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Tying Purcel Prusiks

Original Post
jeremy long · · BOULDER CO · Joined May 2011 · Points: 5

So i was looking through the forums and I found a post about purcels. Awesome! I have been trying to get climbers to switch their lanyards to these for quite a while.

My question is does anyone have access to a detailed guide on how to tie the series of three knots needed for the system of knots. I have found that everytime I tie these I have to reteach myself. Properly tying these knots requires the full body and measurements taken off of the body of the person using them. Whenever I tie these I have to consult the internet, and the directions I have found are less than ideal. It would be nice to have these directions posted in an easy to access area for everyone to use. These are much stronger and safer than most other lanyard options.

Ryan Nevius · · Perchtoldsdorf, AT · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 1,832

Three knots? Doesn't the Purcell use a single knot and a friction hitch (prusik)? I'm confused (but intrigued) by your confusion.

rgold · · Poughkeepsie, NY · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 526
animatedknots.com/purcell/

bluugnome.com/cyn_how-to/ge…

swiftwaterrescue.com/techni…

bigfootmountainguides.com/2…

fatcanyoners.org/bush-guide…

I'm with John about this; I tried the Purcell prussik and went back to the Sterling Chain Reactor. The PP is bulky and not adjustable enough for my uses (you can only go from full length to half length), and it is much harder to adjust when weighted than a PAS.

The claim that a 6mm Purcell prusik is "stronger and safer" needs both justification and qualification. In the tests done by Rigging for Rescue, caves.org/section/vertical/…, the 6mm Purcell prussik broke 3 out of 5 times in a FF2 fall, but the test mass used was 100 kg rather than the 80 kg mass used for UIAA rope testing. For the more likely FF1 fall, it was fine.
jeremy long · · BOULDER CO · Joined May 2011 · Points: 5

The system is one purcel measured to your waist, one purcel measured to your nipple and a short regular prusik knot. However most instructions I have run accross kind of suck for getting the right lengths. The reason for the set of three is for acending a fixed line. The loop on the tripple fig eight is long enough to tie a prusik, then your feet go in the adjustible loops. You tie in direct with the regular prusik and jug. I always screw up the length of the adjustible loops and the loop on the bite.

p.s. "stronger and safer" was refering more specificly to daisy chains. I use a 7mm line. I use this knot quite often when I am working in tree pruning and removal. They help out when needing to stablize yourself for your cut and for going out steep branches far from your tie in. They also work great for hanging tools. I have also used them in many rescue scenarios, upon instruction, for load tranfers and knot passes. In these scenarios and in rescue situations everything is always backed up, including the purcels. The purcels just made things go quick.
I have also used purcels for my lanyard on rock for a few years. I have found it to be adjustable enough from half to full length, if you need it shorter you can clove in anywhere in the adjustable loop, or you can clip to the bite on your harness.

saguaro sandy · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2013 · Points: 140

I used this system for about a year. It was ok except for being bulky and sliding when i had it at a midpoint and loaded. I went back to PAS after some attempts to clean aide pitches in Yosemite. I will stick to PAS for now.

Capt. Impatient · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 0

So... You are trying to get people to switch. Yet you don't know how to tie it yourself? That makes alot of sense.

jeremy long · · BOULDER CO · Joined May 2011 · Points: 5
Climber26 wrote:So... You are trying to get people to switch. Yet you don't know how to tie it yourself? That makes alot of sense.
So I have been a professional rigger, arborist and I have been a trad climber for around twenty years. I have been trained and served on high angle rescue teams. I am well versed in a variety of knots. I was sold on the use of the purcel by a company called rigging for rescue. Their 40 hour course was the best rigging class I have attended that focused on rock rescue applications. The purcel is a fairly complex knot which is difficult to get the lengths measured to your body properly. This style of knot is the type that you tie once and use until you retire it. Since you do not tie these knots often it is easy to screw up the measurements for the proper lengths for your body. A climbing forum is the perfect place to find advice for a good way to measure these knots, so it does actually make sense to advocate a useful knot and still look for advice on a better way to measure it. Also since I see so many climbers still using daisy chains I do think it is a good idea to expose them to other options. I like the purcel because it is versatile and strong.

rgold, in one of the links you provided I was exposed to a different way to tie the purcel using a fishermans and avoiding an eight on a bight all together. I will have to try this, it seems to make the whole knot less bulky and possibly more adjustable.
I also read the report on the testing done by rigging for rescue (I have read this before), and it seems to put the purcel in a favorable light compared to other lanyard options including the PAS. What I like about rigging for rescue is that they are performing third party tests. I do not have much experience nor have I seen third party tests for the sterling chain reactor. I personally use a 3 wrap 7mm purcel which held ff2 falls with acceptable damage. riggingforrescue.com/files/…

I usually keep the purcel girthed to my sliding bridge on my tree harness, or through my leg and waist loops on my rock harness. Then it runs between my legs to the back loops on both harnesses. This keeps it pretty well out of the way as long as you tighten the adjustable prusik.

When I am at the anchor for the belay station I am usually tied in twice for redundancy. Once cloved in on my rope and once on my purcel.
Capt. Impatient · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 0

Hahahaha...

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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