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Rappelling kits

BuckeyeBowman

BuckeyeBowman

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2022
Messages
81
Hello all, been saddle hunting for a few years now and want to make it easier by rappelling down. I’ve searched and googled different kits and I’m unsure what the best rope would be? I would like a mechanical device like a mad rock safeguard or is there something better? Seems like most kits are in the same ballpark as price point so would it be better to piece it out or buy a kit and from what company? Thanks for taking the time to educate me. Adam
 
At the end of the day, it's a rope and a device. So you have A LOT of choices and flexibility.

If it was me: I'd be using an Edelrid Megawatt and 9mm or bigger rope
 
EWO puts together a good kit, check them out.
Rope preference will come down to a couple things - packability, device/connection you want to use and comfort, etc. I myself like rescu tech or oplux as it’s small diameter and packs easy. It works with a Madrock if you wanna go that route or figure 8 as well. It grips well when wet and is abrasion resistant. I can pack 30ft plus my device, biner and backup figure 8 into a pouch the size of my hand.
Having said that you may have to experiment to find what you like.
 
BuckeyeBowman said:
Hello all, been saddle hunting for a few years now and want to make it easier by rappelling down. I’ve searched and googled different kits and I’m unsure what the best rope would be? I would like a mechanical device like a mad rock safeguard or is there something better? Seems like most kits are in the same ballpark as price point so would it be better to piece it out or buy a kit and from what company? Thanks for taking the time to educate me. Adam
Click to expand...
What part of Ohio are you in? I don't use any mechanical devices. I use figure 8s with a hitch to rappel. If you are close and/or want to travel to try it out sometime. I am in the Wayne/Holmes county area
 
There’s arguments for (ease of use/braking) and against (simpler/less to go wrong) mechanical devices like the safeguard. I would suggest buying a low-cost (I don’t mean cheap, they’re just much cheaper than mechanicals) ATC or Figure 8 just to understand how to rappel. You’ll also want to learn either the auto block or some type of hitch above the device for breaking backup. It’s also worth learning the Munter hitch such that no device is needed beyond a carabiner.

If you aren’t ascending on the device I can see little argument for anything mechanical. For rope I would start 9mm and above. You can always go smaller and more mechanical once you learn the ropes so to speak.
 
arm breaker said:
There’s arguments for (ease of use/braking) and against (simpler/less to go wrong) mechanical devices like the safeguard. I would suggest buying a low-cost (I don’t mean cheap, they’re just much cheaper than mechanicals) ATC or Figure 8 just to understand how to rappel. You’ll also want to learn either the auto block or some type of hitch above the device for breaking backup. It’s also worth learning the Munter hitch such that no device is needed beyond a carabiner.

If you aren’t ascending on the device I can see little argument for anything mechanical. For rope I would start 9mm and above. You can always go smaller and more mechanical once you learn the ropes so to speak.
Click to expand...
Yes, this ^^^

If you buy a figure 8 and then decide to get a Madrock later, you always can throw the figure 8 in your pack as a backup.
 
For me, and I started using a friction hitch to climb and then switched to a figure-8 to rappel, the greatest argument for a mechanical device such as the Safeguard or the GriGri + is the fact that if I climb with it and something happens such as a kick out and I get injured, it takes almost nothing to simply rappel down. I don’t have to add the device, I don’t have to unweight my friction hitch, or do anything other than drop the rope, grace the lever and down I go. For that added safety factor, it’s more than worth the extra money.

You can climb using a non-mechanical device but every time you need to adjust it during the climb you will then have to lock it off again, adding time and fiddle factor, and to me reducing the safety factor as you’ve increased the chances of NOT getting it right.
 
Thanks for all the replies, now the research starts and to find the best prices. Looks like prices are fairly even for the kits
 
This is why I want to start rappelling. I’m sick of carrying and using sticks. Each stick can be a weak point in the climbing method. My 3 step aider from Hang Free just arrived and I attached it to my platform and it works great. I only climbed to the platform and haven’t moved it yet so I shall see how that pans out. This is why I want to rappel down and I think it’s safer than moving a tether and linemans belt coming down. Have lots of practice time before fall. Thanks again everyone and if you have any tips let me know. Adam
 

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BuckeyeBowman said:
Thanks for all the replies, now the research starts and to find the best prices. Looks like prices are fairly even for the kits
Click to expand...
I use an ATC with a prussik below it to work like the break hand. It lets me just let go and I stay put. I’m using the Gri Gri+ and an ascender for my SRT……just started that, and I like it!!
 
BuckeyeBowman said:
This is why I want to start rappelling. I’m sick of carrying and using sticks. Each stick can be a weak point in the climbing method. My 3 step aider from Hang Free just arrived and I attached it to my platform and it works great. I only climbed to the platform and haven’t moved it yet so I shall see how that pans out. This is why I want to rappel down and I think it’s safer than moving a tether and linemans belt coming down. Have lots of practice time before fall. Thanks again everyone and if you have any tips let me know. Adam
Click to expand...
Might want to make you a handle for the top. I use a fairly long piece of the rubber coated wire. Dont have to reach down so far to grab the platform.
 
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