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rigging a practice fall (on a tree)
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slhappy


Nov 6, 2005, 6:30 AM
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CHARGE!!!!...thisPOosT me gOt On FIRE. JUMP out of the damn tree, if'ur sh'ts hurts...g'd alls welll...

two 25's...who doesnt have two twenty-fives? Back it up if your going to die... if the alpha line fails.

AIR.


jimdavis


Nov 6, 2005, 8:07 AM
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Testing your system isn't the DUMBEST idea ever. When I first got my silent partner I was compelled to test it in a controlled environment. I jumped off a rappel tower for a 25 ft fall on 35 ft of rope. The measurements I used might have been dumb, but not the confidence that it gave me in my equipment. I got video footage but I have no site to upload it to.

Well, I probably wouldn't do the same, but that's not the point.

You tested a proven, certified device on a rappelling tower designed for people jumping off it.

Our brainchild here decided to girth hitch a few branches...quite a ways from the trunk mind you...and started hucking himself off of it...with a knotted f*in defective rope!

So yep, still the dumbist friggin idea I've seen yet. Well, maybe second to this...http://www.big-boys.com/articles/skiroof.html

Jim


Partner grovehunter


Nov 6, 2005, 12:06 PM
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Re: rigging a practice fall (on a tree) [In reply to]
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Just what is a "Majid post" and why should we be on the lookout for it? IS this some kind of Islamic Jihad computer Virus with ties to the Taliban? :roll:


microbarn


Nov 6, 2005, 2:39 PM
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well, I have no trophy to give. I do suggest you move all of your anchoring slings toward the trunk. This will decrease the forces on the limbs. Though, I don't think one tree is sufficient for redundancy. True, it is three branches, but only one tree.

How far do the branches go down when you are taking these falls?


daithi


Nov 6, 2005, 3:57 PM
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In the first picture it looks like the carabiner is tri-axially loaded. There are two carabiners so it'll probably been fine - not the safest but then methinks safety is not one of your major concerns! Happy jumping hillbilly!


sandstone


Nov 6, 2005, 3:58 PM
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Seems to me that some of you folks are taking yourselves so seriously that you've forgotten the simple joy of climbing a tree, or swinging on a rope.


scrapedape


Nov 6, 2005, 5:28 PM
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So yep, still the dumbist friggin idea I've seen yet. Well, maybe second to this...http://www.big-boys.com/articles/skiroof.html

That's pretty dumb all right. Probably dumber than our hero with his tree jumping. Funny as hell though.

You do realize that you misspelled "dumbest," don't you? :lol:


hillbillywannabe


Nov 6, 2005, 6:16 PM
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i think i might look into that tri loading concern, i thing falling about 25 feet on your butt might hurt a bit.
my parents dont ,now we are doing this
the tree limbs hardly bend at all.


Partner grovehunter


Nov 6, 2005, 6:24 PM
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The tree limbs hardly bend at all...... :roll:


singin_rocker


Nov 6, 2005, 6:59 PM
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i think i might look into that tri loading concern, i thing falling about 25 feet on your butt might hurt a bit.
my parents dont ,now we are doing this
the tree limbs hardly bend at all.

Tri-loading? Your anchors are just about at right angles to eachother. You're putting way more load on them than a properly situated anchor.

Your parents don't know? Why not? You doubt they would support you in this?

Tree limbs hardly bent eh? I'm not surprised. If my eyes and that slightly fuzzy pic don't deceive me, that's a Hackberry tree. They are notorious for snapping without warning when the weight gets to be too much. They don't tend to splinter and peal like a lot of other trees. The breaks are more like shatters. We used to tie up rope swings every so often out at my grandparent's in southern Texas. Every once in a while we'd pull down a 6 or 8 inch branch. This is back when I weighed about 115 lbs. We were just swinging. You guys are putting much bigger loads on much more questionable branches. Seriously. STOP. Steer clear of pecan trees as well.

Please get some qualified supervision and instruction. I don't want to end up seeing you on CNN.

Waylan


artsylady567


Nov 6, 2005, 7:04 PM
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:lol: that's freakin' stupid man :lol:


jimdavis


Nov 6, 2005, 8:54 PM
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well, I have no trophy to give. I do suggest you move all of your anchoring slings toward the trunk. This will decrease the forces on the limbs. Though, I don't think one tree is sufficient for redundancy. True, it is three branches, but only one tree.

how many ropes do you usually climb on? how many harnesses do you wear?

