Prussic Knot

[alligatordond]

Hey thanks guys,

I was looking at $40 ascenders. This will do the trick nicely. I figure after 30 years of stand hunting the odds are catching up for a fall.

DonD

[B.O.D.]

7/16ths, or  1/2" will be fine. the hitchline can be a bit less money. I use a braided polyester rope that is rated for 1800 lbs. it is  more than adequate for treestand use.
To be supersafe, cut a 6' piece if the mainline off and use it.
BD

[Karl]

"i don't know anyone up here that makes a living in the trees that rely on the mechanical device, they are a machine and they can fail...if practiced enough the knots and your brain will never let you down!"    
 - the tens of thousands of big wall climbers and alpinists that use those "mechanical devices" trust their lives to them daily.  Failures occur but almost universally with the operator, not the device. For those of you who move in to your stand in the dark (probably on half a cup of coffee) and wish to ascend to your stand in safety, seriously consider a petzl (not pretzl!) ascender.  I believe CMI, Camp, and others make equally good ascenders as well.  You only need one, you can wrap them with tape to keep them quiet, and when in your stand you can put them in your fanny pack or cargo pocket in your pants.  I've used these ascenders on walls where trees look like tiny shrubs below. For simply adding safety to climbing to a tree stand, basic instruction is all you need.  Not taking anything away from a prusik (no flaming please), but an ascender is easier to learn to use than tying a knot!  And one will last you a lifetime (no pun intended).

[jindydiver]

Originally posted by Karl:
"i don't know anyone up here that makes a living in the trees that rely on the mechanical device, they are a machine and they can fail...if practiced enough the knots and your brain will never let you down!"      
 - the tens of thousands of big wall climbers and alpinists that use those "mechanical devices" trust their lives to them daily.  Failures occur but almost universally with the operator, not the device. For those of you who move in to your stand in the dark (probably on half a cup of coffee) and wish to ascend to your stand in safety, seriously consider a petzl (not pretzl!) ascender.  I believe CMI, Camp, and others make equally good ascenders as well.  You only need one, you can wrap them with tape to keep them quiet, and when in your stand you can put them in your fanny pack or cargo pocket in your pants.  I've used these ascenders on walls where trees look like tiny shrubs below. For simply adding safety to climbing to a tree stand, basic instruction is all you need.  Not taking anything away from a prusik (no flaming please), but an ascender is easier to learn to use than tying a knot!  And one will last you a lifetime (no pun intended).

I agree with this. Petzl make some very small units now and it is easier to avoid operator error with one of these rather than tying a knot in the dark.

[B.O.D.]

Both work, I can tie the knot with my eyes closed now.  

[MOBow]

Thanx for all the good info.  keith

[Rico]

There is no need to tie a knot in the dark a climbing caribiner hooked into the prussic knot is all that is needed. That quick,that simple.

[KyGal]

Rico, many cavers have messed up big adding a carabiner into their knot rig. (you are talking about incorporating the biner into the knot as a sort of handle?) They are not allowed in climbing competition either. Plus it is one more thing to clank around, and cold in the winter. On the other hand, if Rico is talking about keeping a biner for your seat tie in, I heartily agree with not fidgeting with your seat attachment point in the dark.

I own and use mechanical ascenders for caving, where one may have to ascend up hundreds of feet of rope, but when hunting revert to the knots. Been using them for 20+ years now. They are light, quiet, cheap, and multitask.

My favorite variation is the helical knot. It works easier and the continual retying forces you to inspect your cordage. My old prussik loops got pretty frayed before I would made new ones.

[Rico]

KyGal mine is a simple as simple get for a safety belt. Most of my treestand setups are in evergreen trees with multi limbs below me and I hook my rope short so that I can not fall below my plantform,anyhow I just have a 2" web belt and put my carabiner through that when I climb I bring the carabiner to my front hook to the prussik and climb the tree sliding the knot as I go. Once in the tree without removing the carabiner I simply slide the carabiner around the belt to my back draw up any slack and hunt reverse in the same way. At no time am I ever detached from my safety line. Wish I had your knowledge of knots KyGal one thing I'm not sure of is when making the loop for the prussik,what kind of knot do you tie the end of the ropes with,is a figure 8 sufficent.Thanks

[KyGal]

A figure 8 is sufficient, especially if you trace it through like a water or tape knot - with the tail ends going in opposite directions through the knot, if that makes sense. The best knot I like for a pair of loops you're gonna use for a long while is the double fisherman's knot. Describing things in words is tough, but basically lay your cord in front of you, with the ends lapped past each other with enough extra to tie the knot. Take one end and tie an overhand around the other tail, passing the end through the overhand loop an extra time. Cinch it onto the line and slide it over to make room for the other half of the knot. You now take the other tail end and do the same thing on the other side. Once you dress the knot it will take an act of Congress to untie. The advantage is that the part of the knot bearing your weight only goes through gradual bends, not a total reverse as in most other knots. Sharp bends in knots constitute the weak points, or failure points, in your rig. These really become important in the event of a fall.

A great inexpensive primer on knots for climbing is John Long, Ropes, Knots and Slings for Climbers. If you want the full details of modern American SRT, get On Rope by Bruce Smith & Alan Padgett.

[Rico]

Thanks for the info KyGal I think along with the info you gave and a little surfing I'll understand,I'll check out what you say but will probably end up staying with the figure 8,don't know what a water or tape knot is but I thankyou for your time. Might check out those authors you mentioned also.

[jindydiver]

"On Rope" is treated like a bible among a lot of cavers over here.

[Talondale]

Let's be safe out there.  Just a reminder and for anyone new.  Good info hear.