Not sure why you’re having problems as I use the figure 8 and it’s been perfect. I do back up with a hitch too but that should be a given for all mechanicals too. I don’t one stick however but use climbing sticks and rappel down.
I am glad that you got out of this predicament without getting hurt. I encourage you to learn a lot more about ropes and rope climbing to avoid this in the future. To be honest, there are a lot of bad ideas in this video. Gaining more knowledge and practice could really help you avoid problems going forward.
You should switch to a JRB hitch instead of that madrock. Besides that you had many other options besides cutting your rope. Especially if you had a rappel rope with you. The madrock can also fail, so you need to have other options. Like a way to make a suspension relief tether to stand on. A second tether that you can use for many instances in the tree. Cutting your rope should of never been an option when that high in the tree.
i had the same exact thing happen when i first started, stuck on a big pine close to my knot on a ropeman after dropping my stick on first move, 6 ft off the ground and stuck. luckily i had my linemans belt, turned it into a tether and tied a footloop and stood up to relieve ropeman. i now use a mammut smart 2.0 belay device on a rappel rope. I keep a couple of slings/loops with me still just incase shit happens.
Why not take two Prussic strings and extra carabiners? these weigh nothing and you can always climb and descend in case of emergency. And why do you economise on a few feet of rope? They must always be able to touch the ground! It's not that much extra weight
You mentioned never using your tether as your climbing. I am trying to learn as much as possible before trying my hand at saddle hunting. Would using your rappell line as a tether not be a good option for both climbing and rappelling down.
You should have had and extra tether or foot loop to self rescue - having only the one connection to the tree is unsafe. What happens if the mechanical device fails?
Realizing this is an older video, I'm confident by now you've made some adjustments. I love the Madrock safeguard versus the figure 8. I've repelled multiple times from the tree using the figure 8 and I know the pickles you can find yourself in. The solution to the tree tether falling is a simple fix. Genesis 3D printing (as well as others) produces a plastic rope cinch that allow the rope to remain secure to the tree with no sagging. I wouldn't leave the ground without one.
I don't have issues with my figure 8 but I will not deny that a device like the safe guard is just way easier to use but with some of the failure points I've seen on the safe guard, I think more people should look at devices like the mammut smart
I will be making the change also after experiencing similar last weekend. I did not have to cut my rope but the rope moved on the figure 8 and boundup so Tight that if my stick wasn’t there for any imaginable reason I would’ve been stuck at 18 feet.
@@do3outdoors741 it is larger but I don’t think it’s that much larger. I need to figure out a way to put some silencer tape on it. It descends very smooth though. I had the mad rock and I kept getting caught and really have to wrench on it to get me going. I’m like 260 though so that might have something to do with it.
Looks like murphy's law got you here. Glad you made it out safe! However I don't agree with the figure 8 being the issue here and it seems you did annotate as such during the video. I'm not understanding how you couldn't get the repel rope on the tree in order to fashion the figure 8 for repel and transfer. It seems perhaps you were in a panic in the moment and did what you felt was your only option? Nonetheless it seems the lesson here is more about practicing and preparing for what could go wrong in case you have an issue. A way to the ground is #1 and this shows why. Thanks for sharing as its a great reminder for such considerations that should be made.
Not sure why you’re having problems as I use the figure 8 and it’s been perfect. I do back up with a hitch too but that should be a given for all mechanicals too. I don’t one stick however but use climbing sticks and rappel down.
I am glad that you got out of this predicament without getting hurt. I encourage you to learn a lot more about ropes and rope climbing to avoid this in the future. To be honest, there are a lot of bad ideas in this video. Gaining more knowledge and practice could really help you avoid problems going forward.
Yep.....
You realize throughout this whole video your quick-link was wide open.
You realize at 5:20 he started to screw it tight but stopped because hes at the ground and not climbing
You should switch to a JRB hitch instead of that madrock. Besides that you had many other options besides cutting your rope. Especially if you had a rappel rope with you. The madrock can also fail, so you need to have other options. Like a way to make a suspension relief tether to stand on. A second tether that you can use for many instances in the tree. Cutting your rope should of never been an option when that high in the tree.
John is a godsend to the climbing community!!
Better a knot that doesn't require a college degree. Keep It Simple Stupid.
