Rope-style treestrap question
Equipment
For those of you that have taken a fall on one of the rope-style, prusik treestrap setups, whether it is the HSS version or DIY, how did it hold up? I'm asking because when rock climbing I was taught to never let a rope load over another rope. In these treestrap setups, the rope (attached to the hunter via 'biner and prusik) load right through a loop of rope. It will likely generate some friction/heat during a fall which could compromise it. I'd feel much better clipping the loop with a 'biner and running the hunter end through the 'biner.
Does the treestrap seem to stay put pretty well or do you find you repeatedly adjust it?
Also, do any of you double wrap the tree?
The only time I have fallen was while climbing down with my mobile set up. I was using my linesman rope at the time so it wouldn’t be a similar situation.
What I can say though is to limit the distance you fall is the best. When I use a tie off rope in a tree and I clip my carabiner into the prusik knot. My lanyard is fairly tight when I am sitting in the stand.
In the construction world we have used lifelines and rope grabs for years for fall protection. The rope grabs won’t be cheap though.
https://www.amazon.com/rope-grab/s?k=rope+grab
I was standing on the front edge of a stand leaning forward and pulling up a pack when the stand strap failed. I fell several feet before I got to the end of the slack. The prusik knot performed perfectly. I fixed the strap, reset the stand and hunted. No damage to me or the safety gear.
I'm interested in hearing any stories of this.
Personally, I use the prussic on a safety rope....or a backup tree sling on my climbing system with a saddle.
I have needed it...and when you need it...you need it. One case was one sticking and losing the stick- sliding down the tree out of reach....
When I am hanging from a tree, I like having a backup
mtnlvr, Is this what you mean?
I've had my stand break and fall out from under me twice but neither time did I fall. If your set up right when you sit all the slack is out of the line attached to the tree. All I did was come to a sitting position in my rock climbing harness. Absolutely no fall at all.
Watch a bunch of YouTube vids and pick a system you like and don't over think it.
Scrappy - not to get off topic, but which RC harness do you use and do you use it with a linesman's belt as well? I have a BD Alpine BOD harness and am not crazy about how the linesman's belt connects to it.
TWO stand straps break!?! Wow. Were these pre-set stands that were there for a while Scrappy?
Candor- the BD alpine bod is the only one I've ever used. I know most hate having the lineman rope hooked up to the front but I've never really had any issues with it that way.
APauls- I use the little LW assault stand and never leave it in the woods. Strictly hang and hunt. Once the top strap broke and once one of the cables broke. I always start a new season with new straps and replace the cables at the first sign of wear around where the cable has the ring attached to the ends. I hunt a ton and have had to replace a strap or two during a season. The old LW straps were great, the one that came later sucked. Started ordering from XOP since they had the old style straps.
Yeah...it's always great to hear details of events like stand / strap failures...how old...how long they've been outside...etc. Glad things turned out well in the end!
I do have various ascenders and rope grabbing devices from my rock kit, but for hunting I'm looking to save weight and reduce metal to metal contact for sound reasons.
@2Wild Bill, that's not quite what I had imagined as far as incorporating a 'biner. I was thinking of clipping the loop with a 'biner and running the loaded end around the tree, thru the biner then prusik to the harness. I'll post a pic.
Or not. I can't seem to post a pic. I keep getting a "500 - Internal server error. There is a problem with the resource you are looking for, and it cannot be displayed" error.
Cautionary tale-DO NOT USE TAPE ANYWHERE ON THE SET-UP!
Many types of tape are actually corrosive, as was displayed by a fatal fall at a climbing wall during a minor league baseball game. The tape corroded some of the metal parts.
As a rule don't tape over anything as it is very hard to inspect properly.
I’m a lineman and have climbed a lot and worn a harness a lot, they preach to us to never let yourself fall more then a few feet, shock load can snap the best rope or in a major case break your back especially out of position and without a break away shock load tether, if you end up hanging in a harness always be aware and educate yourself on suspension trauma it’s a real deal that can be very detrimental as blood flow gets cut off to extrimities..
"never let yourself fall more then a few feet"
Yeah, once I get to my height, I shorten the tether so that I am just able to touch the foot platform by straining at the tether. IMHO, a fall should not allow my shoulders to go below the platform. My climber is two sections and the hand portion is stored behind the tree. I intend to fasten a coiled longer rope to lower myself with, in the event the foot platform is gone to the ground.
This is what I'd consider a conventional rope-style tree strap. It doesn't cinch very securely around the tree without some load. Granted I haven't tried it hunting yet, but it seems like I would have to adjust it periodically to keep the tree strap high on the tree.
Here's what I was referring to with adding a 'biner to the system in order to keep the hunter end of the rope from loading against the rope loop in the event of a fall.
Both of the previous methods feel like they will slip down the tree when not loaded or with light hunter movements.
Does anyone double wrap the tree? This seems very secure with small movements of the hunter's end of the rope.
And here's a version with a keeper cord of sorts to keep the rope snug on the tree when unloaded. The keeper is able to adjust to take up slack but still slip if needed.
Has anyone else experimented with version like these or have any input?
I'll try to explain how I have mine setup cause I don't have pics with me.
I use 11 foot of rope with a loop tied on each end. I have two prusik knots on the rope with carabiner from each. One attached to my harness and one to cinch up the other end around the tree. While climbing and hanging stand both carabiner are attached to my harness. It's a very easy system that works for me. I'm sure some will find fault with it but I trust it.
Candor, I have a Alpine bod harness. I took some 1 inch tubular webbing tied loops on each side, tie wrapped it to the harness. Tied a loop on each end. The loops are on each side of my hips. Works better than hooking the linemans rope to the belay loop on the harness
mtnlvr,
I move my tree loop up the tree ahead of me as I climb, therefore, I can't double wrap the tree. With the caribiner on the prussic knot I am able to loosen and tighten the tree loop easily for the climb.
I like your keeper cord, however, I have a lighter cord with and adjustable loop. It is attached to the tree loop beyond where the caribiner clips on and then it has an adjustable loop which I catch the caribiner with and draw the loop up tight.The adjustable loop is a bowstring loop I've modified. Instead of starting with an overhand knot, I use a figure eight knot and follow from the same side as the overhand knot in the picture. To shrink the loop I pull on the loose end and to open the loop I pull the loop apart at right angles to the knot. Tie it a few times to get the hang of it.
I have photos but I'm getting an error message.
The bowstring knot is also known as the Honda Knot. Like I said I modified it with a figure eight instead of an overhand knot. When the loop in under tension it straightens and will not slip. Only when the loop is pulled apart from the sides does the loose end pull back into the loop.
@2Wild Bill, the photo thing is frustrating. I tried posing pics for several days and then it magically worked.
I'll have to mess around with the honda knot.
So you have the rope passing thru the 'biner as well as the loop of the honda knot?
