# Swivel Captive Eye on Dragonfly Bridge



## Fireaxman (Mar 5, 2009)

I was climbing very contentedly on a Buckingham Traverse Deluxe until I saw Oldirty bragging about his Dragonfly. I got interested in the replaceable bridge and I bought one. I'm glad I did.

I like to clean up close growth Southern Pines after the storms. I like to traverse between the pines, partly because I'm old and 2 or 3 90 foot ascents in a day wear me out, partly just because I like hanging out in the clean clear air between the trees like a spider. The Traverse saddle worked pretty well for this because of the double sliding D's on the bridge, but I had to twist the bridge up pretty seriously if I wanted to swivel at all during the traverse and it was wearing the (fixed, sewn in) bridge out. 

I took the bridge loose on the Dragonfly and put the captive eye of an ISC Swivel Captive Eye 'biner on it. I am really enjoying this. 360 degree swivel and it still keeps my friction hitches close to my bridge, as opposed to 'binering in a Petzl swivel. 'Binering in a Petzl Swivel to my Buck Traverse would have added the length of the swivel plus 2 biners to an already pretty long bridge.

Besides a more comfortable Traverse, putting the swivel directly on the bridge also helps keep my DdR from twisting. I was using double locking swivel rope snaps at the top of my hieght adjustable false crotch, but they were not helping much. Bummer as you get closer to the TIP and the twisted ropes add friction to the climb. Now I can just take the twists out right at my saddle.


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## Fireaxman (Mar 6, 2009)

I bought a Pantin. Use it rarely. Mostly I am using a MarBar, but a freind showed up with the straps Sherril sells for $66 to replicate the "Texas System". I like what he has better than my MarBar, but I cant see anything so complicated about it that I couldn't just make one out of rope. Think I'll give it a try, since I already own 4 CMI ascenders.

I like what he has better than my MarBar or Pantin because it slides up the rope better, especially in the early stages of the climb before the rope gets heavy enough to fall through the MarBar or Pantin. Its also easier to transition to my STOP or I'd, since both ascenders stay above the descender until the descender takes the full weight.

Wait a minute. All that's for SRT. DdRT I have been doing entirely with my arms or an occasional foot lock. Do I hear you suggesting I use the Pantin to help with the Traverse? Duh. Never thought to try it. Feel pretty stupid. Try it tomorrow.


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## Fireaxman (Mar 7, 2009)

I've been making my first trip up SRT with the MarBar, then making the traverse DdRT. Never occurred to me to bring the Pantin up when I am already on the MarBar, and it never occured to me to use the MarBar to help with the Traverse. I can easily see how the Pantin would shine at this, particulary because it is so easy to get on and off the rope.

I'm not sure there is room in the MarBar for the Pantin, that I could put it on before I got off the ground, but I am almost sure it would work in conjunction with the "Texas System". TreeSpyder had me playing with that a couple of weeks ago. 

Thanks! I am more than a little slow, but I think you finally got my wheels turning.


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## Fireaxman (Mar 7, 2009)

Dang it, Treeco, when are they going to let me add to your rep again? I been "...spreading some rep around". How much rep I gotta spread before they let let me get back to you?

Not that you especially need it, but I like to "attaboy" the folks that help me. I recomend that you be recomended for a recomendation (guess thats about all the stroke I carry).


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## Adkpk (Mar 7, 2009)

I could of used a little swivel action on this climb. I roped into two trees because the tip of the tree I wanted to work in was out of view. I traversed form a hemlock to the white pine, it was more like a swing. It took some doing to untangle the lines but once I got it right the climb went well.


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## Fireaxman (Mar 7, 2009)

Adkpk said:


> I could of used a little swivel action on this climb. I roped into two trees because the tip of the tree I wanted to work in was out of view. I traversed form a hemlock to the white pine, it was more like a swing. It took some doing to untangle the lines but once I got it right the climb went well.



Yessir! Exactly the kind of tangle I am trying to get away from. The little red "Lion's Paw" rigging plate is a big help too, keeping the lines seperated.


