Have you changed your style ?

[beastmaster]

I was just thinking how radical my approach to climbing has changed in the last year and a half. This is due to the ''big shot", my throw ball practice, and SRT. I use SRT as often as I can to get into the trees. Its really has come in handy on some big leaners. I just go straight up. On big trims I set my line and either trim as I go up or as I go down, but with the line set out on the end of the canopy I can get to a lot of tree fast. Its so easy to come back up, I often will come down trimming as I go, Then ascend back up and reposition my line and do it in another section of the tree.
I actually don't climb as much as I did, preferring to just go straight up the rope though space to where I want to be in the tree.
I use to be the sorriest throw line thrower in the world. Now When I come up to a tree, besides my saddle and saw, I carry. my throw line bag.
My silky saw has changed the way I work too. So many innovations over the years. I owe a lot to this site for teaching and informing me of whats out there and happening in the tree world. Now if they would just come out with a lazer gun pruner Ied be set. Beastmaster

 

[Nailsbeats]

My methods have expanded and I have all the new fancy stuff if needed.

Old and worn or fancy expensive bling I'm always doing and using whatever is the most efficient, because that equals profit.

 

[Treetom]

Slower and safer.

 

[ForTheArborist]

My methods have expanded and I have all the new fancy stuff if needed.

Old and worn or fancy expensive bling I'm always doing and using whatever is the most efficient, because that equals profit.

Slower and safer.

Same here.

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

new stuff

Switching from drt style to srt changes energy used and speed thru trees. The sooner you get onto the srt style of climbing. Your body and energy level will thank you.

 

[sgreanbeans]

I have for sure, had to switch due to my injuries, I am slower, but more methodical. Getting all the cool little new toys to make it easier on da body. I use to hate having a wide back saddle and all the gadgets, felt like I couldn't move around, went back to old style one day so kid could use new stuff, Ill never cuss the new stuff again. Man what a diff!
Old, weaver basic with split tail/blakes, single buck strap and a 009.
New, Weaver cougar, modded VT, bridge, double micro, Grillion, 200t, carbon fiber clips,

I have always been DRT, never tried SRT. Think that better suits the bigger guys, I dunno.

 

[beastmaster]

I have always been DRT, never tried SRT. Think that better suits the bigger guys, I dunno.

Sgreanbeans,DRT, it works. We have confident's in it. SRT is kind of new and it's different. Its like learning all over again. Seems harder and more of a pain then its worth at first. There is a learning curve.
There's guy's I know who I have tried to get to change to a split-tail and a pulley years ago. They tried it for half a day and still use the tail of there climbing line today. They wouldn't give it a chance or take the time to get use to it and reap the benefits.
I read all the hype about SRT, but at first everything took longer and was harder. Crew guys would all start groaning when I busted out any srt stuff.(big shot and throw line included) But I am very stubborn. It would take me 20 try's to set my line, I was dangerous with the big shot. But some where and some how it is all coming together.
If for no other reason other then there is less ware and tare on the body SRT is good. I am pretty darn good with that throw line now to, and get lucky sometimes with the big shot. Setting your line(s) is the key to getting the most out of SRT production wise. I know its going to add years to my productivity as I get older.
Next I am going to use the,"secret weapon'', and use DRT off of my SRT by way of a prussic. I am looking at maybe a spider jack for that. Faster, easier, safer(?)That is whats its all about.
Ease into it, and give it some time time, you'll be a believer too.

 

[Blakesmaster]

I got my climb line stuck in a low crotch on a big maple today so I pulled the other end out of the bag and threw it over another crotch and tied a blakes. Hip thrusted up a couple feet and went to tend my slack with one hand. Lol. I use SRT for long ascents but haven't done a full climb on it other than in my backyard on a makeshift F8 revolver. It was pretty cool but I'm not ready to switch over entirely.

 

[Nailsbeats]

The only SRT I do anymore is on the Wraptor on the way up, lol...................

 

[ForTheArborist]

The new found move that is the DRT off of the SRT via a pulley has got me eager as all heck to start work next week. :msp_wub: I've got all of this climbing gear. What else is it for? As much action as I can get in to is what it's for.

Just sayin'

You all know what they say. "You're only 80 some days, and you shure-as-sit better make a few of the other days full of DRTing off of the SRT." :msp_unsure:

 

[troythetreeman]

slower and safer
smarter
way more efficiently, thats the biggest change, i dont work near as hard as i used to, so while i am slower and safer i make up for it in time i save in other areas

 

[beastmaster]

The new found move that is the DRT off of the SRT via a pulley has got me eager as all heck to start work next week. :msp_wub: I've got all of this climbing gear. What else is it for? As much action as I can get in to is what it's for.

