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Tethered all the way up

Letemgrowitllshow

Letemgrowitllshow

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2018
Messages
1,311
Location
Saint Francis MN
I like having a lineman belt to lean back in when setting my sticks, but I just can't get comfortable using it as I climb. Plus the fact that it's not "a for sure deal" that it'll catch you.

My tether on the other hand is darn near guaranteed to catch me if I were to fall. I like the idea of being tethered in all the way up, but having to girth hitch the rope around the tree, when I'm hunting trees with some branches, is a total pain.

Here's my question...
Instead of passing the rope through the spliced eye of the tether, could you just use a load bearing caribeaner in the spliced eye, then open the gate to pass the tag end of the tether through? Would this be safe or is the strain on the caribeaner in such a way that it's not what the caribeaner was designed for?
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I’m no climbing expert, but I’ve been doing that exact thing for a few years with my climber.
 
When you unlatch the tag end of the tether to move it around a branch, what's holding you to the tree?

Used in this fashion, wouldn't it be using the "minor axis" load rating instead of it's actual load rating? (since the rope is coming into it from an angle)
 
I have been think about the same thing for when I use spurs. I am pretty comfortable with sticks and stepps.
 
CaptainKielbasa said:
When you unlatch the tag end of the tether to move it around a branch, what's holding you to the tree?

Used in this fashion, wouldn't it be using the "minor axis" load rating instead of it's actual load rating? (since the rope is coming into it from an angle)
Click to expand...
It’s called side loading. We don’t do it as severely as a rock climber having a carabiner resting on a ledge.
They make screw links that are climbing rated and can be side loaded
 
Other option perhaps is to use the tether with the 2nd homer as a 2nd lineman belt but then use it as a regular tether once up to avoid side loading issues.
 
Use the linemans belt in the flinging x way... @flinginairos suggested you cross your linemans belt in an x in front of you. That will hold you better and still give some mobility.
 
That’s also why guys are using climbing links for rappelling also instead of side loading carabiners

I’m gonna order a couple of links and just keep 1 in my back pack




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If you put a blakes hitch on the tether, tie a carabiner to that and clip the carabiner to the tether loop and pull the tether right through the blakes hitch it works alright. It doesn’t load the carabiner perfectly but it is a lot better than sideloading imo. And also if you fall the majority of the weight is pulling on where the tether runs through the blakes instead of on the carabiner. You do need to make sure you use good rope for the blakes, Yale bee line is what I’m using for that. I can’t recommend this but it’s what I do if I’m gonna have to go around limbs and I have the same opinion of the lineman belt I prefer to have my tether attached. I looked for an aluminum tree quickie before doing this but couldn’t find what I wanted.
 
BenG said:
If you put a blakes hitch on the tether, tie a carabiner to that and clip the carabiner to the tether loop and pull the tether right through the blakes hitch it works alright. It doesn’t load the carabiner perfectly but it is a lot better than sideloading imo. And also if you fall the majority of the weight is pulling on where the tether runs through the blakes instead of on the carabiner. You do need to make sure you use good rope for the blakes, Yale bee line is what I’m using for that. I can’t recommend this but it’s what I do if I’m gonna have to go around limbs and I have the same opinion of the lineman belt I prefer to have my tether attached. I looked for an aluminum tree quickie before doing this but couldn’t find what I wanted.
Click to expand...
Great idea! By moving the carabiner away from the drop rope you eliminate side load. I’ve been using a big screw gate because I was concerned about side loading even though my climbing biners are techniquley adequate on side load. You wouldn’t necessarily have to use a Blake’s though. A prusik would work also and like the Blake’s you can then cinch the tree so if you happened to get slack it would stay put and not slide down the tree. But even a continuous loop or length with eyes tied on either end would work. Getting rid of that massive screw gate carribiner will be nice.
 
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