Zigzag and srt

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

So I'm finally getting into climbing for fun. Used a bunch of pruning if dead wood that needs to happen around my house and my parents house as an excuse to buy a bit more gear than was strictly necessary. I've worked on ropes at a total noobie level for years, for different projects and jobs, but never used anything fancier than a Swiss seat and fig 8s and prussics etc. Basically just trying to say I'm used to roughing it
I got some decent rope and a zigzag with a chicane etc no now, but I was able to cut off my spending spree before I got foot ascenders. Had to draw a line somewhere. Anyways, climbing with a foot lock wasn't terrible, but climbing with a single foot lock and the other in a loop hanging from a prussics let me make fantastic time with minimal effort up the line. HOWEVER my issue was the prussic for my foot loop was limiting my travel on the zigzag. The chicane would get close to the prussics when I still had like 25% more arm travel. What I'm wondering is if it's safe to ascend SRT with the zigzag with no chicane, then just put the chicane on when I'm in the tree. My understanding is it's there to help dissipate heat, but that the ZZ is plenty grabby to hold me on it's own.

Any input on my plan, or anyone have a better solution? Shortening my bridge helped, but then I don't have the motion I want, so I gotta grow it again once I'm up, which isn't a ton of fun in my harness.

Thanks folks, looking forward to learning my new hobby

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Not totally understanding your system, what is a single foot lock?

 

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

It's where you throw what's effectively a single half hitch around your foot. When you point your toes straight down, it locks way better than you'd expect, can generally hold all your weight no issue, and it self tends even.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

I'll be damned, never tried a single

 

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

I'll be damned, never tried a single

I heard of it the first time a few days ago, tried it and had my mind blown, it's easy and effecient. However I can't for the life of me figure out where I saw it, or rediscover the source haha.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

I heard of it the first time a few days ago, tried it and had my mind blown, it's easy and effecient. However I can't for the life of me figure out where I saw it, or rediscover the source haha.

So just a simple half hitch with the tail on the inside of the foot?

 

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

I think I let the tail go on the outside of my foot, but yes that's it. It locks ok as you load it, but if you point your toes down it locks much faster and harder, and it's very comfortable. It self tends pretty good when you level your foot out, and at least with my boots in, the loop stays in place really well on its own, I don't need to fiddle with it. For the first 15ft maybe I need to give it a little shake to take up the slack, but that's it.
I'll get some pictures this weekend when I'm playing with it again, just in case I'm describing it wrong.

 

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

Ok, quick search, I'm a liar. It's not a half hitch, it is just a loop. I'll need to take a picture because I don't see how I can describe it correctly. If I'm putting it on my left foot, I'll grab the rope in my right hand, and twist it to get a loop with the tail on the outside of my foot, closer to me than the running side of the loop, then put my foot thru so it's sitting in my arch, the tail caught under the running side. It moves pretty free until I point my toes down.

 

[Walkdog]

I think you won’t regret spending another $70 on a CT foot ascender. I think you also wouldn’t regret spending a further $150 on a SAKA or HAAS. You are missing out on almost all the potential efficiency gains of SRT ascent without these items.

I don’t care for the chicane, personally. Feels way too flexible and fragile when it gets side loaded going over branches. If I’m going to use the zigzag in SRT configuration I much prefer the Reon Rounds tether and a rope wrench.

You absolutely need the added friction of the chicane or rope wrench in SRS/SRT. If you wish to eliminate the chicane from your system without replacing it with a rope wrench and tether, you need to switch to MRS/DRT.

 

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

Not gonna lie, my limited experience with the zigzag and chicane, I really don't like how it feels going across a branch with a little side load. I feel like it must be fine, but it looks wrong and makes me nervous that something wants to pop and scare me.
Now that said it occurred to me the other day, if I lengthen my bridge as much as I can (which is not much but) then I can probably put the foot loop prussic below the zig zag and see if that gives me more travel, or if it just makes it more awkward.

Yes I should get for ascender to take full advantage of my setup, but I can't sink money into this forever. Now if I can find someone who will throw me$50 to get a hanger out of their yard or something, well then I'll be all over it.
It's the principal of the thing

 

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

Ok I caved and bought the CT foot ascender because a friend asked for tree help and the $10 in beer he'll pay me will offset the $80 ascender. First rule of hobby accounting is don't talk or even think about hobby accounting.

Anyways it does make ascent much faster and easier. I don't think it's an absolute must have, but it's very nice. HOWEVER I wear these very nice light weight high top boots when I'm working, and the sides are too thin and the ascender actually digs into my ankle pretty good. Not so bad I can't use it, but bad enough a prussics will definitely still be used sometimes. However this makes getting around branches infinitly easier so I'm glad I got it for that feature alone. I'll still be doing the wrap from time to time.

I'll get a picture of that today, I'm practicing now that the suns back out but I got nothing to do.