shock absorber for SRT ??

[Dilz]

TOday i went out with a mate to rec climb just to practice SRT - Now im rather new to SRT especially for moving around the canopy - I found myself climbing the tree a lot more like i would free climbing this meant that at certain moments - usually the most tricky there would be some slack in the line as a climbed up or back in from a limb walk - not much but still enough to make me think if i fall on this its going to put a lot of force on both my back and my anchor point - and this got me wondering if any one has ever installed some kind of shock absorber into their srt system?

[Stoatally]

You can base tie using something like the ART snake anchor that has a shock absorption system built into it.

[Ferguson system]

I have seen a system like that. It consisted of a lanyard with two ends and shock absorbers. V shaped with bungee shocks.

[Alinicoll]

A snake anchor can be used for a base or top tie and as has been said act as a shock absorber. They're a great piece of kit.

[Marc]

A snake anchor particularly as a base anchor would take a lot before it started to absorb maybe as much as 10kn so you going to have issues.

I've not yet seen a decent shock absorber yet, just use a line with a bit of give and keep slack minimal, or when you do have slack be sensible and not push your luck.

[daltontrees]

I have seen a system like that. It consisted of a lanyard with two ends and shock absorbers. V shaped with bungee shocks.

 

I used to have one for climbing via ferrrata in the Dolomites.

 

VIA FERRATA EDELRID SET - | Decathlon

 

It is really intended for horizontal climbs where if you come off and you are clipped to the fixed wire that is there on a via ferrata the shock is absorbed. It could be incorporated into a base anchor.

 

There's a nother way to do it involving a slip-friction device on the climbing line. If I find a picture I will post it.

[bumble B]

When using work-positioning techniques, do not climb more than 250mm above your anchor point. Keep the climbing rope taut. Ensure any slack does not exceed 500mm.

AFAG401

[Marc]

When using work-positioning techniques, do not climb more than 250mm above your anchor point. Keep the climbing rope taut. Ensure any slack does not exceed 500mm.

AFAG401

 

Meanwhile in the real world

 

I agree with you but in practice it does not always happen.

 

Only this weekend I was up a large Horse chestnut reducing the top must of been 1m above my anchor on skinny stuff, so 2 m fall, I was lanyarded in but that's not a life line, it was the safest option I had at the time to achieve the job efficiently.

[daltontrees]

Or there's this

 

https://www.totalaccessonline.co.uk/Products/Lanyards/Fall-Arrest/2-5m-Retractable-energy-absorbing-lanyard

 

Bumble B just quoted AFAG, quite right. It's probably best not to rely on a device that is needed to cover for bad practice. When retreating from a branch walk, it is virtually always possible to anchor from the branch with a second rope DdRT till the danger of a pendulum is passed.

 

I had a nasty one last week, 14m long Beech limb rising at 45 degrees, nothing on it to hold onto for the first 8 metres, and covered in moss. I went up it a cheval, puxshing in front of me a wirecore lanyard wrapped twice around the stem and clipped to side Ds. There's always a way.

[daltontrees]

Meant to add, most of these fall arrest lanyards that might be incorporated into a SRT are only rated to static loads of 140kg (0.14kN), and would probably therefore be a fraction of the load rating of climbing ropes (typically 30kN) and krabs (30kN). Why ruin the whole system with a weak link?