# Making and installing Lifelines



## deerjitsu (Apr 3, 2013)

Thank you for making this video. If it saves one person this season from injury or death , it is well worth the effort.


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## onyx48166 (Feb 9, 2011)

Thank you


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## cg2737 (Mar 19, 2010)

Great job, thanks


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## oldschoolcj5 (Jun 8, 2009)

Thanks for posting this!


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## Pasinthrough (Jan 5, 2011)

Thank you guys for the kind words. Very important to use the proper rope and not something you get at a hardware store.


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## V-TRAIN (Feb 27, 2009)

Great video


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## Grizzlemethis (May 10, 2014)

I like it. Thanks for the vid.


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## vortecman (Dec 10, 2005)

Thanks for the video, could you put up a link to get the right rope?


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## whack&stack (Oct 15, 2007)

great video bud


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## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

This was a really well done video. Short enough so folks will watch the whole thing with enough detail to make sure they get it. Love the insets that is a really nice detail.
The commercial life lines look like they are using the same loop that is on the main line for their prussic.

Obviously you prefer the double fisherman's knot, I guess my question is why?


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## parker_hunter (Jul 20, 2007)

Excellent!


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## Pasinthrough (Jan 5, 2011)

b0w_bender said:


> This was a really well done video. Short enough so folks will watch the whole thing with enough detail to make sure they get it. Love the insets that is a really nice detail.
> The commercial life lines look like they are using the same loop that is on the main line for their prussic.
> 
> Obviously you prefer the double fisherman's knot, I guess my question is why?


Very strong and won't roll over on its self. The harder you pull, the more it bites.


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## Pasinthrough (Jan 5, 2011)

vortecman said:


> Thanks for the video, could you put up a link to get the right rope?


Main line 7/16"
https://www.knotandrope.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=46

Prusik cord 7 or 8 mm
https://www.knotandrope.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=72

You can also call the owner of this page and he will cut to length and mail you what you need. Just tell him what you are doing. His number is at the bottom of the web site home page.
http://www.southeasttradingcompany.com/

These links are in the video as well.


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## StringStalker36 (Jun 15, 2014)

Do you tie the bottom of the main line to the bottom or let it hang freely? thanks


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## Pasinthrough (Jan 5, 2011)

StringStalker36 said:


> Do you tie the bottom of the main line to the bottom or let it hang freely? thanks


I usually pull it under the bottom strap on the ladder sticks, tie it around the tree or tie it to the bottom of the sticks. It needs to be secured in some fashion so the prusik knot will slide up when you are climbing into your stand. Some people put a small screw in or even a nail to tie the rope around. 

I forgot to mention that step, thanks for asking the question.


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## Scowd (Dec 1, 2013)

Tagged


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## Pasinthrough (Jan 5, 2011)

Just got a PM about making the prusik longer to give you more room. That would work just fine. However, if you would like, you can just tie up a shorter choker rope that has a loose tag end like most safety ropes you have now and add a prusik to that. You could climb with your lifeline then transfer it over to the tether to have more room to pull slack if needed so your tether doesn't interfere with your bow shooting. If you are going to do this, you'll need another carabiner so you can stay connected while swapping from one to the other. Here is a video showing the figure 8 knot and the triple loop that you'll need at the end of the tether so you don't pull off the end of the rope.


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## jdslyr (Jan 27, 2005)

*home depot*

does home depot have rope that will handle proper load ratings for life lines?
or is it better to buy from a climbing website?


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## Don_Swazy (Jul 9, 2013)

Great video!
Thank you.


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## tpcollins (Aug 3, 2007)

Pasinthrough said:


> Thank you guys for the kind words. Very important to use the proper rope and not something you get at a hardware store.


Finally someone here on AT knows which ropes are the proper types for lifelines and how they're used.


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## Fievel17 (May 1, 2014)

I ran over to Eastern Mountain Sports here in Lancaster PA and they literally had everything I needed.


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## tpcollins (Aug 3, 2007)

jdslyr said:


> does home depot have rope that will handle proper load ratings for life lines?
> or is it better to buy from a climbing website?


I've never seen rope at Home Depot that I would use either for the lifeline or prusik loop.


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## wildturk (Jul 6, 2005)

Awesome


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## ThunderEagle (May 11, 2011)

In this thread: http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2123688

It was talked about having 2 prussics one longer, because in case of a fall, it can be used to relive pressure, and then you can actually climb the lifeline this way. This was mentioned in the context of climber stands.


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## T-BONE 93 (Feb 19, 2008)

tagged


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## KenMorse (Aug 12, 2013)

Sub'd


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## OhWell (Aug 21, 2013)

Guys, this is a great video. I have done a lot of rapelling which is closer to our needs than rock climbing. A static line is a better choice that a climbing rope or even better a caving rope. Rapelling and caving ropes have a tougher out sheath. Instead of the prusic knot take a look at the Blake's Hitch. The BH is a one way knot which is perfect for our needs. The BH can also be tied with rope of the same diameter as the main line. The Blake's Hitch also slides much more easily up to the moment tension is applied to it.


