction for this texas rig?
 
Here is a basic example:

I believe I can use the Kong Duck for the top ascender and then perhaps just leave it there for hunting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Here is a basic example:

I believe I can use the Kong Duck for the top ascender and then perhaps just leave it there for hunting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That doesn't look too bad, I'm not sure if I'd rather carry 2 ascenders or 2 prusik knots, in my experience prusiks are a pain to loosen once they get weight on them, but I need to try it to really see whats better. Thanks for the link!
 
No way I’d do it prussiks. Always a big pain.

If you have a RADS setup then you probably have what you need for this.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
No way I’d do it prussiks. Always a big pain.

If you have a RADS setup then you probably have what you need for this.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
For me it has nothing to do with what I have, I want to see if its doable and of it is then I would carry this 24/7. Right now I don't always carry my SRT setup.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
For me it has nothing to do with what I have, I want to see if its doable and of it is then I would carry this 24/7. Right now I don't always carry my SRT setup.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

You thinking that the slight reduction in gear versus RADS makes it worth carrying all the time?
 
You thinking that the slight reduction in gear versus RADS makes it worth carrying all the time?
Yeah, I'm crazy sometimes but I like being able to rappel if I want and self rescue if I have a fall/slip and get tangled up. But to properly do that I would need to actually have that stuff on me at all times and not just in the back pack.

Anyway I like have options and I'm already carrying the rope so if I stop doing SRT this would kind of make sense, but I need to play with it.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
For me it has nothing to do with what I have, I want to see if its doable and of it is then I would carry this 24/7. Right now I don't always carry my SRT setup.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
I rappelled 100% of my hunts this year and I didn't carry my SRT setup much this year. Most of my hunts I climbed using the single stick method. All I needed was a full length of rope and a descender, in my case a Madrock Safeguard. I also keep a Black Diamond ATC Sport and prussic in my pack as a backup in case I drop the Madrock hooking it up. It weighs nothing and I can reuse the carabiners from my lineman's belt if I need to so really no extra gear to carry. Both descenders work really well for me.
 
Has anyone looked into or tried the Sterling FCX rescue device for rappelling? Super light, easy lever controlled descent with auto braking. Works with small diameter ropes.

Looks like a winner to me but I'm not experienced with rappelling. Need some insider's thoughts. FCXwebheader1.jpegbh-joeyd.jpeg

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
Has anyone looked into or tried the Sterling FCX rescue device for rappelling? Super light, easy lever controlled descent with auto braking. Works with small diameter ropes.

Looks like a winner to me but I'm not experienced with rappelling. Need some insider's thoughts.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

I don't have any experience with it, but from the promo video it doesn't seem to be made for just hanging on. After a quick search I could not find any recommended tying off methods for working at height.

For instance, although the GriGri2 has auto braking, you should not stop and work without tying it off. The FCX ability to go into neutral concerns me for our applications, so there would have to be a way to tie it off.

Further, I am not sure how you would use this device as part of the ascension, which you may be ok with but I also don't see how it can be attached without access to the end of the rope. So if you wanted to switch to this device after you were up in the tree, having to pull the rope up so that you pass it through this device and then slide it all the way up the rope would probably get old quickly.
 
Well, I know this much about it. The only way to descend is to pull down on the lever. It's designed so that when you apply any weight, the mechanical cam system pinches the rope and locks out until the lever is pulled to slowly realign the holes and allow the rope to glide through. The more you pull the lever downward, the more aligned the holes become to increase speed of descent. Does that make sense?

I'm only looking at this device for descending.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
Also, I may have used the wrong language on my initial post. I said "auto braking but I meant, "auto lock". I can see how that would cause confusion. My apologies.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
To me it appears the downside to this over the Grigri or Madrock type devices is that you seem to have to thread the rope thru the holes. With the aforementioned you can open the device and slip it onto the rope without needing to feed the full length of the rope thru it.
 
Back
Top