Port-a-wrap - Adding a Top Strap

The port-a-wrap is the jack of all trades in rigging, but the one thing that it doesn't do very well, in my opinion, is negative rigging. Let's look at adding a top strap to try and fight the floppiness of the device when using it as a lowering device.
"We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master." - Ernest Hemingway
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- Patrick

[@PrecisionArboristryServicesLLC]

I dig, I’ll be adding this to my daily usage. Thanks for freely offering your knowledge to help better others in the trade ✊🏽

[@TreeMuggs_PatrickM]

Appreciate it. - Patrick

[@charlesmercer1975]

That never occurred to me. Going forward I will be utilizing a top strap! Thank s so much for the tip.

[@emzzzz992]

I always considered the porta wrap marginal engineering at best. Stein has taken it up a notch for sure.

[@timgrant1796]

Thanks Patrick. I had assembled the pieces to make my own when I saw this and realized it would work better with the 'biner loop on the top strap. I was not aware then that anyone was making a top strap for the P-A-W and they are not readily available in the USA, as far as I can find. It's always good to see that someone who knows what they are doing thinks it's a good idea, before you start making stuff. Works great. Great work, as ever.

[@havespurswillclimb]

Enjoyed the video. I use the Stein RC2000. A great design by Reg Coates. Stein has a couple other excellent Friction lowering devices. But, if you already have a regular portawrap this video is right on. Thanks.

[@BigBlackTruckDave]

Great advice. Something I never even thought about before. Thanks You are GREAT!

[@golopeters1152]

Love it. What a valuable piece of advice! Thanks alot. Will be tested out in the coming felling season

[@stihlms400cm3]

Patrick, beautiful, succinct no nonsense demonstration and explanation, superb tip, will definitely try this system out, greetings from Ireland !

[@howarddavidiii6171]

Great explanation, and it's a good thing to know. I will use this tomorrow .

[@chrisb4419]

Yes! I was gonna but a fancy new stein, but this is the way for the poor workin man Thanks for all you do for the community

[@dankotos61]

You Did a really good job Explaining that Patrick. Nice job

[@bobwiese6128]

Excellent work Brother. Thanks for this. I had pondered this awhile back and your info here cements my thoughts. Top strap it is.... why not, it malek perfect sense. 👌

[@kameronmyles2013]

I just started helping my brother rig and that porta wrap is a curse. Thank you for giving us another option!

[@savage22bolt32]

As a newbie, I thought the PW would be floppy, so I bought a Stein that is designed to be used with a top strap. I really like the finish on the PW though. Not sure if its nickel plated or stainless steel, but coming from an aerospace background, I appreciate those materials. The Stein appears to be cad plated & alodined to protect from rusting but may be a similar but different coating.

[@tcoke84]

Great idea bro. Thanks.

[@mvblitzyo]

excellent explanation

[@purryegbert8609]

Great tutorial !

[@TerrellWillams]

Good stuff as usual!

[@randymarko486]

GREAT video.......

[@11ccom]

Good stuff.

[@JWG061]

Also useful for decreasing damage to thin bark trees

[@Vscustomprinting]

Nice tech insight

[@TreeMuggs_PatrickM]

Yes, good point Will, thanks

[@stevemiller8952]

My Son and I have been in the tree business for 15 years now. We started with the porta wrap and used it for a few years. I’ve made a device similar to the porta wrap but fastens to the tree by a ratchet strap. It is 100 times easier to use than a porta wrap and it has some features on it that makes it our go to device when we do tree work. We haven’t used a porta wrap in years. It makes it so much easier to take the slack out of the rope. Also since we made the device we hardly use a GRC.

[@Vscustomprinting]

You just cranking out the slack? Some sort of crank device... I love a porta wrap, easy to move when you use some old rope.. we usually have a decent crew for big jobs, so having a few guys pull out the slack isnt a problem.. But this is a problem i might need to solve now that im the climber.. thanks for sharing

[@stevemiller8952]

@@Vscustomprinting this is so much easier to use that a porta wrap I will never go back to the PW. It’s a sturdy device because it’s ratcheted to the tree. One man can take the slack easily. It’s not a crank device

[@roybatty5028]

We used to use something called a Bollard. It is essentially a ten inch pipe on a bracket that is fastened to the tree by a heavy winch strap.

[@stevemiller8952]

@@roybatty5028 yes it’s similar to what your talking about but it has a feature on it that no other lowering device has

[@TreeMuggs_PatrickM]

Right on, do you have a video?

[@anthonymoravec3599]

nice job

[@spiercevaughn]

My stein 1000 came with one and I’ve always used it.

[@jakeharris4465]

If you weld an extra pin at the end of the porta wrap for the rope to sit in between 2 pins it stops any bind up,better if you can make your own from scratch that way the whole bollard can be a bit longer to make up for the 2nd pin making it a bit shorter

[@MsJhook]

Nice

[@BartomiejDziecio]

Thank you very much for the video, I will be able to work better.

[@tree2climb839]

Thanks Patrick! Where can you buy the stein strap?

[@MsLivestronger]

And its way easier for new groundies to load it when its oriented like that. Looks great. How many times you see people struggling to orient it, im a one man owner / climber with lots of different groundies , ( we have other jobs) this wouldnt be an issue for big companies with dedicated groundies most likely.*

[@PiKara67]

eccellente 👏👏👏

[@small-town-southern-man3573]

My thinking is that the porty dropping negates the risk of the rope fouling. With the porty stationary, you risk that loop of rope causing problems. I agree on the fixed bollard for big rigging.

[@TreeMuggs_PatrickM]

Interesting

[@markfamilytree6780]

I will definitely be using this method. Does anyone do negative rigging lower than false crotch?

[@kodylloyd5495]

Solid advice Patrick👍 thank you.

[@kodylloyd5495]

On order from sappy supplies 👍

[@michaelstigell5753]

❤️👍👍

[@johndurant8687]

Any thoughts on the "jail break" lowering device?

[@TreeMuggs_PatrickM]

I would like to try it, looks promising

[@Sethhaun78]

Should have done that today big red oaks .was sloppy with outt it..

[@CatDaddySteve]

The true classic Port A Wrap is a small wheel rim strapped to the tree 😉

[@pekerja27]

Sedikit menjadi lebih paham , cara menggunakan tali, Tadinya saya sehari hari menebang pohon tanpa tali pengaman

[@evang6503]

Good video but first of all I don’t think that will do anything for the slack in your line hang the Portawrap low to the ground, crank as much slack out as possible. I think what you were doing will not add the problem, although I do tend to redirect, lowering line out of the swing/drop zone like a fishing pole at times.

[@YourN4m3]

I just chain together bungie cords.

[@TheToolnut]

I have always used Stein lowering bollards, they come with an eye for mounting with a top strap. I dial in the height of my bollard with the top strap then lock it off with a timber hitch. I don't know why all you N.A climbers use the portawrap. It's just very poorly designed.

[@shadowscape6290]

Excellent Patrick