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Confidence/Safety Line or Why We Need Real Rope in the Out of Doors....

Marion David Poff

Marion David Poff

Joined
Oct 8, 1998
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5,403
Bushman5's post... http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=693064 got me thinking about a subject which I have wanted to explore....

So, I have heard of people taking what has been called a 'confidence' line into the woods with them. The purpose of which, is to provide a measure of safety when crossing water, or when negotiating terrain which may be treacherous.

Does anyone else do this? Any experience?

What size of rope should I get, and how much of it?

Marion
 
Marion, I use what is easily available to me in Australia - Hutchie / hoochie cord. I think it may have also been mentioned in Bushman's thread. The one I use is a synthetic braided dark olive green cordage about 2mm diam. It is light, it doesn't stand out, and it is cheap (just like me!) but it is thin and does cut into your hands unless you do some fancy knot/braid work. If I'm heading out overnight I usually take about 25 metres/yards (half of a 50m roll, and the last roll cost me $14 Oz dollars).

It is the only cordage I tend to take and I use it for fairly standard reasons on flat ground - lashing down tents/tarps, suspending packs off the ground, occasionally for carrying bundled wood and repairs on gear. It could be broken down for use as fishing line in a survival situation but I have not tried that. I don't tend to set traps or snares and I'm not much of a climber. I would not use it for acute angle climbing and I would be reluctant to use it for a river crossing, but YMMV.

If anyone else has experience with it (or a better product cheaply and readily available in Australia) I will happily expand my repertoire! :D
 
for a RIVER safety line or a assist line for scrambling down steep embankments, I like a 6mm to 8mm static OR dynamic line, preferably a kernmantle construction to deal with abrasion on rocks, trees better.

a couple of web slings, couple of LIFE rated (no home depot carabiners) climbing biners and your good to go
 
When you say "taking into the woods with them", the question for me is how I'm going into the woods. When I'm canoeing/rafting/horsepacking/4WD camping, no problem. I'll bring a variety of line. On several occasions it's been very helpful.

For hiking and backpacking I usually don't carry much beyond 50 ft. of light line---probably around paracord thickness---unless I have a reason to believe I'll need it. I used to carry a lot of emergency gear and it made my load too heavy. I'm now trying to be adequately prepared without a heavy load.

DancesWithKnives
 
Bushman5 said:
for a RIVER safety line or a assist line for scrambling down steep embankments, I like a 6mm to 8mm static OR dynamic line, preferably a kernmantle construction to deal with abrasion on rocks, trees better.

a couple of web slings, couple of LIFE rated (no home depot carabiners) climbing biners and your good to go
Click to expand...

The biners I have are rated to 27 KN, is that enough?

And what length of line do you think is appropriate? Like the poster after you, 50 ft seems enough to me...

Marion
 
27 KN is just fine, as is 50 feet.

If i may make a suggestion, get a mesh stuff sack and flake the rope into it, with a biner and web sling tied to each end of the rope. Makes for rapid deployment if you need to throw a line to someone fast. Anchor the sling around a tree, clip it with the biner, throw the bag.

by the way, the book "ON ROPE", is an EXCELLENT resource manual. Also look for local rescue groups, caving groups in your area for some hands on tips.
 
One thing I see as a potential problem (not on this thread) is that some use paracord when they are going to be supporting their full weight, or putting serious stress on the line.

For the same reason as mentioned above for using a real load-bearing carabiner, if your life may depend on your rope holding, use real mountaineering rope, not paracord.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
One thing I see as a potential problem (not on this thread) is that some use paracord when they are going to be supporting their full weight, or putting serious stress on the line.

For the same reason as mentioned above for using a real load-bearing carabiner, if your life may depend on your rope holding, use real mountaineering rope, not paracord.
Click to expand...

I'm confused by this thread and the one noted in the OP.
If we are talking about using a rope to support your weight get the proper climbing rope; combiners; harness etc. Using equipment not intended to have a human attached is not smart - especially in the wilderness.

So what are people trying to accomplish with these questions?
 
My friend carries 25 feet of 1 1/2 inch webbing but I'm not sure he uses it to cross rivers with it but I'm sure you could. When he was out hunting he rigged a chair using it and a couple of trees hammock style. Worked great to keep your but from getting wet. He carries it because we did in SAR and it can be used for a whole lot of things. I took mine out of my pack because of the weight but I'm considering putting it back in.
 
Rope for safety is a sound idea , some thing with a heavy break strength weight and long enough for multi purpose use, besides you never know when you want to tie someone up for thier own protection.
 
I'm very much in favor of carrying as length of rope as a safety line (among other uses). Reaching way back in time here, but we used to all carry a 10 meter (around 31 or 32 ft.) length of line (about 3/8 inch laid nylon) in a hank snapped with a carabiner to our LBE/pack straps. 10 meters may not seem like a lot of line, but it really is a handy length. Everyone in the team carried one and, snapped together, they allowed us to safely cross a lot of rivers and climb or lower ourselves over many obstacles.

I've gotten out of the habit of carrying one, though it's something I should reconsider. If I were to carry one nowadays, though, it would be kernmantle rather than laid.
 
I remember BQ had a thing called a "Grunt Line" at one time, Premade with carbiner and all. My crew has always used what we call an "Oh Sh*t" line attaching us to our packs when boating or rafting. The idea being if you leave the boat (somewhat unexpectely) then the pack will go with you. Mine is a measured 5 yards of self made rope braided from nylon trotline string (300 lb test x 3 lines) Strong enough to pull a truck from a mud hole and 5 x 5 =25 yrds to reset or check my zero if I bang my rifle around. just long enough to help get up and down a muddy riverbank and such. not for climbing mountians. Just for clues theres 4 of us so 5 x 4 = 20 yrds= 60 ft of rope if need be. I thought everybody carried a hank of confidence line?
 
I always carry a length of static line. Length, configuration, and accessories depends on the activity, but when you absolutely need rope, nothing else will do. Running around or boating in river gorges and mountains will quickly show the added weight is worth it. Some webbing and a few biners lets you set up a z-drag for simple mechanical advantage.
 
I carry 50 ft of "accessory" rope. 6mm, KM construction. It takes up very little space and is light weight. Any good climbing store should have a whole rack of spools. You can choose what diameter, color, and price per foot. They will cut any length you desire and heat seal the end. If you wish, you can reinforce the ends by using shrink to fit rubber tubing. I always plan on it's usable length as being half it's length, as if lowering, you have to be able to self retrieve the rope.
 
Hey Fujita, I have been to Kamakura many times. Used to go to Shonan Beach a lot, and rode myDucatis down to Hakone almost every Sunday.
 
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