Loopies for speedline

S

Scheffa

Participating member
Location
Australia
Just wondering if anyone uses loopies instead of webbing slings for speedlines. The idea of being able to adjust the length easily appeals to me. I have never used a speed/zip line before but have a big bunya pine job coming up where it would be handy
 
In my opinion the idea of a speed line is speed. Whenever I have set one up adjustability of the sling is not an issue, because it will take time to adjust each and there is no real need to. Also a loopie is going to weigh more then a comparable strap, multiply by 5 or 10 and it could be significant. Plus they are more expensive, use more rope and will have the "adjustment" tail that can get in the way or tangled. Just my thoughts.
 
flyingsquirrel25 said:
In my opinion the idea of a speed line is speed. Whenever I have set one up adjustability of the sling is not an issue, because it will take time to adjust each and there is no real need to. Also a loopie is going to weigh more then a comparable strap, multiply by 5 or 10 and it could be significant. Plus they are more expensive, use more rope and will have the "adjustment" tail that can get in the way or tangled. Just my thoughts.
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Point noted, this particular site has no real drop zone at the base of the tree. Where I work we do some massive eucalypt removals, however we never have a real need for complex rigging, which is a shame because it's something I would like to learn a lot about.
 
Scheffa said:
Point noted, this particular site has no real drop zone at the base of the tree. Where I work we do some massive eucalypt removals, however we never have a real need for complex rigging, which is a shame because it's something I would like to learn a lot about.
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I hear you on Eucalyptus being big and/or heavy - I do quite a few a year - but I agree with squirrel. Slings are quick and no dangle.

You can get the heavier CMI and girth hitch two or three together to make a larger one. It'll handle a lot of weight.

They also come in handy with the smooth bark and tight crotches found on eucalyptus - when pruning, I use them for foot holds all the time


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Sometimes I use a rock exotica 2.0 omni on a tenex loopie. Too expensive to have several, obviously. I do adjust it when ziplining larger branches, but that time could also be spent on a few extra pre-girth hitch twirls on either an adjusting or non-adjusting sling... On small branches I just let them load dynamically. If you splice them yourself it should be fine, cost-wise, but a big company like yours probably cannot splice in house for liability reasons. The other issue is the material choice. Tenex, being picky, is not great for slings that are installed and removed frequently by people with different knowledge bases. I prefer my dyneema webbing slings, which are admittedly overkill on strength and underkill on fast/sustained friction, potentially encountered if the zip/speedline is not installed and tended on a pulley. End of day, since you shouldn't be loading heavy when zipping sideways, might be best to use cheap webbing runners made of heat/friction resistant textile, without adjustment feature. Just depends on what you are encountering, I guess... You've seen @August Hunicke 's speedline kit, I assume? Seems like your company could pick that up...
 
You can wrap a limb twice to shorten, or shorten so that it is the 'right length' when attached to the next one. You can 'basket' one around a limb rather than choke it for another adjustment.

Sometimes speedlines get fouled, and slings get burned on the rope.

Try to keep the arrangement from having the carabiner end up near the cut end of the limb once its sliding. it can foul it up.

Reg put out some speedlining considerations in a video. Maybe waterfront and pretty, IIRC.
 
colb said:
Sometimes I use a rock exotica 2.0 omni on a tenex loopie. Too expensive to have several, obviously. I do adjust it when ziplining larger branches, but that time could also be spent on a few extra pre-girth hitch twirls on either an adjusting or non-adjusting sling... On small branches I just let them load dynamically. If you splice them yourself it should be fine, cost-wise, but a big company like yours probably cannot splice in house for liability reasons. The other issue is the material choice. Tenex, being picky, is not great for slings that are installed and removed frequently by people with different knowledge bases. I prefer my dyneema webbing slings, which are admittedly overkill on strength and underkill on fast/sustained friction, potentially encountered if the zip/speedline is not installed and tended on a pulley. End of day, since you shouldn't be loading heavy when zipping sideways, might be best to use cheap webbing runners made of heat/friction resistant textile, without adjustment feature. Just depends on what you are encountering, I guess... You've seen @August Hunicke 's speedline kit, I assume? Seems like your company could pick that up...
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Nah I haven't seen the speed line kit you mention, anywhere I can find it???
Should be fine for me to splice them, what's the difference between a splice failing vs a knot failing??
 
Scheffa said:
Nah I haven't seen the speed line kit you mention, anywhere I can find it???
Should be fine for me to splice them, what's the difference between a splice failing vs a knot failing??
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A knot in most cases will fail at a lower load than the splice.
https://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?category_id=127&item=1066
This stuff is very light, it's strong and very easy to splice. It's not all that expensive either. I think I made up 16 of them for my kit with a dmm bent gate attached to each. Works great I have 8 on me to send brush, and 8 on the end of my line to pull up when the ground crew is busy doing something else. Keeps things moving!
 
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