# Whats your climbing line?



## TreEmergencyB (Jul 29, 2009)

was thinking about getting the XTC Fire but since im recently a VT guy now i started to think about 11mm lines also being lighter and all.

i was wondering if anyone uses the Blaze/bandit rope from yale, and also not sure which one but velocity or tachyon was really sticky some guys said how is that working out for you. or what ever kinda rope your climbing on and why you like/dis like it

and could i use 3/8 tress cord on 11mm line or do i need 5/16


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## Bermie (Jul 31, 2009)

I'm using a VT on XTC Fire, just retired my XTC Plus, and started using the Fire 'cause I had it spare already.
I tried Tachyon on a rec climb...Very nice, could be tempted for the next purchase.


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## TreEmergencyB (Jul 31, 2009)

Bermie said:


> I'm using a VT on XTC Fire, just retired my XTC Plus, and started using the Fire 'cause I had it spare already.
> I tried Tachyon on a rec climb...Very nice, could be tempted for the next purchase.



what are you using for your tress cord on the XTC 
how do you like the XTC


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## rahtreelimbs (Jul 31, 2009)

The Yale Blaze is some great rope, wears well and handles nice. I use the bigger of the two Beelines and that combo works well. I have been climbing on the Knut hitch for several years now and will continue to do so. I have tried the VT on numerous occasions and it never auto-sets to the point that I will trust it.


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## Nailsbeats (Aug 1, 2009)

Tachyon with 8mm Beeline in a Schwabisch. It sets very well with no creep.


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## Bermie (Aug 1, 2009)

TreEmergencyB said:


> what are you using for your tress cord on the XTC
> how do you like the XTC



Icetail...I like the XTC just fine, been using Plus since 2003, and now on the Fire for the last couple of weeks, just a bit on the heavy side over 60' up...grabs many of the different knots and friction hitches very well.

I rarely get the opportunity to test other ropes as there are no arb stores here at all and the other arborists are not climbing on anything fancy either!


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## groundsmgr (Aug 1, 2009)

TreeCo said:


> I feel like a dinosaur still using NE Hi Vee Safety Blue. I've got five nice hanks I rotate through and take two on every climb. 3/8 yacht braid for the VT. Real nice combo that doesn't creep at all.



Same here I still use 1/2 arborplex


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## rahtreelimbs (Aug 1, 2009)

groundsmgr said:


> Same here I still use 1/2 arborplex




You need to try the newer ropes. Arborplex is old design!!!


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## TreEmergencyB (Aug 1, 2009)

rahtreelimbs said:


> The Yale Blaze is some great rope, wears well and handles nice. I use the bigger of the two Beelines and that combo works well. I have been climbing on the Knut hitch for several years now and will continue to do so. I have tried the VT on numerous occasions and it never auto-sets to the point that I will trust it.



you run that through a friction saver or no?


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## moray (Aug 1, 2009)

Bermie said:


> Icetail...I like the XTC just fine,...



Bermie, do you splice the Icetail, or tie knots? It would be plenty strong either way, but it is very tidy with a couple of tight eyes. My favorite cord.


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## mic687 (Aug 1, 2009)

groundsmgr said:


> Same here I still use 1/2 arborplex



I have 150' of blaze and its nice but I also use 120' of arbor plex and it works well.


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## lacky (Aug 1, 2009)

I use poison ivy. For a hitch I use HRC with distel.

chris


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## fishercat (Aug 1, 2009)

*i was one Arbormaster until this year.*

now i'm trying Lava.it has pros an cons.takes some getting used to.


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## rydnruff (Aug 1, 2009)

i use 1/2 ne safety blue with a bee line vt 4 wraps and 3 braids and it holds all 253 lbs without creeping. i was using a blake but it would sometimes roll up in the knot and melted way to fast. my next move will be some sort of mech. friction but stickin wiyh safety blue until they stop makin it


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## Bermie (Aug 2, 2009)

moray said:


> Bermie, do you splice the Icetail, or tie knots? It would be plenty strong either way, but it is very tidy with a couple of tight eyes. My favorite cord.



The bit I bought came with spliced eyes, nice!...they were a little loose so I whipped them to make the eyes fit more snugly on my crab...

How long do you find a length lasts you?

BTW Moray...working at the Bio Station this week, getting paid to take people snorkelling! Mr. Spurling is still going strong!!


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## tomtrees58 (Aug 2, 2009)

well have climbed with them all over 35 years now we started with 1/2" hemp rember theos days with the splinters in your hands but now for 8 years now new england 1/2hi-vee tom trees


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## rahtreelimbs (Aug 2, 2009)

TreEmergencyB said:


> you run that through a friction saver or no?





Sometimes............depends on the situation!


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## rydnruff (Aug 2, 2009)

to the guys that use high-vee, why not saftey blue and save a few dollars? is it for the bright color does it feel different am i missing out on something? i will be getting another hank soon and now im wondering if i should try the high-vee or stick with old faithful


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## moray (Aug 2, 2009)

Bermie said:


> ...How long do you find a length lasts you?
> 
> BTW Moray...working at the Bio Station this week, getting paid to take people snorkelling! Mr. Spurling is still going strong!!



Nice work if you can find it. I'm jealous! Good to hear about Brunel.

How long do they last? I can't tell because mine is still fine. Must be many hundreds of hours. They look bad right away, as you must know, but then they don't seem to change after that.


