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Redneck Belay Device/Tender

Marmuzz

Marmuzz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2021
Messages
1,185
Location
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Edit: This was a brainstorm I had but admittedly it’s not a good idea. You are advised not to replicate this. Thanks to those who commented on the potential dangers of this.

Okay safety police, climbing experienced people, chew me out, I have to be missing something…

Yesterday I was testing out friction hitches above my Mammut Smart 2.0, and watched some videos on using an ATC belay device. With a hitch above a belay device, I began to think, all that device is is an expensive hitch tender. The hitch is really doing all the work.

I started thinking about the "U-bend" shape these devices force the rope into after your carabiner clips and I wondered why any slotted item couldn't work the same way... it wouldn't even have to be climbing related, or climbed rated... it's just a tender right??

I tested it out this morning in my basement. Threw a quick link on in place of the Smart. Sure enough, in this configuration, it tended the hitch up, and because I have figured out a hitch the seems fitted to my bodyweight, it let me down fine.

To be fair, I didn't test this on a tree with my full bodyweight. Maybe on rappel a legit device would help rope feed out better and make releasing the hitch easier.

It has me wondering, IF YOU USE A HITCH *ABOVE THE DEVICE, why pay $25-50 for a climb-spec belay device when any $5 hardware store item with a nicely rounded slot for the rope will work?

So... what am I missing? I'm completely open to being corrected and told this is stupid and unsafe if it is.

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What’s preventing the link from turning and “swallowing” the carabiner (and the ends of your friction hitch that are tied to it) under load? It appears that a rotation of the quick link would make that possible.

Regardless, the cost of a climbing-rated ATC or Figure8 is typically under $20. That’s probably not the best part of your hunting budget to skimp on.
 
Not jumping on you @Marmuzz , but this is the part of what we do that I don't understand. We (myself included) will go spend THOUSANDS on the best new bow, rifle, shotgun...... But we try to skimp on the actual life saving devices like ropes and devices.
 
A ring works without jamming up, but not as much friction as other devices without more work. The v groove of the ATC, and the ridges of the Smart assist in holding and descending.
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You would probably do as well or better just using a Munter Hitch, and have less gear to carry.

(This post is aimed at the OP)
 
Yea that’s gonna be a NO from me dog. If you want to be cheap, at least get a $5 rappel ring as @Brocky suggested. If you actually can’t afford an atc I’ll buy you one on one condition: you use it properly and stay safe…

Or like I have said in your 2 other threads… just add on your figure 8 when you want to go down. It takes no time at all.
 
LoadedLimbs said:
What’s preventing the link from turning and “swallowing” the carabiner (and the ends of your friction hitch that are tied to it) under load? It appears that a rotation of the quick link would make that possible.

Regardless, the cost of a climbing-rated ATC or Figure8 is typically under $20. That’s probably not the best part of your hunting budget to skimp on.
Click to expand...
Conceptually I think you’d have to select a piece of hardware with a proper spec’d ID per the mm of your rope. Most people probably wouldn’t think that far. Definitely an advantage to using a device… the specs are already predetermined.
 
I’ve rappelled a bit in my life. While I’m no master, I do have some experience.
1) Using non rated gear isn’t worth your life.
2) Your quick link isn’t putting the same amount of friction an ATC or figure 8 would. It could possibly work, but you will need to use a lot more arm strength versus legit gear.
3) While the quick link works (and I’m sure it would for a time) it will probably bend over time and/or after a big fall.
This is the same reason we choose not to hunt with 550 or Walmart poly line as a rappel line. At some point that stuff will fail and you will fall. That’s the whole idea behind getting rated gear - minimize risk to injury.
 
gcr0003 said:
Yea that’s gonna be a NO from me dog. If you want to be cheap, at least get a $5 rappel ring as @Brocky suggested. If you actually can’t afford an atc I’ll buy you one on one condition: you use it properly and stay safe…

Or like I have said in your 2 other threads… just add on your figure 8 when you want to go down. It takes no time at all.
Click to expand...
Ha, you got my number @gcr0003. No, I can afford an ATC and I think I’ll just get one.

I enjoy the process of brainstorming through these concepts and tinkering with what might be possible, but I don’t want to encourage something stupid. There’s enough monkey see monkey do in this saddle business just because a username on the internet said so. I know I’ve posted a number of outside-the-box innovations but I think oughta lay off because I don’t want anyone to get hurt.
 
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