a break away point at the throw bag. I use those tiny keychain carabiners to attach mine. they break at about 100 lbs. I set in the highest tangle free crotch I can hit. I rarely go for the highest from the ground.
Stuck throw bags
- Thread starter brycelunsford
- Start date
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smokey01
ArboristSite Operative
I think you are using a very safe practice for wanting your climb line suspended, with or without spikes, as it will offer you a quick escape in case of injury or other threat. The photo of the climber that took a hit to the face with his saw and was able to get back on the ground where he then passed out weights on my mind when I think of only using my spikes.
nelson727
ArboristSite Member
The best ‘throw line’ weight for coming back down out of a tree in my opinion is the RopeArmour sold by TreeStuff. I bought one knowing I was going to want it some day on a really matted canopy that normal weights would get stuck in. Looked at the instructions for all the ways to use it and my mind went into vapor lock and I put it away for weeks. When I went to do a job with 25 Cypress trees with all kinds of matted dead throughout I finally tied it on my BigShot reel.
Not only did it work well for those and other difficult trees, but I went on to use it as my primary shot line weight and carry others to put on for specific occasions instead of the other way around. Being lazy at heart I found I don’t even need to take the weight off the end of my throw line when I pull my climb line back over most of the time, I just use a clove hitch. This configuration has the weight trailing a few inches behind the lead of the climb line as I pull the throw line back over the crotch. Interestingly that helps in difficult crotches to ‘jump’ the climb line up and over crotch. The inventor of RopeArmour has a YouTube video of that up somewhere.
Cost kept me from getting one originally, having it in my hands and using it has me swear by it (for me) because of the results I can produce with it. Adding up the time saved on one job had me feel like it paid for itself. Now I won’t be without it and bought a second one for limb isolation and it’s ability to slip down through a canopy.
Another odd but beneficial feature of the RA is that when I have ‘wrapped’ a limb with a throw line by retrieving too fast and was using a throw bag, it was often stuck till I climbed up. The RA will pull around from several wraps and a partial hitch. Thats in vids too.
Not only did it work well for those and other difficult trees, but I went on to use it as my primary shot line weight and carry others to put on for specific occasions instead of the other way around. Being lazy at heart I found I don’t even need to take the weight off the end of my throw line when I pull my climb line back over most of the time, I just use a clove hitch. This configuration has the weight trailing a few inches behind the lead of the climb line as I pull the throw line back over the crotch. Interestingly that helps in difficult crotches to ‘jump’ the climb line up and over crotch. The inventor of RopeArmour has a YouTube video of that up somewhere.
Cost kept me from getting one originally, having it in my hands and using it has me swear by it (for me) because of the results I can produce with it. Adding up the time saved on one job had me feel like it paid for itself. Now I won’t be without it and bought a second one for limb isolation and it’s ability to slip down through a canopy.
Another odd but beneficial feature of the RA is that when I have ‘wrapped’ a limb with a throw line by retrieving too fast and was using a throw bag, it was often stuck till I climbed up. The RA will pull around from several wraps and a partial hitch. Thats in vids too.
TreeAce
Addicted to ArboristSite
who said anything about only using spikes? Thats just crazy imo. I would climb up to the top and tie in and set work ropes and have at it. I may cut out some targets of opprotunity on my way up but would almost always be tied in with my climbing line (and safety lanyard) when cutting those easy ones on my way up.
sgreanbeans
Treeaculterologist
Did something change while I was on vaca?, Smokey is allowed to be in CTC and C? I dont think so, u shouldnt be posting in here.
Funny that this thread is up, I shot the hi ball yesterday with the big shot, it was a very hi shot and I nailed it first try, nice wide open crotch. As I was pulling it thru the crotch, it gets stuck and stuck hard! When I got up there on another line, I found that there was a pocket of rot that must have been made for the hi ball, it fit perfectly down in the hole. SON OF A BEYAAATCH! I had pulled on it hard enough to bury it in and the slick line pulled down in to a crack, I had a hell of a time just getting it out when I was right there! The
other crotch that I decided not to go for at first (set my second line there) of course was as smooth as a baby's butt and would have been perfect!
Funny that this thread is up, I shot the hi ball yesterday with the big shot, it was a very hi shot and I nailed it first try, nice wide open crotch. As I was pulling it thru the crotch, it gets stuck and stuck hard! When I got up there on another line, I found that there was a pocket of rot that must have been made for the hi ball, it fit perfectly down in the hole. SON OF A BEYAAATCH! I had pulled on it hard enough to bury it in and the slick line pulled down in to a crack, I had a hell of a time just getting it out when I was right there! The
other crotch that I decided not to go for at first (set my second line there) of course was as smooth as a baby's butt and would have been perfect!
I know it's hard to explain, but go ahead, give it a shot, just use small words so we can understand. I, too, would like to learn how to never ever get a throwball stuck.
BTW, did I ever tell y'all about that 150lb. marlin I caught on 4lb test? Now that was a day!
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imagineero
Addicted to ArboristSite
That's easy... To never got a throw bag stuck, all you have to do is make sure it comes down every time ;-)
That's easy... To never got a throw bag stuck, all you have to do is make sure it comes down every time ;-)
Ahhhhh, that's why I switched to the new Weaver 48 oz.
imagineero
Addicted to ArboristSite
The 48 oz. is fine if you're a sissy. I use the liebherr 5 million oz. throwball. It never gets hung up.
Treepedo
ArboristSite.com Sponsor
Glad to hear it works well for you and your acumen has paid off. Cheers.
Its funny now to think we used to throw a bag. It almost seems stone age.
My groundies do quite a bit of throwing for me now and recently a day with Luc throwing into
centuries old Red Oaks. I can trust he can hit the targets using the RopeKnight and the BS and isolate the TiP because there is no fear of the RK getting stuck or hung up and retrievals are smooth and easy.
Status quo sucks and bags do get stuck. It just takes time for innovation and those who recognize it to lead others to greener pastures.
Nelson727, We really appreciate your thoughtful recommendation.:msp_smile:
Also, Thanks to dealers like ATREAS, FREEWORKER and TREESTUFF who believe in and support arbclimbers and the tools they use.
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StrataTree
ArboristSite Operative
Last week, got one stuck, me and a co worker yanked, pulled and tried our darnedest to free that thing but finally gave up and used a bag on the other end to hit a lower branch. I body thrusted up to clear a stuck broken branch and get the stuck bag, just as I got to the bag, the coworker grabbed the throw line and the stuck bag fell to the ground all by itself... We were dumbfounded. Maybe a squirrel helped us out, I dunno but we laughed bout it for a bit...seems just leavin the thing alone for 10 minutes was the trick?!?
mitch95100
Saw Nut
.410
Sent from me to you using my fingers
Sent from me to you using my fingers
smokey01
ArboristSite Operative
...and an even greater thanks to those who recognize the need for the innovation, create a solution and help other with it. Thanks Treepedo!
Doing the same thing over and over, expecting to get better at it, is called PRACTICE, does work too!
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
50000 shots never been stuck yet 
I never seem to get a throwbag stuck...
until the homeowner comes out to watch.
until the homeowner comes out to watch.
Treepedo
ArboristSite.com Sponsor
A coach of mine would always say PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. Thanks Brother Ed Benson!
Analyze your throw, their is always something that can be tweaked a touch to gain accuracy.
If you haven't seen our LONGgun technique, give it a chance and you should experience an increase in accuracy of up to 35%
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