My new Cougar saddle - hmmmmm....
- Thread starter Ron
- Start date
- Location
- Souther Austin, TX
For $199 it cant be beat.
- Location
- Souther Austin, TX
And dont worry about the bridge. It is easily replaced with just about anything you want.
R
rich_h
Guest
FWIW that "wimpy little bridge" breaks at over 7,300 lbs which is a bit higher than the listed break strength of Velocity (6,000 lbs).....
- Location
- Chattanooga
[ QUOTE ]
FWIW that "wimpy little bridge" breaks at over 7,300 lbs which is a bit higher than the listed break strength of Velocity (6,000 lbs).....
[/ QUOTE ]
That's the new break strength, not the break strength of core only at each end that's faded from being exposed to the sun. Nor does that take into account the self-abrasive properties some hi tech fibers exhibit.
FWIW that "wimpy little bridge" breaks at over 7,300 lbs which is a bit higher than the listed break strength of Velocity (6,000 lbs).....
[/ QUOTE ]
That's the new break strength, not the break strength of core only at each end that's faded from being exposed to the sun. Nor does that take into account the self-abrasive properties some hi tech fibers exhibit.
R
rich_h
Guest
Considering that the cord used for the bridge is of Hollow Braid construction, it would be somewhat counterproductive to include a core in the eye where one is not necessary. This does not make it any weaker than a cord with a core, in fact, you will find that hollow braids are considerably stronger than their "cored" cousins...
I would suggest that the knotted section of Double Braid cordage you are potentially using for a replacement bridge introduces a much weaker attachment point to the hardware than the spliced hollow braid...If you plan to use a Double Braid for this purpose, I would suggest using a Class II Double Braid in order allow for significant strength loss with the knots...(but be careful as many Class II ropes don't hold knots real well as they can be somewhat stiffer than Class I doule braids)
With a double braid cord you will have a very thin cover to protect the main strength of the cordage, namely the core....I ,for one, would be pretty leery of that sheeth getting damaged (sun fade will apply here as well) and exposing the core of the double braid. If you plan to use any cordage as a replacement for the bridge that was originally on the harness I would suggest that you may be better served with a 16 strand cord as the sheeth strands are far thicker, and therefore, able to withstand abuse much better.
The cordage used for the current bridge on the Cougar is made from High Tech fibers, but not solely the Technora fibers that have been shown to be self-abrasive. There is a mix of fibers that greatly reduces the self-abrasive nature of pure Technora fibers while adding considerable strength in relation the diameter.
I'm all for modifying equipment to suit my personal needs, but not all modifications are necessarily improvements....
I would suggest that the knotted section of Double Braid cordage you are potentially using for a replacement bridge introduces a much weaker attachment point to the hardware than the spliced hollow braid...If you plan to use a Double Braid for this purpose, I would suggest using a Class II Double Braid in order allow for significant strength loss with the knots...(but be careful as many Class II ropes don't hold knots real well as they can be somewhat stiffer than Class I doule braids)
With a double braid cord you will have a very thin cover to protect the main strength of the cordage, namely the core....I ,for one, would be pretty leery of that sheeth getting damaged (sun fade will apply here as well) and exposing the core of the double braid. If you plan to use any cordage as a replacement for the bridge that was originally on the harness I would suggest that you may be better served with a 16 strand cord as the sheeth strands are far thicker, and therefore, able to withstand abuse much better.
The cordage used for the current bridge on the Cougar is made from High Tech fibers, but not solely the Technora fibers that have been shown to be self-abrasive. There is a mix of fibers that greatly reduces the self-abrasive nature of pure Technora fibers while adding considerable strength in relation the diameter.
I'm all for modifying equipment to suit my personal needs, but not all modifications are necessarily improvements....
- Location
- Lexington, KY- USA
Don't mess with Rich! I think he may have been offended by calling his bridge wimpy.
(I believe Rich splices most of the bridges for the Cougars)
- Location
- Chattanooga
[ QUOTE ]
Don't mess with Rich! I think he may have been offended by calling his bridge wimpy.
