Soft Link or Not

[antwood]

Hello All, wanted to canvas opinions on this one.

 

Due you use a soft link between harness attachment and wire cored flipline or not?

 

Question came up in brew time discussion, as all 3 of us did not, all having a crab between rope grab and harness.

I am pondering what the pros and cons of having a soft link are having nearly got into bother without one... explanation below.

 

Week before christmas taking down 50' multi stem Eucalyptus, I was taking top out of stems about 40' up wearing spikes, using wire core and top anchor in another stem. While changing position right foot slipped along sloping branch about 6-10" back towards left foot caused me to pivot on branch, unfortunately my right hand was braced against stem and didn't slip off as my weight went against it, result right shoulder dislocated; ouch!

 

After couple of minutes decided I hadn't just tweaked a muscle and wouldn't be able to finish job so shouted I was in bother and was coming down. Said I could get myself down using left hand but got my oppo Jon to tail my rope in case I couldn't control speed of descent. Unfortunately half way down the snap catch on my flipline which I had managed to disconnect from harness caught in a fork above me... so now I'm suspended in mid air, can't get myself up or down, fortunately I'm 12 stone and Jon is considerably more so he was able to haul me up enough that I could undo crab on flipline with left hand, otherwise I was very stuck and feeling very sick!

 

There were three of us with climbing kit and aerial rescue tickets but it would still have been a bugger of a job if I'd say gone unconscious and couldn't help myself. However if I'd had a soft link I would have cut it myself straight away.

 

Sorry it's a long post just wanted to give you background to question

 

Thoughts please:confused1:

[John Shutler]

i have a soft link between the krab and ropegrab on my flipline

[Sciadopitys]

I rarely use a wireflip line, but i do have a soft-link on mine! I am always telling guys at work to put one in theirs! You never know when u might be glad u did add one!!

[Mesterh]

I just use a 10mm prussik loop from the line to a krab.

[Joe]

it seems clear why you would have a soft link so surely you only got to ask why wouldnt you have one? are they a pain or something? cause surely theres no harm in having one just incase.

[cerneARB]

i have a soft link.its good to know you just need to cut it and your free.the AA good climbing guide recomends having one.

 

the only drawback i find is that it makes the link to my flip line longer and when im branch walking and my body is turned on a angle it rubs against my sliding d ring and can be awkard to loosen off my micro grab.Im thinking of using a double fishermans to make the link shorter so i dont get this problem.

[Khriss]

i have a soft link.its good to know you just need to cut it and your free.the AA good climbing guide recomends having one.

 

the only drawback i find is that it makes the link to my flip line longer and when im branch walking and my body is turned on a angle it rubs against my sliding d ring and can be awkard to loosen off my micro grab.Im thinking of using a double fishermans to make the link shorter so i dont get this problem.

 

Will post my set-up-tidy n adjustable

 

K

[cerneARB]

cheers khriss.

[Buzz]

I use a VT with micro pulley on mine anyway no rope grab so if the brown stuffs hits the fan i can cut myself out of it with the knife on my harness.

[Steve Bullman]

on a rope lanyard or wirecore?