Rope bags

[Groundman One]

Colour me stupid, but do rope bags "work"? Meaning, can you just coil a rope into it and it feeds without tangling?

I have a 160" of 5/8 pull line and I don't always treasure rolling it up. I'm going to replace it with 160' of 3/4 and I know I'm not going to want to role that up.

Tangle or tangle free; what say thee?

 

[Dadatwins]

I have several and use them to protect the ropes while in the tool box. As for 'flaking' the rope into a bag and getting it to deploy smoothly I am also a skeptic. I think it is faster to just roll it up. Rolling a rope correctly and getting it to unroll clean is a talent that takes a while to learn. Nothing worse than trying to unravel a 150' tangled up mess of rope. For the heavy bull lines to roll them I will set the coils on something, like a fence post or stick a post in one of the pickup truck bed rails.

 

[Brush Hog]

I have one for climbing line and one for bull rope and I have no trouble with tangling. Makes it easy to transport and keeps the nice and clean. I just feed it into the bag and let it lay as it falls. Comes out the same way it goes in.

 

[Mikecutstrees]

I use them. I just make like 10 or so loops in my hand and stuff it in. Works great keeps the rope clean. Keeps ropes organized and untangled. I'd get one. I have the tall green ones for ropes bigger than 1/2" and red short ones for 1/2" ropes. I bought them from sherrill tree.... Mike

 

[asthesun]

rope bags are awesome. there is no comparison. when you roll a rope, every time you put another loop, you twist it one more time. if you flake the rope into a bag, there is no twist. when you roll a rope and deploy it, you have to reroll the entire thing when you are done. this is not the case with rope bags as you can just reflake whatever you didnt use back into the bag. this is handy if you have 200' ropes and you're using it in a 30' tree. another thihng, like dude said up there^^, rolling rope so that it will properly is a skill that takes time to learn right. any inexperianced guy can flake rope properly with just a couple minutes of experience. the more expensive bags are stiffer and will stay open easier, making for easier flaking.

 

[Adkpk]

I have never had a tangle when deploying rope from a bag and have always had tangles deploying rope after it was rolled up. Frankly I am surprised at the answers so far. I thought that "flaking" was a given in the tree worked world.

My duffel bag recently became too shoddy for use. Just so happened Sherrill was coming out with a new line of rope bags and offering 20%. I got the a grande mother of a bag. It looks made well enough to last for the rest of my climbing days, end of story. It holds all my stuff and I got the backpack setup which hasn't come yet (backorder) so I can't say how that will work.

I really don't see how rolling a rope is quicker that stuffing it a bag. No way.

 

[smokinj]

i have several and use them to protect the ropes while in the tool box. As for 'flaking' the rope into a bag and getting it to deploy smoothly i am also a skeptic. I think it is faster to just roll it up. Rolling a rope correctly and getting it to unroll clean is a talent that takes a while to learn. Nothing worse than trying to unravel a 150' tangled up mess of rope. For the heavy bull lines to roll them i will set the coils on something, like a fence post or stick a post in one of the pickup truck bed rails.

+1

 

[tomtrees58]

yes there good we have them for all the ropes a 20' cargo container full the most important thing is they stay clean no mud ect we put the size on the out side of the bags tom trees

 

[highasatree]

I use a smaller sized plastic garbage can. Coiling up a 150 foot rope hurts my elbow too much and I cant hold on to the entire rope while coiling to long. I then tie the end of the rope to the outside handle. The pail can hold 2 or 3 ropes easy.. This method works good for me.

 

[Groundman One]

I have several and use them to protect the ropes while in the tool box. As for 'flaking' the rope into a bag and getting it to deploy smoothly I am also a skeptic. I think it is faster to just roll it up. Rolling a rope correctly and getting it to unroll clean is a talent that takes a while to learn. Nothing worse than trying to unravel a 150' tangled up mess of rope.

Yeah, I think I'm with you there.

I trust the ropes I roll myself to feed properly, but once a "flaked" rope (is that what it's called?) is loose in a bag and thumping around, I can't see how you could be sure it's not going to tie itself up like a bondage queen.

For protection, though, it seems like a good idea. A new 3/4" rope will cost me $200+ and I would like to keep it as long as possible.

 

[masiman]

Bags are no brainers, you can't get it wrong as long as you feed it straight into the bag and not by gathering a bunch in your hand and stuffing it in. Even then most times it will be okay. My rule is that if I touch every inch of the rope putting it in, it will not tangle on the way out. The only other way I have found that can tangle the rope is if it is dumped out of the bag in one lump. Treat them like a queue (first in - last out, last out -first in) and you can't go wrong.

Weaver has a nice bag that is wire wound like some of those lawn leaf bags. This holds the bag upright the best of all of them. However, I don't think the Weaver fabric is as heavy duty as some of the others. It has held up okay but has a few holes in it, while my others are going strong. I'd buy the Weaver again, I just wish it were heavier fabric and came in different colors.

