Split tail: what do I need?

[NebClimber]

Gentlemen:

After attending a local arborist seminar, I've decided to move on to the split-tail system. A few questions:

Exactly what type - size/brand - of "rope snap" do I want to buy to clip my climbing line to my saddle?

What is best knot to tie the climbing line to the snap?

I plan on buying a split-tail that is already spliced. Any specific suggestions as to length/strand/brand?

Exactly what type carabiner to connect the spliced end of the split-tail to my saddle?

Do I need to place a "thimble" in any part of the system?

Any other advice/thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[Stumper]

I skipped the basic spit-tail and moved straight to tress cords and advanced hitches. If you want to just move over to the basic split it is pretty simple. You need a double-locking steel snap or a "triple-locking" carabiner. I like thimbles but they aren't required (lots of guys girth hitch a spliced eye onto their 'biners).
My preferred knot for tying the end of a line to a snap or 'biner is the Buntline hitch. An anchor bend , figure 8, figure 9, scaffold knot or Bowline all work.

I haven't found a favorite 'biner yet. I'm using Kong "grenade gates". They are secure but I 'm looking for something better.

 

[Curtis James]

Definetally a double locking carabiner of your choice. Would you like push botton and turn or pull down and turn? I started with a 16 strand rope tied by bowline to an alum snap, then to a 16 strand w/eye splice, this is what I reccomend to start with. The knot is to bulcky. I now use the eye & eye prusik cord tied in a Schwabish. No role out. I was a tad hesitent to switch from the blakes hitch. I was told that if debrees gets in your hitch i.e. leaves that the schwabish won't bite, I am extreamly careful and thus far no slipage and no role out. minimal knot tending for tightness, if anything it is for my own gratification that my knot is dress right dress. I love split tail! climb safe!

 

[Base]

I have been using spilt tales for all of my climbing career, the knot that i use as a friction hitch is a blakes hitch here is the link to find out how it is done http://www.iland.net/~jbritton/blake????ch.htm

I use a Yale XTC 13mm Split Tail that is approx 4ft long with a soft eye, the length form you to the fiction hitch can be easly adjusted, to suit climbing conditions, and i also climb on 3 way locking mongoose carabiners.

i find spilt tails to be a much better set up to prussuks,



hope this was of help to you

Base

 

[Burnham]

You might like to try the aluminum locking snaphook that Sherrill sells. They are very nice. For carabiners, take a look at Omega Pacific three stage autolocks...my favorites are the modified D and the Jake. These have the easiest motion for me to manipulate of any that I have tried.

 

[TREETX]

It is a big world out there!!

I think it is time to post this yet again. Lots of good hitches out there.

http://community-2.webtv.net/acutabovetree/RopesSplicingKnots/

 

[Stumper]

Good points Burnham. I forgot to mention Dbl locking aluminium snaps.

I love the Jake design but haven't seen it in the triple lock. I've got them in 1/4 twist autolocking and screwlocking. A really nice handling 'biner. Where do you get the triple locking Jake?

 

[rumination]

Stumper, here it is

http://www.omegapac.com/iso_cold_forged_jakes.html

 

[Stumper]

Thanks!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Those sure are pretty, but they are too light to make a tight monkeys fist for me. I am content with the simple locking steel snap, for me, they throw better.

Those fancy '******* do look sweet!

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i use steel rescue pulley for throwing in tree.

 

[Dan F]

Exactly what type - size/brand - of "rope snap" do I want to buy to clip my climbing line to my saddle? [
Many here have more experience than I and have already offered suggestions, but I will offer a few too.

If you are using ropes with eye splices, you probably want carabiners, not snaps. I would recommend the Petzl ball lock, more on that later...
What is best knot to tie the climbing line to the snap?
Either Buntline or Anchor hitch. Tie it every time you use the equipment, don't trust that it will stay tight from day to day or week to week. The TA for my tree climbing class at Purdue found that out the hard way.... Was lucky, wasn't hurt but for a few bruises on his body and pride....

I plan on buying a split-tail that is already spliced. Any specific suggestions as to length/strand/brand?
Get one that is similiar in make to your climbing line, but a different color. Differening colors make it (at a minimum) easier to distinguish it from the climbing line if both are in the rope bag....

Exactly what type carabiner to connect the spliced end of the split-tail to my saddle?
As I said before, I would recommend the Petzl ball lock. Easy to work, you don't need to pull/push anything in a direction you don't want to. If you aren't sure about what you want, order several different ones, and decide which one you like. The others can then be used for rigging/backup/decorations....

