Sit and Drag build- what am I missing?

[tbowers]

I'm looking to try saddle hunting this year, so was going to order the Sit and Drag for a lower cost entry. I already have a rock climb harness and the HSS rope style tree strap that I can use as the tree tether, and a bunch of old strap on steps I could make into a ring of steps for the platform.

That said, Im trying to assemble all I need to buy - which is starting to add up a little more then I thought it would however $70 of it is for a couple Ropeman's which are optional as I could just do prussics. Does this look like a reasonable starting list to get into saddle hunting?

Below prices are from Amazon

For linemans belt:
20' 8mm climbing rope(wont use this much obviously)- $15
Ropeman 1- $35
Carabiner x 2- $10 ea

Sit and Drag- $35

10'- 1" webbing(for bridge and sewing to saddle for loops, etc)- $9

Ropeman 1- $35(this is to put onto my existing HSS rope tether strap to tied into the RC harness)

Dump Pouch x 2- $7 ea

Total: $154.00

 

[swamp_possum]

Honestly if you were trying to save some money I’d just go with the Ropeman on your lineman belt and use a prusik on your tether. After some practice with mine It is a game changer on your lineman rope though and after using it I’d never go back, but I use a prusik on my tether and it’s not worth it to me. Maybe next year I’ll change my mind.

 

[MCDM]

I'm looking to try saddle hunting this year, so was going to order the Sit and Drag for a lower cost entry. I already have a rock climb harness and the HSS rope style tree strap that I can use as the tree tether, and a bunch of old strap on steps I could make into a ring of steps for the platform.

That said, Im trying to assemble all I need to buy - which is starting to add up a little more then I thought it would however $70 of it is for a couple Ropeman's which are optional as I could just do prussics. Does this look like a reasonable starting list to get into saddle hunting?

Below prices are from Amazon

For linemans belt:
20' 8mm climbing rope(wont use this much obviously)- $15
Ropeman 1- $35
Carabiner x 2- $10 ea

Sit and Drag- $35

10'- 1" webbing(for bridge and sewing to saddle for loops, etc)- $9

Ropeman 1- $35(this is to put onto my existing HSS rope tether strap to tied into the RC harness)

Dump Pouch x 2- $7 ea

Total: $154.00

Are you using a webbing hss strap for your tether or is it the rope style? I personally prefer a rope bridge myself but some use webbing. Make sure everything is rated for climbing/tree work other than that you pretty much have the gear list complete. If you are infact using the rope hss for your tether i would just use the remainder of the climbing rope to make the bridge and ditch the webbing imho!!

 

[tbowers]

The tether will be the HSS rope that I already have. The 1" strap is for the bridge. Thats a good point regarding just using the rope for the bridge as well- i see there are quite a few vids online on how to tie it in. I will need to order some strap regardless though as I plan to make some molle loops in the saddle.

 

[MCDM]

The tether will be the HSS rope that I already have. The 1" strap is for the bridge. Thats a good point regarding just using the rope for the bridge as well- i see there are quite a few vids online on how to tie it in. I will need to order some strap regardless though as I plan to make some molle loops in the saddle.

Yeah definitely need loops lol!! I aas just thinking out loud but definitely make sure your stuff is rated that is most important. Test it all out at ground level better 1ft off the ground than 20.

 

[tbowers]

Yeah definitely need loops lol!! I aas just thinking out loud but definitely make sure your stuff is rated that is most important. Test it all out at ground level better 1ft off the ground than 20.

No doubt. The strapping Im looking at notes the below in the event i do elect to use it as the bridge. Not quite as big of a deal since I will also have the RC harness on.

1": tensile strength 900 lbs, recommended working load 300 lbs

Is 35 bucks about as cheap as a guy is going to find the Ropeman 1? Buying two of those accounts for almost half my cost here! Sounds like the upgrade over prussics is worth it though

 

[elk yinzer]

Just check out the thread ropeman safety also.
http://saddlehunter.com/community/index.php?threads/ropeman-safety.3530/

The Ropeman 1 is only rated to about 1,000 pounds. It's not safe on a tether unless it is backed up by a friction hitch above it, in my opinion. If you are perfect about having tension on your tether 100% of the time, it is probably ok, but if you ever have slack from standing or climbing up onto a platform, 1,000 pounds of force is not a very far fall and can shear your rope.

 

[tbowers]

The Ropeman 1 says 15KN-isnt that about 3300 lbs? Regardless, i'll just put the Ropeman above my prussic on the HSS tether then to give a little piece of mind.

 

[BudgetBuck1]

I don't use a ropeman on either the tether or the lineman's belt and get along fine. I just don't like having any metal on my setup. That will save you money. Also, you don't have to have dedicated lineman's belt loops with the sit/drag. You can just use the loops that your bridge is attached to. MCDM had a good idea to use the extra hss rope for the bridge as it is rated at 6,000 lbs and it will match so it will look better. I use a figure 8 knot on both sides of my bridge and then use two 50 lb zipties so the end of the figure eight won't come back through. You might also consider adding some type of back support because that in my opinion is not optional. Using the HSS rope as the bridge also gives you the option of an adjustable back brace. I am turning 40 and at my age being comfortable is a must. Anyways, good luck. I had fun building mine. Here are some pics of mine to show you what I mean.

