Python 5m & King Python 5m

  The Python is a 5m length webbing sling designed specifically for river rescue applications. 

The Python has a ring on one end and an open loop to receive karabiners on the other. It has a breaking strength in excess of 10kN.

There are now two versions available:
Python 5m which has a 6mm stainless steel ring and has yellow webbing
​King Python 5m which has a 12mm aluminium ring and has red webbing

The benefit of the ring is that it can often replace the need 
for a karabiner which are a scarce resource on the river.
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An original Whetman Equipment product.
Made in the UK.
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The Python has a diverse number of uses.
  • It can work as an anchor in hauling, lowering boats & traversing the river.

  • The benefit of the ring being it can often replace a karabiner and receive other lines or webbing.

  • ​On the river karabiners are always in short supply and the rings can be invaluable to save karabiners for other tasks.

  • The ring can also be used as a pulley to create a Pig Rig when combined with two Pythons and two Ring Pull Prussiks - see below .

  • The Python can be a cowstail extension for work positioning a throwline deployment or belayer.

  • ​Very handy for portaging over rough ground & large boulders to haul & lower boats.

  • Short reach rescue: hold the ring in one hand and flick the coil out to reach to a close by swimmer. The rings acts as a stopper.

  • Raft Guide Flip Line: Used with a krab, clip the krab onto the gunnel line, throw the ring end of the Python over the upturned raft, grab it the other side, climb up & flip.

Wolf lead


​The Python can be doubled back through the ring to make an instant noose to very quickly wrap around an anchor, around a canoe or over a paddle shaft, effectively like a giant dog lead - more like a wolf lead!.

How strong is the Python 5m?

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 The Python 5m is made in the UK.

 The end loops are folded double resulting in four layers of  webbing which are bartacked together using a heavy duty  industrial machine and high tensile thread.


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  Each end has been tested and has a static breaking     strength in excess of 10kN. The webbing itself is stronger   than the end loops and has a breaking strength of 13kN.
King Python 5m Strength
The strength of this unit is the same as the Python 5m described above. The gold aluminium ring itself is strength rated to 25kN and is combined to the webbing with bar tacked high tensile thread which provides a unit with an overall min breaking strength of 10kN. 

The anodised aluminium ring is 12mm thick which offers
a reduction in friction when used in a Pig Rig
system.
Pig Rig
The combination of Two Whetman Equipment Pythons and Two Whetman Equipment Ring Pull Prussiks can make a very simple to set up Pig Rig pully system or external mechanical advantage (MA) system.

Fast & simple to set up.

Rings replace pulleys & karabiners so does not exhaust limited supply of karabiners
 
Setting Up The Pig Rig

The first python is the anchor & wraps itself around a tree like a true constrictor; ideally a full strength tie off which presents the ring forward as a pully & leaves the other end available as the anchor to set up a Ring Pull Prussik to capture the progress of the haul.

​The second Python threads through the rope grab Ring Pull Prussik and returns to thread through the anchor ring and then back to thread through its own ring near the rope grab to create the MA haul line.
Download Pig Rig Diagram 481Kb


​Ring Pull Prussik set up as a rope grab using a french prussik tied onto the haul line.
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Training & Practise
As with all river rescue kit training is essential before use to ensure correct & safe application of the device. The Python is one element of the Whetman Equipment Pig Rig which includes two Ring Pulls and two 5m webbing Pythons. After training grab the kit & practise rigging on dry land on a regular basis.