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## rydnruff (Aug 2, 2009)

do you have any idea why it is weaker, is orange not as strong white, and why would it cost more and handle less? it wouldnt kill me if i never found out but little things like this make my brain overthink a bit


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## moss (Aug 2, 2009)

rydnruff said:


> do you have any idea why it is weaker, is orange not as strong white, and why would it cost more and handle less? it wouldnt kill me if i never found out but little things like this make my brain overthink a bit



The dyes used for different polyester strand colors effect the polymer binding. White has no dye, which means a slightly stronger thread. Really doesn't matter in the scheme of things though, the differences are so small.
-moss


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## rydnruff (Aug 2, 2009)

well i think i will try a hank of the hi-vee this time as long as it feels and acts the same as safety blue. my nice white rope is not so eye catching anymore so maybe the orange will pop a bit longer. thanks for the info guys


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## rbtree (Aug 3, 2009)

Safety Blue has the highest stretch of all climb lines. Ya might venture outside the box and try something else. 

I first used it circa 1978-80. It was a major jump up from manila, and three strand poly.....still have a 185 footer that gets occasional use, so is years old.


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## Adkpk (Aug 3, 2009)

Tachyon and blaze on a beeline vt with the hitch climber. I keep the vt and the hitch climber attached to the blaze and a beeline split tail on my belt for using the tail end of the line to swing around. Or on the tachy if I am tied in with two ropes. 

Why mess around?:greenchainsaw:

I did some dead wood for my ex partner this afternoon. Set two lines. Climbed the first oak and knocked the branches out then traversed across the driveway instead of coming down and back up again. Finished up in four hours and got $200. for the afternoon. I was happy he was happy.


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## rydnruff (Aug 3, 2009)

i could be way off here but this is just my own analogy, once i put 253 lbs.+gear on rope,wont the stretch all happen then. safety blue is the only rope ive climbed on and learned on.i kind like the slight bounce when im shifting around in the tree, it doesnt feel reel rigid.would a more stiffer or less stretchy line improve my climbing?

thanks


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## TreEmergencyB (Aug 4, 2009)

rydnruff said:


> i could be way off here but this is just my own analogy, once i put 253 lbs.+gear on rope,wont the stretch all happen then. safety blue is the only rope ive climbed on and learned on.i kind like the slight bounce when im shifting around in the tree, it doesnt feel reel rigid.would a more stiffer or less stretchy line improve my climbing?
> 
> thanks



i think the stretch is more noticale the less rope is laying on the ground or the farther away from TIP
id say its a preference thing idk if it will make you better? i dont like the bounce of NE Blue i liked the arbormaster i always climbed on b4
the pro stripe or somthing made by samson sold through shrerrill is not bad either thats what im climbing on till my new XTC gets here then ima try that out hopefully i like it or it will be come light duty riggin line quick


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## outofmytree (Aug 5, 2009)

Climbed the last 3 years on fire XTC with an english prussik. I just switched to VT and although I am still ironing out the kinks I do like the combo. Fire XTC has very little stretch and I find that gloves with rubber or latex palms are a must-have when climbing without spurs and grip is essential. I like the toughness of this rope when passing through palms and similar "nasty" trees. For hardwood prunes I could be talked into a more dynamic rope with more core strength.


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## rydnruff (Aug 5, 2009)

TreEmergencyB said:


> i think the stretch is more noticale the less rope is laying on the ground or the farther away from TIP
> id say its a preference thing idk if it will make you better? i dont like the bounce of NE Blue i liked the arbormaster i always climbed on b4
> the pro stripe or somthing made by samson sold through shrerrill is not bad either thats what im climbing on till my new XTC gets here then ima try that out hopefully i like it or it will be come light duty riggin line quick



so did you get it yet?


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## TreEmergencyB (Aug 5, 2009)

rydnruff said:


> so did you get it yet?



nope not ordering till friday all kinds of new stuff bout $450 worth


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## BRCCArborist (Aug 5, 2009)

I like Poison Ivy with a Tenex split tail


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## lego1970 (Aug 8, 2009)

I've been useing Samson's True Blue for the last couple years and really like the way it feels and I can see it easy in the tree. I use a blake hitch with my version of a split tail. This is the first season I've tried useing a split tail so I'm not sure if I'm doing it like everybody else but I like useing it along with a single lanyard for always being tied in. I also use a piece of True Blue along with a 5/16" cord wrapped as a pursik for my lanyard. I'm gonna be buying a new rope next week when I get paid. I'll probably stick with the True Blue since I like it, however I've been looking at the Arbormaster. It's stronger and lighter which is nice, however in the advertisement it says it's stiffer. The soft feel of the True Blue is what I like the most about it, so I'm not sure if the Arbormaster is for me.


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## Slvrmple72 (Aug 8, 2009)

I started out on Arbormaster with a Blakes hitch and have switched from that to Dragonfly with tenex eye to eye in a Distel hitch. I also use Velocity with a Ultra-tech HRC eye to eye in the Distel Hitch. I have a Beeline eye to eye, 3/8th's I think, as well. I really like the feel of the Dragonfly and tend to use it more than my Velocity.


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## Nailsbeats (Aug 8, 2009)

lego1970 said:


> I've been useing Samson's True Blue for the last couple years and really like the way it feels and I can see it easy in the tree. I use a blake hitch with my version of a split tail. This is the first season I've tried useing a split tail so I'm not sure if I'm doing it like everybody else but I like useing it along with a single lanyard for always being tied in. I also use a piece of True Blue along with a 5/16" cord wrapped as a pursik for my lanyard. I'm gonna be buying a new rope next week when I get paid. I'll probably stick with the True Blue since I like it, however I've been looking at the Arbormaster. It's stronger and lighter which is nice, however in the advertisement it says it's stiffer. The soft feel of the True Blue is what I like the most about it, so I'm not sure if the Arbormaster is for me.



Take the opportunity to buy a hank of Tachyon and setup a closed hitch system with some 8mm Beeline, you can't beat it. I used to climb on True Blue, now I just rig with it. It works, but not close to as nice as Tachyon.


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