SRT, experimenting !

[pdqdl]

I have most of the toys for going SRT, I did a little playing today. Danny, my #1 climber for many years (another come and go employee) were working off our little 35' high knuckleboom crane. I don't have any of the fancy descenders, so it was probably a little more trouble for us than some of you guys that do it all the time.

Some observations:

1. All those ascenders, carabiners, straps, cords, and associated hardware gets pretty tedious.
2. It almost seems that just foot-locking up the rope would be a lot faster & easier, despite the fact that I couldn't unless there was a fire directly beneath me.
3. Unless you get a lot faster at switching around than I am, going to "descend" is terribly tedious. I can see why the unicender and other similar products are becoming popular.
4. I was experimenting with inserting my rescue-8 above the friction hitch. This seemed to work very well for control, reliability, ease of use, and not wearing out the equipment. Unfortunately, it isn't terribly practical to install when you are hanging on a rope.

After he had tried it out a little, Danny came back down off the SRT line with a big grin on his face; he said was thinking of all the huge trees in N. Carolina that he wished he had gotten into with this equipment.

Conclusion: while it is certainly the trend of the future, I think that SRT requires quite a bit of setup, practice, and fine tuning before it is practical. Even then, there are probably an awful lot of smaller trees that would be done twice as fast if done "old school".

 

[Mike Cantolina]

The rope wrench Tree Stuff - Singing Tree Rope Wrench solves most of your issues.

I tried it out some yesterday and wow. I use a pantin and a handled ascender with a foot strap to "walk" right up the rope then it's already ready for descent just remove the ascender and kick out the pantin.

I converted mine to midline attachable also.

 

[TreeAce]

Anyone have an opion about this set up? Tree Stuff - Petzl Advanced RAD Kit

I only would need the RIG cuz I have everything else. I have plenty of rather tall oaks to trim this fall/winter and I def wanna break into SRT.

 

[beastmaster]

Anyone have an opion about this set up? Tree Stuff - Petzl Advanced RAD Kit

I only would need the RIG cuz I have everything else. I have plenty of rather tall oaks to trim this fall/winter and I def wanna break into SRT.

I use the RAD system on most my SRT. There are faster methods, all have pro's and con's, but with the RAD's you only need to remove the handled ascender and and you can work off it as you descend(on the gri gri), and easily put it back on to ascend. I don't use the foot loop, but footlock, which is easy with this system.
I have a set-up that uses a croll chest ascender, a pantan, and a handled ascender with footloop, and its real fast, but you have to back it up with a prussic, and its a pain to switch over, and you can't descend on it. I would use it for a really long ascend.
I may purchase a tree wrench here soon. It sounds pretty sweet and really labor un-intensivene.
The RAD's is safe, almost foolproof, and easy to descend from. Just make sure you have the right kind of rope. I use 11MM blaze for both SRT and drt and it works well. Though I'm thinking about getting 200ft of 10MM snakebite just for SRT.
The RIG sounds nice but, for half the price a gri gri works well for me. Beastmaster

 

[gorman]

Hey Mike, can you post a pic of how you converted yours?

 

[Blakesmaster]

Hey Mike, can you post a pic of how you converted yours?

+1

 

[Mike Cantolina]

This wasn't my idea. Kevin Bingham gets the credit for this mod.

 

[Mike Cantolina]

I'm using a 5/16th one inch ball lock quick release pin. Of course the pin diameter is smaller than the bushing that it replaced so there isn't as much adjustment. I use 1/2" climb line so it isn't a big deal with me. I don't know how it would work with smaller diameter climb lines.

 

[Mike Cantolina]

Anyone have an opion about this set up? Tree Stuff - Petzl Advanced RAD Kit

I only would need the RIG cuz I have everything else. I have plenty of rather tall oaks to trim this fall/winter and I def wanna break into SRT.

I used it 5-6yrs ago. I don't remember using a foot strap though. It was easy enough to ascend just slow. I also used an I'D descender rather than a RIG. I don't remember what the difference is.

I definitely prefer the rope wrench.

 

[TreeAce]

I used it 5-6yrs ago. I don't remember using a foot strap though. It was easy enough to ascend just slow. I also used an I'D descender rather than a RIG. I don't remember what the difference is.