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## Ghillie (Mar 7, 2009)

That's it!!! I have to get rid of the Variobelt!!

Nice pictures. Seems like I am in the stone age.


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## oldirty (Mar 8, 2009)

Ghillie said:


> That's it!!! I have to get rid of the Variobelt!!
> 
> Nice pictures. Seems like I am in the stone age.



hey big dog. the other day when i was taking the gear off my dragonfly i noticed a little tag that said "weight capacity 220 lbs".

thats after climbing on it for almost 2 yrs at 235......oops.


good luck on the saddle search bud.


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## Ghillie (Mar 8, 2009)

oldirty said:


> hey big dog. the other day when i was taking the gear off my dragonfly i noticed a little tag that said "weight capacity 220 lbs".
> 
> thats after climbing on it for almost 2 yrs at 235......oops.
> 
> ...



The price I pay for being me.......

I just downloaded the instruction manual for Buckingham's "Ergovation" last night and read through it. It lists max. weight as 310lbs with gear.

Now that I am back in the trees, I've shed my winter coat and am under the limit on that harness. Now I just need to come up with $500 to get one.


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## Ghillie (Mar 8, 2009)

Fieraxman, do you prefer closed rings or screwlinks to make one connection point in your rig? It looks like you have both in this picture.


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## Fireaxman (Mar 9, 2009)

Ghillie said:


> Fieraxman, do you prefer closed rings or screwlinks to make one connection point in your rig? It looks like you have both in this picture.



I would have used Closed Rings on both sides for this application, but I ran out of them playing with my ring/ring prussic and a home-made (out of rope)Texas style ascender, so I had to go with a screw link. I would have prefered the closed ring because the gate on the screw link is a potential weak spot and because I prefer the aluminum ring on the aluminum biner. The SS Screw Link would probably never eat through the biner but if it stayed on there long enough it would cut a groove in it. 

I have oredered some more of the rings. The more I use them the more I like them. They can be used to change the axis on biner to biner connections to take out some of the twist without adding much length, they make a nice hub for multiple rope connections (cheaper than Rigging Plates), and the half inch bar stock is large enough diameter not to bite or kinck the rope.

If you use the screw links, watch the gate size. The first ones I got I just looked at the Tensile and WWL and picked up some 6 mm. The 5/16 gate on the 6 mm is too small to be very useful.


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## Ghillie (Mar 9, 2009)

Fireaxman said:


> I would have used Closed Rings on both sides for this application, but I ran out of them playing with my ring/ring prussic and a home-made (out of rope)Texas style ascender, so I had to go with a screw link. If you use the screw links, watch the gate size. The first ones I got I just looked at the Tensile and WWL and picked up some 6 mm. The 5/16 gate on the 6 mm is too small to be very useful.



Thanks, that's going to help clean up my single attachment point on my harness.

Next question, do you have any trouble with the links/rings pushing your rope down on to the gates of your 'biners?


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## Fireaxman (Mar 9, 2009)

Ghillie said:


> ... Next question, do you have any trouble with the links/rings pushing your rope down on to the gates of your 'biners?



Knot since I started using the Anchor Hitch instead of the Scaffold. It took me a while to learn to trust the Anchor. It just looks too simple to be secure. But the double wrap works really well to keep it from wandering around on the biner. Once you put a load on it, you really have to work at it to make it turn a corner.

I can't honestly say I ever caught my Scaffold knot on the gate, but it sure seemed to crowd it occasionally. Obviously a Bowline or 8 is out of the question, either of them would roll over on to the gate in a heartbeat.


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## Ghillie (Mar 10, 2009)

Fireaxman said:


> Knot since I started using the Anchor Hitch instead of the Scaffold. It took me a while to learn to trust the Anchor. It just looks too simple to be secure. But the double wrap works really well to keep it from wandering around on the biner. Once you put a load on it, you really have to work at it to make it turn a corner.
> 
> I can't honestly say I ever caught my Scaffold knot on the gate, but it sure seemed to crowd it occasionally. Obviously a Bowline or 8 is out of the question, either of them would roll over on to the gate in a heartbeat.



