rope bridge on Weaver Cougar

[DaleF]

I got too sore using a butt strap saddle a few weeks ago so I am trying out a Weaver Cougar now. I took a week long arborist class last fall but do not recall anything about a rope bridge. What is the advantage? Any safety considerations? Is there any problem with just snapping into the D rings at each hip?
I am just working on trees on my farm. Currently taking down a large red oak leaning over a building.

 

[scenescence]

Rope bridge is supposed to offer increased mobility. As far as safety there was a recall on some of the cougar bridges. I believe they replaced the yellow/black bridge with a black one. There was also a recall on the alum rings that were not stamped. Do a search for better details. The D rings are for your lanyard, use both d's one for each end. Stay safe.

 

[RacerX]

If you're asking about attaching the climbing line to the two D's instead of the bridge then you answer is no you shouldn't. For one thing the rope bridge attaches directly to the leg loops which distributes your weight between your legs and waist. With a tie in only to the D's you're saddle will want to ride up over you hips which is very uncomfortable because it will force the leg loops right into your gonads. As mentioned there were some recalls for parts of these saddles. I believe that the black/yellow rope bridges were actually the ones that were OK.

 

[DaleF]

My bridge is all black. I will call Bailey's to be sure. I've got an AMP 50kN carabiner that I will try on the bridge.

 

[S2AMIKE]

All Black Cougar Rope Bridge

The Newest Rope brige is "All Black".
This is from Weaver just last week.
Mike @ Bailey's

 

[Ghillie]

The ones currently shipping are all black. I just recieved two of them in the last couple of weeks. I got one in 2009 with yellow and black bridge, I replaced that bridge with velocity from Samson.

Great harnesses.

 

[RacerX]

Yes the black/yellow bridges are OK. Here's some info from Sherrill:

SAFETY RECALL ON WEAVER COUGAR SADDLE BRIDGES, 08/23/2010


Attention SherrillTree
**UPDATE 10/5/2010**SherrillTree has Cougar saddles in stock that have been re-fitted with replacement bridges and installed by Weaver Leather. Please give us a call at 1-800-525-8873 to place your order or you can purchase the saddle here. If you have any questions regarding the saddle bridge recall, please contact Weaver Leather directly at 800-932-8371.************************************

Weaver Leather announced that the solid black rope bridge included with Cougar harnesses sold between January 2010 and August 2010 may not be suitable for use and should be taken out of service. Discontinue use of this product immediately! This request is being made due to a recent incident involving the failure of one such rope bridge that did not result in injury.

Please note that this notice DOES NOT APPLY to yellow and black striped rope bridges made prior to 2010.

Item numbers affected include:
SherrillTree item numbers for saddle and bridge; COU-(+size) and 33525SO
Weaver’s item numbers are 08-01075 (+size) and 08-01076 (+size)

 

[Bearcreek]

So all the black and yellow bridges are no good? I bought a cougar a year or so ago and it didn't fit me at all. Only used it a couple times. It's for sale if anybody's interested.

 

[RacerX]

Take a look at post #7. The black/yellow bridges are fine.

 

[Bearcreek]

Got it. I was online multi-tasking. Must have hit the submit post button after you posted that. Thanks.

 

[B_Turner]

The rope bridge on the cougar (I have one) does not give me warm fuzzy feelings. First bridge started to pull up cover tuffs within an hour, dealer told me that was very common for a while (09). Replacement black bridges were recalled later, but still reports are showing up of experienced climbers having their cougar rope bridge (black and yellow ones, not recalled ones) failing catastrophically and with no real warning. My brother knows a couple climbers that have had their cougar rope bridge fail, and other incidents are reported in other climbing forums including pics of broken bridges (break in middle).

Reportedly these are experienced climbers who had inspected their bridges and found nothing to make them nervous. Course impossible to say for sure.

Searching, I even found a climbing competiton organization made a ruling that competitors with a cougar saddle would be disqualified unless they brought proof their bridge was less than 6 months old. $140 a year to maintain a $225 saddle.

 

[VA-Sawyer]

All Cougar bridges are unfit for use after 6 months!!!!