I definitely prefer the rope wrench.

I hate to admit it but I really don't "get it" with the rope wrench. Does it work by creating a little "drag" or friction which makes the climbing hitch (VT,distel,swabish,or whatever) safe to use for desent in SRT? It advances up the rope by being pushed up by the hitch thats under it? I have watched the videos about it so I kinda get it but not totally. I was gonna get a RIG but now am thinking about the I'D cuz it works with larger rope. Although 11mm would be ok for SRT but SRT only. Its to small for me in Ddrt which makes feel like I wouldnt want to buy it. Although I may and just use it for SRT ascents. Idef need to decide on somthing and I wanna hold off on buying a raptor. But with the wrench getting such good things said about it I wanna make sure it gets full consideration. Can the wrench be purchased just as yours is pictured? I would think that being able to install/uninstall mid rope is very useful. In fact I think it would be a must, atleast for me.

 

[Mike Cantolina]

Does it work by creating a little "drag" or friction which makes the climbing hitch (VT,distel,swabish,or whatever) safe to use for desent in SRT?

Yep, which is adjustable by the length of the tether.

It advances up the rope by being pushed up by the hitch thats under it?

Yes, and you want to "set" the wrench before adding weight to your hitch.

Can the wrench be purchased just as yours is pictured? I would think that being able to install/uninstall mid rope is very useful. In fact I think it would be a must, atleast for me.

I don't think so, not yet anyways. I bought the quick release pin here:
Amazon.com: 5/16 dia., 1.00 Grip Lg., Button Handle Quick Release Ball Lock Pins, Commercial Grade (1 Each): Industrial & Scientific

 

[the Aerialist]

My SRT experiment ...

Now that the rope wrench is made out gf metal and not wood I will probably get one. I saw it demonstrated at the convention in Pittsburgh at the beginning of the year right after I got a Unicender to try out on SRT.

This is how I set up my Unicender for SRT. Once the work started coming in I went back to my Lockjack and DRT out of familiarity. Later this year I added a Spiderjack as well as a Positioner and have stuck with those and DRT.

 

[TreeAce]

Thanks Mike! I will prolly buy buy one based on curiosity if nothing else at this point. That link for the pin is like gold! And for under 12 bucks...forget about it!!! Cant go wrong I am thinking.

So..with a wrench, I 2 I witha distel,a tender pulley, a pantin, and maybe a petzl handled ascender w/or without a foot strap even I should ,,in theory, be able to SRT. Right? And oh ya...a rope would help. LOL

 

[Mike Cantolina]

So..with a wrench, I 2 I witha distel,a tender pulley, a pantin, and maybe a petzl handled ascender w/or without a foot strap even I should ,,in theory, be able to SRT. Right? And oh ya...a rope would help. LOL

Yes, the only other thing I would recommend is something to self-advance your hitch. Kevin shows throwing his lanyard over his opposite shoulder and clipping under/onto your hitch in one of his videos which is what I have been doing.

 

[Garden Of Eden]

So, I wad talking to a friend who rec climbs. He has been using, and actually gave me a mini traxion. He says that's what he ties in with. I'm thinking of giving it a go. Handled ascender, with a foot strap, traxion, Im just concerned its a little too simple. What does everyone think?

 

[Mike Cantolina]

So, I wad talking to a friend who rec climbs. He has been using, and actually gave me a mini traxion. He says that's what he ties in with. I'm thinking of giving it a go. Handled ascender, with a foot strap, traxion, Im just concerned its a little too simple. What does everyone think?

For SRT?

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

pics

Any pics on how thats set up? Somebody mention a petzl I'D. Who needs one?

 

[Garden Of Eden]

I'll post a couple tonight. Yup, SRT. Thx guys.

 

[TreeAce]

Any pics on how thats set up? Somebody mention a petzl I'D. Who needs one?

I mentioned it. I was thinking about getting one. U got one for sale?

 

[the Aerialist]

I've go one ~ never used ...

I mentioned it. I was thinking about getting one. U got one for sale?

I have a large Petzl ID that I never used, but if Saw Dust has one he wants to sell go for it, I'm OK with keeping the ID in my weird descender collection.