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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
Most people here spend more time adjusting and keeping up with the Jones than they actually hunt to actually give stuff a chance.

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I switched out my tether and LB for this year to Oplux and I don't think I'm changing now.
 
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.

I really like Bluewater ropes. I have their assault, ordered it in bulk. Still have some left over. I also have their vt-prusik 7mm in custom length for the oplux. There is a thread here i started, then another member followed up with.

I may make the 200’ purchase if it would work well with the vt-prusik 7mm custom length and I can get sewn ends for it. I will try to contact iron city to see if they will make sewn ends for it.

Do you have sewn ends or do you just tie a figure 8 or poachers/scaffold?

What cordage are you using for a friction hitch?

Thanks!
 
[mention]Fl Canopy Stalker [/mention] check out this thread.

Oplux / rescue tech | Custom length 7mm vt prusik from Bluewater ropes.


[mention]davecarp [/mention] was able to get the custom length 7mm vt-prusik from BlueWater. Not sure If he still has any left.
 
I really like Bluewater ropes. I have their assault, ordered it in bulk. Still have some left over. I also have their vt-prusik 7mm in custom length for the oplux. There is a thread here i started, then another member followed up with.

I may make the 200’ purchase if it would work well with the vt-prusik 7mm custom length and I can get sewn ends for it. I will try to contact iron city to see if they will make sewn ends for it.

Do you have sewn ends or do you just tie a figure 8 or poachers/scaffold?

What cordage are you using for a friction hitch?

Thanks!
Blue water does custom sewing as well. I think it’s like $15 per termination
 
I really like Bluewater ropes. I have their assault, ordered it in bulk. Still have some left over. I also have their vt-prusik 7mm in custom length for the oplux. There is a thread here i started, then another member followed up with.

I may make the 200’ purchase if it would work well with the vt-prusik 7mm custom length and I can get sewn ends for it. I will try to contact iron city to see if they will make sewn ends for it.

Do you have sewn ends or do you just tie a figure 8 or poachers/scaffold?

What cordage are you using for a friction hitch?

Thanks!
I use 7mm for my prusik because it bites and slides equally well for 9 or 10mm... on 11mm rope such as assault line, I would recommend 8mm for the prusik. 7mm will definitely work but it will also bind into its self, which is good for grip but not so good for slip aka when you need to move the hitch up or down.. A good rule of thumb for friction hitches are 60-80% of the size of your main rope (the exception being a Blake’s hitch which is the only friction hitch approved to be used with equal size ropes)
 
[mention]Fl Canopy Stalker [/mention] check out this thread.

Oplux / rescue tech | Custom length 7mm vt prusik from Bluewater ropes.


[mention]davecarp [/mention] was able to get the custom length 7mm vt-prusik from BlueWater. Not sure If he still has any left.
I believe I was on that thread back in March... I think it is a great idea for you to offer up ideas for bulk purchases or helping each other with hitches and ropes because not everyone needs 200’ of rope and not everyone can afford it! Threads like these are a great way to make things more affordable while also helping each other out. And not one idea was patented lol who would have thought it! Seriously though thank you for posts and ideas like this one.
 
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I really like Bluewater ropes. I have their assault, ordered it in bulk. Still have some left over. I also have their vt-prusik 7mm in custom length for the oplux. There is a thread here i started, then another member followed up with.

I may make the 200’ purchase if it would work well with the vt-prusik 7mm custom length and I can get sewn ends for it. I will try to contact iron city to see if they will make sewn ends for it.

Do you have sewn ends or do you just tie a figure 8 or poachers/scaffold?

What cordage are you using for a friction hitch?

Thanks!
I had my ends sewn. But a figure 8 on a bite is almost as strong and it is cheaper as long as you do not mind a little bulk from the knot!
 
I'm currently using Oplux for my tether and lineman's rope. I'm also switching out my Amsteel bridges to an Oplux and Beal Jammy setup... I'm having a 13" eye sewn into the Oplux for a standard 3-wrap prussic on one side bridge loop, and a 60cm Beal Jammy with a standard 3-wrap prussic on the opposite side bridge loop to a 5 wrap Klemheist on the Oplux bridge. Waiting on my custom sewn Oplux currently...

For a "mini" 2-wrap prussic on the bridge loops, a 9" eye in Oplux and a 50cm Beal Jammy should work as well.

I also considered using 8mm HTP, but I opted not to go that route currently, and I cannot find anyone that sews the Resc Tech yet.
 
I'm currently using Oplux for my tether and lineman's rope. I'm also switching out my Amsteel bridges to an Oplux and Beal Jammy setup... I'm having a 13" eye sewn into the Oplux for a standard 3-wrap prussic on one side bridge loop, and a 60cm Beal Jammy with a standard 3-wrap prussic on the opposite side bridge loop to a 5 wrap Klemheist on the Oplux bridge. Waiting on my custom sewn Oplux currently...

For a "mini" 2-wrap prussic on the bridge loops, a 9" eye in Oplux and a 50cm Beal Jammy should work as well.

