Climbing Systems

[Tr33Climb3r]

Well I am in school right now to become a Urban Forestry Technician. My dad has been in the business for over 25 years so I started off with a closed system like he uses. Then I got introduced to the split tail with a micro pulley and really liked it. Oh and by the way I used a blakes hitch. Then when I got to school my teacher let me try out the eye to eye prusik chord....i started out with a english prusik i think then I went to the distel and like it a lot. So now I am thinking of going to the hitch climber system......is there anyone that is using it and have any suggestions? any would help.....thanks a lot

 

[Ted-RI]

The hitchclimber rules. I'd get those carabiners from petzl that are oval. That's about all I can say.

 

[oldirty]

ted is right!

 

[treemandan]

ted is right!

I didn't get a good look at that, I was to busy trying to see into the bedroom window.

 

[Adkpk]

I tried a version of that hitch the other day and I still can't see how you don't burn yourself out on it pulling yourself up into the tree. It's to close to my chest to pull down on the rope. I pulled down on the rope above the hitch and pulled out on the tail end to take up slack and gave up after 10' or so. Is that how you use that hitch? Anybody ever see a video of someone pulling themselves up on one and where is it?

 

[treemandan]

I tried a version of that hitch the other day and I still can't see how you don't burn yourself out on it pulling yourself up into the tree. It's to close to my chest to pull down on the rope. I pulled down on the rope above the hitch and pulled out on the tail end to take up slack and gave up after 10' or so. Is that how you use that hitch? Anybody ever see a video of someone pulling themselves up on one and where is it?

I found the same thing, good for limbwalking I suppose, and I don't like when I reach around to grab the set-up grabbing all that metal. Its hard to "see" it when you can't see it. The b-ners always flop around and it gets to the point... ah well, least i am tied in. Wanna see how far I can get out there?
To be truhtful, the extra time spent jerking around with the old set-up don't bother me, it might bother some but that don't bother me either.
Sometimes I play with stuff of course but when I start adding b-ners, pulleys and other stuff like that I tend to get pinched in the nipples a lot. I never could get out of the old system and I did try. You know, the kid in the candy store? Its neato stuff but it also adds more stuff to keep an eye on.
One thing has been the real main factor in the decline of utilizing this stuff is that you still have to untie it all to pull your line out of the crotch. And the nipple pinching.
You don't think its about the same ammount of work and time? I kinda do. The old style has at least got to be safer. But here is one from the old days and I will bet everything I got that there is only one man out there who could possibly indentify this song ( I change that to ' maybe I will bet evrything)
To many b-ners
and not enough nots to tie
to many b-ners
and no reason why
I've dropped my saw
I've bent the bar
forgot my lunch
I'm gonna die
come on you mean to tell me no one ad libs their own lyrics to other songs?

 

[Adkpk]

I found the same thing, good for limbwalking I suppose,

Is that it. Ascend on one system and then change to another to wisk yourself around in the canopy?
I was in an oak yesterday and as I go out the limb I find myself reaching for all my life to get a hand on my hitch. It made me thinking of oldirty's hitch. At that point I wished it was closer. But does that mean you take that prusik with you and retie after the ascent? So is the "hitch climber" only used for limb-walking?

 

[treemandan]

Is that it. Ascend on one system and then change to another to wisk yourself around in the canopy?
I was in an oak yesterday and as I go out the limb I find myself reaching for all my life to get a hand on my hitch. It made me thinking of oldirty's hitch. At that point I wished it was closer. But does that mean you take that prusik with you and retie after the ascent? So is the "hitch climber" only used for limb-walking?

I usually go up an acsender, of course ditch that,usually, and just go taughtline. I keep a small pulley if the walk back is tricky to help tend the line but I did it with out it for so long...
I just wanna get some sneakers and freeclimb everything now. its a whole lot easier than all that crap they say you need. Sorry, couldn't let go ( pun intented)
ahh! who am I kidding? I got so much crap and so many ways to do it you will usually find me up there just all tangled up 6 ways from sunday making evrybody run around looking for my split tail which just so happens to be hooked right by my side. I mean for crying out loud have you seen this?

see what I mean?

I sure could use another spool

I am always in there cursing and throwing stuff around, I was thinking of getting a VAN! Plush shag and the whole nine yards, goota be 4 wheel drive. I got a cap on for winter and am always busting my head getting in there. there is tons you can't see in the green box, I have no idea what.
here is the cheap great ascecnder... quickly now quickly

These are for rigging but I have some large stuff like this for personal support on big wood. I just use webs in the tips

.

 

[Ted-RI]

I've never been pinched by the hitchclimber. Because the friction hitch and termination knot are both attached to the hitchclimber it stays taught. Which makes it predictable and easy to find. Way less cross loading of carabiners too, but it does happen.

 

[treemandan]

I've never been pinched by the hitchclimber. Because the friction hitch and termination knot are both attached to the hitchclimber it stays taught. Which makes it predictable and easy to find. Way less cross loading of carabiners too, but it does happen.

