How do you all climb?

[tree MDS]

I was working with a guy I met from this site yesterday. He uses a Blake's and was watching me climb on the VT. I had to go up and down this tree a few times in the removal, roping process. He saw how well my setup tended slack and how well it bit when I set back that he said he plans to go to this setup. If you ever get it dialed in you'll never use another friction hitch.

I spent some time up in a big white oak today with the setup again... I'm gonna try the bottom two holes on the HC next time, even with the spliced eye there is still some interference using the top hole. I think this may solve most of the problem I was having.

Yes, the slack tending is awesome. I doubt I will look back either once I finish getting it all dialed in just right. That damn bucket is the reason its been taking me so long to work this out - may leave that thing sitting on its ass back at the shop a bit more this year. Sure feel good to do some real climbing for a change!

 

[Mike Cantolina]

Here's what I use

 

[tree md]

I spent some time up in a big white oak today with the setup again... I'm gonna try the bottom two holes on the HC next time, even with the spliced eye there is still some interference using the top hole. I think this may solve most of the problem I was having.

Yes, the slack tending is awesome. I doubt I will look back either once I finish getting it all dialed in just right. That damn bucket is the reason its been taking me so long to work this out - may leave that thing sitting on its ass back at the shop a bit more this year. Sure feel good to do some real climbing for a change!

What are you using to attach your hitchclimber to your saddle?

Sounds to me like you need to shorten up your prussic cord a little. That helps it to bite a little better I think. Maybe try to add a coil to shorten it and see how that works.

 

[tree MDS]

Here's what I use

Speaking of white oak...

Whats that knot you got goin on there mike??

 

[tree md]

Here's what I use

Is that a Distel Mike?

 

[Mike Cantolina]

knut hitch.............it's not perfect but I like it better than the vt

 

[Mike Cantolina]

It's very similar to a distel. To be honest I forget what the difference is, I'd have to look it up.

 

[tree md]

I might give it a try. I've got my VT dialed in to where it almost acts like a mechanical grab. I'm still up for trying new hitches though. Never know, I might even like it better than the VT.

 

[tree MDS]

What are you using to attach your hitchclimber to your saddle?

Sounds to me like you need to shorten up your prussic cord a little. That helps it to bite a little better I think. Maybe try to add a coil to shorten it and see how that works.

Just the webbing on my versatile to one of the HC beaners.

I think the vt is short enough. I think the spliced eye is tripping the vt. bottom two holes next time.

 

[tree md]

Just the webbing on my versatile to one of the HC beaners.

I think the vt is short enough. I think the spliced eye is tripping the vt. bottom two holes next time.

Mine ran a lot better when I did away with the pulley altogether. When I did away with the pulley and just used the swivel snap it all fell into place.

 

[tree MDS]

Mine ran a lot better when I did away with the pulley altogether. When I did away with the pulley and just used the swivel snap it all fell into place.

Maybe you can get a better pic of how you're using that dog clip up sometime. I tend to over complicate things sometimes is the thing... I'm really not as slow as I might appear though. lol.

 

[tree md]

I'll get a pic up a little later for ya.

The swivel snap and VT is just a real simple rig. I know you can do a lot with the HC like hand over hand, and double crotch but I've got ascenders to rope climb with and I can just clip another rig to my rope bridge if I want to double crotch. I have found that I can do just about anything on my simple little setup. I like it. It's simple and light.

 

[pdqdl]

Here's what I use

Would that be a Distel-ed VT?

 

[Mike Cantolina]

Would that be a Distel-ed VT?

Notice how the half hitch goes over top of the other leg. A distel doesn't do this. It also keeps it from grabbing to hard.

 

[tree md]

So how well does it tend slack without any hardware?

 

[Mike Cantolina]

I do have a micro pulley in there. It's hard to see. It works well enough without it but I choke my line sometimes and come down short distances srt. This of course bites pretty hard, so I use the micro pulley to release it.

 

[tree md]

I didn't notice the micro pulley. Makes sense though. I read somewhere that you can tend slack one handed with the knut without any hardware. Was just wondering if you had tried it.

 

[Mike Cantolina]

Yes, if I could stay off of srt I wouldn't need the pulley.

 

[tree md]

MDS, here's a couple more pics. Hopefully you can see how the swivel snap tends slack a little better here. Very responsive knot and no slippage whatsoever when I set back. I don't footlock because I use ascenders but it would work great for footlocking.

 

[tree md]

Yes, I have shorted it quite a bit but agree it could stand to be shortened a little more. I shortened it to a point where it started running and biting well and just left it at that. It works well but could stand to be a little shorter. I intend to buy enough cordage where I can make as many of whatever length I want here in the near future. That is just a long length of HRC I got a couple of years ago when I first started experimenting with a tress cord. When I climbed on a regular split tail or traditional setup I always liked to keep about a 6 inch bridge. That kept my knot at a certain point in relation to me on my line. The tress cord is still a little longer than I prefer but is working so well I just decided to leave it where it is for now. I am still tweaking my setup though and plan to experiment with an even shorter e2e in the future.

You can probably get an idea of how well it is working for me in this pic. I had to get all the way out on the fork of this one and my VT runs perfect for limb walking: