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Saddle failures?

B

bbarron

New Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2023
Messages
19
New to saddle hunting. I hear it’s super safe, but obviously there is always room for human error and gear failure. My main concern is how do you get down if your platform fails, or one of your sticks fall due to strap failure? I will later set up to rappel to get past this issue, but this is one of my main concerns. Secondly, what are the most common failures or issues related to saddle hunting for falling or getting stuck in a tree?
 
For me, the best way for me to ensure that I have a safe way down is that I attach my rappel line on the ground, & use it as a tether on the way up, & at height. I've been practicing various climbing methods, and because I do this, when I've "gotten into trouble," I just rappel down & start over. I just started rappelling last month, & already it will be the ONLY way that I climb a tree.

My advice- FIRST start with learning how to rappel. Decide if you want to use knots, a figure 8, or a mechanical device like a GriGri or MadRock Safeguard. There's plenty of threads with info on all of these options. Start from 1 stick & see how it goes. Then add more stix as you get comfortable with it.

I started at 3 ft up, then went to 6 ft, 9 ft, & so on. I now have a platform set at 18 ft with steps going up, & rappel from it about every other day.

Once you have that down, & are using it as your tether, you can climb a few feet off of the ground & simulate various failures- stix or steps loose, platform loose, etc. & you'll see how the tether behaves, how you swing, and become more comfortable with those situations, if they would ever occur.

I prefer Wild Edge Stepps, but also have & use Hawk Helium & Tethrd Skeletor stix. My platforms are the Tethrd Predator XL, and 2 Wild Edge Perch's

I personally have never had a platform, stick, or step fail on me.

I personally (on occasion,) have NOT attached them tight enough, & have had them slip on me a little bit- but that was MY fault, & not the device's.

I am by NO MEANS a climbing expert. But I believe that I can safely say that most mishaps are caused by CLIMBER ERROR, and that covers a wide range of things, like improper equip. use, improper knot tying, improper use of mechanical devices, general bad judgement, climber in a hurry, etc-the list goes on & on!
 
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My first year I climbed up and down with sticks. I had the same concern if sticks kicking out or dropping. My plan then was to lower myself holding onto stick remaining or tree and hope not to fall. Lineman’s belt helpful would prevent me hitting the ground but it’s still going to hurt.

I tried one sticking this year, it fine until I had to put on winter boots and then climbing the three step aider was sketchy. But I’m sticking with rappelling. If for some reason my platform failed, I’ll be fine and just rappel down.

Using RDA trucker hitches on my beast sticks, I really don’t have a concern with the sticks coming loose. They are on tight.
 
Keep a step assessable.
You can strap it on,
Step on it
lower your tether
Lower the step
Lower your tether
and single step down to your stick.
Pretty simple and weighs ounces.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I am leaning towards the Mad Rock. It looks like all you need to rappel is the rope (40’), and the Mad Rock? And then a rope to in hitch your tether from the tree. Anything else you need with the Mad Rock set up?
 
bbarron said:
I am leaning towards the Mad Rock. It looks like all you need to rappel is the rope (40’), and the Mad Rock? And then a rope to in hitch your tether from the tree. Anything else you need with the Mad Rock set up?
Click to expand...

Rappel setup includes:
-Rope, 30-40’, usually 9mm to be in spec with the Madrock. Length depends on how high you want to go and what sort of knot you use, scaffold knot takes less than a Figure 8.
-Madrock safeguard or some other device such as a Gri Gri, figure 8 or ATC and autoblock, etc.
-Quick link, some use a steel carabiner.
-Pull down rope, I use 7/64” amsteel and a Rock Exotica accessory carabiner.
 
bbarron said:
I am leaning towards the Mad Rock. It looks like all you need to rappel is the rope (40’), and the Mad Rock? And then a rope to in hitch your tether from the tree. Anything else you need with the Mad Rock set up?
Click to expand...
What rope you getting ? I’ve heard great things about that device but your rope should be in spec.
 
bbarron said:
New to saddle hunting. I hear it’s super safe, but obviously there is always room for human error and gear failure. My main concern is how do you get down if your platform fails, or one of your sticks fall due to strap failure? I will later set up to rappel to get past this issue, but this is one of my main concerns. Secondly, what are the most common failures or issues related to saddle hunting for falling or getting stuck in a tree?
Click to expand...
I don't have a million videos but i did make one last year which addresses your first question. Link attached. In terms of your 2nd question, getting stuck, that is a realistic scenario. I believe the most likely reason would be AFTER a loss of footing. And the climber either couldn't break their friction hitch OR were at the end of their tether. As stated in the video, in 15 years i never used a conventional tether. They are simply too short to get us down.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 
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