Page Contents:
What’s a Lifeline?
Your lifeline is a rope that safely connects you to the tree at all times and provides a route to safety on the ground. Think of your Lifeline as a “long tether”. Features:
- One end is connected to the tree via a secure anchor.
- Connected to the saddle bridge using a friction hitch or a mechanical friction device. Note: The climber has the responsibility to ensure that there is little or no slack on the lifeline by adjusting the friction device.
- Can be used as a rappel rope, which is the recommended way to get out of a tree, no matter how you climbed up.
- Ensures fall prevention safety in the event of a stick or platform failure or loss of footing.
- Provides an escape / rappel path to ground after the fall prevention.
- Can be used for SRT climbing or JRB Hitch Climbing (details on other pages).
A Tether is Too Short
JRB encourages all hunters to use a LIFELINE instead of a TETHER, ensuring you can safely rappel to ground at all times. A tether is typically only long enough to position ourselves at whatever height we are currently at. It is a realistic possibility that we could lose our footing due to the failure or disappearance of a platform or stick, in which case, most saddle hunters would require a rescue. See the Safety page for additional info:
Components of a Lifeline
1: Saddle / Bridge
Choosing the optimal system and technique is dependent on how our saddle is set up. JRB recommends having 2 bridges on our saddle, particularly for rappel and emergencies.
2: The Anchor
The Anchor. There are many anchors for a rope in a tree, but for a rappel system, the climber needs a retrievable anchor, allowing retrieval of the rope after the climber has safely arrived at the ground. JRB prefers the Maverick / Super Maverick hitch. The anchor is listed before the rope, because the anchor chosen can affect the length of the rope we need.
3: The Rope
Please review the information on the Rope page, which covers the different types of ropes and product recommendations and discounts.
3A: Rope Length
The rope length is dependent on the anchor. For a single rope system, we need enough rope to go from the ground to the highest anchor we will use, plus the amount needed to form the anchor, and on the thickest trees.
JRB recommends a minimum 40′ of rope. Rationale:
Example: Assume the hunter has a platform at 24′, the anchor set at 30′, and that the tree is 2′ in diameter (6.3′ in circumference):
- If the Maverick Hitch is used as an anchor, 42′ of rope is recommended: 30+6.3+5 = 41.3
- If the JRB Hitch is used, 48′ of rope is recommended: 30+6.3+6.3+5 = 47.6
- If the JRB Cinch is used, refer to the JRB Cinch page.
3B: Rope Diameter
If using a mechanical device, refer to the specifications for that device. See the info on the Rope page for a recommended minimum diameter based on your weight.
3C: Sewn Eye
A sewn eye can be used with a Quick Link (or equivalent anchor) but is not necessary in the creation of any of the recommended cinching trunk anchors, covered below.
4: Rappel
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4A: Munter
JRB prefers using a Munter Friction Hitch for Rappel, requiring only a large, pear shaped carabiner to serve as the friction device. See page for recommendations:
Rappel on the Munter Friction hitch is recommended and demonstrated in this video, which has been the most popular video on the channel:
Here is a similar demonstration, but on a DSRT system with a doubled rope:
4B: Figure 8
JRB has several figure 8 rappel devices, but does not recommend them for use in saddle hunting. Rationale:
- In order to attach them, they need to be loose in our hands, offering the possibility of dropping them or losing them. This leaves us in a tree (often in growing darkness) trying to come up with a plan B.
- Contacts a Carabiner, allowing metal on metal contact and related noise potential.
- We need a carabiner to use with the Figure 8 device, and the carabiner makes a fine rappel device itself. (use the Munter!)
4C: Other devices
Here’s a simple friction/rappel device. The same technique can be used with many devices, including an ATC or Figure 8.
5: The Friction Hitch
Warning: Do not attempt to use friction hitch as a Rappel Device. Performance characteristics vary greatly amongst friction hitches, but in general, they can ‘jam’ (get tighter) if we use them as the single source of friction in a rappel, which could cause the climber to get stuck. JRB recommends that although the friction hitch should be present as a backup during rappel, the majority of the friction should be absorbed by the friction device, and the hitch is just ‘along for the ride. In an emergency, even a crude loop around our foot to create a footbrake can absorb 50% of our weight, allowing us to slowly step down the rope.
Assuming we are not using a mechanical rappel device, initiating a rappel (or self rescue) when nothing is under our feet is much easier if we are using a hitch that is breakable under the full weight of our body.
5A: Longhorn Agile Hitch
The overall recommendation for a friction hitch is a Longhorn Agile Hitch, tied with a cord that is approximately 75% the diameter (or roughly 2mm smaller) than the rope. If we have two bridges, we can fashion a fairly compact LA. But if we have only one bridge, we need an LA with loops approximately 6″ long, in order to give us room for the Munter carabiner. See:
5B: Hedden Knot
If we are backing up a mechanical device, or if we want to back up a friction hitch, a Hedden Knot installed above the primary device will do the job. Note that the Hedden cannot be broken under load. We need to get our weight off the Hedden in order to resume rappel. See the Self Rescue Playlists for additional info.
The Hedden can also be tied with only one hand in an emergency situation:
6: The Retrieval Cord
Once we have executed our rappel, we need to retrieve our anchor. Although Paracord and similar products in the 2-3 mm range do work for this, JRB prefers a (minimum) 30′ length of 4-5 mm Nylon Utility Cord. The additional bulk is minimal, and that cord can be used in many different emergency applications. JRB ties a small Bowline on each end in order to make it easy to attach with a mini-carabiner. See product choices here: