Split Tail Question

[NYSawBoss]

I climb with a split tail system. The lead climber I was working with today (finally a normal climber with 20+ years experience) uses a split tail system with only 1 carabiner. He has an eye splice on his climbing line and split tail and they both terminate into 1 carabiner. I don't see how this makes any sense. I was under the impression that you use 2 carabiners as I do. Otherwise, where is the advantage to the split tail in the first place?? Just my curiousity...thanks again.

tony

 

[jkrueger]

Guess he just seperates with the splices. One could do that and It's nice to have the weight of the biners throw over something.

Jack

 

[MasterBlaster]

Tony the advantage is when the friction hitch wears the tail, you just replace the tail instead of cutting yur climbing rope.

 

[NYSawBoss]

Butch..I realize that part but what I don't understand is, if my split tail and climbing line are attached to the same carabiner how is it different than the traditional system. You still have to unhook your whole system to pass it over a limb above you. The way I use the split tail..it acts as a second lanyard when I want it.

 

[BigJohn]

You can't do that with one biner? Why do you care what he does. Buddy you need to worry about you. Keep an open mind and pick choose the things you like that work for you. Why not ask this fella what is up with his inapt system? Here a picture of what I use. Some call me crazy or is it everyone? Take a look

 

[tophopper]

when I used a blakes w split tail, i always terminated to one biner. It is much smoother and streamlined than 2. You still have all the same abilities as with 2 biners except you cannot split them between sperate d's. Imagine bodythrusting for a moment, when you pull on the line and your holding your weight the splittail attachment is slacked, this causes the biner or snap to flop around a bit and rotation could occur. Most climbers Ive seen aren't bothered by this, but to me it seemed sloppy. By terminating to one biner when your tail is slacked, the attachment biner is still under load and sitting fully upright. Plus its one less biner required to tie in. If i ever need the line to double as a long lanyard just add a biner.
I think what your asking is a personal preferance, but how it doesn't matter if you use 1 or 2
while we are on the subject of line termination, I cannot imagine anyone does, but is anybody using 2 biners to terminate a VT, or french prussik, or the like.??

 

[BigJohn]

Closer look on the saddle

 

[tophopper]

Here's a picture of a set up I tried a few years back before i abandoned the blakes. it worked well and length was fully adjustable. tony I dont get what you mean, its the same system it still all disconnects in the same places just one less link in the chain.

 

[tophopper]

BJ- those terminations look so sloppy, biners linked together like that. that would drive me nuts.

Tony try terminating on just one biner, carry the other with you, when you need to split your termination just add it in.

 

[jkrueger]

Originally posted by tophopper
BJ- those terminations look so sloppy, biners linked together like that. that would drive me nuts.

Tony try terminating on just one biner, carry the other with you, when you need to split your termination just add it in.

I thought that too when I first saw John's set up and in practice it is super. I'm using a glide saddle and a I think Big John's is a Butterfly, bothe bridge saddles, maybe that is also apart of the dream set up.

Jack

 

[NeTree]

When I split-tail, I only use one biner; I do bring the big steel one with me for the "throwing" weight, though. My saddle has only one center dee, so connecting to two is irrelevant anyways.

 

[Mahk]

Originally posted by BigJohn
Here a picture of what I use.

Big John;

Good pic, but it doesn't show where the (eye) end of your rope attaches to the system. It could be connected to either carabiner.

Mahk

 

[BigJohn]

It attathces to the captive eye biner. Isn't it in the picture? Where can I get some split tail.

 

[Mahk]

Originally posted by BigJohn
Here a picture of what I use.

Big John;

Good pic, but it doesn't show where the (eye) end of your rope attaches to the system. It could be connected to either carabiner.

Mahk

 

[matthias]

Good call on the slop problem with two biners. As I slide the blakes up on a body thrust the carabiners have the potential to fight eachother and in turn shorten the stroke. BigJohn, when bodythrusting with your setup, does the slack tender advance the knot so all you have to do is pull the end of the rope or how does it work?

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Originally posted by NYSawBoss
I was under the impression that you use 2 carabiners as I do. Otherwise, where is the advantage to the split tail in the first place?? Just my curiousity...thanks again.

tony

Advantages are still quicker re-tie ins, going around obstacles; getting rid of the wearable portion as MB says. Steel in eye termination for throwing as Erik says, sometimes even rescue pulley tempoirarily.

The 2 carabiner system In parallel, not series as John's; just gives chance to spread carabiners apart i think.

TopHopper; i think 2 carabiners dedicated to holding each leg of a tress cord could be dangerous, by spreading the legs of the hitch apart potentially at some point.

Still liking self tending Icicle in 3/8:5k Tenex, or VT with similar self tending finish of Iciccle or Knut.

 

[jamie]

one less

one less caribiner,

as opposed to a trad system, you have to tie onto the biner and then a knot, time it, now take the the split tail and re clip in, taa daa secure.... no retying and all that bollox

jamie

 

[tophopper]

Re: Re: Split Tail Question

Originally posted by TheTreeSpyder


TopHopper; i think 2 carabiners dedicated to holding each leg of a tress cord could be dangerous, by spreading the legs of the hitch apart potentially at some point.

Spydey, I think you misunderstood, I did not mean to split up each leg of the tress cord but rather to split up each side of the climbing line, the load side and the hitch side

 

[PRUNER 1]

big john you mention the split tail with single krab being 'inapt'. ive used that system for 4 years now and i can work a tree fine with it. ive tried vt, distel, icicle, and have always gone back to it cos its simple, uncluttered and easy to use. never had a problem with it. all the peo[ple i work with and have worked with use it too to great effect.

 

[Ross Turner]

When not using my lockjack,I use a split tail(blakes) & use two karabiners.One which is a screw gate to my eye splice on climbing rope,the other is a twist lock for my split tail.This way if i need to move my TIP i dont have to open my main attachment point.