Strap Broke, Self Rescue, Saw a Big Buck

[Hunter260]

Had an interesting time last night. As many of you know I climb on the ridge runner platform. I’ve been using the same strap from a hawk helium on it for like 3 seasons. I was re camming the platform to get it tighter last night and the strap broke right where it was in the buckle. The platform fell and left me hanging from my oplux tether.

I had my rappel kit so I put it around the tree and got set up to rappel.There was one problem with this plan, I could not get the prusik on my tether to budge with my full weight on it so that my rappel line would hold me. Without that I couldn’t get enough slack to get the carabiner disconnected from my bridge. It took me a couple minutes to figure out a good solution that allowed self rescue.

I took the tail end of my tether and ran it through the bridge on my tether. Then I pulled up and used the tether as a pulley to take some weight off my prusik. I was able to break it loose and continued to rappel down.

Now I sure don’t recommend this next part to anyone. It’s my last day to hunt during the rut and I had hiked into a spot with hot buck sign and no chance to get a ground setup to work. So I tied the broken strap back together and climbed back up on it. I was tethered in the whole time and kept slack out of my tether. I made sure not to cam the strap so tight either. It held the whole time.

2 hours later a big buck came in to 25 yards but stayed just out of my shooting lane. Great hunt nonetheless! I think major lessons are, think about carrying a backup strap, practice your self rescue techniques, and don’t give up on a hunt if something goes wrong.

 

[ShooterMike]

Dang. Glad you’re okay. I admire your dedication to improvising a fix and making the most out of your hunt.

To confirm, you were using the hawk helium strap on the ridge runner?

If you need a new hawk strap, I have a brand new one in one of my parts drawers, I’m sure. You can have it if you want it- just cover shipping.

 

[Hunter260]

Dang. Glad you’re okay. I admire your dedication to improvising a fix and making the most out of your hunt.

To confirm, you were using the hawk helium strap on the ridge runner?

If you need a new hawk strap, I have a brand new one in one of my parts drawers, I’m sure. You can have it if you want it- just cover shipping.

Yea I was using the Hawk strap just because it has a lighter buckle than the ridge runner strap. I have 3 more and the original strap still.

 

[1simplemann]

Sounds like an interesting hunt. Could have been bad. Glad you figured it out. You made lemonade out of lemons! I broke a strap once testing a platform 1' off the ground. I was bouncing on my Ambush. Snap! Anyway I changed it out to Resc Tech and a prussic knot. Much stronger and quieter too.

 

[Hunter260]

Sounds like an interesting hunt. Could have been bad. Glad you figured it out. You made lemonade out of lemons! I broke a strap once testing a platform 1' off the ground. I was bouncing on my Ambush. Snap! Anyway I changed it out to Resc Tech and a prussic knot. Much stronger and quieter too.

Can you get that tight 1 handed?

 

[Tim0712]

Had an interesting time last night. As many of you know I climb on the ridge runner platform. I’ve been using the same strap from a hawk helium on it for like 3 seasons. I was re camming the platform to get it tighter last night and the strap broke right where it was in the buckle. The platform fell and left me hanging from my oplux tether.

I had my rappel kit so I put it around the tree and got set up to rappel.There was one problem with this plan, I could not get the prusik on my tether to budge with my full weight on it so that my rappel line would hold me. Without that I couldn’t get enough slack to get the carabiner disconnected from my bridge. It took me a couple minutes to figure out a good solution that allowed self rescue.

I took the tail end of my tether and ran it through the bridge on my tether. Then I pulled up and used the tether as a pulley to take some weight off my prusik. I was able to break it loose and continued to rappel down.

Now I sure don’t recommend this next part to anyone. It’s my last day to hunt during the rut and I had hiked into a spot with hot buck sign and no chance to get a ground setup to work. So I tied the broken strap back together and climbed back up on it. I was tethered in the whole time and kept slack out of my tether. I made sure not to cam the strap so tight either. It held the whole time.

2 hours later a big buck came in to 25 yards but stayed just out of my shooting lane. Great hunt nonetheless! I think major lessons are, think about carrying a backup strap, practice your self rescue techniques, and don’t give up on a hunt if something goes wrong.View attachment 56987

Real stupid little thing that I did to always have backups without really noticing is I used a spare Beaner as a water bottle clip and then I wrapped my water bottle with a daisy chain!

 

[Ehlusive]

I was wondering about dropping my stick and how I would transfer over to my rapel rope. I was thinking of making loop in rapel rope and standing on it to loosen prussic on tether. Haven't tried it and hope not to but was just idea.

 

[Hunter260]

I was wondering about dropping my stick and how I would transfer over to my rapel rope. I was thinking of making loop in rapel rope and standing on it to loosen prussic on tether. Haven't tried it and hope not to but was just idea.

I imagine that would be a decent way to do it. What knot would you use?

 

[Ehlusive]

I imagine that would be a decent way to do it. What knot would you use?