Just sayin'

You all know what they say. "You're only 80 some days, and you shure-as-sit better make a few of the other days full of DRTing off of the SRT." :msp_unsure:

There isn't much info on the,"secret weapon", as its called, on this site, but if you search,"the other site", there has been a lot of discussion on this technique and its use. Iv'e only briefly experimented so far with this my self, but it appeals to me too. I need to buy 200 ft of snakebite 10mm rope, and one of these; Omni Swivel Single Block by Rock Exotica, 1/2" : SherrillTree Tree Care Equipment and I think one of these would be nice; 38" Eye and Eye Spliced Rigging Tail : SherrillTree Tree Care Equipment
Each technique(DRT/SRT) has its place, but combined you have the best of both worlds at your finger tips

 

[ForTheArborist]

There isn't much info on the,"secret weapon", as its called, on this site, but if you search,"the other site", there has been a lot of discussion on this technique and its use. Iv'e only briefly experimented so far with this my self, but it appeals to me too. I need to buy 200 ft of snakebite 10mm rope, and one of these; Omni Swivel Single Block by Rock Exotica, 1/2" : SherrillTree Tree Care Equipment and I think one of these would be nice; 38" Eye and Eye Spliced Rigging Tail : SherrillTree Tree Care Equipment
Each technique(DRT/SRT) has its place, but combined you have the best of both worlds at your finger tips

That's a long tail!

When I looked up that single block swivel pulley, they list the double block one below it. If I had the cash lying around, I'd get one of each. Here would be what I'd try with them:

1. SRT a line from two tie in points founding the horizontal bridge.

2. Place trolley on horizontal bridge.

3. Attach double block pulley to trolley.

4. Attach single block pulley to saddle.

5. Loop life-line through double and single block pulley.

6. Where life-line comes out of double block pulley at the top, bring it down to attach to D-ring with prussic or ascender.

The result is a real life application. Well, maybe or maybe not. Sounds like a good experiment though. My intention in that one is to get at least 3:1 work ratio to make ascent as easy as flipping a switch.

Everyone knows too that unless you have "fast skills," like speed typers, you don't want to be messing with all of that gear before you jump out there on the trolley.

Also, I strongly recommend that nobody without real life climbing experience try this. Without a full understanding of all of the elements involved in this system, you may mess it up and hurt yourself. I, myself, don't even know exactly what could be wrong in this experimental system because I haven't tried it myself.

 

[beastmaster]

I'm not going to try and figure out what to do with that set-up. I do know that a 3 to 1 set-up for ascending would take you all day to get into a tree. Every foot of line you pull, you only go up 4 in.
I have used a similar set-up as you described(with out all the pulleys)on hazard trees. The horizontal rope attached to safe anchor point in adjoining trees. It gets kind of squirrelly but fun.

 

[treemandan]

The new found move that is the DRT off of the SRT via a pulley has got me eager as all heck to start work next week. :msp_wub: I've got all of this climbing gear. What else is it for? As much action as I can get in to is what it's for.

Just sayin'

You all know what they say. "You're only 80 some days, and you shure-as-sit better make a few of the other days full of DRTing off of the SRT." :msp_unsure:

No, I didn't know they said that, i don't even know who the hell " they " are.

 

[Iustinian]

There isn't much info on the,"secret weapon", as its called, on this site, but if you search,"the other site", there has been a lot of discussion on this technique and its use. Iv'e only briefly experimented so far with this my self, but it appeals to me too. I need to buy 200 ft of snakebite 10mm rope, and one of these; Omni Swivel Single Block by Rock Exotica, 1/2" : SherrillTree Tree Care Equipment and I think one of these would be nice; 38" Eye and Eye Spliced Rigging Tail : SherrillTree Tree Care Equipment
Each technique(DRT/SRT) has its place, but combined you have the best of both worlds at your finger tips

I got a Sterling HTP static (its black) awhile ago; I think it was quite a bit cheaper than the snakebite; same diameter, same build, just a different color.

The secret weapon is a great tool, and I really like climbing drt off of srt. you can take just about any rope any length and have a professional splice it for you to make a similar device (I'm just getting started on splicing - waiting for my brion toss wand to get here, supposed to make it waaaaay easier). I set my Sterling like I'm going to footlock, on it the Secret Weapon tied as a Distel or Schwabish, with my Lava thru the rings of the SW to form a drt system using my e-2-e/micropulley, etc. (I can post pics later if anyone would like)

Most people I've talked to that are also using this, recommend putting in a stopper knot under the SW once you've reached your terminal height that you're going to footlock. I've put the alpine butterfly under it before, and other times I have run a bight thru a loop and put a carabiner thru them. My SW has never slipped tho.

