Question - Harness with zipwire pulleys?

[sim2lew]

Hey everyone,

Just wondered if anyone knew anything about a specific type of harness? I've used it before twice at a local high wire park and also many times at other places, and we were never told what it was or even if it's something that has to be custom built.

Basically, there are two carabiners and a pulley (with two wheels), each on separate ropes. Normally both carabiners are attached to the safety line in opposite directions with the pulley on the harness. To do the zippy business, the pulley is first rested on the cable, then the carabiners are attached in front of and behind the wire, then rested in grooves on top of the pulley. The pulley rope takes the weight, and the carabiners are there for safety as they're around both the wire and the pulley, but also not resting on or rubbing against the wire as they aren't in contact unless the weight is taken off the pulley and it falls away from the line, leaving the carabiners safely attached.

I'd be interested in sourcing one as aside from having a lot of confidence in using the system, it's also bloody good fun

Cheers for your help, Lew.

 

[skelderz]

Aha i know what you mean like the shit at go ape right i do believe they are custom madw as the pulley ystem would need to be made to fit a specialised diameter rope to prevent damage! They are basically your normal half body harness with extras sewn on in a nutshell but they must be custom made to fit the british standards!

 

[BenCooper]

Not sure I picture exactly - what I've used (both myself and at centres) is a body harness with cows tails, each with two-wheel pulley at the end. Petzl make a pulley with integral crab which is handy though not necessary.

Edit: But I usually did it on a single rope, with one twin pulley, cos I like to live dangerously...

 

[spungletrumpet]

The Tandem Speed is an awesome pulley.

http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/transport-pulleys/tandem-speed

Attach it to an SRT harness with a cowstail and there's no end to the fun!

 

[BenCooper]

The Trac is the one I use:

http://www.completeoutdoors.co.uk/Petzl-Trac-Pulley

 

[Grizzley]

Last time I went to go ape, they were using petzl pandion harnesses. The pulley was a standard petzl tandem speed which is fine on the 12mm wire rope.

 

[wormster]

+1 for the pretzl trac, its specificaly designed for use on WIRE ropes, all you need to attach it to yourself is a cowstail or long sling because it has the inbuilt carabeener! - I bought mine a few years back especially for the CRTT, I do also carry a pretzl basic on my srt kit - handy for hauling ropes/resuce WTSHTF situations!!

 

[sim2lew]

It's the go ape one that I meant, I do like that system especially with the carabiners sitting on the pulleys hence everything is always connected to the harness and I'm always on a safety wire (where applicable).

Thanks for all the help, I'll have to look into making something soon

 

[wormster]

WTF?? why bother re-inventing the wheel mate??

The ones that folk have linked/commented on are FAR more simpler and rated by the industry, the one you're talking about building sounds over complicated

(or is it that you're just a wuss and don't trust one point of contact!!)

 

[sim2lew]

No, I honestly don't trust a single point of contact, especially not when it's a pulley. Maybe I am just a wuss but I'd rather be safe than regret it.

 

[BenCooper]

Are you going to wear two harnesses? At some point you'll have to have a single point of failure. Look at abseiling - one harness, one crab, one figure-8, one rope.

If the kit is bombproof, then you're planning for a failure that will never happen.

 

[wormster]

No, I honestly don't trust a single point of contact, especially not when it's a pulley. Maybe I am just a wuss but I'd rather be safe than regret it.

MTFU or get off the pot you wuss!!

 

[ex0]

I told him the same, though from what he told me I think he intends to use it for short tyrolean traverses and shit. I said simplest way would be to just girth hitch a sling to the harness and use a locking crab to connect to the wire. It's such a cheap option he could use two (or five!) for the price of a pulley.

 

[BenCooper]

Plain crab on a wire? I wouldn't - it'll saw through it...

 

[Ojay]

The Tandem Speed is an awesome pulley.

http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/transport-pulleys/tandem-speed

Attach it to an SRT harness with a cowstail and there's no end to the fun!

All you need for crtt