DIY Tree Saddle ropes and platforms

[Dakota_Rookie]

Has anyone had any luck making their own tree saddle rope and platform setups vs buying commercially made setups? Can you save any money making them your self or better to just buy the setups online?

The platform I’m more learning about doing diy but it seems to me the ropes should be able to be done DIY. Just wondering if anyone else has had success with either.

I’ve done a couple of searches and haven’t found what I’m really looking for. If there’s another thread on the same topic please link.


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[WoodBow]

I have never bought anything manufactured for saddle hunting. The only thing that i use that i didn't make is my ropeman. There is nothing to making the ropes and tethers. You don't even need a ropeman. But running a prussik knot for a while will sure make you appreciate having one.

Saddlehunter.com will be a much better source of info than here.

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[cjdewese]

I 2nd the prusik knot point. Once you use them for any amount of time you will appreciate having a ropeman.

 

[Macintosh]

“Ropes”? Like a tether? I’m not clear what you are after. If its just a tether, its the easiest thing in the world to make.
Ropeman—I HIGHLY prefer a prussik to a ropeman, especially from a safety perspective. Most people dont like
Prussiks, but if you know how to use ine they work absolutely fine and they are far stronger than a mechanical rope-grab.

 

[Dakota_Rookie]

I have never bought anything manufactured for saddle hunting. The only thing that i use that i didn't make is my ropeman. There is nothing to making the ropes and tethers. You don't even need a ropeman. But running a prussik knot for a while will sure make you appreciate having one.

Saddlehunter.com will be a much better source of info than here.

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Appreciate the reply. I’ll get on saddlehunter.com and do some searching. Looks like a rabbit hole!


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[Dakota_Rookie]

“Ropes”? Like a tether? I’m not clear what you are after. If its just a tether, its the easiest thing in the world to make.
Ropeman—I HIGHLY prefer a prussik to a ropeman, especially from a safety perspective. Most people dont like
Prussiks, but if you know how to use ine they work absolutely fine and they are far stronger than a mechanical rope-grab.

Yes. The tether and lineman’s belt. The “ropes”.

Are you able to use the prussik single handed like it appears the Ropemans allow?


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[Decker]

I look into doing a "DIY" saddle when I first started to saddle hunt. Honestly not worth the hassle. I know saddle hunting community all started out diy but then there was no availability. Now everyone make some sort of saddle equipment. You don't need a rope man but it does make things much easier than a prussik.
Have been saddle hunting well going on 6 years now, never had issues with my rope man. Or any of my gear. Get on saddle hunter, endless amounts of YouTube videos out there and plenty of saddle hunting fb groups.

 

[Dakota_Rookie]

Thanks Decker. It would seem to be a bigger time saver to buy things ready to go. The time savings from building/tinkering could be spent summer scouting.


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[Macintosh]

A saddle is important, its what makes saddle hunting comfortable or not—I would not personally skimp there. You need a way up and down from the tree, unless you are braiding your own rope or making your own sticks thats not a diy proposition. But the tether and linemans belt take all of 12 seconds to make. Buy if you want, use a ropeman or other grab if you want, but a tether is literally a short piece of rope with a loop in one end and a couple simple knots—buy 8mm or 9mm accessory cord or 9 or 10mm static rope from an outdoor store or online, tie a loop in the end, and you’re done. Linemans belt isnt much more than that either, its a short rope with a prussik or rope grab on one side. No reason you cant make your own, both are 1-beer projects and will not cut into your summer scouting. It’s also not expensive enough that you are going to save a lot of money unless you already have material from something else.

Re: Prussiks. If you want a rope grab (generic term for ascenders and stuff like a ropeman) to be as strong or stronger than a prussik it has to be rated to the uiaa 12841-A standard (NOT en567, and not 12841 b or c). A device rated to the En567 or uiaa 12841-B only has to hold 4kn (900lb) maximum before it damages the rope—these are not designed to be primary safety devices, and when they fail they generally strip the sheath off the rope they are on. There may be a few products that carry a manufacturers rating higher than 4kn, but just be conscious of what these things are actually supposed to do and make sure you arent relying on one for safety without being aware of what it will and wont do.
A 3’ piece of 6mm cord tied in a loop costs about $3 and weighs essentially nothing, is silent when it hits other gear, packs into a tiny space, has multiple uses, and will hold several thousand pounds on a nylon rope. A ropeman or grab costs about 10x the price, is generally only tested to hold a 900lb load before it strips the sheath off a rope (which can happen just taking a very short fall onto a slack tether ), makes noise when it hits other gear…it is easier to tighten, questionably a little easier to loosen. I would suggest if you are pinching pennies start with a couple prussiks—it does everything a ropeman does, in some cases better. If you decide you want a ropeman you will still likely end up using a prussik once in a while even if its a spare, so good to be familiar with it.