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## arrowgone (Jul 21, 2013)

Cool.... Tagged!


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## Pasinthrough (Jan 5, 2011)

OhWell said:


> Guys, this is a great video. I have done a lot of rapelling which is closer to our needs than rock climbing. A static line is a better choice that a climbing rope or even better a caving rope. Rapelling and caving ropes have a tougher out sheath. Instead of the prusic knot take a look at the Blake's Hitch. The BH is a one way knot which is perfect for our needs. The BH can also be tied with rope of the same diameter as the main line. The Blake's Hitch also slides much more easily up to the moment tension is applied to it.


The Blake's Hitch is a great knot. I like the prusik due to the fact that once tied, all I do is walk up and clip on then up or down the tree. Less chance of one coming loose in the wind or by chance. jmo

Thanks for the kind words guys. Just be safe when off the ground!


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## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

here is a Blakes hitch video, I agree with the OP it looks to me like the prussic is the better choice for deer hunters both because it is simple to tie and easy to adjust. in the case of novice climbers the K.I.S.S. method is the better choice but if you want to know what the Blakes Hitch is then here you go.


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## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

The Schabisch is yet another alternative but again for the tree stand safety rope I still give the nod to the Prussik for the same reasons mentioned above.


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## jim p (Oct 29, 2003)

Many of these knots work great with a double rope system because the knot is only experiencing 1/2 of your weight. With a single life line you are single rope rappelling. With single rope rappelling your entire weight is loaded on to the pursik. Sometime the pursik will lock or bind on the rope under load and is tough to get it to slide.

So when building your system please test it at low level several times to be sure that you are not surprised.


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## Pasinthrough (Jan 5, 2011)

It's getting to be the time of year folks want to start setting stands. Please be careful when doing so and please use a lifeline!


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## Brandonk923 (Nov 21, 2014)

Cabelas has 30 ft hunters safety system lifelines for $30 ready to use. Are these suffient in anybody's experience to keep you safe


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## waldopepper (Jul 29, 2014)

Great thread. Thanks for posting.

This from Crossbow forum. http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2622962 This will make you think...

Being an old pole climber, tower climber, bucket truck operator, pilot, I know the importance of a safety/body/seat belt. I am 70 plus and now don't even like a 6ft step ladder.


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## unclejdof3 (Mar 11, 2015)

awesome video. So helpful to see some one take the time to explain the knots. great job thanks


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## billygoat (Jul 3, 2007)

Brandonk923 said:


> Cabelas has 30 ft hunters safety system lifelines for $30 ready to use. Are these suffient in anybody's experience to keep you safe


Absolutely! All of the major manufacturers have tested their lines and all of those lines are built with dynamic or static climbing line.

Of note: Muddy had a recall two years ago on their fall lines, because the prusic knot was placed outward, to where the carabiner would attach. The concern was that in the event of a fall, the knot would receive the pressure/load, and the knot was not weighted for falls, rather the intact rope was weighted for tension. As a result they had to re-tie all of their prussics so the knotted/sewn end was the backbone of the knot... Just a thought when building your own.

I have built plenty of these and they are very easy to build, just think through the parts you are using and inspect those lines!

Great video! Thanks for sharing. Be safe!


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## Pittstate23 (Dec 27, 2010)

nice video, i've been using this same system for a year or so and love it.


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## 06hoythunter (Apr 5, 2009)

can anyone tell me the approximate lengths need for the main line and the prusik line? im wanting to add these to multiple stand and just trying to figure out how much material will be needed


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## STRAIGHT-GUT (Sep 30, 2009)

Great video on some essential tree stand hunting equipment.:thumbs_up
One thing that I do a little different is when attaching the main line to the tree, I pass it thru the loop twice.
Some climbing expert told me that it decreased the chance of the rope cutting thru itself by like half ???
It only uses up a couple extra inches of rope and makes since to me.


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## TC260 (Jun 11, 2012)

Nice video. If I could offer a suggestion, the 10:1 safety factor should be changed. The rule is based off the safe working load, not body weight. For tree work the SWL is 500# which equals 5000# min strength for anything supporting your weight. I could see going down to 4000# min since this is rec climbing and not work. I think I recall seeing some hunting related safety gear spec'd at 3600#. 2000# is down in the junk rope category. Reduce the strength for knots and wear and tear, then add a dynamic load for a fall and that spells trouble. 

For the prusik cord, I wouldn't use the "accessory cord". That's not designed for climbing. On the knot and rope supply link, go to "Prusik cord", that's the stuff that's made for climbing. I climbed on Ultra-tech and Tenex for years at work. I used Bee line for awhile and it was good too but all of them are a step above accessory cord in quality.


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## NYbowhunter9 (Mar 4, 2015)

This is an awesome video, I'm definitely putting these up at my stand locations!


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## Mathewsfreak814 (Jan 13, 2015)

Excellent video will definitely be making a couple. What length do you recommend for use with a climbing tree stand?


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