ascending gear wish list

[jblimbwalker]

I would recommend learning how to footlock first, then decide if you still need the extra assistance of a handled ascender. Also, switching to an advanced friction hitch is a must. Learn a few of these and try them out to determine which suits you the best. Closed system hitches are the way to go. I stumbled across this site a couple of months ago and it is the single most educational tool that I have at my disposal. Since joining arborsite I have learned footlocking and incorporate various 'advanced' friction hitches now. I went from stone age to yuppie climber in two months and my climbing has improved a hundred percent. Listen(read) what some of the top knotch climbers on this site have to say.

 

[treeslayer]

I'm fascinated by all the great technique posted in this thread, can't wait to start applying it,

A huge locust (32" x 80'+) is on the schedule today;

AND ITS RAINING! a cold rain to boot. 35 degrees.

AAARRRGGGGHHHH.......

Now I gotta stay home and do paperwork.

I will start learning to tie these knots y'all described, that will keep me busy all day. ( I have a hard time tying a knot from a drawing or picture.)

Thanks everybody!

 

[TREETX]

Help me out here Juan Grande cuz I have a few questions.

Is the point of the extra loop in the vt, aka "Turner Twist", supposed to function like the loop in Paul's hitch or Knut's and be self advancing???

If so, why the fixe?(pulley)

What are the advantages to the twist if it is not self advancing??

Treeslayer, just be aware that the vt is different from other hitches. Mainly in the way that it works like chinese finger cuffs instead of like the other hitches that break or bend against the rope. When it gets slack in the hitch, sometimes it can take a while to grab the rope again. Length of tres cord is important unlike with a distel.

If Juan Grande or anyone else know the answers to my questions, I would appreciate it........

 

[murphy4trees]

Treetx,
I believe you have already know the answers to your question...
Yes the twist tends to self advance... the fixie is there for insurance. The space between the upper wraps and the lower wrap reduces the tendency to slip before grabbing after loosening.... This simple and quick variation provides good functional benefits... And I'll have to try it myself as I tend to be slow to change....
The pic is of Big John's latest friction saver.
The spliced eye will pull out of the fixie but is too big to pull through the micro pulley...Though the safety police might remind him that the fixie alone is not rated for life support....

 

[hillbilly]

Murphy, would you describe the rest of the friction saver,
I guess there is a large ring out of picture, like there is
on the German Rope Guide ?
But to fit the Fixe, it has to be very big, almost clumsy,
3" or so, right ?
I'm interested cause I have made some prototypes with the
Fixe myself, the 22 kN rating is enough over here.

Thanks / hillbilly

 

[treeclimber165]

Hey Big John,
I tried out that friction hitch you have labeled as the BigJon knot. In the few minutes I played with it, it seemed like a standard 3-2 Distel released much easier. The BigJon knot seemed to have a lot of drag when ascending. I'm looking for a variation that works well with Blue Streak. So far, either a 3-1 or 3-2 Distel is the best I've found. Still not as slick as a 4-1 on my Fly rope.

Interesting playing with different hitches and seeing why each one works as it does. Then trying them again using different host ropes and tres cords can change handling characteristics dramatically.

 

[Tim Gardner]

Dan, I do not notice this slip in my hitch after adjusting. Is that just for the Fly? Not climbing on the Fly before I have no way of testing. What lenght of cord is John using to tie the twist?

I have tried combos from 5mm to 1/2". 32" eye to eye 1/2" 16 strand works the best for me on 16 strand lines. I am looking forward to getting 150' of the FLY.

 

[BigJohn]

Who answer first. Alright, about the turner twist. The reason I still use the fixie is it still helps to advance the hitch and it looks cool and I have it there incase I want to use a different hitch. It's just part of my personality I get bore easy and never do anything the same. I also use a french prussic a lot accept with a two or three twists in it simular to hitch Mark Chisholm uses. The friction saver shown by Dan there I made a few months ago. It works great. There is a large ring out of the picture. The ring is a 2.5 inch ring not a 3 inch. The ring and shackles I got from Bosun supplie. About the bigjohn knot. The knot does advance easily if it is set right and cord length is right. You just need to set tension in wraps as needed and the extra half hitch seems to keep the tension from getting tighter. It one of hitches that only work well with right cord wich was the ultra tech of before. Not the new ???? sherril sells that bunch up the cover and then whip the ends. I am convinced that this bunching doesn't alllow any heat to get transferred to the heat resistant core causing the cover to burn up quickly. This is called planned obsolessence.I don't if they know this or planned it.

 

[lync]

t-900

Brian,
I was using that t 900 in 3/8ths, we both agreed its a little fat for distel.
Just fooling around I tried in a 4 over 1 swabich, i't rocks!
I used to use the swabish but switched to distel w/9mm accessory cord. The swabich was disgarded, but it works well with the fat t- 900 .

Corey

 

[BigJohn]

Here is one not to try when first learning to footlock. Don't try it in sneakers covered with dog ????. It was slicker than ????!

 

[TREETX]

Thanks for the answers. Maybe I'll give it a try.

 

[dbeck]

bigjohn
where are putting the twists in your french prussic? I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. You said it was similar to Chisholms knot...thanks.

 

[BigJohn]

It's simple. Just tie a standard frech prussic and before you attatch it to your biner give it a few twists and attatch. Or give a few twists go back across with both ends and attach. works great. This way it seems to grab a little quicker.

 

[mikecross23]

Originally posted by mikecross23
Thanks for the idea BigJohn. I made one up. I've never spliced anything this short so I just made the two tapers overlap and added extra lock stitching. I tried to squeeze a round plastic rope thimble into the petzl ascension attachment point but it was too big. It came out nice though.-Mike-

I finally got a picture. It measures 26.5" eye to eye and a total of 30" to inside end of biner. It's the perfect length for my reach. The shrink wrap looks kind of bad being so long but I wanted to cover the extra lockstitches. Safety first mates!

-Mike-