I'll have to try the Anchor hitch then. I've been using the scaffold also.

Thanks for the help. Sorry to derail your thread. When I do upgrade to a harness with a bridge, I am going to try out the captive eye swivel.

Be safe.

Fred


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## oldirty (Mar 10, 2009)

Ghillie said:


> I'll have to try the Anchor hitch then. I've been using the scaffold also.
> 
> Thanks for the help. Sorry to derail your thread. When I do upgrade to a harness with a bridge, I am going to try out the captive eye swivel.
> 
> ...



are you going to use one for your flipline adjuster too?


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## Ghillie (Mar 10, 2009)

oldirty said:


> are you going to use one for your flipline adjuster too?



My flipline has a swivel rope snap on the terminal end and a "Gibbs" style adjuster on the other.

Now that you mention it....I wonder if I use a screw link to attach the captive eye swivel biner to the gibb's style adjuster.


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## Fireaxman (Mar 10, 2009)

I dont think I will. I thought about it for the snap hook end, but the triple lock on the swivel captive eye is too hard to manipulate with one hand. Think I'll stay with the double locking swivel snap hook.

I make or break the connection at the bridge maybe once or twice a climb, and always from a secure tie in where I can use both hands. The flipline is constantly being re-connected, and sometimes in uncomfortable positions. For the flipline, IMO, the extra security of the triple lock is not worth sacrificing the speed and ease (one handed operation) of the double locking swivel snap hook. If I have or hear of any accidents or near misses with the double lock I'll reconsider.

I use a CMI "Ropewalker" for an adjuster. I dont have any trouble with twisting on the adjuster end because the Ropewalker is large enough that my steel core flipline rotates out any twist as soon as I open the Ropewalker.


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## oldirty (Mar 10, 2009)

no no my big friend.


use the captive eye swivel biner as THE flipline adjuster.


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## Ghillie (Mar 10, 2009)

oldirty said:


> no no my big friend.
> 
> 
> use the captive eye swivel biner as THE flipline adjuster.



Enlighten me, wee one.


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## oldirty (Mar 10, 2009)

do a search for "new climbing styles vs old" thread. to see what i am talking about it should be somewhere on the last page, BUT read the whole thread because there is some good stuff in that thread.


anyway. you would biner to your D ring and then slide the rope through the captive eye.....and then tie your prussic to the rope (i use the distel) and then put scaffold knots to the captive eye on either side of the rope.

bang. instant self adjusting fliline adjuster. no extra snaps or pulleys. 

i love it man, been using it since i found that thread. highly recommend it.


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## Ghillie (Mar 10, 2009)

Foundit. Little light reading for the 'morrow.

Thanks for all the info FireAxMan and you to OD!


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## Fireaxman (Mar 10, 2009)

oldirty said:


> ...anyway. you would biner to your D ring and then slide the rope through the captive eye.....and then tie your prussic to the rope (i use the distel) and then put scaffold knots to the captive eye on either side of the rope.
> 
> bang. instant self adjusting fliline adjuster. no extra snaps or pulleys.
> 
> i love it man, been using it since i found that thread. highly recommend it.



Well now aint that cute. Son of a gun I think I'm going to have to make myself a rope flipline just to see that work. Thanks OD!


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## oldirty (Mar 10, 2009)

i actually found that from a another climber. you can thank tom dunlap for that little ditty. just want to help him share his great idea! lol.

its a dope setup. i like it.


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## Fireaxman (Mar 11, 2009)

Oldirty - what kind of rope are you using for your flipline? You said it is 9/16 - is it double braid, 3 strand, kernmantle, 16, 12, or "Other"?


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## oldirty (Mar 11, 2009)

just about 14 ft off of my short climbing line. it might be a 16 strand. i do have a 9/16th but to be honest i dont use it all that much.


its a 1/2inch that i am using now.


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