(I believe Rich splices most of the bridges for the Cougars)
[/ QUOTE ]
That may be; I didn't call his bridge wimpy. I just said I was concerned that the exposed core has faded from exposure to sunlight and I only climb about two or three times a week; I haven't had the saddle that long; most of my climbing is in the late afternoons, and I think that under those conditions that if I'm getting that much fading that does justify some concern.
I have absolutely no way to determine the full implications of the fading.
Also did I mention that the cover near the center of the bridge has lumps under it?
And Rich, no offense was intended, but I think I have a justifiable cause for concern when I see such conditions on my rope bridge.
I see no signs of fading on my Velocity rope and it has been used much more and longer than the bridge on my Cougar.
Granted knots do reduce the strength of a rope, but I have pull tested, on a tensile machine, numerous locked brumel splices in BeeLine and they fail far, far below the rated 8000 lbs tensile. I found that locked brumels that were stitched tended to fail quicker than whipped ones.
I found that a tucked tail splice with just the BeeLine cover (core completely removed) was just as strong, about 5000 lbs, as a locked brumel splice and did not fail catastrophically like the locked brumel.
So when I see lumps forming under the cover of a high tech rope and UV discoloration at a locked brumel splice, and recall the tests with BeeLine, I can't help but be concerned about it.
I meant no slight for the quality of the splice - I was very impressed with that. But am I correct that Weaver is replacing the rope bridges on their Cougar saddle with something different?
Don't mess with Rich! I think he may have been offended by calling his bridge wimpy.
[/ QUOTE ]
That may be; I didn't call his bridge wimpy. I just said I was concerned that the exposed core has faded from exposure to sunlight and I only climb about two or three times a week; I haven't had the saddle that long; most of my climbing is in the late afternoons, and I think that under those conditions that if I'm getting that much fading that does justify some concern.
I have absolutely no way to determine the full implications of the fading.
Also did I mention that the cover near the center of the bridge has lumps under it?
And Rich, no offense was intended, but I think I have a justifiable cause for concern when I see such conditions on my rope bridge.
I see no signs of fading on my Velocity rope and it has been used much more and longer than the bridge on my Cougar.
Granted knots do reduce the strength of a rope, but I have pull tested, on a tensile machine, numerous locked brumel splices in BeeLine and they fail far, far below the rated 8000 lbs tensile. I found that locked brumels that were stitched tended to fail quicker than whipped ones.
I found that a tucked tail splice with just the BeeLine cover (core completely removed) was just as strong, about 5000 lbs, as a locked brumel splice and did not fail catastrophically like the locked brumel.
So when I see lumps forming under the cover of a high tech rope and UV discoloration at a locked brumel splice, and recall the tests with BeeLine, I can't help but be concerned about it.
I meant no slight for the quality of the splice - I was very impressed with that. But am I correct that Weaver is replacing the rope bridges on their Cougar saddle with something different?
- Location
- Grand Marais, MN
As a Cougar-dependent life too, I'm watching this exchange closely.
- Location
- Lexington, KY- USA
I was just teasing Rich a little
R
rich_h
Guest
Please understand that I am not questioning a climbers right to modify their equipment to what they feel is more comfortable for them. Ask anyone and they will tell you that I am a HUGE proponent of using equipment and climbing techniques that you are comfortable with as you will then be able to devote your brains full ability to working safely instead of harboring nagging doubts about the gear you are using.
If you feel safer with a self made bridge, by all means have at it, just be aware of the possible drawbacks to the set up.
