UKC

On the weekend had some time to kill with the group, so we decided to make a rope stretcher - as per these images (seems lifted directly from the MTUK Hillwalking book, which is where I got the original instructions): http://www.hitt-initiative.org/mla/?page_id=719

It was terrible! Super loose, awkward to hold, and it felt like the working ends of the rope were trying to be pulled back through where they had been threaded. It probably would've helped to attach the ends of the rope to the stretcher to stop this, but the instructions did not mention this. Any general tips for tying a rope stretcher? I think perhaps I could've tightened the clove hitches better.

Is there even much point to knowing how to make one? It seems like most casualties could be handled with the coil method (shown in the link), and back injuries can't be handled with a rope stretcher.

In reply to SenzuBean:

They are a bit rubbish, but do work. A bit. They are intended for very short carries, moving a casualty out of the way of falling rocks or onto drier ground for example.

In reality you would be more likely to use clothing, rucksacks or other methods of improvised carry (a KISU/bothy bag works rather well). Spinal immobilisation is virtually impossible with improvised stretchers unless a solid board or similar is used.

In reply to SenzuBean:

I think they're more likely to finish your casualty off than help them. Not really of any use in the real world.

In reply to SenzuBean:

On my ML training we covered about 3 ways of improvising with rucksacks, bothy bags and walking poles and no rope stretcher. Using those works quite well (for some value of "well")

In reply to climbwhenready:


We covered most of those too, but I'd not always have bothy bags or large rucksacks available (it might be a hot summer day, and we're travelling with light packs (20L~) and just one safety rope in the leader's pack) - so I wondered what I could do with just a rope (and perhaps poles), other than the split coils method. It sounds like the rope stretcher is not a very good something else!
I'll give it a few more attempts out of curiosity, but sounds like it's not really a technique worth mastering.

In reply to SenzuBean:

I think there are few folks who now subscribe to the rope stretcher as a realistic means of casualty movement. There are better ways.

In reply to Andy Say:

There's more than 1 way to skin a cat. There's other ways, some better, some worse. But if that's all you have, then you can only pish with the cock you've got.

I have used them numerous times, albeit short distances over varied terrain, and unless it's made correctly, can be a bit of a cake and arse party. But it gets the job done.
It takes some skill to make it, with practise. If you have just thrown it together following a picture, never done it before, then it's not going to be perfect.

No harm in knowing it/practising it. It's another string to your bow.

In reply to Bootrock:
But in what way is it better than the "split coils" carry? (see top of the link provided to see what I'm calling "split coils")
What extra does the rope stretcher offer that the "split coils" doesn't? And is what it offers extra, worth the expense of maintaining knowledge of such a finicky technique? The "split coils" was an absolute doddle in comparison, and most of my group was able to tie one first go with minimal or no help. In a real emergency the ability to quickly do it, exactly right, the first go - is very important IMO.

In reply to Bootrock:


I'm all for having a variety of 'tools' in your 'kit'; so to speak. And if all you have is a rope then it's a decent bit of knowledge to have. But if ALL you have is a rope something has gone tits-up

In reply to Andy Say:

Stranger things have happened at sea.

I would rather know it and not need it, than need it and not know it.

It's came in handy a few times, its not perfect, but it can get the job done

In reply to SenzuBean:

They are a pain, but in anger can work, we carried a lad down off Mtn Kenya in about 1993 and only met up with a fabric quick stretcher after 5km.... party of about nine of us rotating every 150- 200 m carring a medium build 6ft with severe abdominal cramps.... hard bloody graft..

A group shelter strecher is far easier and quicker and probably better...