Do you guys not take prussiks or ascenders for this situation?
i had the same exact thing happen when i first started, stuck on a big pine close to my knot on a ropeman after dropping my stick on first move, 6 ft off the ground and stuck. luckily i had my linemans belt, turned it into a tether and tied a footloop and stood up to relieve ropeman. i now use a mammut smart 2.0 belay device on a rappel rope. I keep a couple of slings/loops with me still just incase shit happens.
Why not take two Prussic strings and extra carabiners?
these weigh nothing and you can always climb and descend in case of emergency.
And why do you economise on a few feet of rope? They must always be able to touch the ground!
It's not that much extra weight
Should have just tied a loop in your rappel line to stand on. 🧐
Thats a damn good idea
You mentioned never using your tether as your climbing. I am trying to learn as much as possible before trying my hand at saddle hunting. Would using your rappell line as a tether not be a good option for both climbing and rappelling down.
Yes, hard lesson learned. If youre one sticking always climb with a repel rope and device.
You should have had and extra tether or foot loop to self rescue - having only the one connection to the tree is unsafe. What happens if the mechanical device fails?
you had a rappel rope on you and you couldn't get down without cutting your rope?
I wasnt able to put it around the tree, tie on my figure 8, and then transfer over. At least not by time i thought about it. I was exhausted
Realizing this is an older video, I'm confident by now you've made some adjustments. I love the Madrock safeguard versus the figure 8. I've repelled multiple times from the tree using the figure 8 and I know the pickles you can find yourself in. The solution to the tree tether falling is a simple fix. Genesis 3D printing (as well as others) produces a plastic rope cinch that allow the rope to remain secure to the tree with no sagging. I wouldn't leave the ground without one.
Yeah Ive definitely upgraded
I don't have issues with my figure 8 but I will not deny that a device like the safe guard is just way easier to use but with some of the failure points I've seen on the safe guard, I think more people should look at devices like the mammut smart
U also could have tied a figure 8 on your tag line and used it as a foot loop to relieve pressure to your device
Seems like the problem was with the ropeman and the length of your tether not the figure 8
Well of course it was. Climbing with a tether was the mistake. So now I only climb with my repel rope and a madrock
I will be making the change also after experiencing similar last weekend. I did not have to cut my rope but the rope moved on the figure 8 and boundup so Tight that if my stick wasn’t there for any imaginable reason I would’ve been stuck at 18 feet.
The Gri Gri plus is great too. I think it’s a lot smoother than the madrock
Ive heard that. Isnt it like 3 times the size of a madrock tho?
@@do3outdoors741 it is larger but I don’t think it’s that much larger. I need to figure out a way to put some silencer tape on it. It descends very smooth though. I had the mad rock and I kept getting caught and really have to wrench on it to get me going. I’m like 260 though so that might have something to do with it.
@@The_Rut_FunnelI have been having the same problem with the madrock. Been thinking about going with the figure 8.
Take a folding screw in step so you can screw it in tree and stand up and do whatever you need to do 👍
Not a bad idea
Saw the guys from summit demo prolly 30 years ago
Agree 100%. Always, Always Always climb on your rappel rope with a rappel device.
You the man!
i use a Madrock and keep the figure 8 in the pouch as a backup , you make some good points in your video
He didn't though, and really needs to go take a class on rigging and climbing for his own safety.
I don't get it. Don't you use the figure 8 to rappel ?
Not after this happened last season
Why would you use a tether to climb in the first place, climb with your rapelle rope ,then you always have a way to the ground
At the time I didnt own a desending device. Only a figure 8. I have a madrock now hints why I made this video
Great video brother!
Appreciate it buddy
You know when Staggs watches this, he’s gonna be saying “you big dummy, I told you so!” 😂😂😂
110% dude.
Looks like murphy's law got you here. Glad you made it out safe!
However I don't agree with the figure 8 being the issue here and it seems you did annotate as such during the video. I'm not understanding how you couldn't get the repel rope on the tree in order to fashion the figure 8 for repel and transfer. It seems perhaps you were in a panic in the moment and did what you felt was your only option? Nonetheless it seems the lesson here is more about practicing and preparing for what could go wrong in case you have an issue. A way to the ground is #1 and this shows why.
Thanks for sharing as its a great reminder for such considerations that should be made.
Very useful video thank you
😘😘😘
Try a tether locker and your rope won’t slide down
I did the same to my latitude stick
So far no issues!
@@do3outdoors741 none for me either
Add prussik and clip on a foot loop