 

[StihlRockin']

I coiled rope for years. First my way, then someone taught me how to "correctly" coil a rope. Now at the time I wasn't familiar with rope bags, but I came up with the idea to put them into larger plastic tubs. That worked good, until I came up with just putting one into a 5 gallon bucket.

"Flaking" is a new term for me, but sounds like just what I do. I get a bucket, feed the one side of the rope I want to go down first. I don't do anything but start to shove... or let it go the way it wants as I feed it into the bucket. After a while it starts to have a pattern all it's own. When I'm done, I make sure the terminal end(sounds more technical to call it the "terminal" end. LOL!) is laying on top so I can grab first.

When the rope is needed, carry the bucket over to the bottom of the tree and either let it sit there and uncoil as the climber ascends or turn the bucket sideways and remove it that way.

The other thing you can do is start putting the side of the rope you want to work with, like the snap end, and put that into the bucket first. Then all you have to do is go at the bottom of the tree and tip the bucket upside down and the snap will be right on top.

One draw back with the bucket is moisture. If the rope picks up moisture, it can't evaporate in the bucket. You'll have to leave the lid off for it to dry.

I can't recall the rope ever tangling up if there's no debris on it as I ascend the tree. Good groundies always keep an eye on the rope. What I like about the bucket is that it keeps the rope dry, easy to maintain and virtually weather proof. There's also the barrier it creates to protect from sharp objects, gas, oil and your pocket book. LOL! 5-gallon buckets with lids are anywhere from free to $5. Can't beat that.

I'll have to admit though, those rope bags look "cool" with all the colors, fancy emblems, pockets and carabiner holders, etc.

StihlRockin'

 

[MonkeyMan_812]

They are great!!!

 

[jburlingham]

Colour me stupid, but do rope bags "work"? Meaning, can you just coil a rope into it and it feeds without tangling?

I have a 160" of 5/8 pull line and I don't always treasure rolling it up. I'm going to replace it with 160' of 3/4 and I know I'm not going to want to role that up.

Tangle or tangle free; what say thee?

My expierience with rope bags is limited to rope rescue calls and classes with the fire department. The bags seem to have a number of benefits; first they protect the rope during storage, they make it easy to pack and deploy the rope as you literaly only need to stuff it into the bag, finaly when your stuffing, it let's you do a quick hands on inspection to find bad, or worn spots in the rope. I have never had a tangle from a rope bag.

 

[treevet]

One draw back with the bucket is moisture. If the rope picks up moisture, it can't evaporate in the bucket. You'll have to leave the lid off for it to dry.

I use heavy plastic milk crates and they air out nicely. Heavy ones are hard to find. Use the double wide ones for bull rope and the half or normal size for half inch. Also use the double wide to carry spikes, saddle, climb line, handsaw, mini porty and micro bull rope (1/4 inch) and pully and loops (in one container). May sound crazy but I keep a golf bag carrying strap on both ends of the double climbing gear crate. I keep all kinds of stuff in them like attachment lanyards, pullies, porties, etc. etc.

Works great for me for storage and carrying and flaking and if you are lowering, you can move the bulk around easily if needed that is not being used.

I have bought many rope bags and strapped big Sherrill gear bags and they don't get used because I hate not being able to see what was put away or what is in them easily.

 

[squad143]

There is no other way to store rope (imo). From tree work to high angle rescue, it is definitely the way to go.

My climbing bag sometimes gets a little abused when bombing chunks down. I just make sure its not one of the expensive bags.

 

[Groundman One]

I use heavy plastic milk crates and they air out nicely.

You know, I can see the logistical merit in that, but I just can't get past the look of them. I pulled up to a job that was being done by a guy I know - I just wanted to say hi and see the work he was doing - and he had about ten milk crates full of ropes and gear on the customer's lawn. It struck me as looking... less than professional.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not making any comments about you or the quality of your work; just saying I have my own esthetic issues with milk crates.

 

[canopyboy]

I've been using rope bags from the start. The only thing that's ever come close to tangling is a throwline, but even that just took a tug to undo. I've thought about switching to buckets instead of bags though as the bags I have aren't stiff enough to stay open well when stuffing and buckets are cheaper than new bags. Milk crates would work the same way I guess. 200' of 3/4 bull rope is going to need a small trash can though, but it will be incredibly fast compared to coiling!

 

[treevet]

You know, I can see the logistical merit in that, but I just can't get past the look of them. I pulled up to a job that was being done by a guy I know - I just wanted to say hi and see the work he was doing - and he had about ten milk crates full of ropes and gear on the customer's lawn. It struck me as looking... less than professional.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not making any comments about you or the quality of your work; just saying I have my own esthetic issues with milk crates.

The "logistical merit" (lol) far outweighs the perceived aesthetic and unprofessional issues, I assure you.

The bottoms don't soak up water (they can be covered in rain) and they don't cave in when flaking like bags do. Again, they have served me for decades. You can stack em in the storage area. Big ones will easily handle 150 feet of 3/4.

Pls. excuse couch on truck, my kid came home from college last night.

 

[MonkeyMan_812]

That sure is a nice truck you got there tree vet.