The issue I have is over-reacting to situations that may or may not have anything to do with the actual piece of hardware or cordage that you are using for an application. I would imagine that much of the worry about these Hi-Mod rope bridges are related to the failed bridge that Jeremy was using. Without a doubt this situation was horrifying in multiple ways, but bear in mind that:
a. the cord used for the bridge was NOT the cord used for the current rope bridges on the Cougar harness
b. the length of bridge was much longer than what comes standard on the harness, this extra length makes a much sharper angle when hanging off of a central point on the bridge.
c. the bridge in question was not the bridge that comes standard with the harness. The bridges that come with the harness have been tested to failure ,in the exact application that the bridge is designed for, in order to determine that the overall design and production far exceed all requirements for strength and safety. These bridges broke at above 7300 lbs in the exact configuration as what you see on the harness. These strength ratings are not based upon the non-modified listed strengths of the individual components. I cannot say for sure that the crossovers, burys, and tapers on the failed piece exactly match the approved design for this piece.....though I strongly doubt that they did.
Bearing this in mind, I feel that condemning the bridge on the Cougar due to the fact that it kind of looks similar to the bridge that failed is not an accurate comparison. This is similar to tossing out all of your Aluminum equipment due to the failure of one single poorly manufactured ring. Switching to steel is not the answer to this problem, finding higher quality hardware is a more reasonable reaction. I know each of the climbers involved with these accidents very well and I can assure you that I was just as horrified as anyone else in seeing what happened....one of the few good things that came about from these incidents is the fact that climbers are all taking a much closer look at their equipment, I would consider this a good development.
Again, if you feel more comfortable using a modified bridge then none of this information matters. I would prefer that you use something that makes you feel comfortable.
For the record, unless you have a brand spanking new Cougar harness with a sheeth on the bridge that is fully black ,then you are not climbing on a bridge that was made by my company. I also noticed the "bulging" issues with the older bridges as well as a few other aesthetic issues that personally drove me nuts. I was then able to convince Weaver that I could produce a bridge that would fix these issues and all of the newer Cougars will have this new bridge on them. It is very important to understand that the original bridges are safe to use and the issues that were addressed were all aesthetic issues, not safety issues. I commend Weaver Leather for being willing to listen to the actual climbers that use their products in order to further increase the quality and usefullness of their products.
Ron, I hope you don't feel that I am attacking your points in regards to the rope bridges. In actuality I wish all climbers would scrutinize their gear in this manner as it would make all of us safer in dangerous field.
If you feel safer with a self made bridge, by all means have at it, just be aware of the possible drawbacks to the set up.
The issue I have is over-reacting to situations that may or may not have anything to do with the actual piece of hardware or cordage that you are using for an application. I would imagine that much of the worry about these Hi-Mod rope bridges are related to the failed bridge that Jeremy was using. Without a doubt this situation was horrifying in multiple ways, but bear in mind that:
a. the cord used for the bridge was NOT the cord used for the current rope bridges on the Cougar harness
b. the length of bridge was much longer than what comes standard on the harness, this extra length makes a much sharper angle when hanging off of a central point on the bridge.
c. the bridge in question was not the bridge that comes standard with the harness. The bridges that come with the harness have been tested to failure ,in the exact application that the bridge is designed for, in order to determine that the overall design and production far exceed all requirements for strength and safety. These bridges broke at above 7300 lbs in the exact configuration as what you see on the harness. These strength ratings are not based upon the non-modified listed strengths of the individual components. I cannot say for sure that the crossovers, burys, and tapers on the failed piece exactly match the approved design for this piece.....though I strongly doubt that they did.
Bearing this in mind, I feel that condemning the bridge on the Cougar due to the fact that it kind of looks similar to the bridge that failed is not an accurate comparison. This is similar to tossing out all of your Aluminum equipment due to the failure of one single poorly manufactured ring. Switching to steel is not the answer to this problem, finding higher quality hardware is a more reasonable reaction. I know each of the climbers involved with these accidents very well and I can assure you that I was just as horrified as anyone else in seeing what happened....one of the few good things that came about from these incidents is the fact that climbers are all taking a much closer look at their equipment, I would consider this a good development.
Again, if you feel more comfortable using a modified bridge then none of this information matters. I would prefer that you use something that makes you feel comfortable.