 

[GCTerpfan]

The tether will be the HSS rope that I already have. The 1" strap is for the bridge. Thats a good point regarding just using the rope for the bridge as well- i see there are quite a few vids online on how to tie it in. I will need to order some strap regardless though as I plan to make some molle loops in the saddle.

You could also save a few dollars and use the leftover HSS rope as your linesman belt. All you would need are two caribiners and a ropeman then. l also agree a roperman on your tether isn't necessary right away.

 

[pesqimon]

Note that Ropeman 1 is not rated for 8mm rope. On a linesman it may be fine and some folks do use it like that.

If your concerned about Ropeman failure then you need to prusiks. One above the ropeman, in case ropeman fails. One below ropeman tied to belay loop in case sitdrag fails.

Prusik below ropeman is no good if the ropeman cuts the line above. Which is the usual concern.

 

[MCDM]

I use a ropeman 1 on both my lb and tether. My lb and tether are from htp static rope in 9mm but actually rope diameter is almost 10mm. I don’t recommend the ropeman 1 for this as it is user beware for its not rated for this setup per the manufacturer but i have used the same combination for two years without any issues or signs of rope wear. Remember my rope is closer to 10mm vs the advertised 9mm. Mind you i spend alot of time in the tree last year alone I sat for over 90 days averaging 6-8 hrs. I put a hurtin on gear but this has lasted and stood the tests.

 

[tbowers]

I need some kind of second carabiner attachment added to my existing HSS rope tether, right? it already has a prussic and carabiner on it but needs another biner- one for the bridge, one for the RC harness. My main point of reference is the DIY Sportsmans YouTube vid from 2016 on RC harness' w/ the SitDrag.

Note regarding rope, I meant 10mm not 8mm.

BudgetBuck1- Im buying some 1" strap not to make linemans loops, but to make gear loops for the dump bag, etc. I also dont have any additional HSS rope, the factory bought one I have is 8' and I wont be cutting it. Some guys above were just saying I could use some of the leftover 10mm rope from the linemans belt to use to make my bridge.

 

[MCDM]

you could tie your rope bridge to the loops making it fixed, then one carabiner if you girth hitch you LB to your loops two if you want it removable. One carabiner for your tether ropeman to your bridge so you can adjust and one carabiner for say a prussic to your rc harness or you could tie the extra bit of tether to your rc harness if you have enough left over from your tether wrapping around the tree.

 

[MCDM]

I just reread your post yes your right but read mine because you may already have enough carabiners.

 

[tbowers]

I currently have two carabiners, I would rather not have the linemans belt attached directly to one of my loops on my RC so i think i still need to buy two.

Two for the linemans belt
One from bridge to tether
One from RC harness to tether

 

[tbowers]

I see that some guys use the SitDrag without a RC harness?? How is that accomplished exactly without running the risk of falling out of it?

 

[BudgetBuck1]

I need some kind of second carabiner attachment added to my existing HSS rope tether, right? it already has a prussic and carabiner on it but needs another biner- one for the bridge, one for the RC harness. My main point of reference is the DIY Sportsmans YouTube vid from 2016 on RC harness' w/ the SitDrag.

Note regarding rope, I meant 10mm not 8mm.

BudgetBuck1- Im buying some 1" strap not to make linemans loops, but to make gear loops for the dump bag, etc. I also dont have any additional HSS rope, the factory bought one I have is 8' and I wont be cutting it. Some guys above were just saying I could use some of the leftover 10mm rope from the linemans belt to use to make my bridge.

Got it. I thought you were using one of the 20 foot HSS ropes, not the HSS tether. Anyways, I use a lineman's belt as my secondary tether to the rock climbing harness instead of a second prussik to the main tether. That way you have two separate ropes holding you to the tree. You have to take the lineman's belt up anyways so why not use it instead of trying to find somewhere to store it while you are at hunting height. I just loop the non adjustable end of the lineman's belt around the tree at waist height, clip it onto itself, then hook the adjustable end to my rock harness.

 

[pesqimon]

I see that some guys use the SitDrag without a RC harness?? How is that accomplished exactly without running the risk of falling out of it?

It’s actually difficult to fall out of a SD even without a harness. Not impossible. But when you’re sitting in it you can even invert and probably not fall out of it.

 

[BudgetBuck1]

It’s actually difficult to fall out of a SD even without a harness. Not impossible. But when you’re sitting in it you can even invert and probably not fall out of it.

Agreed, in my experience, you would have to try to fall out to actually fall and even maybe then, you wouldn't.