# Split-Tail Climbing



## StewartTreeCare (Dec 15, 2009)

Ok so I know some of you are going to think this is a stupid question but I want to learn. I use the conventional method to climb, bowline on my snap hook with a tail to tie my tautline hitch. That is the way I was taught by all the old timers when I learned. I just bought everything for the split-tail setup but I dont know how to set it up. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you


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## outofmytree (Dec 15, 2009)

Hey STC welcome aboard.

That is a good question mate not a stupid one.

IMO the best rig to learn split tail is a triple fishermans loop for a termination and an english prussik on a loop, girth hitched to your karabiner inside the termination knot. Now if that is double dutch to you don't worry. It was to me too first time around. I will hunt down some photo's of this set up tomorrow.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Dec 15, 2009)

What saddle do you climb on?


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## Marquis (Dec 15, 2009)

Clip your split tail eye into your saddle with caribiner or just a girth hitch around the saddle's ring. I use a blake's hitch tied to the running end of your climbing rope, then put a figure 8 on the end of your split tail as a stopper knot for safety.


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## StewartTreeCare (Dec 15, 2009)

John Paul Sanborn said:


> What saddle do you climb on?



I use the Petzl Sequoia


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## John Paul Sanborn (Dec 15, 2009)

Since you have the floating bridge you attach two separate carabiners to the bridge, one for the split-tail one for the climbing line.

I assume you are using a basic split-tail, which is a short piece of 1/2 inch rope with a spliced-eye.






This is using a VT hitch, blakes or taughtline will work OK. I would reverse one of the carabiners in the above picture so the gates are one on each other.





Buying this book would help a lot, best 15 bucks you could spend right now.


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## StewartTreeCare (Dec 15, 2009)

John Paul Sanborn said:


> Since you have the floating bridge you attach two separate carabiners to the bridge, one for the split-tail one for the climbing line.
> 
> I assume you are using a basic split-tail, which is a short piece of 1/2 inch rope with a spliced-eye.
> 
> ...



thank you so much


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## ChipDoogle (Dec 15, 2009)

Hey there Stewart, how it going. As far as the bowline for an attachment knot, I would try to stay away because of cross loading the biner. I like to use the buntline or anchor hitch for an attachment knot if I am tying in with one. Both are in "The Tree Climbers Companion" book, a great reference tool.

http://mytreelessons.com/Carabiner & Bowlines.htm

I have a spliced eye on the end of my climbing line so I just girth hitch the eye to a biner and attach it to my suspension bridge, and do the same with my splittail, girth hitch the attachement eye to another biner and click it onto my suspention bridge. The splittail would attach to the running end. see link. Here is an antimated tying of blakes hitch, i.e. red being splittail, and black being running end of climbing line.

http://www.animatedknots.com/blakes/index.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com


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## RacerX (Dec 15, 2009)

StewartTreeCare said:


> Ok so I know some of you are going to think this is a stupid question but I want to learn. I use the conventional method to climb, bowline on my snap hook with a tail to tie my tautline hitch. That is the way I was taught by all the old timers when I learned. I just bought everything for the split-tail setup but I dont know how to set it up. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you



Split-tails have some advantages over your current set up. For one they allow you to quickly unsnap the tail to maneuver the rope around obstacles such as limbs. With out the tail you'll need to untie and retie your friction hitch to accomplish this. Also by using the end of the rope for your friction hitch you'll eventually wear out that last section of rope. You can cut it off but over time you'll end up with a shorter and shorter rope. Modern split-tails can be purchased that are made with high temperature ropes that makes them last quite long.


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