Safety Rope Source

[Caleb the bow breaker]

Guys I saw a bunch of the stuff on the web about prussics and climbing rope and it all seems relatively straightforward.  Then I go to buy a rope and I am thinking Crap!!!  200 bucks for a rope.  And before anybody says it, Yes, my safety is worth 200 dollars.  But, it seems to me like there is an adequate alternative available that will keep us safe but that will be cheap, easy, and available enough for everybody to use.  

Obviously I am not one of those guys that spend 300 on a treestand which is probably all the more reason that I should be tied in from the minute I leave the ground.

C

[Jim Jackson]

Used or new remnant hanks of climbing rope from the auction site are where I got mine.  I bought approx 300ft of new remnant hanks for less than a hundred bucks.  That is a lot less than a deductible or worse.

[Caleb the bow breaker]

Also, does it need to be poly, nylon, soid braided, double braided, twisted????  Does it matter as long as the breaking strength is there.  

C

[Jim Jackson]

Climbing rope of kernmantle construction is the standard I believe.  I have ten safety line/prussic set-ups up and running of top quality climbing rope tied off for less than $150.  Cheap insurance.

[2treks]

I remember a thread from a few years ago that had this all detailed. Lots of information to muddy the waters some more.
I still have not made my saftey system the way I want it,but have looked into some options.
A good Full body harness is a must.
A "lifeline" is about the same. A Must.
Climbing belt is a great idea for setting your stands.

If you cannot pony up for it all at once,spread it out over a few pay days. The main thing is to DO IT!!
TJ's story about his buddy really socked me in the gut. I need to get my set-up ASAP.
I have been looking at the following.
Muddy Outdoors has a full line of gear.  www.gomuddy.com/
S4Gear also has some nice stuff.  www.s4gear.com

[reddogge]

The 2,000# climbing rope at REI is about $1/ft by the way, not 100's of dollars. The important thing is the prussic line should be thinner in diameter than the main line.

Here is a tie off rope arrangement I picked off the web and use myself. Used to attach my tether to a tree when either up the tree or ascending or descending with a climber.

   

[b.glass]

I understand the prussic knot and was looking into putting together some "life lines". And yes, I was trying for something a little less expensive. Plus I like doing/making as much of my gear as possible.

What I was wondering was, are there, like, examples of why a prussic knot would be untrustworthy?

Doc brought something up about an adhesive that should be used. I need to do some more research. If I can't make it myself safely then I won't do it.

[tuscarawasbowman]

b.glass- If I were you I would find someone knowledgable in mountaineering and ask them these questions. Those guys know more about knots than any of us ever will. I can't give you a straight answer as I have been away from that stuff for too long.

[2treks]

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=094825#000014  

  http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=098100;p=1


Lots to read and re-read. Just search it out

[doug77]

WARNING  I have been in the tree climbing busniess for 20 plus years.

DO NOT BUY OR USE A USED CLIMBING ROPE OF ANY KIND FOR A FALL SUPPORT SYSTEM

doug77

[AkDan]

I just picked up the Hunter saftey system ultra light and love it.  I also picked up the short prusic system (forgot who makes it, but I think its summit that sells the short prussic line) but by the time you buy the rope and build it yourself (with caribeners) you might as well buy it.  Look at any of the catalogs you'll see it with the harness's.

 If you're in one stand location (ie not moving it) ...there is a prussic system you can hang in that stand when you first set up, clip it from the ground and up you go time and time again after its hung.  .  The short harness (or the belt that comes with the HSS systems) will only be needed for the first climb.    

Never been more comfortable hanging a treestand or climbing.   I've always free climbed up till now, also using the cheap harness systems in the tree.   They were mostly uncomfortable and a pain to put on and shoot with compared to the HSS ultra light.  I didnt care for the vest model of HSS.  Had the pro and swapped it for the ultra.