I also considered using 8mm HTP, but I opted not to go that route currently, and I cannot find anyone that sews the Resc Tech yet.
Who did you have sew up your Oplux for you?
 
Who did you have sew up your Oplux for you?


I ordered 3 different speculative eye sizes to test on 9' individual pieces, that way I could use them for tethers or something if they didn't work. Eye sizes @ 4", 9", and 13".

I found a place that will do Resc Tech in the future (I really wanted Resc Tech vs. Oplux), but due to Covid they haven't been able to get their machine programed...
 
My bridge has always been oplux. I was running a predator LB and tether for 3/4 of the season. Switched to oplux with figure 8s with a ropeman on my LB and a duck on my tether. The hard part now is finding a use for the predator that I now have laying around.
I will add that the only time I really use my LB is as position myself to drill bolts. I set my bolts to make my climbs easy in the tree and wearing the LB for climbing preset bolts is more dangerous to me than not wearing it.
 
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Resc Tech and Oplux are spliceable, a straight bury with reducing and tapering of the core, whip cover to the side. Following Samson’s instruction I got good results when tested.
 
I have bad knees so I went on this quest for weight savings. I switched ALL my ropes to Oplux due to the incredible strength and low weight. I've hunted well over 60 times with these ropes and they still look perfect! That outer sheath is incredibly tough. That said, this thread is important because I never knew the difference between static and dynamic ropes. I simply checked break strength ratings and called it good. I climb very carefully and always have 2 ropes on the tree once I am at hunting height (use my lineman as a second tether once I am up). But still this is super important info for dummies like me. That said, I will still use oplux, just will be a little more careful about rope slack and will still definitely be using my back up tether as well. Thanks OP for starting this thread.
 
I have bad knees so I went on this quest for weight savings. I switched ALL my ropes to Oplux due to the incredible strength and low weight. I've hunted well over 60 times with these ropes and they still look perfect! That outer sheath is incredibly tough. That said, this thread is important because I never knew the difference between static and dynamic ropes. I simply checked break strength ratings and called it good. I climb very carefully and always have 2 ropes on the tree once I am at hunting height (use my lineman as a second tether once I am up). But still this is super important info for dummies like me. That said, I will still use oplux, just will be a little more careful about rope slack and will still definitely be using my back up tether as well. Thanks OP for starting this thread.
Great assessment and exactly how I looked at things before the dynamic vs. static discussion. Always learning which improves safety and efficiency for us all. I wish there were a "best practices" thread that could be a sticky that has information in perhaps a checklist format for example, "When one sticking, we recommend using a rope material such as _______ and ______ as your tether and LB ropes to minimize your chances of ________ during this type of ascending method." or "These are the types of knots to use at the end of your LB or Tether when using it with _________ to prevent _____. " "We recommend that you use this style of hitch and rope material for a backup to your mechanical descender when rapelling down." Those types of things. It would probably be somewhat of a herculean task but there are a lot of very bright people on this sight that could really prove to burgeon into a TMA for Saddlehunting. Most, if not all of this information is on here but its all over the place. One sticky that could be referred to for each type of climbing method, descending method for each type of system would be very cool.
 
Great assessment and exactly how I looked at things before the dynamic vs. static discussion. Always learning which improves safety and efficiency for us all. I wish there were a "best practices" thread that could be a sticky that has information in perhaps a checklist format for example, "When one sticking, we recommend using a rope material such as _______ and ______ as your tether and LB ropes to minimize your chances of ________ during this type of ascending method." or "These are the types of knots to use at the end of your LB or Tether when using it with _________ to prevent _____. " "We recommend that you use this style of hitch and rope material for a backup to your mechanical descender when rapelling down." Those types of things. It would probably be somewhat of a herculean task but there are a lot of very bright people on this sight that could really prove to burgeon into a TMA for Saddlehunting. Most, if not all of this information is on here but its all over the place. One sticky that could be referred to for each type of climbing method, descending method for each type of system would be very cool.
That would awesome! With all this new equipment coming out every season it would not only be insane to put together, but to keep it updated as new products get released and change the game again.
 
I have bad knees so I went on this quest for weight savings. I switched ALL my ropes to Oplux due to the incredible strength and low weight. I've hunted well over 60 times with these ropes and they still look perfect! That outer sheath is incredibly tough. That said, this thread is important because I never knew the difference between static and dynamic ropes. I simply checked break strength ratings and called it good. I climb very carefully and always have 2 ropes on the tree once I am at hunting height (use my lineman as a second tether once I am up). But still this is super important info for dummies like me. That said, I will still use oplux, just will be a little more careful about rope slack and will still definitely be using my back up tether as well. Thanks OP for starting this thread.
I believe in the importance of knowledge. I am also glad the thread was started because it is important when hunting at elevation to understand the important differences in rope designs as well as saddle designs. I do not think any of us want to have a fall in the saddle so keeping your system tight is definitely important!
 
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