Need help selecting the right rope

[CurSedVoyce]

There ya go.. Some great advise. Get a proper rope... set, use retrieve and reset to use. Never leave life support to elements or critter. Get the Climbers companion and make a shopping list. Call Nick at Tree Stuff......
Be safe. Learn low and slow. A 40-60 foot climb line is easily stashed and workable.
Leaving a throw line or some cheaper nylon in the tree to pull up your rope to a good Tie In Point is excellent advise.

 

[pantheraba]

As far as leaving rope exposed to the elements, I don't know about Squirrels chomping on it, but there are waterproof and UV protected marine grade ropes.

I DO know about squirrels gnawing nylon rope. I built this tree house in 1990 for my kids...finally had to take it down about 2 years ago. There were several places on it where squirrels had gnawed the netting I had installed in the windows to keep the kids from falling out. Squirrels are just rats..they'll gnaw most anything.

 

[tpcollins]

TP...you are getting superb advice from DMc, Reddog, AdamP and now me. Don't leave a life support line in a tree...not even overnight.

A small piece of throwline...yes. That is small, cheap diameter, nylon line that is used to pull your life line up into the tree.

I appreciate all the great advice, I'm just having trouble comprehending getting the rope into position up above my stand. Some of my stands don't have an overhead limb to support the rope at the top - they're sort of like a telephone pole. And if I have one that would work, I'd need a rope twice as long, tie both ends off at the bottom, and ascend up the climbing sticks and sit on stand hooked to one rope. But I'd be worried about the tree bark raking the rope sheath trying to get it into position. I have one large tree with no limbs near the stand so I don't know how to secure one from the ground.

I might be better off hunting from the ground!

 

[bonner1040]

There are plenty of ways of ways to do it safely!

 

[Reddog]

TP, Any tree that has a top in it can have a rope set from the ground with a weight and throw line.

 

[tpcollins]

Well I'll be dang, stumbled across a video on the "Cambium Friction Saver Installation". I think even an idiot like me could do this with a little practice . . .

 

[squisher]

I will reiterate not to leave your lifeline in a tree unattended. IMO its no longer a lifeline after doing that and therefore negates all your planning, prep, and investment in making yourself safe.

These fellows are giving you great advice.

 

[Limbrat]

Hey Tim, just caught up with your thread. The guys on this site are awesome. I'm a hunter too and I think I've read every post and I might've missed it but I haven't seen anything on fall arrest. Arborist saddles are made for climbing and are not designed to catch you if you fall out of a tree stand. If you happen to fall asleep and take a tumble, odds are you're gonna get hurt in a saddle where a rear attachment full body harness like we use in the bucket are designed for that purpose. Most tree saddles are too noisy and bulky for hunting purposes with buckles and snaps to clang on everything. I have a Summit hunting harness that has nylon dees for a lanyard and also a rear back attachment for fall arrest. I always safety where the lanyard on the back of my harness is tight when I sit down in the stand. Rigged like that, you're not going far if you do roll out.

 

[tpcollins]

Thanks Limbrat, I have the Tree Spider with a fall arrest lanyard and tear-aways but at my age I'm a bit concerned if I fall whether I'll be able to from facing away from the tree to getting back around. And since I have 3 stents in the vessels around my heart, some sort of attack is not out of the question - but I'm not going to quit hunting. Although I keep the tether as short as possible, if I do go over the side unconscious, there's a strong possibility even this Tree Spider harness could cause leg trauma by cutting off the circulation of the femoral artery.

I'm under the impression that the odds to survive this type of trauma is better in a rock climbing harness over a standard tree stand harness. I bought a Petzl Aspir now and it's belay loop pulls at the waist band first, leg stapes second, and prompts the body into more of a upright/sitting posture rather than hanging like a vertical string of sausage links. I'll spend all summer testing whatever setup I go with. Here's a pic of the current harness I'm using, I've hung in it from a rafter and it is not all that pleasant. Just looking for the safest alternative. Thanks.

 

[rumination]

The latest research I have seen agrees that the rock climbing/tree climbing style harnesses are much better than fall arrest harnesses when it comes to suspension trauma.

 

[NickfromWI]

You should get the aero and hang from it.

 

[Limbrat]

If you're going to hang in it any length of time you may be right. I would hope to be able to get back on the stand but I understand your concerns. Where are you hunting?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Once, I fell straight down about ten feet when the limb I was on snapped and I had slack in my line. When it bottomed out, my sliding dee legstrap Weaver simply whupped me around upright into a seated position, no problem. It kinda surprised me - no damage to me whatsoever.

 

[tpcollins]

If you're going to hang in it any length of time you may be right. I would hope to be able to get back on the stand but I understand your concerns. Where are you hunting?

Meechigan - private land until someone swoops in and buys it.

 

[DMc]

... I bought a Petzl Aspir now...

Tim, the Aspir is a minimalist harness and will work perfect for what you are trying to accomplish. I have used similar types for bow hunting and they work great. By using arborist climbing techniques you will not have to worry about fall arrest as long as you climb and sit with little to no slack in the climbing line. With no hard links, it will be comfortable and shoot-able if you tuck the line under one arm or the other and have it snug enough to lean on.

Like I said, with this type of system you will always be within easy reach of the ground. You should practice with the system to become proficient and comfortable with it so if you do have a problem, like with your heart, you can safely get to the ground, which may not be possible with just the ladder.

David

 

[CurSedVoyce]

And if a bear is climbing your ladder.. you might just have to burn butt down a rope... LOL

 

[woodworkingboy]

Bears climb ladders?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

And trees.....

 

[woodworkingboy]

I know they climb trees, have seen direct evidence of it myself. I wasn't aware that they were smart enough to use a ladder, or dumb enough like some humans.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

And there ya go...
I ever tell you I really hate ladders?

 

[pantheraba]

You ARE my brother! I really do not like ladders either...bad dangerous things.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I hate BEARS.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

You ARE my brother! I really do not like ladders either...bad dangerous things.

Devils spawn I tell you ................

 

[pantheraba]

Some folks were asking about climbing kits. Just got this in email...from a site where I sometimes buy rope:

http://tailoredresponse.com/mmd/emailViewer?cj=JMEXK1BIJ4

 

[Stumper]

Plenty of good advice. I am also a bowhunter and have done the rock climbing harness in the treestand thing with good results. Even better in SOME circumstances might be a New Tribe saddle and just hanging out without bothering with a "stand". Yes learn to install a line using a "throwline" or small rope rather than leaving your safety/climbing rope in the tree. Climbing secured with a doubled rope beats using a lanyard on the sticks and gives you "escape" options.