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What’s the general consensus on using oplux as tether,LB and bridge?

Is oplux safe to use for tether, LB, Bridge?

  • Yes all three

    Votes: 37 94.9%

  • Lb only

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No it’s not safe

    Votes: 2 5.1%
  • Total voters
    39
Fl Canopy Stalker said:
Here is the problem and it’s sort of similar to dyneema by itself. Oplux is strong and it’s small light and packabke. Technora sheath with a dyneema core is light, very very abrasion resistant and it is not effected by flex fatigue. Technora will not melt so it will protect the dyneema core to a good extent from friction (melting temperatures). But neither of those materials like shock load. Meaning they won’t stretch before they break the way nylon and to an extent polyester will. That is the danger, in that the dynamic shock loading the rope and your body will get the full force effect and it can be high enough to break it especially if the oplux is a couple years old. Technora is also effected great by UV degradation, so it being in the sun for a long time will weaken it at amplified rates. It’s definitely safe to use in my opinion because it was created for tactical rescue. However in fire rescue situation they do not hang out in it in the sun for hours on end every Saturday and Sunday. So short answer is yes it is safe but not as safe as a 10mm polyester rope. The other problem is in the sewn eye. They have to use 277 thread much like smaller sewn prusiks and the rope it’s self is rated for like 5400 or 5600 lbs. so when the eye is sewn you lose approximately 20% of that strength. So you end up with around 4600 lbs break strength at the eye. Now in the PRO ANSI and OSHA worlds that is unacceptable. But as a hobbiest using it to hunt that should be fine as long as you use the correct size prusik or ascender and as long as you keep your system tight! A taunt system minimizes if not eliminates your chance for shock load.
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So I always climb with a linemans belt and try keep it as tight as possible and high as possible. I use both LB and tether when stepping onto the platform both with no slack. Then slide the tether up and take the slack out once on the platform. The only instance I would ever have slack is if I stood up to readjust the saddle under my butt. Which is honestly probably only and inch or two of slack. I wouldn’t think that would be enough force to break the oplux or injure myself but I don’t really know anything about that
 
Fl Canopy Stalker said:
A

Amsteel is unaffected by bending (it’s called flex fatigue) the concern with dyneema is that it has a low melting point and friction hitches work by producing heat, however the heat is only a concern if the friction hitch slides while weighted and anyone that has used amsteel with a friction hitch (especially if it is double braided or “full bury” as some companies try to call it) knows that amsteel bites down into itself incredibly hard. And it tends to dissipate heat quicker than polyester or nylon so I definitely feel safe using it. My only concern with technora is in the thread they use to sew the eye(it’s usually polyester thread and technora is way more abrasion resistant than polyester so the rope could cause damage to the threads). And the fact that technora and Kevlar are both greatly effected by sun exposure. Otherwise it’s amazing which is why it is used in tactical rescue.
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My oplux is not spliced, I tied a figue 8
 
Jeff25 said:
I’m just going to go with 6’ and cut it in half. So 3’ per side. I think That should be plenty
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What's your reason for putting adjustable TRC prusiks on both sides of the saddle? Most only do it on their weak side so that rotation in the saddle doesn't put your separate prusik into your tether carabiner.
 
Y
raisins said:
My thought is that any static rope is much weaker in a fall than a dynamic rope. And also, contrary to popular opinion, I think that even 1 inch of give is a lot better than close to 0 as far as not hurting you as badly (Work = Mass X Acceleration X Distance). I have Oplux bridge, tether, and lineman's lanyard each with TRC friction hitches.

As far as static versus dynamic, remember that you can park your truck on a paving stone but a child can easily break it with a hammer.

The core of Oplux is dyneema, and dyneema slings don't do well at all in even short drop tests (being out performed by nylon slings with lower ratings). My hope is that the Oplux's Technora sheath would help out, but that is just a hope.

I already have the dynamic rope. I will likely switch at least my tether out to dynamic this year. I am also seriously considering doing the same with my bridge. I will keep my lineman's lanyard as is with Oplux.

