BobCo19-65

Deer, you may want to check out these two forums for additional ideas:

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1309286&mpage=1

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1307404&mpage=1

bomtek

I work with ropes for a living and quite honestly, although the prussik will work, its not the answer. It becomes cumbersome to move up and down and after a while the moving of the knot becomes tiresome and one ends up removing it. Not to mention the safety aspects of working with rope on rope in wet weather
If you want the right tools for the job, then the Petzl ASAP fall arrester is what you need. It moves up and down the rope by itself but will lock off instantly should you fall.

A full body harness with a Petzl ASAP ($160)fitted with 11mm access braid (not dynamic rope) and you're in business.
Alternatively you can look at the Yates Rocker ($90)or the Petzl Shunt ($46). Petzl have stopped making the Shunt because of safety reasons, ie. it wasnt all that safe under certain conditions as you had to move it down by hand and when falling the usual reaction is to grab rather than release. The rocker moves up and down by itself but you have to move quite slowly.

Another reason to avoid the prussik for your application is the possibility of a high fall factor (>2 can be life threatening) due to having a longer length of rope attached to the harness. Ideally the prussik knot is used in access systems such as pulley rigs and only really used in direct harness applications in emergencies.

Go to www.petzl.com and have a look around, theres tons of info. Alternatively, pop in at the local rope access store and speak to a specialist before making up your mind. Try and avoid buying from a climbing shop or similar outlet as they ask way over the top prices. Find an industrial rope access supplier if you can.

If you buy this kind of equipment and look after it, it will probably outlive us all.

Hope this helps

Deer902

Thanks guys for your info.
Bob, I read your post about Mitch and it got me thinking. Then that same night my wife was watching some Life in the ER program and a guy came in with a severed spinal cord from a treestand fall. I did fall from a short distance this year and had another close call while not being careful. I know that there is a climbing shop in Monroeville that I'm going to look at but if you find another place let me know. I emailed Mitch, tell him to give me a hollar and let me know how his is.

Flipout

Here is another link with detailed instructions on the prussic knot.

http://images.ebsco.com/pob/summit/catalog/instr_prussic.pdf

Rhody Hunter

thanks for the links .now i have a clearer picture of this knot system

Talondale

Petzl says ASAP not available in North America yet.

Browning_1

I disagree...I have used and tested the system in wet and dry conditions and the system works extremely well. The only time I had trouble was when we had freezing rain which turned the rope into an icicle.I don't think there is much that would work in that situation.

When the main rope is attached slack free to both the top and bottom of the tree the prussik moves very freely up and down the main rope allowing very easy climbing.

bomtek

Glad it works for you Browning 1 Certainly is the cheapest answer!

bdu33

Why put this system in every tree you want to hunt from? Seems like a waste to me. Unless you have money in the lint trap to burn. Just buy a length to go around the largest tree with another 3-4' with your prussic attached to that....backed up by a double overhand That's what Summit gives you. IMO, unless you have private property, and the money, adding 20 or more feet to a few tress doesn't make sence. 10' and a prussic know would suffice...correct?

Hey bomtec....are you former EOD...or HDS?

Deer902

Sorry for bringing up on old post but I stopped at the rock climbing store last night. The guy told me that he does not recommend this set up unless you pull the ropes down everytime(which defeats the purpose), because the UV rays will quickly weaken the strength of the ropes. And the prussic knot is not supposed to be used to stop falls. If you does use a prussic knot he recommends atleast tying a knot below the prussic once your in your stand to stop the knot form slipping down. The rope was .80 a foot and the prussic was .60 foot. He also said the using an ascender to stop falls is dangerous to because that much force could cut the rope right there upon the fall. He is a hunter and uses nylon strapping looped around the tree and attatched to his harness, but he only uses a climbing stand on straight trees. But thats not the appilcation we're looking for. The main rope should be rated no less than 2500 lbs. I still thinks it better than climbing with no ropes at all. I found this rope on Ebay today. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7229431370 I emailed the seller to find out what the strength is. Does any one know? They may sell this a an Army surplus store. Then you can buy the prussic rope from a rock climbing store.
Let me know what you guys think. Has a prussic knot ever stopped anyones fall?