For the record, unless you have a brand spanking new Cougar harness with a sheeth on the bridge that is fully black ,then you are not climbing on a bridge that was made by my company. I also noticed the "bulging" issues with the older bridges as well as a few other aesthetic issues that personally drove me nuts. I was then able to convince Weaver that I could produce a bridge that would fix these issues and all of the newer Cougars will have this new bridge on them. It is very important to understand that the original bridges are safe to use and the issues that were addressed were all aesthetic issues, not safety issues. I commend Weaver Leather for being willing to listen to the actual climbers that use their products in order to further increase the quality and usefullness of their products.
Ron, I hope you don't feel that I am attacking your points in regards to the rope bridges. In actuality I wish all climbers would scrutinize their gear in this manner as it would make all of us safer in dangerous field.
- Location
- Chattanooga
[ QUOTE ]
...The issue I have is over-reacting to situations that may or may not have anything to do with the actual piece of hardware or cordage that you are using for an application. I would imagine that much of the worry about these Hi-Mod rope bridges are related to the failed bridge that Jeremy was using. Without a doubt this situation was horrifying in multiple ways, but bear in mind that:
[/ QUOTE ]
Jeremy's failure had and has nothing to do with my concern; in fact, I had completely forgotten about it until you mentioned it.
[ QUOTE ]
...Bearing this in mind, I feel that condemning the bridge on the Cougar due to the fact that it kind of looks similar to the bridge that failed is not an accurate comparison.
[/ QUOTE ]
Two things:
First, I didn't condemn anything. I expressed my concern about UV fading and the ramifications that may have to the integrity of the bridge.
Just to clear that up, can you guarantee that the fading or lumping in no way affects the strength of the bridge? Have you tested a bridge that has significant fading at the splices?
Second, I have no idea if it's similar to one that failed or not. I'm going on what I see on my bridge and a total lack of knowledge of what that implies.
[ QUOTE ]
...This is similar to tossing out all of your Aluminum equipment due to the failure of one single poorly manufactured ring.
[/ QUOTE ]
Again, since I'm not condemning anything, I'm not tossing anything out because I condemned it. I'm not changing out my bridge because someone with some kind of bridge on a Cougar experienced a failure. I removed my bridge from service because I saw serious fading on each end at the splices and lumping near the center of the bridge.
Since I have absolutely no way to determine how the fading and lumping affects the integrity of the bridge, I opted not to suspend my life from it.
[ QUOTE ]
...For the record, unless you have a brand spanking new Cougar harness with a sheeth on the bridge that is fully black ,then you are not climbing on a bridge that was made by my company. I also noticed the "bulging" issues with the older bridges as well as a few other aesthetic issues that personally drove me nuts.
[/ QUOTE ]
I don't have a bridge you made, I have the version that drove you nuts, and asthetic or not, until I see some evidence that fading is not an indication of degradation due to UV exposure as we know some fibers are subject to, I won't be comfortable wondering about it.
If it drove you nuts, how do you think I feel, not having any idea what the fading means or how serious it is.
[ QUOTE ]
...Ron, I hope you don't feel that I am attacking your points in regards to the rope bridges. In actuality I wish all climbers would scrutinize their gear in this manner as it would make all of us safer in dangerous field.
[/ QUOTE ]
I don't feel you are attacking my concerns, I'm not sure you even addressed them.
I'm concerned about the unknown condition of my rope bridge as a result of fading due to very little exposure to UV. And also the lumping. I have examined lumping in ropes and found that it can be hockled core fibers, but it is also possible that it could be broken core fibers.
If you've tested used bridges with faded ends at the splices and they have not shown any signs of degradation, and you are convinced that continued exposure and continued fading also will not degrade the bridge then I'll accept your word and reinstall the orginal bridge because I would be comfortable with it - or better yet just buy one of the bridges you make.
Rich,
As I read through my remarks, I can see where they could appear to have a harsh tone; I don't mean them that way at all. I much appreciate your thoughts and the time you've taken to respond.