Do I need to place a "thimble" in any part of the system?
Probably not, but I'll bow to the bigger heads on this one.

Any other advice/thoughts?
Was playing around with Dad's new stuff on Wednesday night. I didn't realize how much I missed being in the saddle....

Get an ankle ascender. It beats the h*ll out of air humping. Use it when SRT.

If you have a new rope, break it in on the ground before you try to climb with it. I had to take an extra wrap with the Blakes to get it to hold. Then, as the 6' section of rope I was using got broken in, the Blakes locked up so tight I couldn't come down on it.

ALWAYS carry more than one slickline and wieght. Nothing sucks worse than having to climb the tree 15' at a time because you got the throwline stuck 50' up in a crotch.

Get a descending device like a rescue 8 descender or the Petzl ID. It will save a lot of heat on the split tail and the climbing line and they will last longer. The ID took a little time to figure out the other night. Not sure if it was because of the new rope or whether I wasn't using it quite right, but it took a little time to find the right spot to come down on it at a reasonable speed. Other than that, I liked it, but an 8 would do the trick as well.

Personally, the only place I liked rope snaps was on my safety lanyard. All connections to the climbing line were with 'biners. I think the snaps were easier to use with gloves on, and I moved my lanyard(s) around a lot more than the 'biners on the climbing line. That brings up another point. Keep an extra lanyard in the truck or on your saddle. I can remember needing to be triple-crotched (the climbing line above, a lanyard pulling me sideways, and one pulling me closer to the tree) for one cut and I couldn't have done it without the second lanyard.

And if you don't already have it, spend the $15 and get a copy of the Tree Climbers Companion!

This was a little long-winded, but I hope it helps...


Dan

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Purdy good thar Dan-Son-F......

i like repositioning my climbing line to maximize, so like the easy on/off of a bowline's open ring (preferring a double/roundturn/mountaineeering bowline w/Y tie off); finding the open eye easier for this than a shrinking eye of anchor or buntline/barrel/lobster (clove/anchor/'lark's' respectively back to host line). Sometimes taking bowline off saddle, linking steel rescue pulley to it and throwing (without enough line to hit anyone or anything below available to throw).

You can drag your feet below your friction hitch to take some of the friction load off the hitch.

You can also 'triple crotch' tie in with end of lifeline as 3rd, but be carefull about floating a loop that can catch stuff/ forces dropped....

i also always have a 4' loop runner and lifeline carabiner for LifeLine redirect or 3rd tie in. In small stuff, using a 19' lanyard (JP mini) with the lifeline only loop runner girthed to a D, leaving the carabiner free to act as a mini lanyard as lanyard becomes LifeLine. In normal setup climbing, the loop runner set can even become a lanyard extension. Very flexible utility, (i gener-ally) 'don't leave home (ground) without it'!

Very good tip on backup throwline. My backup even has a backup; Ball- Line - Ball - Line-Ball. Weight on the standing end, keeps it from flying up in the tree on best shot (after 5 shots.....). Ummmmmmm er uhhhhhhh so i hear (not that i been dumb enough to let that happen....)

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Lots of good advice already.

Rather than dragging a figure eight around to use as a back up or heat absorber for long descents go eight track here. It's perfectly acceptable to do leg wraps to add friction. Tail the rope down, I prefer sending the first wrap from inside my thigh and exiting to the outside. With a little experimenting, you can spiral the rope enough times and there will be NO friction on the climbing hitch. If you use only a couple of wraps you can hold the falling end of your climbing line with your hand. When I do multiple wraps I let it tail out and use my opposite foot as a brake. Kind of like a footlock in reverse. Since you didn't buy that useless figure eight, you have the money to make the step to high performance friction hitches.

My cousin Paolo suggested to me to use biners for climbing that have a wide top to them. Instead of using symetric biners, use ones like any of the black ones on the left side of this page http://iscwales.com/Allhooksframe.htm or any autolocking HMS style biner. With the wide top, the load from the multiple lines used with friction hitches is spread out instead of slid over towards the gate leg. With asymetric HMS biners, the load is slid towards the major spine, making the setup even cleaner.

If you want to save a few bucks, take a short section of climbing rope, tie an end line loop knot or hitch of your choice and tie a split tail. Now you've saved even more money. What are you going to do with all of the savings? You could send 10% to me for a commission Better to spend it on good gear!

Tom