Not so much by the set-ups but by having the split tail side next to the rope side. I seem to get caught in it. The two ropes pinch together and Yeouch!
The taughtline connects with 1 point not two. When people work with me they ask why all the ropes. I tell em I don't know yet but please to get one if I ask. sometimes I keep a rope draped down the trunk for going up and down and may have more than one rope to get around with. Which ever way it is WORK setting up safely.
I shied away from retriveable false croches cause you can't tell me that thing ain't gonna get stuck one HOT Friday afternoon... don't need it, just shoot a few ropes in the wide canopy.

 

[treemandan]

you might see in the ascender pic I just use real cheap rubber o-rings from the parts house to keep my b-ners from flopping around. I think they work just as good as the other things they have out. they are like a nickle apiece.

 

[oldirty]

the only time i untie that knot is if i know i am going to pull the line through a tight crotch. other than that the knot stay on. that way its just a quick connect back onto the biner.

at the end of the climb i pull the hitch climber to the end of the line, wrap the rope and pull one loop through and clip it to the lower biner. all put away nice and clean.


adkprk. when i ascend and i am not footlocking, i just reach above the knot and pull my way up. when its time to adjust the slack you just pull the rope. usually hanging there on my left hand tending slack with the right.


i wouldnt lie to you man, its a great setup and barely any slop. the prussic is about chin level when i am sitting back. i would not have stayed on this system if everything was too close.

i havent had any sideloading incidents yet. i really like this system although it is pretty much a waste of time if all you are doing is climbing pine or the likes. so far, in my opinion, it really shines when you are in a broad canopy or you have to go to many tie in spots.

soooo much faster than that taughtline, tman. give it a shot.

i highly recommend it.

 

[treemandan]

the only time i untie that knot is if i know i am going to pull the line through a tight crotch. other than that the knot stay on. that way its just a quick connect back onto the biner.

at the end of the climb i pull the hitch climber to the end of the line, wrap the rope and pull one loop through and clip it to the lower biner. all put away nice and clean.


adkprk. when i ascend and i am not footlocking, i just reach above the knot and pull my way up. when its time to adjust the slack you just pull the rope. usually hanging there on my left hand tending slack with the right.


i wouldnt lie to you man, its a great setup and barely any slop. the prussic is about chin level when i am sitting back. i would not have stayed on this system if everything was too close.

i havent had any sideloading incidents yet. i really like this system although it is pretty much a waste of time if all you are doing is climbing pine or the likes. so far, in my opinion, it really shines when you are in a broad canopy or you have to go to many tie in spots.

soooo much faster than that taughtline, tman. give it a shot.

i highly recommend it.

I did. I do. Everything has its place. Like my nipples. Yeouch! I wouldn't lie to you either buzman. Well actually, I would BUT I am not lying now.

 

[Adkpk]

If you want something done, do it yourself. :greenchainsaw:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydt-hUT6aGE

I thought maybe my problem was that I was using bee line prusik with half inch rope. And True Blue at that which is a little soft. But in the video he seems to be using the same type of setup. I guess it wouldn't hurt if I splurged for the right pulley either. I'll give it a try as soon as I get enough stuff to make an order to Sherrill or the likes.

Dan do you think we could get a pic of you with all your gear on you in a tree.:jawdrop: You look close in that one pic.

 

[treemandan]

If you want something done, do it yourself. :greenchainsaw:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydt-hUT6aGE

I thought maybe my problem was that I was using bee line prusik with half inch rope. And True Blue at that which is a little soft. But in the video he seems to be using the same type of setup. I guess it wouldn't hurt if I splurged for the right pulley either. I'll give it a try as soon as I get enough stuff to make an order to Sherrill or the likes.

Dan do you think we could get a pic of you with all your gear on you in a tree.:jawdrop: You look close in that one pic.

It just happened.It wasn't staged, kinda glad it did. I mean what are the chances? Now don't anybody go photoshopping their face over mine!

I do like those b-ners the guy had but you see what I mean? I keep getting pinched between the b-ners, the rope, etc. I use it evry once in a while.

 

[oldirty]

i set mine up a little different than that video.

 

[oldirty]

good. but seeing how you asked, i'll take a better look at it tomw. lol

 

[Ted-RI]

My Hitchclimber is holding up very well. I've used almost five days a week for a year and a half.
Mr Dan, how the F do you get "pinched" by this set-up. You know you're not supposed to put you head between the ends of your climbing line, right?
Pics of the pinching problems would be great. If you have experienced problems with this system I think its really important for you to share in as much detail as possible.

 

[treemandan]

My Hitchclimber is holding up very well. I've used almost five days a week for a year and a half.
Mr Dan, how the F do you get "pinched" by this set-up. You know you're not supposed to put you head between the ends of your climbing line, right?
Pics of the pinching problems would be great. If you have experienced problems with this system I think its really important for you to share in as much detail as possible.

I did diil do

 

[tree MDS]

Thanks for that vid ardvark, I hadnt been quite able to grasp that thing fully till now. Looks interesting. It also looks a little scary, but somehow I've let myself become old fashioned, lol.

Next spring I'm gonna revamp my setup. I just cant afford everything going into winter this year. If I get confused up there jinglin around and fall, I'm gonna come back from the grave and pi$$ on yer saddles, lol.