Something to think about.
Jim


tradalltheway


Nov 6, 2005, 8:54 PM
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Just what is a "Majid post" and why should we be on the lookout for it? IS this some kind of Islamic Jihad computer Virus with ties to the Taliban? :roll:

Majid is a guy that posts most frequently in the "Injuries & Accidents" forum.
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...juries_and_accidents


jimdavis


Nov 6, 2005, 8:55 PM
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So yep, still the dumbist friggin idea I've seen yet. Well, maybe second to this...http://www.big-boys.com/articles/skiroof.html

That's pretty dumb all right. Probably dumber than our hero with his tree jumping. Funny as hell though.

You do realize that you misspelled "dumbest," don't you? :lol:

haha, i leave it there just for laughs then.

cheers,
Jim


cutty


Nov 6, 2005, 8:56 PM
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Seems to me that some of you folks are taking yourselves so seriously that you've forgotten the simple joy of climbing a tree, or swinging on a rope.

I think there's a noteworthy difference between swinging on a rope tied to a tree and arresting falls with a rope tried to a tree.

But that aside, looking at the pictures posted, isn't that anchor/belay setup a whole bunch of american death triangles? An arborial death pyramid, perhaps? With all the compression artifacts it's hard to make out any details in the wide angle shot, but it seems like the rope runs horizontally to another branch before going down to the belay. Looks like a bunch of nasty forces that could be avoided pretty easily.

I wouldn't try it.


sandstone


Nov 6, 2005, 10:34 PM
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My take on it was they rigged the slings out on the branches to get themselves away from the trunk of the tree, so they wouldn't get grated by the bark on the way down?

Their anchors were rigged poorly for sure, but with the right equipment rigged properly there's nothing inherently wrong with taking practice falls out of a tree.

I can see jabbing him about his crappy anchor sling arrangements, but all this talk about this being a bad idea overall is just rubbish. Taking intentional falls is a standard method for learning how to trust a belay system, and practice falls are the best way to learn what it feels like to catch a fall. Doesn't matter if it's off a tree, a rock, or a warehouse joist -- as long as it's rigged safely.

What's wrong with goofing around in the backyard with your climbing gear? Nothing -- as long as you rig it right (a skill hillbilly has yet to learn).

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I wouldn't try it.

Nor would hillbilly make a troll. : -)


hillbillywannabe


Nov 7, 2005, 2:57 AM
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so if you guys were to decide you wanted to practice belay and falling technique and didnt have any sport climbing area around, and no gym with lead climbing. how would you do it?


rckymntneer


Nov 7, 2005, 4:16 AM
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at what point is the elasticity going to become sketchy?

Right before it goes "snap" and you fall on the ground and break your neck... :shock:


fear


Nov 7, 2005, 4:27 AM
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I've rigged a setup for practice falls from a tree before too and had a blast for awhile until it got pretty boring. Practice falls are excellent practice for the real thing. Most people don't realize how hard it can be to arrest a fall, esp. with skinny ropes, a big climber, and a small belayer.

A few things:

I used a giant red oak with about 6 backup points. I used all steel lockers and 1" tubular webbing. There was no way it could fail. The branches you guys have slung look too small and the rigging needs to be redone. I have no familiarity with that kind of tree but red oaks are very strong and I'd still consider thicker branches than that..... Keep in mind that even with backup anchors a falling 60 pound tree limb will kill you outright.

We always used a f$ckup rope. That it, a secondary dynamic line anchored that had enough slack in it to practice with the primary belayed line but not enough slack to deck if your belayer f$cked up....

Jump away....

-Fear


jimdavis


Nov 7, 2005, 5:57 AM
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so if you guys were to decide you wanted to practice belay and falling technique and didnt have any sport climbing area around, and no gym with lead climbing. how would you do it?

Then you obviouslly dont have anything to be practicing for.

Falling out of a tree is hardly the same as falling on a rock face, don't assume that because you can free-fall from a tree, that it'll prepare you for taking a fall on lead.

As for belaying...use a device intended for the rope your using...and don't let go.

If you insist on doing that, buy the correct rope (cause if you don't have one, what the hell are you practicing for?) rig it off the trunk, and rig a directional that'll bring you out farther from the trunk.

Worst case, you'll cheese grate against the tree...actually do that anyway, then you'll be prepared for falling on slab.

I'm not big on practicing lead falls...I've taken one before, I'd rather not do it again, and I'll take more when they come.

I'd seriously consider what your doing and what it's really doing for you.

Cheers,
Jim


jakedatc


Nov 7, 2005, 6:19 AM
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how would you do it?

I'd call up Nolan14.. get him to bring along his Home Depot rope.. a couple rolls of duct tape.. #.25-1.75 hybrid binder clips.. #2-4.5 spatulas.. and


...

..

.


A FUCKING HAM SAMMICH.. dinojeeesh.. you'd think people would learn :roll:


curt


Nov 7, 2005, 6:26 AM
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Dear hillbillywannabe,

Hopefully you were employing a good sound foot-belay for these practice falls. :D

Curt

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