I know the mantra is "just don't let any slack form in your tether", but I climb with my tether and lineman's on steps and each step introduces 2 feet of slack. And then you have guys that 1 stick, etc and they introduce all kinds of slack.
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You are correct in everything you said however technora is almost as strong as dyneema and has similar stretch in it meaning neither enjoys a shock load. PS sounds like you are a safety extremist and I like it. I can’t do dynamic tethers though because they wear out quickly from abrasion and I like my prusik knots and they just don’t slide as good on a stretchy rope. I like a solid polyester with about 3.5-4% stretch. Great info though Rasins
 
If
Jeff25 said:
So I always climb with a linemans belt and try keep it as tight as possible and high as possible. I use both LB and tether when stepping onto the platform both with no slack. Then slide the tether up and take the slack out once on the platform. The only instance I would ever have slack is if I stood up to readjust the saddle under my butt. Which is honestly probably only and inch or two of slack. I wouldn’t think that would be enough force to break the oplux or injure myself but I don’t really know anything about that
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Then in my opinion you should be fine. If you keep your slack to a minimum then you should never generate enough force to break it however I’m telling you from experience any true unexpected fall hurts on a static system. Also Sterling trc 6mm and Bluewater titan cord are better options to the Beal jammy in my opinion. And they come in better color options use a triple fisherman’s knot to tie the Bluewater titan cord though.
 
Jeff25 said:
Do you know how much trc I would need to do two Prussics to make an adjustable bridge similar to cruzrs. With the amsteel they do a 16 inch continuous loop. I would have to tie the two ends together so I was thinking no more that 24”. Does that sound about right? Or would it be better to girth hitch my bridge loops then prussic to the bridge? I just want it to stay in place on the bridge loops
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It would take about 40” on each side so you can tie the double fisherman’s knot and leave a small tail out each end.
 
Fl Canopy Stalker said:
If

Then in my opinion you should be fine. If you keep your slack to a minimum then you should never generate enough force to break it however I’m telling you from experience any true unexpected fall hurts on a static system. Also Sterling trc 6mm and Bluewater titan cord are better options to the Beal jammy in my opinion. And they come in better color options use a triple fisherman’s knot to tie the Bluewater titan cord though.
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Why do you not like the Beal? It has a higher break strength
 
raisins said:
What's your reason for putting adjustable TRC prusiks on both sides of the saddle? Most only do it on their weak side so that rotation in the saddle doesn't put your separate prusik into your tether carabiner.
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I think he is referring to prusik wrapping the bridge loops for adjusting top or bottom pressure which can be a large enough eye on one side to form a double wrap girth hitch and then a long prusik loop on the other side so you can double girth the bridge loop and prusik the bridge.
 
Jeff25 said:
Why do you not like the Beal? It has a higher break strength
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A is the color unless you luck up and find black. B is it’s usually too long for my uses. Also it’s still technora (so is the TRC) so you still have that static feel because that nylon core will only stretch as far as the sheath will allow it to. And the 6mm seems to adjust a little easier than the 5.5mm.
when I used to use oplux, I ran trc for a while then went to titan cord from Bluewater which was great and over 4200lbs in triple fisherman’s loop configuration. Nowadays I’ve gone to Bluewater Protac in 9mm for lineman’s rope and tethers. It’s stronger than oplux only 1mm larger and its stiffer. It is polyester/nylon combo and with a 7mm prusik loop it’s just perfect in my opinion. But opinions are like ^$$h@les everyone has one and at times they all stink. If Beal works for you then that’s great.
 
Fl Canopy Stalker said:
I think he is referring to prusik wrapping the bridge loops for adjusting top or bottom pressure which can be a large enough eye on one side to form a double wrap girth hitch and then a long prusik loop on the other side so you can double girth the bridge loop and prusik the bridge.
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Yeah, but that wouldn't need TRC on both sides. Typically, you just use the Oplux on the right side (for a rightie) and prusik or girth hitch a figure 8 or overhand on a bight to the saddle bridge loop and then do the more complicated TRC thing on one side, usually the left side to keep it out of your tether.
 
