Dynamic loading.
Great question NG
I would say that there's more dynamic loading on the rope in natural crotch rigging than using a block.
When running through a block the load is absorbed by the rope over a greater length.
When the rope is through a natural crotch especially if wrapped as shown then there's a lot less rope to absorb the shock.
Now that's shock load on the rope not necessarily the anchor point, there's a difference.
In the Art & Science of Practical Rigging they put a dyno on the block to measure forces. Now on a well run piece the block still recorded a load of 7x weight of cut piece. In a locked off situation it went 11x
Now I assure you that if they could somehow measure the forces on the crotch of natural crotch rigging it wouldn't be so high and in a locked off situation not as high.
It would be possible to duplicate this theory and turn it into fact if I had a darn dyno.
On one example we tie the load to the dyno and dump it, that's a locked off natural crotch.
On the other we run the rope through a block to the ground and tie it off down there, the dyno is attached to the block and the tree then dump the same load same fall distance. I bet I know which will be worse, of course the one with the pulley coz of the doubling effect however as far as the rope is concerned there's a lot more of it to absorb the shock and could actually be less.
Is this making sense or do I have to go to paint shop?
Two things to consider, load on rope and load on anchor/crotch.
