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Rappelling 101

When using Sterling 9mm HTP rope with a Mad Rock Safeguard for rappelling after a hunt. What's the best way to backup the Mad Rock safeguard in case of failure? Should you incorporate an prussic (autoblock) below and connect it to your lineman loop just like if you were rappelling using an ATC?
 
BrianSHT2020 said:
When using Sterling 9mm HTP rope with a Mad Rock Safeguard for rappelling after a hunt. What's the best way to backup the Mad Rock safeguard in case of failure? Should you incorporate an prussic (autoblock) below and connect it to your lineman loop just like if you were rappelling using an ATC?
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No need to backup a Safeguard in my unprofessional, keyboard jockey, opinion. It’s not designed to work with a backup, it is designed to automatically grab the rope and stop your descent. Good enough for me.
 
I agree with @pesqimon above. If you trust a friction hitch more than the mechanical device you may as well use an ATC with the backup hitch.
People do like backups. Do what makes you comfortable.
 
pesqimon said:
No need to backup a Safeguard in my unprofessional, keyboard jockey, opinion. It’s not designed to work with a backup, it is designed to automatically grab the rope and stop your descent. Good enough for me.
Click to expand...

I’m with you. That’s why I chose that kind of device. I only back it up with a stopper knot when at hunting height.


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So, I've tried my hand out one sticking and rappelling several times in the yard and on one hunt. I'm hoping I can get some advice to overcome a few of the obstacles I've ran into.

I've been using my rappel rope as my main tether. Do you just tie and take off your hitch (I use a distel) every time? If I don't take it off, I have a heck of a time trying to pull my rope back down once I'm back on the ground. The size of the hitch (and the carabiner if I don't remove it too) doesn't seem to want to pull back through my loop. Same goes for my autoblock and that carabiner. Of course, it isn't quite the hassle to take on and off as needed. I've tried just using a separate rope for my tether. I've got a spare Oplux tether

Another thing. The hitch. That distel wants to jam on me sometimes. Particularly after hanging all my weight on it when I'm reaching down to move the stick. And trying to get it free one handed, with no load on it at height is a problem Maybe that's just unavoidable. Maybe I need to find another option. It's 6mm Sterling TRC on 8mm Oplux.

On a positive note, I've been very pleased thus far with my Grivel Mono Master for descending. I use a Mad Rock HMS Hulk biner with it and a 6 mm sterling autoblock. I think I'll swap that one out for the standard 6.8 mm in hopes that gives me a little more bite on the Oplux.
 
SecretAgentMan said:
Another thing. The hitch. That distel wants to jam on me sometimes. Particularly after hanging all my weight on it when I'm reaching down to move the stick. And trying to get it free one handed, with no load on it at height is a problem Maybe that's just unavoidable. Maybe I need to find another option. It's 6mm Sterling TRC on 8mm Oplux.
Click to expand...

Are you using a tender? If not that would help. I have found if I make sure my hitch is good and loose and dressed properly when I clip in before I weight it, it cooperates better. But if I just leave it all tight all the time like if I put it up that way then take it back out and hook in without dressing it good, it gets stuck easy and doesn’t want to slide.
 
Tr33_n1nj@ said:
Are you using a tender? If not that would help. I have found if I make sure my hitch is good and loose and dressed properly when I clip in before I weight it, it cooperates better. But if I just leave it all tight all the time like if I put it up that way then take it back out and hook in without dressing it good, it gets stuck easy and doesn’t want to slide.
Click to expand...

I did try it with a tender the first time out. Maybe I should revisit.
 
SecretAgentMan said:
I did try it with a tender the first time out. Maybe I should revisit.
Click to expand...

May also want to look at different tender options and lengths. On my Oplux tether I have the Kong mini 8 from EWO and it is attached with paracord, it took me a few tries to get the tie in length right. My lineman belt (Aerohunter) has a tender more like the plastic D-ring tender at EWO. It works great with the Predator rope and whatever prussic loop they use, but the opening is larger and not sure if it is small enough for Oplux/TRC, Ive never tested it that way.
 
SecretAgentMan said:
So, I've tried my hand out one sticking and rappelling several times in the yard and on one hunt. I'm hoping I can get some advice to overcome a few of the obstacles I've ran into.

I've been using my rappel rope as my main tether. Do you just tie and take off your hitch (I use a distel) every time? If I don't take it off, I have a heck of a time trying to pull my rope back down once I'm back on the ground. The size of the hitch (and the carabiner if I don't remove it too) doesn't seem to want to pull back through my loop. Same goes for my autoblock and that carabiner. Of course, it isn't quite the hassle to take on and off as needed. I've tried just using a separate rope for my tether. I've got a spare Oplux tether

Another thing. The hitch. That distel wants to jam on me sometimes. Particularly after hanging all my weight on it when I'm reaching down to move the stick. And trying to get it free one handed, with no load on it at height is a problem Maybe that's just unavoidable. Maybe I need to find another option. It's 6mm Sterling TRC on 8mm Oplux.

On a positive note, I've been very pleased thus far with my Grivel Mono Master for descending. I use a Mad Rock HMS Hulk biner with it and a 6 mm sterling autoblock. I think I'll swap that one out for the standard 6.8 mm in hopes that gives me a little more bite on the Oplux.
Click to expand...

You will struggle mightily to get your rappel rope down living that hitch on it 20’+ in a tree. I’m surprised you haven’t gotten it stuck several times and had the go back up after it. Another option is to get yourself a Madrock Safeguard. I climb, hunt, then rappel off mine.

I use brass tack rings for a tender on OpLux. Just tie a piece of 1.8mm cord to it and then create a loop in the other end for the carabiner. Have to play with it to get the length correct but works very well.


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Yes, IMO, you definately want to take off your ATC, hitches and any carabiners off before trying to retrieve your rope. I typically even untie my stopper knot then make a point to retie it after getting the rope down.
 
Got it. I should’ve known, but thankfully I learned this lesson playing around in the yard with it only 10-12’ off the ground and not 25’ in the dark and rain.
Good point on the stopper too.
 
Tr33_n1nj@ said:
May also want to look at different tender options and lengths. On my Oplux tether I have the Kong mini 8 from EWO and it is attached with paracord, it took me a few tries to get the tie in length right. My lineman belt (Aerohunter) has a tender more like the plastic D-ring tender at EWO. It works great with the Predator rope and whatever prussic loop they use, but the opening is larger and not sure if it is small enough for Oplux/TRC, Ive never tested it that way.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Yeah, I had tried it with the the little snap wire gate plastic tenders from @DanO but I also ordered one of those 3D printed distel tenders to see how I like it. Hoping that opening isn’t too large for the oplux/trc.

Every time I login here, my bank account suffers.
 
I put the plastic tender back on and it did make a world of difference.

I think I was pretty well already dressing the hitch like it should be. The length of one tail might've been a hair different than the other. All in all, it functioned much better on yesterday's hunt.
 
When I get to the bottom all that’s on my rappel rope/tether is mt paracord pull rope connected to a caribiner above the figure 8 knot.

If you leave anything on the rope that needs to be pulled through the eye or the crotch of the tree you will be asking for trouble.


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So, thought I’d share. Probably old news to some of y’all. And, I only played with this at ground level.

I’m rappelling on 8 mm oplux with a grivel mono master. I, ignorantly, bought a 6.8 mm hollowblock (the black one) to use as an autoblock. It didn’t bite the Oplux worth a crap. Definitely not enough so for my 250# butt to hang and remove a stick and feel safe. I also have a 6.0 mm (orange one) that works great. I assume most are using 5.5. Maybe I’ll buy a jammy and see if I like it even better.

Now, I have a 6.8 mm, 13.5” loop to, idk, hang something off of.
 
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