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SRT Backup Systems

J

Jokerswild

Active Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2019
Messages
163
So... Maybe this has been done already? I'd appreciate thoughts on my plan.

Me- nervous nellie about safety. I am working with a pretty standard SRT set up. Gri Gri plus, Hand ascender and foot loop. I feel like one... is none... when it comes to safety gear. The Gri Gri is really a belay device so its being used off-label which gives me pause as well.

My plan has three things hanging on the bottom carabiner that holds the foot lopp.
1. Foot Loop
2. Dynema daisy chain
3. a spare prussic loop

On the way up... The Daisy Chain attaches to my bridge biner in case we have a Gri Gri failure. The hand ascender/chain/ foot loop biner are my back up attachment. No work.. It just along for the ride

At height... The prussic loop comes off the biner and goes above Gri Gri on my SRT line. I use the Biner from the Hand ascender to attach the daisy chain back-up to my prussic knot. and the hand ascender goes away . In theory I could remove the GRI and just transition the prussic I suppose.

On the way down my Prussic/chain attachment stays above the Gri Gri. I would slide the prussic down......slide down on the Gri Gri... repeat. A tad slower but safer with the back up.

Tell me the holes in my plan. It seems like I would always be backed up except for a very brief transition period. Having the sling on hand is always a good idea any way I think.
 
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Sounds fine, but the the Prusik may bite hard into the rope if it ever has to catch.
So you need to have something like a foot loop and 2. Prusik at hand to get it free again.

I’m playing around with foot- and knee ascenders actually In a mutant JRB-System.
Compared with friction hitches, they run up the rope with no friction and don’t have any sag when grabbing the rope.
But they are a pita, if you need to move back down a bit.
 
Jokerswild said:
The Gri Gri is really a belay device so its being used off-label which gives me pause as well.
Click to expand...

On this specifically you could switch to a device specifically designed for rope work with no backup. I use the Petzl Rig for SRT and think it is so much better than the smaller belay devices on all fronts except weight/bulk.
 
What rope are you using? 8mm Oplux or RescTec will work on an F4 device, which is made for ascent and descent. Or you could get smart on friction hitches (JRB, Sticht, WLR, Cornell, etc.) and ditch mechanical ascenders entirely.
 
For SRT with the Rig I use 10.5mm Teufelberger Platinum. I do not love small ropes, especially when I am climbing on them and not with them attached simply as a lifeline (e.g., one sticking). I also JRB climb on 9.5 Ape Canyon Ghille and find it works great for that. It just depends on where I am going and what I want to accomplish. I find the SRT climbing more fun most of the time despite the need for the hardware.
 
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