Various Uses of Carabiners with Pulleys
To stay in line the discussion we've been having about carabiners, it makes sense that the next things to look at are carabiners that have pulleys built into them. These cool tools can make plenty of jobs easier and setups neater than an extra carabiner with a pulley attached to it. Some companies have been making these carabiners with pulleys for quite now and most everyone is seeing the advantages they bring to the jobs site.
Ideal for Creating Speed Lines
First and foremost, these carabiners work amazing for creating speed lines for moving brush from the tree to other parts of the job site. Usually, before I get in the tree, I will get a bunch of webbing slings together (around 5-10) and clip wither DMM Revolvers or Petzl Roll Clips to them. I then rack them on my harness and ascend into the tree. Next I take my rigging line and attach it to the tree by means of a running bowline and toss the working end out to my ground workers. They will then tension the line and attach it to a Port a Wrap somewhere near where we want the brush to land. Now, as I make my way to each limb that needs to be removed, I girth hitch my sling around the limb and clip the Revolver or Roll Clip to the rigging line. I then make my cut and watch the limb sail away and land neatly in front of the chipper!
The Revolver and Roll Clip both work far better for speed lines because of the built in pulley. It might seem like this pulley doesn't make that big of a difference because gravity is helping carry the limbs down the length of the rigging line, but that's not the case. A carabiner sliding across a rope creates quite a bit of friction and this friction will slow your load down before it makes it to the desired landing zone. If the load slows too much, it will hang in mid air, maybe over a bird bath, Koi pond or a roof line. These carabiners with pulleys help reduce friction and help carry the load all the way to the landing zone!
Use as Light Rigging Redirects
Built in pulley carabiners can also work extremely well when used as light rigging redirects. I find that redirecting my rigging helps reduce the amount of shock on all rigging points by reducing the amount of swing and sway the logs or limbs go through. I keep a Revolver or Roll Clip attached to a webbing sling and store it on the back of my harness. When I want to redirect my rigging, a quick and easy girth hitch around a suitable limb creates an awesome redirect. Redirecting your rigging helps use the structure of the tree to disperse the load over multiple points instead of just one singular point. The little pulleys reduce friction, just like on the speed line, so that your rigging runs smooth and fast!
If you are a climber that keeps your rope in a rope bag, then a Revolver or Roll Clip might be useful for you. I have found that while doing crane work and wearing a rope bag, my rope never wants to run super smooth because it never runs straight out of the bottom of my Hitch Climber. I soon found if I clip a Revolver to the leg loop on my Treemotion, the rope runs straight out of the bottom of my HC, through the Revolver and then up into my rope bag. When I need to descend, the rope pulls right out of the bag and feeds into my Hitch Climber like butter!
Save Time and avoid Headaches
Built in pulley carabiners have specific uses, but those specific uses can save you a bunch of time and headache! I love having a couple in my bag at all times in case the need arises for one of the things mentioned above. Hopefully, you can find some use in them too! If you love using them or if you have any cool tricks, please let us know in the comments below!
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