[GreenJeans]

I'm with Doug77. Look in the yellow pages and call a licensed arborist where you live. One day working with a two legged squirrel is worth the sweat and bee stings. I've also had to carry folks out either stiff or screaming jelly and investigate what went wrong when not using and/or improperly using wrong safety equipment.

[Eric Krewson]

I know we are not supposed to post links here so look up Safetree Hunt Systems. Best deal on lifelines made correctly. The more you buy the cheaper they get. I bought 3 the other day for my lock-ons.

One bad fall in a lifetime is enough for anyone, I have already had mine and don't want another.

[Kentucky Jeff]

Go to your local outdoorshop that carries climbing gear.  If they have a good selection they will almost always have a large spool of Bluewater II static climbing rope that you can buy by the foot.  They will also usually have an assortment of webbing and smaller diameter ropes you can buy by the foot as well.

There are different types of climbing rope that generally fall into two different categories--static and dynamic ropes.  The expensive ropes are usually the dynamic ropes and they are not what we need for our purposes.  A dynamic rope is designed to stretch (20% or more!) under a load  and therefore prevent injury to a climber who suffers a fall of 10-30 feet or more by softening the impact of the rope when it stops the fall.  A static rope like Bluewater II will not stretch under a load (or not appreciably--all ropes stretch under loads).

A static rope is fine for our purposes because if we do what we should in terms of adjusting our harness length and move the system up the tree with us as we climb into a stand we should never fall more than 2-3 feet anyhow.  Also, a dynamic line will stretch with your weight in it making self-recovery into the stand harder if not impossible.

Bluewater II is the industry standard static climbing and rappel rope.  The 11mm (7/16") diameter Bluewater II has a strength of 10,000 pounds.  (yes I typed that correctly).  As I said, most any climbing shop will have it on a big spool and will sell it cut to length by the foot.  I have personally used this rope to rappel off 400 foot cliffs (and shorter) and have trusted my life completely to this rope.  I would never buy a rope from Home Depot/Lowes etc and trust my life to it.  Bluewater II is cheap enough and easy enough to find that there's no reason not to use it.  

An alternative that you can often find is the braided green Army rappel ropes you can buy in surplus stores etc.  Its usually sold in 120 foot lengths and I think I paid $48 bucks for the length I bought a few years ago.  Here's a link and its like $78 for 120 feet.
     http://www.uscav.com/Productinfo.aspx?productid=9492&tabid=548    
Keep in mind this is a dynamic rope and its going to stretch when weight is applied so I don't think its as good as a static rope for treestand safety.  But it will work and I have personally rappeled out of helicopters and off cliffs using this stuff.  Buy it from a reputable surplus dealer and it will be fine as well.  

I highly recommend you go down to the local climbing shop and talk to them.  If you want equipment you can trust implicitly there is no substitute and frankly its not that expensive.
Here's a place that sells Bluewater II rope online for .84/ft cut to length.
  http://www.backcountrygear.com/climbing/ropes-cordage/bluewater-ii-plus.html

[b.glass]

Thanks Eric. I looked it up and that is a pretty good. I think I can get a few other hunters to go together and get the best deal. They also have bulk rope that you can order but it doesn't make it any less expensive. They would make good early Christmas gifts!

[2treks]

Thats some good information.
Thanks
CTT

[Caleb the bow breaker]

I agree with Chuck,  Good stuff and was able to get the appropriate materials purchased and will save a fair bit of money over buying a pre-fab kit.  I would definetly recommend that folks give this some thought no matter what method works best for them

C

[smokin joe]

Go to Sherrill Tree and get tree climbing rope. It is made to take the abrasion of tree bark, etc. Good stuff. Professional Arborists trust their lives to it every day.

[boog21]

One of my concerns every time I get into my lock-on is whether or not some critter has been gnawing at the strap.  For this reason, I carry a strap up the tree with me and put it on before climbing onto the stand.

Seems to me we run the same risk with safety lines that are left in trees.  Am I being too cautious, or is this a legitimate concern?

[rraming]

Hunter safety systems - lifeline