...The issue I have is over-reacting to situations that may or may not have anything to do with the actual piece of hardware or cordage that you are using for an application. I would imagine that much of the worry about these Hi-Mod rope bridges are related to the failed bridge that Jeremy was using. Without a doubt this situation was horrifying in multiple ways, but bear in mind that:
[/ QUOTE ]
Jeremy's failure had and has nothing to do with my concern; in fact, I had completely forgotten about it until you mentioned it.
[ QUOTE ]
...Bearing this in mind, I feel that condemning the bridge on the Cougar due to the fact that it kind of looks similar to the bridge that failed is not an accurate comparison.
[/ QUOTE ]
Two things:
First, I didn't condemn anything. I expressed my concern about UV fading and the ramifications that may have to the integrity of the bridge.
Just to clear that up, can you guarantee that the fading or lumping in no way affects the strength of the bridge? Have you tested a bridge that has significant fading at the splices?
Second, I have no idea if it's similar to one that failed or not. I'm going on what I see on my bridge and a total lack of knowledge of what that implies.
[ QUOTE ]
...This is similar to tossing out all of your Aluminum equipment due to the failure of one single poorly manufactured ring.
[/ QUOTE ]
Again, since I'm not condemning anything, I'm not tossing anything out because I condemned it. I'm not changing out my bridge because someone with some kind of bridge on a Cougar experienced a failure. I removed my bridge from service because I saw serious fading on each end at the splices and lumping near the center of the bridge.
Since I have absolutely no way to determine how the fading and lumping affects the integrity of the bridge, I opted not to suspend my life from it.
[ QUOTE ]
...For the record, unless you have a brand spanking new Cougar harness with a sheeth on the bridge that is fully black ,then you are not climbing on a bridge that was made by my company. I also noticed the "bulging" issues with the older bridges as well as a few other aesthetic issues that personally drove me nuts.
[/ QUOTE ]
I don't have a bridge you made, I have the version that drove you nuts, and asthetic or not, until I see some evidence that fading is not an indication of degradation due to UV exposure as we know some fibers are subject to, I won't be comfortable wondering about it.
If it drove you nuts, how do you think I feel, not having any idea what the fading means or how serious it is.
[ QUOTE ]
...Ron, I hope you don't feel that I am attacking your points in regards to the rope bridges. In actuality I wish all climbers would scrutinize their gear in this manner as it would make all of us safer in dangerous field.
[/ QUOTE ]
I don't feel you are attacking my concerns, I'm not sure you even addressed them.
I'm concerned about the unknown condition of my rope bridge as a result of fading due to very little exposure to UV. And also the lumping. I have examined lumping in ropes and found that it can be hockled core fibers, but it is also possible that it could be broken core fibers.
If you've tested used bridges with faded ends at the splices and they have not shown any signs of degradation, and you are convinced that continued exposure and continued fading also will not degrade the bridge then I'll accept your word and reinstall the orginal bridge because I would be comfortable with it - or better yet just buy one of the bridges you make.
Rich,
As I read through my remarks, I can see where they could appear to have a harsh tone; I don't mean them that way at all. I much appreciate your thoughts and the time you've taken to respond.
- Location
- Chattanooga
One other thing that bothers me about the bridge
The bridge I have, has a good bit of core exposed. It has to be that way so that there's enough 'eye loop' to allow the bridge to be girthed through the ring.
I find, on almost every climb, that my pulley on the bridge, or biner if I've clipped on to the bridge, winds up in contact with the core. All it takes is a twist to one side to make that happen.
The rubber gromments are simply pushed off the cover, and down the core until everything stops at the ring where the core is exposed.
Knowing the cover is there in the first place to protect the core, here we have the core frequently exposed to the hardware.
Your thoughts about that?
The bridge I have, has a good bit of core exposed. It has to be that way so that there's enough 'eye loop' to allow the bridge to be girthed through the ring.
I find, on almost every climb, that my pulley on the bridge, or biner if I've clipped on to the bridge, winds up in contact with the core. All it takes is a twist to one side to make that happen.
The rubber gromments are simply pushed off the cover, and down the core until everything stops at the ring where the core is exposed.
Knowing the cover is there in the first place to protect the core, here we have the core frequently exposed to the hardware.
