Streamlining your positioning lanyard?

[RogerM]

What ways do you guys set up your safety lanyards? Trying to streamline (bulk down) as much as possible. With a steel or Aluminum "D" I pretty much have it figured. The "D" I'm working with is stiff stiched webbing.

 

[Sean]

I work with a steel core Yale cordage flipline (the only company to actually splice the eyes in the cable instead of crimping them) and a Petzl Macrograb adjuster. Instead of a carabiner though to connect the Macrograb to my d-ring, I use a twisted clevis. By itself, the clevis isn't as safe as a positive-locking carabiner, but it holds the adjuster in a much better, more efficient position. To make it safe, I use a nylon zip tie to keep the pin from coming unscrewed.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Using your D-ring as the slack tender will streamline your setup a lot. Working out the slack so that the tails are as short as possible makes for a compact setup. It also makes the slack tending action very smooth. I like the Distel for the adjuster because it is symmetric and the tails can be made really short.

 

[treewhisperer1]

what kind of cord are you using there Tom? For the actual lanyard?

 

[Tom Dunlap]

The lanyard is an 11mm static line from Yale, I think it's called Kernmaster. The cord is 3/8" Econobraid.

 

[mpriley02]

My setup is similar to Sean's. 8' Blue Streak with a tight eye splice and self locking biner with micrograb and twisted clevis. Not as streamlined as Tom's, but it works for me...

 

[STLTreeclmbr]

arent micros great!? I like em cause they never bind up

 

[stevebullman]

i use a v.t and micro pulley. i never could get toms set up to work real good. i havea tree magic harness in the post with smaller d-rings so i'll try it again with that

 

[Mark_B.]

Personally, I don't think micro-grabs or cenders are a very wise choise as a lanyard adjuster.

Unlike a friction hitch used in their place they can't be released under load, making a rescue of an unconscious climber suspened by his lanyard more difficult. This applies primarily to steel-core fliplines.. but to a lesser degree also to normal lanyards. Being able to adjust lanyard length under load is an advantage.

Because it's less hassle releasing a knot under load, I think you position yourself more precisely.

After having used both, that's the conclusion I've reached for my climbing style and purpose.

One way I use my lanyard a lot is as a postioning aid clipped to the central attachment point and choked around the limb. I often prefer the fact that it's not your hips being crushed, but a normal "suspended" feeling in terms of load distribution. Again, here it's also preferable to be able to lengthen the lanyard whilst loaded.

 

[STLTreeclmbr]

I do agree with youre statement, especially useing a steel-core flipline but with 12strand the rescuer can simply snip the line if that situation ever occurs, given he has secured the victim b4 doing so. Plus pine sap is hell on knots

Thanks for the imput mark, B SAFE

 

[STLTreeclmbr]

the v.t. and micropulley is a good combo 2, I've used it too but I hate when pine sap makes it almost useless

 

[Mark_B.]

OK, fair point on the pine sap.

 

[RogerM]

Mark B,
Did you draw that? If not, where did you reference it from?
If so, nice.

 

[RogerM]

Oh yeah, Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[Estebandito]

I use a wire core flipline w/ microjuster on twisted cleviss on all large removals that are away from powerlines and where it will be nice to have the rigid flipping action of the wire core.

I have a double ended 10' prespliced lanyard with aluminum snaps on both ends and a homemade 18' double fisherman tied alum snap on one end made from blue water static...I use these depending on the prune or removal with a biner and either a v.t. or a grigri.

I like using different systems depending on what I'm doing!

Using a biner or twisted clevis doesn't add too much bulk in my opinion.

Steve

 

[Mark_B.]

Roger,

yes, my drawings.

Plenty more where that one came from. They've been used in various catalogs and manuals as well as presentations etc. I feel it's really important to have accurate depictions of technical issues that the climbers can relate to. It's one of the things I admire Brian Kotwicka's stuff for. It's obviously done by somebody who knows what they're on about. And it's well drawn.

So thanks. I've suggested to Mark C. to have a "Images" section in the menu. You could post images (line drawings, photos etc.) there as a resource when looking for arb related images. The images could be copyright-free, but credited to the artist/photographer and treebuzz. That way everyone profits a bit. What do you think?

 

[Mike_Dirksen]

Mark B. wrote: "Personally, I don't think micro-grabs or cenders are a very wise choice as a lanyard adjuster."

Mark, although I agree with your comment, whereas the micro-grabs or cenders, may not be the best choices for lanyard adjusters, I do feel, though, there are a number of mechanical devices that make excellent choices for lanyard adjusters.

Just to name a few, the Grillion, the GriGri and the ART-Positioner are excellent choices for lanyard adjusters, because they can be adjusted while being loaded with weight. And, unlike rope on rope lanyard adjusters, these mechanical devises don't seem to have as much of a "gumming" problem when pine sap becomes an issue.

I just didn't want anyone to miss-read what you were saying, and think all mechanical lanyard adjusters are poor choices.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Mark_B.]

OK, Mike,

if we're going to be super-precise here, I'd agree on the Grillon/ Grigri being mechanical and releasable under load .

The Positioner? I'm not so sure. I've found there are without a doubt benefits with this device, releasability when loaded in a choked single strand configuration is not one of them though.

I was not out to slag mechanical devices... at the end of the day it all boils down to you assessing your needs, the environment you work in, the trees you climb in and budget available and then pick the tool fulfilling most of the required criteria.

 

[TreeCo]

Here is my lanyard with a Vt tied directly to my D-ring.

Dan

 

[Mike_Dirksen]

Ok, Mark, agreed!

On another note, I had the pleasure of visiting Switzerland this past August, with hopes of climbing the Matterhorn, but unfortunately, time didn't allow. I do hope to get back there sometime in the future, and give it a go.

This was absolutely the most beautiful country that I've ever visited.

Mike