raisins said:
Yeah, but that wouldn't need TRC on both sides. Typically, you just use the Oplux on the right side (for a rightie) and prusik or girth hitch a figure 8 or overhand on a bight to the saddle bridge loop and then do the more complicated TRC thing on one side, usually the left side to keep it out of your tether.
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I agree.. maybe he is trying to mimic the bridge used by H2...??? I am not sure. I personally would rather adjust it from one side so I’ve only got one tail of rope to tuck away and also because it pulls tighter when walking in. Of course I prefer my waist buckle on my saddle sewn in slightly to the side as well, that way when I adjust it I can fold over the tail and it doesn’t have tri-glides and all that. Plus if someone else borrows my saddle or if I have to layer up or remove layers, it just seems easier for me than worrying about adjusting each side. It’s probably a mental thing but I would rather just make one adjustment and tuck my tail lol
 
raisins said:
Yeah, but that wouldn't need TRC on both sides. Typically, you just use the Oplux on the right side (for a rightie) and prusik or girth hitch a figure 8 or overhand on a bight to the saddle bridge loop and then do the more complicated TRC thing on one side, usually the left side to keep it out of your tether.
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I was originally going to do double Prussics on both sides. But may just do a figure 8 with oplux on one side with two wraps, then Double Prussics on the left side
 
Another one here for Oplux for tether. But I liked my samson predator rope with the ropeman way more than I do Oplux and a RollNlock
 
The thing I keep coming back to with 8mm ropes is that they are technically “rescue ropes” to be used for bail outs and things. Not to be used over and over again in the outdoors like climbing ropes are meant to be used. I think they make a fine bridge because a bridge never interacts with anything but the saddle and carabiner. For use as a tether or linemans belt where they interact with rough tree bark I always end up with a lot of wear on the sheath of 8mm ropes. So I stick to sterling htp for all my ropes even though 8mm is really strong for its size.
 
Fl Canopy Stalker said:
A is the color unless you luck up and find black. B is it’s usually too long for my uses. Also it’s still technora (so is the TRC) so you still have that static feel because that nylon core will only stretch as far as the sheath will allow it to. And the 6mm seems to adjust a little easier than the 5.5mm.
when I used to use oplux, I ran trc for a while then went to titan cord from Bluewater which was great and over 4200lbs in triple fisherman’s loop configuration. Nowadays I’ve gone to Bluewater Protac in 9mm for lineman’s rope and tethers. It’s stronger than oplux only 1mm larger and its stiffer. It is polyester/nylon combo and with a 7mm prusik loop it’s just perfect in my opinion. But opinions are like ^$$h@les everyone has one and at times they all stink. If Beal works for you then that’s great.
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Holy thread resurrection Batman. …

[mention]Fl Canopy Stalker [/mention] I have been looking into the 9mm Protac to replace my oplux lineman’s belt and tether. I cannot seem to find it as buy it by the foot. And only in black. Are you aware of any place it can be bought by the foot? Also, a place to provide sewn eyes for it (if it can safely take sewn eyes). Lastly, would the 9mm protac work well for rapelling?

Thanks
 
sojourner said:
Holy thread resurrection Batman. …

[mention]Fl Canopy Stalker [/mention] I have been looking into the 9mm Protac to replace my oplux lineman’s belt and tether. I cannot seem to find it as buy it by the foot. And only in black. Are you aware of any place it can be bought by the foot? Also, a place to provide sewn eyes for it (if it can safely take sewn eyes). Lastly, would the 9mm protac work well for rapelling?

Thanks
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The protac 9mm or 10mm are amazing. Bluewater is the only place I order it from but I usually purchase in bulk. I know REI and a few online rescue stores sell Bluewater rope products. Perhaps you could try googling them or email Bluewater specifically about buying the footage you need. PS the olive drab is a color option for 9mm and coyote or olive are an option for 10mm but you’d have to reach out to Mark to get it ordered that way. I definitely prefer their rope and pricing over Sterling Oplux for rappelling, lineman’s ropes and tethers because it’s almost as small, much stiffer (which really helps for lineman’s ropes), has a little stretch in event of an emergency, and has a higher breaking strength as well.
 
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