This week I got a card in the mail from Weaver Leather. I will try to attach a scan of it, but the bottom line is they say the bridge needs to be replaced at the first sign of wear or every 6 months, whichever comes first. So my backup saddle will need 2 bridges a year if I only climb on it once ? I think that is unacceptable.

View attachment 232511

Click on attachment to read card. ( How do I link that thread to this one? )

As per Weaver, ALL Cougar bridges, no matter the color should be replaced after 6 months of age.

Go back and read the thread this link came from. I have been following this issue ever since I bought a Cougar as a training saddle for an employee. Call Weaver at the 800 number and ask for Carlos. The people who answer the phones claim that there have been no problems, but Carlos was well aware of the failures when I talked to him. I put a new bridge on the Cougar in April. It is a spare saddle that hasn't been used since, but Weaver still tells me it needs to be changed before using again. They are dodging liability big time on this whole subject. I will NEVER buy Weaver crap again!

 

[rtsims]

Liger - YouTube

Problem solved!

 

[beastmaster]

Yeah I had a weaver cougar also. Really liked that belt, but after the second recall I hung it up and it hasnt been wore. Our lifes depend on these makers. If their quality control is that bad as to have to potentially deadly problems in such a short time, well that is to much for me. I bought an,"edge", and mostly been happy with it.

 

[VA-Sawyer]

Do they allow Ligers in competitions ? I agree the Liger is a better saddle, but Weaver will not support any mods to the saddle, so if there is a failure and someone gets hurt, will your liability insurance cover you ? My agent told me that mods to 'life support' equipment would not be covered in the event of an accident.

Rick

 

[rtsims]

There's to many what ifs and what not in this biz. That's last on my list. My life hangs on the knots I tie, friction hitches I tie, crotches I choose, cuts I make etc. If one of these fails it's the same deal in my opinion.

 

[treemandan]

You don't have to use a Weaver bridge, you can use pretty much anybody's or make your own out of anything you want. I realized I didn't like the bridge before I bought mine. You see a lot of stuff out there these days that it don't make sense to climb on if you know much about climbing.

 

[VA-Sawyer]

If you own the business and you get hurt, then I agree, liability isn't your biggest worry. On the other hand, if you supply a saddle that fails and kills or injures somebody else, then liability is your biggest worry. Every insurance company is looking for an excuse not to pay. The bigger the claim, the harder they try to avoid paying. If you provide a modified saddle, will you end up being on the hook if it fails? A branch failing is viewed as an accident, a modified saddle failing, may be treated as something else. I learned a lot about insurance companies during 25 years in aviation. Tis better to ask the questions before the accident happens, and get the answers in writing.

Rick

 

[B_Turner]

Been considering converting my cougar to a liger, although I have a TM borrowed and screwing with the cougar seems sort of silly.

Anyway, I have been investigating rigging plate candidates for the liger and in case it might be helpful to anyone I am posting pics of two candidates.

Shiny one Rock exotica and dark one CT. Both nicely made.

RE more compact, seems a bit stouter (both rated 36kn), small holes a touch smaller for a stopper knot and the big hole nice and round shape for rope snap (half the reason I would go liger). It also comes in black.

CT slightly wider the long way (a plus or minus depending), rounder edges on holes for rope or webbing, and the big hole works with rope snap but a touch less elegant for that use (was not designed for snap of course).

So personal preference, but I am slightly leaning toward the RE (like the big hole for rope snap) and a short sewn loop similar to stock for connecting to legstrap to keep in place and allow me more control over the direction the bridge pulls on my harness. Both would work, and I think the CT is the more common choice.

Naturally I am not encouraging or endorsing any saddle modication. You alone are responsible for any extra risks. Just sharing info in case helpful to anyone.

 

[B_Turner]

Had the plates on my saddle for a few days and it's a real improvement IMO over the stock bridge. My own rope bridge, using rings, can adjust the length, and can hang from a long lanyard on the side connections now. Using velocity, but with the holes so big on both plates (bigger than ergo or TM) I am going to try vortex just for a slightly bigger knot.

In terms of the plates, I think either the RE or CT plates would have worked very similarly.

Now if the side D's were adjustable it would be great. When I picked out the saddle a few years ago, the saddle size that fit me otherwise had the rings too far back and kind of pinches after a while with spurs.