False Crotches?

[treeman82]

How many of you guys use false crotches when you climb? Personally I have a couple of blocks that I use for lowering brush / wood, for climbing though I just run my line through a sturdy crotch. My one climber who I sometimes use, he has just a biner on a sling and uses that for lowering. The guy I used to work for didn't use false crotches at all. What do you guys use and prefer?

 

[Rob Murphy]

Mr Treeman
Iam using an AFC (adjustable false crotch) .It consists of a double locking biner on one end off a length (8') off climbing rope with a friction hitch(distal) quicklink and pulley on the other end. I tie off to the biner with a double fishermans and tape it to form a cone to pull through crothes easier. On the other end I use a stop knot (fishermans) for saftey. I have used a Buckingham 3' "Friction Saver" for about 1 year and can see that it will now be redundant as re climbing.
What I like about false crotches:
- less friction (especially with the pully)
- makes u more proficient with throw line
- less crotch damage to trees
- less wear on rope
- ropes stay cleaner
- climb times do speed up as you become more adept.
I sure there s more!!!!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

If I am climbing on the loop so that there is a lot of loaded fricyion in the crotch, I will yose the FC/tip.

If my line is mostly a positioning aid then I will usualy go natural. My assents are uslaul straight footlock either SRT or DRT, repositioning I will unclip and foot lock up longer pitchs.

It is rather rare that I will footlock on the loop these days. I have even started rappeliing long decents to avoid the friction.