Is there a better Prusik knot for lanyard adjustments

soup-n-sandwich

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On my lanyard I'm using a Hitch Climber pulley for my adjustment with a four wrap prusik knot. One....I don't think the Hitch Climber pulley is the best for this as the DMM Pinto seem like a better choice but the standard four wrap prusik doesn't seem to be the best for this applications. The ends of the hitch cord are sort of pulling more on one than the other being uneven due to it being pulled in one direction. Is there a better hitch knot for lanyard adjustments?

I see the the CE Lanyard uses a Pinto pulley and a nice small hitch cord for adjustment but I can't tell what type of knot they are using with this product.

Any ideas?
Thanks,
Chris
 
Hey there...I would find a HC pulley a bit big for a prussic minder on my lanyard...but that's just me. I use a standard small single rescue pulley.

I will use either a Distel or a VT for my lanyard friction hitch, they both have much better 'adjustability' IMO. Also the type of hitch cord you choose can make a difference depending on what your lanyard is made of.
At the moment I'm using beeline, used to like icetail but I've gone off it!
 
Always being the odd one out around here , I swear by a Gibbs on both of of my Safeties / Lanyards ... phased out the hitches and pulleys , save them for climb lines was my tach.
 
I like the ability to descend or let out rope while it is loaded so I like the hitch/ pulley combo. As you found, the Prusik, with the eyes coming out the side makes it hard to tend. There are many different hitches,with their eyes coming out of the bottom of the hitch, that work better.

The CE lanyard uses the Distel hitch.
 
Michoacan with a smc cr micro pulley. It has worked very well for me but I am still new in this game so use caution when taking advice from me.:)
 
x2 on the Michoacan; for the ones I don't have a Gibbs on ;)
I also made up some eye-to-eyes of HRC. The 'fuzziness' of the HRC cords seem to get a better grip on the lanyards.
 
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  • #8
Thanks guys! I just set up it with a Distel hitch. For sure this is much better. The distance between the biner/pulley and the being of the coil of the hitch is quite a ways away. The further away this is the less responsive the adjustment seems to be. I also think the diameter of the hitch cord and the type is not the best choice for this job. I don't know the brand but it's card that came with a kit. Green and black about 9mm. It works but it's clunky. I was hoping to use something like Ocean Poly 8mm but something a bit shorter than the 28" length...which seems to be very common.

I'll also look into the VT and Michoacan. Thank you all. I would think the VT would be very long in length. Wouldn't this limited how close to the tree you can get due to the hitch being so long?

I have consider using a rope grab also. Here's the thing...since I'm climbing mostly in White Pines which is better for pine tar issues? Pine tar seems to mess up everything.

Thank you all very much for your time.
Chris
 
I start apprentices up with the Distel, because it is so fool proof.
After a year or so, I let them move on to a VT.
The VT can trick you by not grabbibg, so you need to be used to climbing and tending knots before it is safe to use.
In my opinion, anyway.
 
GIBBS!

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I don't start apprentices on mechanical stuff.
Learn your ropes, so to say, then you can move on.
 
For straight-up flipline use, they have mechanical adjusters with a 90 degree twist built-in. Pitch friendly, but can't lower-out on them, which I do frequently to adjust positioning, or when transferring trunks with a high TIP (returning toward my TIP). When you are up against pitch, its easy switch lanyards to one with a mechanical adjuster.
 
Agree w both of above-mentioned s ... Rooks absolutely have to learn knots , One Safety for years had a hitch w pulley for when I'd need to move w out un-weigthing the line. Ski Patrol gave me an old broken spring Gibbs which Peter Gibbs made better than new so I phased out the hitch on the other side.
 
I like the Gibbs and Petzel Macrograb under sap conditions especially.

Never have had a real problem with lifting my weight out of the flipline to release adjustment. But if a person was concerned about that TreeStuff has that mechanical rope grab that releases under pressure. They only sell it with a lanyard installed, it's the one August likes as a bridge adjuster for the Monkey Beaver Harness.
 
I use 6mm ocean vectran in a vt or distel on my 10mm lanyard, #2 brass snap as a slack tender. Very smooth with the hitch dialed in.

Rope grab on 1/2"vortex for pitchy trees
 
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  • #18
Thanks guys for all the great input. I'm using a 13mm lanyard but don't like this crap hitch cord. I don't know the brand or type other than it's 10mm, green and black in color and absorbs pitch like we the people! Hate this stuff. I'm going to try switching to Ocean Poly 8mm as this hitch cord has been great great with a lot of ropes and a lot of application. I'm a Rookie for sure but gaining some valuable experience by doing this work. It's funny, before I was actually doing the installs, when I was just climbing to climb I wasn't putting my self in a "work" mind set. With this said, I found myself being concerned with things that weren't all that important...over thinking lots of things. Now I don't feel that way. I now feel like I know what works for this situation. I know that I have to build a tool hanger system because fighting tool and hardware storage shouldn't be part of the job. I know I need an easy way to hang my tools, compartmentalized my hardware (bolts, washers, etc), extra batteries and hold a drink. I have fastened a wire loop on all the tools for easy clipping. I have a hoist line that I install to hoist up my tool bag but I think there must be a better way. Carrying all of this gear on me is not going to happen. I'm only 135lbs and don't want to wear myself down just getting up there with all this gear. The more I can have up there the least time I waste. I was thinking maybe a bucket tool carrier where all the the tools stay in the 5 gallon PVC bucket and on the edge the pouches hold the rest of the stuff or maybe a daisy chain webbing sling with all the loops. This will be ideal to hang on a branch and hang all the heavy tools on their own loop with a beaner. I'm getting off subject now. I'm using the Distel hitch right now and so far so good. Thanks guys. This pitch is going to be a big problem so after more time I'll try a Gibbs mechanical adjuster.

Thank you all.
Chris
 
I'm guessing you're using DdRT to enter the tree, are you using a friction/cambium saver? These greatly reduce the amount of sap on your rope and hitch.
 
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  • #21
I'm guessing you're using DdRT to enter the tree, are you using a friction/cambium saver? These greatly reduce the amount of sap on your rope and hitch.

No actually I'm climbing only with SRT. I have to learn how to place a rope saving on this line but during this climb up this 91 footer I had to move the TIP three times to get it to where I needed it. In this circumstance how do you guys handle a rope saving on a TIP that has to be moved this many times?
 
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  • #22
Is 8mm hitch cord too small for 13mm rope?

I think you may be right. I have't actually used the 8mm Ocean on the lanyard in an actual climb but I can tell you that whatever this hitch cord is that I'm using now isn't a confidence builder. It's 10mm, which should be fine with a 1/12" lanyard rope...right? But it's a rather a loose weave hitch cord with almost like a slick outer texture. I'm replacing it with something else. I have noticed that the lanyard is going through almost a break-in period and the more I use it the better the hitch grabs...until pine sap gets in there.
 
To make it easy to change the TIP you could use a double ring friction saver, but replace the rings with something that opens, like carabiners or screw links.

8mm cord does work on 13mm if it is the right one for the rope. I've used 7mm accessory cord before and now use Samson's Bailout.
 
I recently posted a question about the Distel in the climbing forum. I have one of my lanyards set up with the Hitchclimber pulley. It's a 25 ft lanyard that I use for a separate climbing system. The extra holes in the Hitchclimber are nice for connecting back to the system. All of my other lanyards have a micro pulley. I recently swapped to the Distel and really like it so far but I tie it a bit different than most. I also use 8mm HRC for my hitch cord. I also have 10mm Bee Line for a couple of my lanyards. They work good too.
 
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