He's not a tree climber but...

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One of the ropes was thought to have been dry treated, but it hadnt been. The night before the jump there was a small rain that was soaked up into the rope. The extra weight from moisture put the rope outside of its maximum tensile strength and snapped when jumped. I know this from friends of danno.

It makes one wonder what kind of safety factor he used in rope strength that a little moisture made the rope too weak.
He was obviously using ropes that were right at their breaking strength, and the only reason I can think to use such small ropes, is to add danger. If he used the standard equipment, there would be much less danger, and he would just be another bungee jumper. Did he need the added risk of inadequate equipment to get the thrill? Sure sounds like it.
 
It makes one wonder what kind of safety factor he used in rope strength that a little moisture made the rope too weak.
He was obviously using ropes that were right at their breaking strength, and the only reason I can think to use such small ropes, is to add danger. If he used the standard equipment, there would be much less danger, and he would just be another bungee jumper. Did he need the added risk of inadequate equipment to get the thrill? Sure sounds like it.


Sounds about right to me. Anyone can get hit by lightning, or blindsided by a truck, but it sounds like he chose to put the pedal to the floor when the light had just turned red. I certainly understand the desire to do that, but I would respect him more if he could do amazing things and keep his head about him as well.
 
He used regular climbing gear and played around with anchor set-ups and angles in order to hold falls. A bungee cord cant be used for the kind of jump he wanted. When you are making a 1000+ foot jump then everything you use is close to the limit. Contrary to popular belief, water is heavy, and over 600 feet of rope there is a lot of area to suck up water.
 
I'd guess those unpaid parking tickets are a good indication of his financial state. This is an indicator that the equipment he was using was probably well worn and most likely had been shock loaded multiple times previously.

In any event RIP and all that jazz.
 
It makes one wonder what kind of safety factor he used in rope strength that a little moisture made the rope too weak.

I researched this a bit a few months ago and read the report by the engineer at Black Diamond (?) who was the first to inspect the broken rope. He was very clear that the rope was not overstressed. The rope was knotted (you can actually see a knot about 150 feet above Dan in one of the shots) and the rope was melted through right at the spot it entered a knot. The rope otherwise looked fine. He surmised that the knot had snagged another line during the jump, and rode along the other line until the friction heat melted it. It was known that Dan changed takeoff position at the last minute to one never used before, so it is possible some tag line or haul line was now in the way of the jump. It was definitely operator error, but the error was not using underrated or worn-out equipment.
 
dout an insurance company would give him life insurance if they knew what he did. amazing climber, none the less:chainsawguy:
 
UNREAL...

Did anyone else see that puff in the last clip of the original movie? that must have been the knot breaking no?
 
He was an amazing climber, BAR NONE. I personally wouldnt attempt the things he excelled at. But I also wont sit here and say anything bad about him what so ever. It is tragic that he passed away, But also glorious that he passed away doing what he loved to do. I know of many people who arent so lucky. And worse yet, I know many people who grow old and bitter knowing that they were always scared to go that extra distance. People are so overwhelmed by the fear of death that they never experience life. Just because you dont want to do the same things as the next person, doesnt give you any right to say it was careless or wrong. He knew he was taking a chance EVERY time he jumped. Its not a sport of ( if you die ), its a sport of ( when you die ). He knew that and still had the ability to enjoy it. More power to him.

I know one thing about my life. We start dieing the day we are born. I am not going to waste any of my time being scared to try new things and experience life at its fullest... Now, thats doesnt mean I am going to jump off 1000' foot tall cliffs, But that also means I am going to try and be open minded about my life and enjoy what ever it is that makes me happy.

All of us who Climb Trees for a living know that we work in a dangerous environment, yet we do it each and every day. I take my safety very seriously, But I am also aware that equipment fails. I am not going to stop climbing trees because of the chance that I could fall.

Ok, done venting, sorry about that.
 
Thank you for posting that. He was a free soul for sure. He lived the way he wanted to and died doing what he loved. Tragic, but I feel he was one of the lucky ones. I hope when I am out of time its doing something I love.
 
This is the part that bugs me - when you make the decision to become a parent, you need to think beyond yourself - his adrenaline addiction should have been put on hold until she reached 18...

I agree wholeheartedly. Besides working for a living and sawing wood for fun, I race road bikes (pedal, not motor). I crashed in 2003, broke a shoulder, an elbow, and got a monster concussion. No one else involved, just dove into a turn too fast 'cause I like speed and thought (past tense) that I'm invincible.

I have a beautiful wife (see avatar) and two young children who were very scared for me. SInce then, I let lots of people beat me in the corners. I have ridden screaming down passes in the Alps and Blue Ridge Mountains under race conditions since my crash, but no way will I enter a turn or take any traffic risk that goes beyond my sense of responsibility to my family. Period.

P.S. Wear a helmet.
 
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