Just thinking out loud here but specifying that a nylon sling has to be used might be a good idea. I assume a spectra or dyneema sling would be a bit too slippery.

...Your setup doesn't look like it would absorb much of anything....

Sitting Duck: is that your psyodname for any reason?

I won't deny your genius: very creative and smart. But, I believe the points that the nylon may melt are very strong. I wouldn't want to have this as a sole means of keeping off of the deck in a dicy situation. Perhaps better to find another piece to back it up with?

Thank you for sharing! I've never seen it before!

Bill

Your welcome hellclimber
If the materials you use seems slippery, just let the part of the sling that passes under two to four of the bach knot threads pass under more threads, like six or eight. This is imprivisation and I'll use the rubber band from my underwear if it makes that thin placement feel any safer :lol:

Great post, i will have to try this one when I am ice climbing.

I'd love to see this all getting put together while hanging from one arm at a sketchy placement.

concept seems good but:

first off you have No way of controlling the shear ripp strength point. 2nd the webbing running through the cord is going to create heat which can result in faliure of the whole system.

concept seems good but:

first off you have No way of controlling the shear ripp strength point. 2nd the webbing running through the cord is going to create heat which can result in faliure of the whole system.

Back it up with a long runner from the top biner to the bottomone

While the trick looks interesting, that's about it. Done any testing of your set up with a weighted haul bag? Dropped it more than ten times? Done it when the knot is frozen/wet/full of crud? If not, I certainly wouldn't suggest you test it with a live load, namingly your own ass. I can assure you that this road is a road to nowhere. Believe me, I've tested enough of this kind of improvised crap with my own dumb ass taking the falls. Don't repeat the same flawed thinking about economy and cost/benefits.

Get one of those load limiters you can reset for via ferrata maybe. At least they have been proven to be able to handle the loads. This trick just seems like a last ditch act of desperation. Definitely treat it as such I would say.

Poor man's Screamer:

Save the plastic 6-pack holders next time you buy some good ol' Budweiser (cans of course). Fold the plastic pieces upon themselves such that all of the loops combine into one loop. Clip a biner at either end of the loop. Multiple plastic pieces may be used in conjunction (parallel) to increase activation force or the pieces may be used in series to increase the duration of activation time (and thus energy absorption). Backup with a longer sling. Have fun. :wink:

I think the detractors on this thread really need just chill out.

Sure in a perfect world while climbing we would always have all of the gear we needed right there on our sling. But for those o us that live in the real world sometime you reach down and the piece you need just isn't there. Perhaps you started the climb with the right screamer but an early fall blew it out and now you need another. perhaps you are 5 pitches up and realize you need one or 2 more screamers than you have with you. In either case this is a great solution for what otherwise would be a much scarier situation.

regarding issues of sling failure: If you are in a situation were the placement might fail due to a fall. Then not using a screamer simply because it may fail, seems like double trouble. numerous people have mentioned the back up sling which is a great idea.

thirdly Spectra...is Dyneema

next issue I think the idea of the nylon melting might be a bit off. If anything the perlon cord used to make the prusik would melt first. The runner would be moving through the system in the event of a fall. the sling would only be under the line for a short period of time if any portion is goign to heat up to a dangerous level it would be the cord.

But again who cares this is design as a last resort no other option system anyways. So I for one will definitly be placing this in my mental bag of tricks.

neat idea sitting duck

Seems like something that probably wouldn't work, if you're lucky. I bet in a good hard fall you'd come close to melting that sling....
[..]
Whole point of a screamer is that the stitches blow absorbing some of the force, or at least reducing the peak load on the anchor. Your setup doesn't look like it would absorb much of anything....

Yes you are right, I have behaved like an idiot.

All this coming from someone who has two (maybe three) sport leads to his name, and not a single pitch of trad.

Now I'm not advocating using this setup because I'm a noob and not an aid climber, but if it isn't absorbing any of the force, where is the heat coming from? Looks like "fear" never took any thermo in college.

Save the plastic 6-pack holders next time you buy some good ol' Budweiser (cans of course). Fold the plastic pieces upon themselves such that all of the loops combine into one loop. Clip a biner at either end of the loop. Multiple plastic pieces may be used in conjunction (parallel) to increase activation force or the pieces may be used in series to increase the duration of activation time (and thus energy absorption). Backup with a longer sling. Have fun.

Just thinking out loud here but specifying that a nylon sling has to be used might be a good idea. I assume a spectra or dyneema sling would be a bit too slippery.

hellclimber

I appreaciate all the comments, thanks.
I have not tested this screamer more than I manage with my aiders and it works. It expands and generate friction, therefor it's a screamer and to ME thats better than nothing. Improvise a diper and survive ... hmm ... well whatever.