Your thoughts about that?
- Location
- Souther Austin, TX
Re: One other thing that bothers me about the bridge
I also had the original bridge and it bubbled up in the middle also. I traded it out immediately with a piece of brand new lava and have been retiring these rope bridges about every couple of months just to be sure. Rich does bring up some great points about this style of bridge that I had not considered untill now. Thank you Rich and the Buzz!!
So with that in mind does anyone know if Weaver is offering to replace the old version or can I order one from Rich?
I also had the original bridge and it bubbled up in the middle also. I traded it out immediately with a piece of brand new lava and have been retiring these rope bridges about every couple of months just to be sure. Rich does bring up some great points about this style of bridge that I had not considered untill now. Thank you Rich and the Buzz!!
So with that in mind does anyone know if Weaver is offering to replace the old version or can I order one from Rich?
- Location
- Lexington, KY- USA
Re: One other thing that bothers me about the bridge
I don't think Rich takes direct orders, but I am sure he can tell you where you can order one. Anything that comes from Rich's company will be top notch.
I don't think Rich takes direct orders, but I am sure he can tell you where you can order one. Anything that comes from Rich's company will be top notch.
R
rich_h
Guest
Re: One other thing that bothers me about the bridge
Hey Ron, I think I may owe you an apology.
Unfortunately I have been comparing the "new" bridges to the ones that you have been using and the fact is that the "new" bridge was developed to fix the exact problems that concerned you about the original bridges. I had almost the same exact reaction to the original bridges that you had with one major difference. Because I knew that the components required to make the splice effective were present in the original bridge, even with the bulging, I was not so concerned about the safety of the bridge....I had more of an issue with the aesthetics than the safety factor. Also I knew what caused the bulging and how to fix it. I swapped out my bridge almost immediately which is the exact reaction that you had. So in other words...I agree with your points regarding the original bridge.
Hopefully when you see the new bridge your concerns will be addressed to your satisfaction.
Hey Ron, I think I may owe you an apology.
Unfortunately I have been comparing the "new" bridges to the ones that you have been using and the fact is that the "new" bridge was developed to fix the exact problems that concerned you about the original bridges. I had almost the same exact reaction to the original bridges that you had with one major difference. Because I knew that the components required to make the splice effective were present in the original bridge, even with the bulging, I was not so concerned about the safety of the bridge....I had more of an issue with the aesthetics than the safety factor. Also I knew what caused the bulging and how to fix it. I swapped out my bridge almost immediately which is the exact reaction that you had. So in other words...I agree with your points regarding the original bridge.
Hopefully when you see the new bridge your concerns will be addressed to your satisfaction.
- Location
- Chattanooga
Re: One other thing that bothers me about the bridge
Thanks rich, but no apology necessary - I appreciate your thoughts and guidance.
So how/when do I see the new bridge?
Also do you have any reaction/thoughts to the fading of the core with such limited exposure to sunlight and how that might affect the strength?
Thanks rich, but no apology necessary - I appreciate your thoughts and guidance.
So how/when do I see the new bridge?
Also do you have any reaction/thoughts to the fading of the core with such limited exposure to sunlight and how that might affect the strength?
R
rich_h
Guest
Re: One other thing that bothers me about the bridge
[ QUOTE ]
The bridge I have, has a good bit of core exposed. It has to be that way so that there's enough 'eye loop' to allow the bridge to be girthed through the ring.
I find, on almost every climb, that my pulley on the bridge, or biner if I've clipped on to the bridge, winds up in contact with the core. All it takes is a twist to one side to make that happen.
The rubber gromments are simply pushed off the cover, and down the core until everything stops at the ring where the core is exposed.
Knowing the cover is there in the first place to protect the core, here we have the core frequently exposed to the hardware.
Your thoughts about that?
[/ QUOTE ]
There are a number of reasons why the particular materials used to produce this bridge were chosen. The biggest one being the overall length of the final product.
