# ropewalking setups



## crotchclimber (Mar 19, 2014)

I've been looking at peoples' various setups for ropewalking on SRT, and there's quite a few variants out there. Most of them seem really complicated and hard to switch to descending quickly. Then there are those that are using the rope wrench or hitch hiker devices, which I don't have. Anyone have any good setups that I could copy using the following gear?
pair handled ascenders
right foot ascender
30inch eye-eye
single eye split tail
Petzl Rig
Trango Cinch
CMI micropulley
plenty of carabiners
Yates speed stirrup
various accessory cord, webbing, bungee cord

I'm climbing on a rope bridge saddle (New Tribe Onyx)


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## Hoowasat (Mar 20, 2014)

With one hand ascender, a small pulley, Petzl Rig, 3 carabiners, all you need is a foot loop to climb RAD (Rope Ascend & Descend). I use a large Petzl I'D because it accommodates my 1/2" (13mm) climbing ropes. An image of the RAD system can be viewed at the following hyperlink ...
http://www.baileysonline.com/produc... and Descending (RAD) System - with Rig_L.jpg
To ascend, step up on the foot loop while simtaneously pulling down the rope through the pulley. To descend, disconnect the pulley & hand ascender and use your Rig.


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## crotchclimber (Mar 21, 2014)

I've used RADS before. It's good for short climbs and when you have to go up and down a lot, but it's not a ropewalking system since you have to reset the ascender manually. There is also so much mechanical advantage it takes a long time to go up. I want something using both feet and that self advances to ascend.


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## Hoowasat (Mar 21, 2014)

Agreed, RAD is not rope walking. I use RAD a lot because I often stop to do work on the way up. Sometimes I'll use a 2-in-1 lanyard clipped to the "down rope" so I can pull myself around a spar, then I have no stops to make when descending. The only rope walking system I use is not SRT and can be viewed here ...


Though I haven't yet tried, I want to experiment to see if this would also work well on a single rope. An adjustable tether will be employed so I can convert to descend mode with a Rescue-8.


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## Brendon Phillips (May 9, 2014)

For my rope walking setup I prefer double rope. I ascend single then switch over. Try the DRT with a Blake's hitch make from the climbing rope but split tailed. I just cut off a 2 ft length to tie it with. Finish off with a micro pulley for tending slack. Works great. Cheap and effective, easy to redirect. The only thing I gave that up for was the new zigzag. Nothing compares to the ease of that thing. 

For SRT rope walking I just use the two handles ascenders just like I use to climb. It can be a pain to descend and give yourself slack, but ascending is fast. It's the Texas rig.


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## treesmith (Jun 16, 2014)

Got my hitchhiker coming in the post so time will tell with that. Normally ddrt with either an English prusik or French prusik with hitch climber pulley, depending on situation. Need srt access now for big trees with no branches


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## Hoowasat (Jun 16, 2014)

Brendon Phillips said:


> The only thing I gave that up for was the new zigzag. Nothing compares to the ease of that thing.


Have you heard about some cracking issues with the new 2014 ZigZag? See the notice at the following hyperlink ...
http://www.petzl.com/files/all/all/communication-zigzag/ZIGZAG-information-080414-EN.pdf
I mention this because I was on the verge of ordering one.


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## Brendon Phillips (Jun 16, 2014)

Hoowasat said:


> Have you heard about some cracking issues with the new 2014 ZigZag? See the notice at the following hyperlink ...
> http://www.petzl.com/files/all/all/communication-zigzag/ZIGZAG-information-080414-EN.pdf
> I mention this because I was on the verge of ordering one.



6 out of what could be many thousands doesn't sound all that bad. I think I know why they are cracking. If you let your ropes get to twisted it can side load the links and catch under the biner. If your diligent in keeping lines straight you'll be fine. It's a great product.


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## KenJax Tree (Jun 16, 2014)

If only 1 cracks its 1 too many.


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## Brendon Phillips (Jun 16, 2014)

Yeah, you right. At least none resulted in even an injury. But anything could fail for any reason, that's what thorough and frequent checks are for. The cracks could have been from misuse by the climber instead of a defect. We really don't know.


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## Eduard (Jun 18, 2014)

From what I understand the cracks aren't a life support issue. Still pretty poor though. I'm thinking about getting one to use on my lanyard. I'll get a unicender to climb on first though.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk


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## Brendon Phillips (Jul 1, 2014)

I take back everything good I said about the Zigzag. Found a crack in mine today. It was never abused or side loaded. Spend your money on better products. It's going back to petzl. 





Look just above the little black piece.


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## Grais (Nov 16, 2014)

Brendon Phillips said:


> I take back everything good I said about the Zigzag. Found a crack in mine today. It was never abused or side loaded. Spend your money on better products. It's going back to petzl.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Good reason to wait the next time you reccomend a piece of kit you just started to use eh Brandon ?
I especially laughed at the post where you try to make light the news of them failing already, with this gem....



> 6 out of what could be many thousands doesn't sound all that bad. I think I know why they are cracking. If you let your ropes get to twisted it can side load the links and catch under the biner. If your diligent in keeping lines straight you'll be fine. It's a great product.




I guess if it was 6 people who fell out of trees, then it would have been more of a problem, or no ?

Guess Ill wait for version III, maybe they will have worked out the problems, lol. 
*Or I could just use my brain and switch to ISC products, a company that takes the making of bullet proof kit seriously. *It seems all petzl seems to care about is making things lighter and cheaper, plastic of any sort has no place in life support equipment thanks.


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## treesmith (Nov 16, 2014)

I'm using a hitchclimber pulley setup, between that and a hitchhiker can't see why I'd ever need anything else srt and ddrt covered


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## JeffGu (Feb 4, 2015)

I have two of the version 2 ZigZag devices. If or when they develop cracks, I'll send them in for the version 3 units for the cost of shipping. Petzl has extended the warranty for the crack issue to ten years. Even the most severe examples of the problem haven't dropped anyone, so yes, I continue to use them. It's just a very nice piece of equipment that I really like. I personally have no doubt that Petzl will continue to improve the product and will resolve the issues quickly. In my communications with them, they've told me that they have done extensive testing on the returned units, and new ones that they cut through link plates on, and that they had determined that the problem won't cause a fall. That might not be enough to persuade some folks, and I certainly understand that. Wait for the version 3 units to become widely available, and see how those are received by everyone.

Petzl has been in the business a very long time, and has produced excellent products all along the way. When there have been issues, they've addressed them immediately, like pretty much all of the good companies producing climbing gear. They've done an amazing amount of stuff for the climbing industries/sports over the years that shows their dedication and commitment to their customers. Keeping the weight down on climbing gear isn't anything new. I'm betting everyone here has aluminum gear. Don't like plastic? Throw your ropes away and buy some manilla rope. All those polymers... are plastic. Just sayin'...


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