Shunt v Friction Hitch

buffalo bill · Oct 5, 2007

Petzl Shunt v Friction Hitch.

Which is better. Personally I think the shunt is far more versatile for climbing in place of a friction hitch, but coming down can be fast for the inexperienced. The shunt can be used in SRT systems, can be put on a lanyard to self feed like a lockjack, can be attached close to the harness with a reeved climbing line around the trunk when blocking down, its cheap, won't burn out like a prussik knot and can also be used on a flip line.

Ekka · Oct 5, 2007

How do you do a controlled descent on a shunt?

buffalo bill · Oct 5, 2007

Ekka said:
How do you do a controlled descent on a shunt?

tilt it slightly, burns your hand until a callus builds up. long descents require running the rope between your feet for extra friction. Is generally a more 2 handed affair than using a prussik until you get used to it.

John Paul Sanborn · Oct 5, 2007

My understanding with descending on cammed devices is that milking can cause the core to narrow out and a bulge under that may result in tearing of the cover.

buffalo bill · Oct 5, 2007

John Paul Sanborn said:
My understanding with descending on cammed devices is that milking can cause the core to narrow out and a bulge under that may result in tearing of the cover.

The shunt is no descender and you can not descend on it down a fixed rope. It is primarily a rope grab and is really just a mechanical prussik. When used in a standard tree climbing system it has no more effect on the milking of a rope than a prussik.
The other advantage is that there is no rope on rope contact like a friction hitch, thus no melting of your prussik knot attachment.
Another advantage is that it can only be used on 11mm rope which is much lighter and less bulky to carry around a tree than 13mm (1/2"). 11mm kernmantle also works with ascenders better.

Some may see a reduced rope diameter a drawback as it is much thinner and harder to grip when hip thrusting your way around a tree, but I think the lighter and cheaper 11mm is the way to go.

Each to his own, if you are pruning and deadwooding trees spikeless, a friction hitch is a little more user friendly. I started on a frction hitch but will never go back.