Help with Amsteel please....is Amsteel

[Marius357]

I would think the strike field around the tree would be the biggest concern after a direct hit of course. They are large enough to cause electrical disturbances throughout the entire body and have long term effects on the electrical pathways in the body, resulting in heart arrhythmias and seizures as well as brain and muscle damage. Initially the field is string enough to cause comas and deadly heart arrythmias. So either way it doesn't really matter if it will go down a tiny piece of rope or not, it is still very dangerous to be in any type of open area regardless if trees are around or not, even covered building with no sides are dangerous. All in all you have to determine your level of comfort in those situations and go from there. Everyone stay safe, get low and stay covered.

[Dogstar]

When you're talking about a lightning strike the only way to stay safe is to be somewhere else at the time. The sheer amount of power released will super heat the tree and cause it to explode. Probably melt your suspension in the process and pepper you in tree shrapnel. There will be lots of falling heavy wood as the larger branches are sheered away. Your hair might go too. Rope selection is the least of your worries!

[Oxblood]

The odds of it happening are so high AGAINST that the argument is basically moot. See this link from the National Weather Service (US):

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/medical.htm

I , for one ain't gonna worry boudit.