right - here it is - the SRT rig according to samt. Its based on personal experience and much reading. This is, in my humble opinion, how I belive it SHOULD be and should be TAUGHT (along with the reasons), for every new caver.
Mallion - Mild Steel or Alloy D . Not stainless. not delta.
Reasons - Stainless is a hard metal and it is hard to do up tight without a spanner i.e it doenst 'bite' at the end of its thread without using a spanner. for that reason it might be easier for it to come undone when you dont want it to.
Deltas are awkward and can be uncomfortable when you have various bits of kit loaded - during changeovers etc.
Cows tails - one long, one short, Good wide gated snap krabs tied on using a blood knot. Not fig eights. not screw gates. Attached to you Central D using a fig eight with no mallion. Can be slightly modified, for technical rigging, aid climbing and rescue. (eg a third longer tail and the short one very short).
Reasons - Screwgates on cows tails are a pain in the arse, can add a lot of time onto an SRT heavy trip with people fannying around doing and undoing the gates (Ive had to wait behind plenty of em). not fig eights since a blood knot - if suffiently tight and taped is plenty strong and holds the krab neatly the right way round.
Simply no need for a mallion to attach them to your d - just a superflous bit of kit on an already crouded D
Hand jammer attached via single length of *static* 8 or 9 mm forming both footloop and safety cord. not a sling or webbing or one of those petzl things with loads of buckles.
Reason - That rope may become essential in a rescue or emergency situation. There is virtually nothing you cant do with it. Bar blow up boulders or stem rising water. Having a Two piece sling and webbing type setup seriously reduces your options - especially when it comes to getting people off ropes or hauling.
Starting at footloop end - should be tied with a 'yosemite' bowline
Reason - easy to undo if the rope is needed during a rescue. bowline knot holds the loop slightly open (unlike fig eight) for ease of getting your foot in . 'Yosemite' bit (i.e feeding the end back through so it lies next to the standing part of the rope) just clears up the tail allowing it to be taped neatly. and for what its worth adds 5% to the strength of the knot.
Attached to the jammer using a oval screwgate and bowline on the bight
Reasons - Bowline is easy to untie in the event of emergencies. Also the extra rope involved in the knot may come in handy in emergencies. Oval krab seats neatly and is easy to clip things to (technical rigging - rescues) and is also easy to undo if needs be (unlike mallions which Ive commonly seen used).
Attached to D using a 7 mm standard mallion on the top side of the D (above the webbing to answer Freds question) on the left of the cowtails.
Now I use a fig eight (which thinking about it - contradicts my ease of undoing reasons - might have to re think that one - see below.)
Reasons - mallion can be used as a spanner for your D if necessary. It also allows the rope and jammer to be competley removed from your D - without undoing your D if needs be, which you cant if you have a knot straight into your D, without undoing the knot or the D! and a screwgate is too cumbersome there (and cant be used as a spanner either)
Above webbing for two reasons - The mallion can act as a spanner whilst prussiking and undo your D - unlikely but it did ACTUALLY happen to me, the other is that if you load your jammer - traverses - technical rigging - aid climbing etc. the D is loaded nicely and doesnt twist round annoyingly. On the left of the cows tails since it generally isnt loaded as often as them. As for fig 8 verses bowline - the way I see it, if your using that bit of a rope in an emergency the chances are you'll need a fig 8 in one end to attach it to sommat anyhows.
Croll at top of D, Held with tape chest strap.
Reasons - Very subjective this one. Not bungee which although works well will not hold you vertical if you knocked unconsious. For me not a bra type (leather or not) since they are not adjustable - just on or off - and when off - i.e. not clipped to your croll, the croll falls forward, which if your having to cave between pitches, will snag and get in the way in any tight bits.
Tape is adjustable on the fly and will hold you up if unconsious (and not too faffy to put on and off once you get used to it).
And thats it, from left to right - jammer mallion - cows tails - (stop) - Croll (braking krab).
Now - I know everyone always chants the "personal preference so long as its safe" mantra. But all I ask is that you think about every component of your rig and ask youself some questions - what does it do, why do I need it , is it efficient, will it help or hinder me or someone else in an accident/ rescue.
And you need to come up with answers - "Cause I just prefer it that way" is not an answer.
Now then - Im sure I'll come in for some flak over this one. Im not qualified in SRT or ought like that, but Ive just applied what I see as common sence to my rig.
Feel free to comment (would like to hear what some of the qualified guys and gals out there think).
Im all ears.
I also know Im not infallable and many a cock sure caver has ended up at the bottom of a pitch the quick way so I hope I dont come across in an arrogant way.
So waddya reckon then.