Really don't know, maybe just an overhand or basically anything to be able to do and undo quickly. I, honestly, hadn't thought that far ahead yet.

 

[Newhunter1]

In the future, you need to have a spare tether that you can put around the tree and attach a foot loop to it. that way you can stand if need to take the pressure off the prussic. With that said, I'd change the prussic to one that will break with pressure. The swabisch, the michocan, as well as other friction hitches.

 

[TooheyBirdie]

Really don't know, maybe just an overhand or basically anything to be able to do and undo quickly. I, honestly, hadn't thought that far ahead yet.

You could keep a spare prussic cord in ur pack somewhere… i use a long one on my lineman’s I could probably fit my boot through

 

[pesqimon]

I was wondering about dropping my stick and how I would transfer over to my rapel rope. I was thinking of making loop in rapel rope and standing on it to loosen prussic on tether. Haven't tried it and hope not to but was just idea.

you should try it, at home at a safe height.

a figure 8 or a alpine butterfly would be good choices to make a foot loop on the rappel line

 

[CharlieTN]

Very glad you were able to work it out and find a safe way to get down. It is one of the reasons why i stress to everyone to please, please, take time to consider the worse case scenario then develop a plan to self-rescue. And most importantly - practice that plan at home.

it is also the reason I’m a big fan of climbing using the rappel rope as the tether and the primary attachment being the rappel device (yes the safeguard, Grigri +, or equivalent). Self rescue is pretty straight forward and easy.

 

[HuumanCreed]

Glad you got home safe!

So I moved away from using prussic cord for my backup setup and switched to Tethrd Versa straps, I carry 4 extra versa straps that served as everything if needed; tether, stick strap, gear strap, and ER 2TC. This way, you can hook a carabiner anywhere you want and dont have to worry about releasing tension or having another piece of item. You can probably do the same with a amsteel daisy chain. My emergency 2TC kit is 2 Versa straps and 2 carabiners that are hooked to my saddle molle. Cost me nothing in weights. You can actually loop the straps within itself without the need of a carabine to make a foot rest. Similar to the feet loop that usually comes with all harness when you buy a treestand.

 

[Rickor]

You did good, always have a backup plan and carry a folding knife when climbing. When things go wrong its quick.

 

[1simplemann]

Can you get that tight 1 handed?

Not sure. I always use 2 hands. I use my lineman's belt so both hands are free. You definitely can get the flatform tight though. I hold the platform between chest and tree. Then I sling the rope aroundthe tree with my left hand and grab it with the right hand. Then I put the Meech on the button and take out as much slack as I can. Then I pull down on the platform and get it even tighter. If I have to, I will step up and step on the post. Then I cam it over. It's tight! You also use the Meech as trucker's hitch and get it tight that way. It's and extra step but it start's out much tighter. Personal preference. Either way works.

 

[DvonD]

Very glad you were able to work it out and find a safe way to get down. It is one of the reasons why i stress to everyone to please, please, take time to consider the worse case scenario then develop a plan to self-rescue. And most importantly - practice that plan at home.

it is also the reason I’m a big fan of climbing using the rappel rope as the tether and the primary attachment being the rappel device (yes the safeguard, Grigri +, or equivalent). Self rescue is pretty straight forward and easy.

I agree, Charlie. I have tested self-rescue close to the ground with the ATC guide, friction hitches, figure 8, and ascenders like the ropeman. I, personally, found it pretty difficult to transfer my weight from one system to another. Have even gotten stuck while testing self-rescue! For this reason I have opted to use a rappel device as my attachment point so that I no longer have to transfer to a descent system should something happen. I still keep a figure 8 in my dump pouch and always have a spare HMS/pear carabiner clipped on my pack. You never know… the handle on the GriGri/Safeguard could always break .

No matter what system we’re using we should know and practice our options.

Glad you safely rescued yourself and made the best out of your hunt, OP!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wdarby]

think about carrying a backup strapView attachment 56987

Thanks for the story, glad everything turned out for the better - thinking through the challenges others run into is a good way to make sure I'm prepared. I started carrying an Amstel daisy chain with an extra carabiner to handle mishaps - like dropping my stick while one-sticking or my figure 8 when preparing to rappel down. The extra weight is inconsequential and I keep them on my saddle for immediate access if needed.


I wish I was a headlight on a north-bound train

 

[RamBam]

This is why I use my repel setup to climb and also why I keep a spare prusik cord , linemen, etc. if my repel device failed or the chance that I used my tether to get around a branch and lost my stick. I have a spare prusik I can wrap on my repel line to use as a step to in weight my tether. P.s. Make sure it’s long enough. Many prusiks are to short to get a foot in.

 

[bj139]

If you have a rope hanging below you, reach down and tie a figure eight loop. Stand in this loop to unweight your tether so you can move your tether down and transfer the weight to your rappel rope. Untie the figure eight before rappelling down.