Break Away Lanyard Question

Been thinking that since the flipline is acting like a doubled rope system, the climber's weight is being distributed over two attachment points. The failsafe carabiner needs to be a little over half the weight of the climber and his gear.(This is assuming you want the flipline to support the weight of the whole climber, a reasonable assumption; conversely, you don't want the failsafe to support a whole lot more than that precisely because you want it to fail) I would think the breaking point on a failsafe biner connected to one side of the flipline should therefore be about 125 lbs force for a 200 lb climber and his gear--not the 250 lbs that I had originally thought.

Additionally, it would be nice to have a instant release button option that would release under load tension and fly away
 
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RyanCafferky said:
I think Evo is on the right track. I've used the Buckingham break away lanyards, mini bikers, and various break away mechanisms but thankfully haven't had to utilize that feature yet.

Yates used to make the aid screamer. That one was designed to rip at low forces.


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Funny, Ryan, you should remember this view: the other two doug fir stumps were your work couple of years ago. Our customer decided to leave the last one as there were no root issues then. I guess the moral of the story is don't leave the last one standing!
 
evo said:
What about using a yates screamer. Very carefully cut the webbing so the stitching is the only thing holding it together, and when activated it separates.
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Wouldn't the yates screamer still essentially attach you to the stem? I want to break cleanly free from the stem, not have my flipline around the stem attached to a screamer, attached to my d-ring as the whole thing is piling toward the ground. What happens when the screamer reaches its limit? Does it stop or does it at that point break free?
 
oceans said:
Perfect opportunity for DSRT. :)

I think you made a good choice of tie in. Another option is an Oval Link with a low rating on it. Maybe buy a handful and do a partial batch test on your own? I've heard some of those little non-rated links breaking pretty high. At least it would be locking for reliability, but break-away when potentially needed?

I guess the DSRT would keep you compliant and the positioning just for positioning and not life support.
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I'm thinking that the failsafe should fail at a very low point--125 lbs or so. The thinnest oval links I know of would handle loads far greater than this.

(edit insert: As for the DSRT recommendation, you are exactly right. I bow in your direction. :)
 
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That is why I suggested to very carefully cut the webbing. In the event of an overload the stitching would rip, adsorb some of the force but it would fall apart instead of fully activating. This could also be done by stitching two webbing loop runners together with some weak thread. It would take experimenting to get it right. I would personally just use some cheap polypro line and be ready to swipe it with a hand saw, if it didn't break.
 
Reads like we all/ the tree climbers have a need for a "fuseable" link designed and proven for this potential life saving event.

I have used key chain carabiners, they freak me out when I'm hanging on my lanyard, bouncing around with a big saw. I do not trust them due to the fact they are not tested like "life support" equipment is. They probably tested a few out of the first batch ever made, if they even tested them.

I would never trust a ziptie, I've installed thousands and seen so many break even during installation. They can degrade in sunlight, get brittle when cold. Too many different types out there. Of course the ones that the cops use are probably are really good ones.


The Yates screamer with only the stitching sounds like a great idea that needs to be furthered to a working proven to only break in the event of enough force to break you. Could be a small bridge looking jobber you just add to the end of the flip line.
 
The topic of breakaway lanyards pops up routinely.

Many years ago Dave spencer suggested shower curtain rings. He did a static test by hanging a five gallon bucket with one and filling it with water until it broke. His conclusion was to use two of the rings he had bought. Of course a dynamic load would
Change the results.

If I were to ever be in a situation where I wanted a breakaway lanyard I would want the links at both ends of the lanyard to break. I might even take off any hardware too. If the Stem breaks and he lanyard breaks like I would plan I don't want pieces whipping around and smacking me
 
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BuckmasterTreeService said:
I have clipped into my caritool or an accessory loop before. Hopefully they are weak enough to break before me. It would be nice if harnesses came with an accessory loop or two designed to fail at appropriate weights.
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BuckmasterTreeService said:
I have clipped into my caritool or an accessory loop before. Hopefully they are weak enough to break before me. It would be nice if harnesses came with an accessory loop or two designed to fail at appropriate weights.
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Oh yeah, the caritool will definately be breakaway! Oh wait; beat this subject to death already...
 
I have done a few very sketchy dead pines and followed these discussions before. Pretty "ify" stuff predicting breakage and when it is needed and how it will happen. No clear answers for sure. What I did was practice like I was going to be in an old western quick draw with my lanyard, payed lots of attention to the tree I was on and hoped like hell I would sense it going south in time for me to "turn and shoot" (release my lanyard). For sure that second connection to another tree or trees means nothing when the one you are in wants to take you with it.


 
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