The only bad thing about doing this is that when you're done, you have to drt back up to where you left the SW, after you're done working the tree -- so you're stuck doing another ascend at the end of your climb. Not a big deal. Once i'm up there, I safety-off with the flipline, undo the drt system and send it down, and descend on the Sterling with my Black Diamond ATC, saves burning up my friction cords.

By next spring I'm planning on srt only, RADS with a gri gri (which I just started recently).

 

[ForTheArborist]

I'm not going to try and figure out what to do with that set-up. I do know that a 3 to 1 set-up for ascending would take you all day to get into a tree. Every foot of line you pull, you only go up 4 in.
I have used a similar set-up as you described(with out all the pulleys)on hazard trees. The horizontal rope attached to safe anchor point in adjoining trees. It gets kind of squirrelly but fun.

That's a great one for the hazard tree. I was going to use scaffolding from two different angles with a board bridge across the two for a hazard tree. This was a long time ago, and I'm sure somebody just climbed the thing. I didn't get the job. No backyard access on that one for any kind of boom lift and no surrounding trees to come in from.

And yeah, I see now that 3:1 set up would be the slowest way to get up. Scratch that then.

So if you are running DRT off of the SRT, how does that work for you basically? My idea of it is basically like I described in my last post but weather with or without 3:1 pulley system.

Basically I assume what you are talking about would be to shoot up an SRT line through a crotch. SRT up. Shoot the tale of SRT through the next crotch and anchor it out there. Then squeak out on the horizontal line from the first TIP by trolley. DRT down off of the trolley to the tough spot I couldn't get to before. What do you think?

 

[Iustinian]

That's a great one for the hazard tree. I was going to use scaffolding from two different angles with a board bridge across the two for a hazard tree. This was a long time ago, and I'm sure somebody just climbed the thing. I didn't get the job. No backyard access on that one for any kind of boom lift and no surrounding trees to come in from.

And yeah, I see now that 3:1 set up would be the slowest way to get up. Scratch that then.

So if you are running DRT off of the SRT, how does that work for you basically? My idea of it is basically like I described in my last post but weather with or without 3:1 pulley system.

Basically I assume what you are talking about would be to shoot up an SRT line through a crotch. SRT up. Shoot the tale of SRT through the next crotch and anchor it out there. Then squeak out on the horizontal line from the first TIP by trolley. DRT down off of the trolley to the tough spot I couldn't get to before. What do you think?

If you use the RADS, you can creat a 2:1 that doesn't slow you down at all. Very fast, very easy.

The advantage of DRT on SRT is that you can set the whole thing from the ground without having to pull a line up to set a DRT system once youre up there. You dont have to disconnect and set up another system while youre way up there.

Plus, you're not supposed to descend on your footlocking prussic; in a secured footlock, technically your hands are never supposed to go above your prussic/knot. With DRT on SRT, you can footlock up, stop, move around and work, even limbwalk, return to a position where your Static line is perfectly vertical again, and resume footlocking to your next position.

shooting the tail of a rope through another crotch sounds like more work - pulling +100 ft of rope through a re-direct will slow you down and give your arms even more of a workout throughout the day. and what you're talking about sounds very complicated. If you're climbing up to that second crotch anyway, just set a second line and 2-line down to the hard-to-reach spot. You suspend a line horizontally, and you're going to need a lot of tension on that line -- by the time you've set all that up, you could have gotten there by using two lines or m-systeming or double crotching to get there. Plus you'll have to go back up to take it all down. Sounds like maybe hazard trees is about the only thing that would be practical on, because of all the set-up time. I actually have several tandem pulleys to try that with though, so if the need arises, I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[ForTheArborist]

I did look up the RADS. It looks like it saves energy getting up and works well for limb walking without having to swap gear.

I'm going to put together the RADS, and I won't spike Queen Palms again. No way to DRT up there as the rope won't slip right in the fronds. No way to SRT the way I've been doing with handle petzle ascender and foot loop in second ascender because I keep racking my knuckles on the tree trunks.

The foot hold in our RADS keeps me pronounced from the tree, so I don't have to wrap my knuckles.

Last but not least, the DRT with two panten foot devices is def the easiest way to get up the big ones. I don't know any other way to energy as well as this one.

 

[pdqdl]

Ok fellas, I'm completely lost. What is "drt off of srt" ? I got some notions about that, but I would prefer not to guess.

I haven't ever heard that one before today, so could someone explain it all nice and slow for me?