 

[Dakota_Rookie]

Ton of great info there. Thanks, Macintosh.

Would you recommend same diameter for the lineman’s belt as the tether?


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[Macintosh]

Probably doesnt matter, the only thing that matters is that the prussik needs to be smaller diameter than the cord it is rigged on or it wont bite properly. I was a climbing guide and worked in the climbing industry for 25 years so I have oodles of random rope and cord lying around, but if you are starting from scratch you could do worse than just getting 25’ or so of 9mm or 10mm static rope, 12’ of 6mm cord and 2 or 3’ of 1” tubular webbing. The fat static is a tether and linemans belt—tie a loop in the end with a figure-8 follow-through with a 6” piece of the webbing slid over the loop before you finish the knot, this protects the loop from friction wear in the same place all the time. Then tie an overhand on a bight at the bottom end with a small loop to clip into so you arent relying 100% on a prussik or rope grab. Tie the 6mm cord into a couple shorter loops using a double fishermans knot. I like to have the prussik fairly short for a tether, and one a bit longer for linemans belt, but start longer, you cant add cord back on—probably 18” loop after tying is too long, 8” too short, 12-14” about right, and experiment from there. Put the prussik on ahead if you want, or not. You now have 2 identical tethers that double as a linemans belt—one to climb with, the other to hang from while you hunt.

Also, ropeman and most grabs like that have a minimum diameter—if you think you might use one at some point you should get rope for your tether big enough to accommodate it. I personally use an 8mm tether and a 7mm linemans belt, with 6mm prussik. You can safely use a rope grab for body weight hanging and adjustment, just make sure you arent relying on it entirely (i.e. clip into something below it that is full strength and just use it to adjust your height, and keep it taut so you dont shock-load it).

 

[fwafwow]

Not sure if this is what you meant, but check out:

The JRB Climbing Method

This is a spin off thread. @John RB posts here so I hope he will be willing to join in. He invented this method and it seems like a great way to get into a full rope climbing system without lots of extra equipment, and—as he argues—without a lot of fuss and noise. I don’t want to speak for him...

saddlehunter.com

and https://jrbtreeclimbing.com/

 

[nettereo16]

“Ropes”? Like a tether? I’m not clear what you are after. If its just a tether, its the easiest thing in the world to make.
Ropeman—I HIGHLY prefer a prussik to a ropeman, especially from a safety perspective. Most people dont like
Prussiks, but if you know how to use ine they work absolutely fine and they are far stronger than a mechanical rope-grab.

I also prefer just a prussic. Less to fail, no metal, just about free.

You can use them one handed easy like a ropeman, look up a prussic tender, or just run the tag end of the rope through the carabiner. This works great!!

 

[Bobrunner06]

I made my ropes and don't feel any less safe. I learned some new climbing knots to do so correctly. I did end up buying the prussiks mostly just to have the correct sizing and to have them sewn for preference. The biggest thing for me after messing around a bit was having a prussik tender. It makes a WORLD of difference. I bought a 3d printed one with some amsteel rope on it. But you can make one with some paracord too.

 

[Dakota_Rookie]

I ended making the tether and lineman’s ropes per Macintosh’s instructions above and feel completely safe with them. Still working out a few things with getting the prussiks exactly the length and trying to figure out exactly where I think the knot on the prussik will sit the best.

Been looking into buying a prussik tender, as well.


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[matt grieger]

Gorilla Gear G-TAC Fall Defense Safety Line

Defend yourself from serious injury or even death while hunting at heights with the g-tac fall defense line quick-connect Tree rope. Connect on the ground and slide

www.fieldsupply.com

ive been using a gorilla gear saftey line that i cut down for my tether for years now. works great. i also use a normal safety harness and a sit drag... much cheaper option to get started with. but eventually id like to upgrade

 

[Bump79]

I tied my own tether and linesman's last year as of some Resctec (I think?). Definitely easy enough. I will say I like having the sewn loops though and might buy next time as every time I look new people are selling it less expensive. Makes everything pack down even tighter as there isn't safety loops on the ends of each knot (outside of the ends of both ropes of course)