Saddles

[LJack]

I was just curious if anyone had any experience with Buckingham's Master IV saddle. What are some pro's and con's to this saddle? Also, on the subject of saddles, what are some different ways you use to attach yourself to the ring of the Butterfly II, with hitch, biners, pullies, etc??

 

[Phil]

i have the butterfly and use two carabiners in the ring....one has a bowline w/yosemitie tie off for my anchor..the second has an eye-n-eye prusik tied in shwabish form with a micropulley.

 

[Lazarus2]

Phil's set up sounds similar to mine, only I'd tie your end line off with a 'Scaffold Knot' (AKA Half Double Fishermans Noose Knot /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif); the karabiner can rotate and side load with the Bowline.

A quick way to tie the scaffold knot is here:
http://www.treemettlenexus.com/training_assessment.html

The best thing about clipping into a ring sideways like that, is the barrell of the karabiner can't get punched through if you swing off a branch into the main stem. I was involved in an accident investigation where a branch snapped the guy was standing on, as he pulled down on the rope to take in slack. He flew into the trunk with speed and force - A peg connected with the gate of the Krab and pushed it back and open. The Bowline had hooked under the barrel on the gate and flew out. The guy stopped 15 ft off the ground as his chainsaw cuaght in a fork. The branch snapped, he hit the deck, and was injured by the falling branch and chainsaw.

This can also be avoided by rotating the krab so the gate faces the climber, but this can catch the shirt when the gate shuts on autolocks, preventing full strength closure. The krab needs to be choked with the lifeline, to prevent it turning.

The failed karabiner was a Petzl ball lock by the way - the plastic gate doesn't completely cover the nose of the krab, and so is easily forced aside. The lower part of the gate also deformed. I use these krabs else where though.

Choose krabs with thick gates to help prevent this.

 

[Rookieclimber]

"the karabiner can rotate and side load with the Bowline."

i have noticed that, i actually climb with Phil and ive noticed that my biners get hung up on the yosemitie. kinda annoying. will try the scaffold next time im up.

 

[Alves]

Matt try my set up next time we go climbing, personally I think all anchor Knots, that we attach to should tighten down under load, to alleviate this problem

 

[Phil]

Adam, you're just jealous of my far superior knots and climbing skills. /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif its almost sickening. see ya sunday

 

[RogerM]

Does anyone own a Sherrill "Elevation"? Have you worked in it; will it stand the test of time. I saw it in the Sherrill "Ascend" mag for rec tree climbing? (page 22)

 

[fattyphatcakes]

I use the Master IV. It's the only saddle I've really spent any time on, so i don't have much to compare it to. By biggest complaints are that the leg straps slip out slowly, so I have to readjust them once per week or so, and the d rings pinch me a little from my lanyard. That however may be because I need a size bigger saddle. Other than that I like it. I'm thinking about getting a butterfly this spring. I like the seperation of my lines on the master, but when twisting to the side I always get a biner jabing me in the gut, looks like that won't happen with a butterfly.