Due to the short length of the bridge it was necessary to consider using a Hollow Braid cord construction as it is really the only way to perform two splices on such a short piece. Standard Double Braid or 16 Strand splices require considerably more room to complete a splice than the Hollow Braid does. Granted even the Hollow Braid splices needed to be modified somewhat to allow for the short length. The key is that Hollow Braid cord allowed for two splices on a short bridge while providing enough breaking strength to far exceed safety requirements.
The "exposed eyes" on the bridge allow for the cord to tightly grip the ring that it is girth hitched onto rather than a looser grip that other cords would provide. In the new set up for the bridge you will see that sizing of the eyes have changed so that there is almost no extra cord whatsoever once the bridge in girth hitched on. Also, the grommets have been reworked so that they no longer "run" along the bridge, but remain firmly in place. In fact, you now get 2 grommets that when placed upon the stitching on the new bridge (the grommets completely cover the stitching)make it much more difficult for any hardware to walk or run onto the splice or exposed cord.
The sheeth used to cover the hollow braid cord on the new bridges is a much tighter weave than what was on the original bridges. One problem with putting the sheeth on the bridge is the fact that you will not be able to fully inspect the interior of the bridge (which could have prevented Jeremy's failed bridge) without taking the sheeth off entirely. I would strongly suggest that you inspect the bridge by feeling along the full length of the bridge prior to use on a daily basis.
Any comments or criticisms on the new bridge construction would be greatly appreciated as the goal is to provide the highest quality, safe, and most useful product for the harness.
[ QUOTE ]
The bridge I have, has a good bit of core exposed. It has to be that way so that there's enough 'eye loop' to allow the bridge to be girthed through the ring.
I find, on almost every climb, that my pulley on the bridge, or biner if I've clipped on to the bridge, winds up in contact with the core. All it takes is a twist to one side to make that happen.
The rubber gromments are simply pushed off the cover, and down the core until everything stops at the ring where the core is exposed.
Knowing the cover is there in the first place to protect the core, here we have the core frequently exposed to the hardware.
Your thoughts about that?
[/ QUOTE ]
There are a number of reasons why the particular materials used to produce this bridge were chosen. The biggest one being the overall length of the final product.
Due to the short length of the bridge it was necessary to consider using a Hollow Braid cord construction as it is really the only way to perform two splices on such a short piece. Standard Double Braid or 16 Strand splices require considerably more room to complete a splice than the Hollow Braid does. Granted even the Hollow Braid splices needed to be modified somewhat to allow for the short length. The key is that Hollow Braid cord allowed for two splices on a short bridge while providing enough breaking strength to far exceed safety requirements.
The "exposed eyes" on the bridge allow for the cord to tightly grip the ring that it is girth hitched onto rather than a looser grip that other cords would provide. In the new set up for the bridge you will see that sizing of the eyes have changed so that there is almost no extra cord whatsoever once the bridge in girth hitched on. Also, the grommets have been reworked so that they no longer "run" along the bridge, but remain firmly in place. In fact, you now get 2 grommets that when placed upon the stitching on the new bridge (the grommets completely cover the stitching)make it much more difficult for any hardware to walk or run onto the splice or exposed cord.
The sheeth used to cover the hollow braid cord on the new bridges is a much tighter weave than what was on the original bridges. One problem with putting the sheeth on the bridge is the fact that you will not be able to fully inspect the interior of the bridge (which could have prevented Jeremy's failed bridge) without taking the sheeth off entirely. I would strongly suggest that you inspect the bridge by feeling along the full length of the bridge prior to use on a daily basis.
Any comments or criticisms on the new bridge construction would be greatly appreciated as the goal is to provide the highest quality, safe, and most useful product for the harness.
- Location
- Chattanooga
Re: One other thing that bothers me about the bridge
Rich,
Again, thanks for your valuable comments. Clearly splicing a short rope on both ends becomes a challenge for the very reasons you enumerated.
Rich,
Again, thanks for your valuable comments. Clearly splicing a short rope on both ends becomes a challenge for the very reasons you enumerated.
