Ropetek Hitch Hiker

BTW, Dave or Paul or anyone with an HH, quick question on the ascent system.

Right now, with my RW, 90% of my ascents are with just a pantin and the lanyard over the shoulder trick tending my hitch. The pantin is a very integral part of the system for me, not just on my initial ascent, but working the tree as well. If I need to move a few feet up the rope I can clip it in real quick and just tend the RW by hand for the few quick feet, reset the RW, kick the rope out and be on my way. Very quick and efficient, much preferred over body thrusting. Just curious if anything like that is possible with the HH. Sure I'll find out soon enough, but I noticed ascent system talks going on so I wanted to post and see.
 
Might be a problem as the Pantin would load the HH as you stepped down...but that's just idle speculation on my part. Paul and I talked back and forth about some earier variations on the theme, but I have no first hand experience.

On second thought though...if you keep all weight off the HH to harness connection, maybe it would run smooth by hand tending, as the biners could shift away from the taut rope running through the HH. Bet it will work fine, A.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #103
You got it B. as soon as you take the load off the bottom biner on the HH it will run as smoothly up the rope as just the hitch. I believe Dave made some headway today refining his system and is going to post some pics. Bottom line is Ranger I am not familiar with SRT which is why you guys are going to figure out all the details;)
 
rangerdanger said:
... quick question on the ascent system...
Click to expand...

Yes Adrian, the Hitch Hiker can self-tend when using just the Pantin or footlocking. I was going to try to post my attachment for doing this but was not satisfied on how it turned out. In order to advance smoothly, the top of the bottom carabiner needs to be the point of attachment. This is the part I was trying to make. I'm guessing it should be a simple U-shaped piece with two holes large enough to run the carabiner through. I was able to accomplish a self-tending Pantin climb and a ropewalker with a hand ascender and foot loop by just attaching a bungee around my neck with the two hooks attached to the top of the carabiner on either side of the Hitchhiker. It was ugly but it proved to me it would work with the right attachments and it was smooth.

As well as the HH works for now, I can envision much refining at least in possibilities. It does work "as is". The knot I am using, in conjunction with the ring, would grab like a vice grip in doubled rope, but works very well with the HH.

Dave


100_4302.jpg
 
I think he means the hitch tender should be attached there. Ie. your over the shoulder lanyard or around the neck type tender. Makes sense if you think about it.
How long is that system overall? It seems very long in that pic Dave.
 
Husabud said:
How long is that system overall? It seems very long in that pic Dave.
Click to expand...

That was my thought as well. Can it be shortened up a little?

My limited experience with SRT was only for ascending into a tree, I always worked off DdRT. I didn't really have a descent system for SRT although I did have my hitch tied on the rope as my backup. I would use a handled ascender on a tether (usually a loop runner) clipped to my saddle which would pull my friction hitch up the rope. If a person were to use a handled ascender with this device then it would have to be attached to the upper part of the bottom carabiner.
 
I had a thought as far as tending the hitch. If you adapt a slik pin at the center point of the bridge, it would still be midline attachable and you could use a keychain biner to clip to the slick pin and lower biner to advance the system, thus tang the tension off of the lower biner. .??
 
bonner1040 said:
... Are you saying the eye and eye should attach to the bottom biner? ...
Click to expand...

Sorry, Nick. I wasn't very clear with my last post. When I spoke of attachment on the top of the bottom carabiner, I was referring to the placement of an over-the shoulder or chest harness clip-in point so that the Hitch Hiker would automatically advance with each step-up of the Pantin or foot-lock.

It is about a carabiner and a half longer than a Hitch Climber setup, I'm guessing here as I have not actually taken a measurement. As with everything there will be pros and cons associated with this.

Pros: The length creates separation of the points of friction. This produces a smooth feel, not dissimilar to a rappel rack, that also similarly should be rope friendly. The length does not change, unlike the other hitch-based SRT system, there is nothing that requires setting. When you stop going up it grabs. The position of the hitch is a good distance to reach and there is nothing in the way. This is something of a novel feel.

Cons: The length will reduce stroke of the upper ascender in a rope-walking configuration. This should be of small consequence for those willing to use the system. Most people take too large a stroke anyway. Taking up slack is different. What is a pro for descending becomes awkward in removing large amounts of slack.

I am sure there are other pros and cons but those are the most obvious at the moment.

One thing I have not addressed in these posts are my thoughts on SRT hitch-based systems in general. Paul is developing this specifically to allow another means of achieving this. This will, hopefully, give more climbers the chance to experiment within their comfort zone of hitches on SRT systems. But personally, I have found this is an area that mechanical hitches have a clear advantage. The release, for upward movement on mechanicals, is instant and complete, but the big thing is the consistency. The catch-and-grabs on mechanicals are not controlled by whether you are weighting your left foot, holding your tongue tightly against your right cheek, whilst giving a firm tug to the right to set your hitch. There is no setting, it just grabs.

The importance of tying the friction hitch properly cannot be overstated. This, coupled with the randomness of fiber combinations and slight alterations in wraps, places a larger burden of understanding and precision on the climber to produce a safe, but also functional, system.

Dave
 
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  • #114
No_Bivy said:
what happens if you rotate the HH the other direction?
Click to expand...

OK so I have spent a lot of time playing with the angles of the slots and they dictate how the system handles the load. If you run it upside down it will work but the top biner will have the tendency to jam and not let rope run even when the hitch is totally released. Whilst dangling on a rope the only way to release the jam is to grab rope above device and relieve the load. I decided this was not desirable so made the top angle steeper so this doesn't happen. When we start producing these I think they will be flat black with a safety orange thumb on then to indicate orientation.....
 
FedEx brought it to me. Its been raining today. Baby is probably settling in to the point where I might be able to take care of the widowmakers in my elm trees before bark beetle season hits--not at all that I'm just anxious to try it out, oh no, no, couldn't be that;).

A little heavy in the hand, as aforementioned, but it doesn't matter once its on the rope. I tied it with an XT (just hand tightening it in the house) and it seemed like it might tend fine without a micropulley. Dunno yet in the real world. The one I've got is a little tight getting the 'biner in place on 1/2" rope.

I concur about the keylocks. I'd pay the difference to have keylocks over notched gates, if available.

Daddy-duty calls.

Excited to try it!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #119
OK so this is an idea Dave (DMC) came up with for attaching the hitch to the unit thus getting rid of the upper biner and the inherent slop that it produces... This "dog bone " works really well... 1.jpg 2.jpg

Now once I have figured out a spring loaded pigtail for the top we will be GTG:)
 
I know June is a long way off but perhaps we can incorporate some testing time at the East Coast GTG. It would also add some additional purpose to the event. :)
 
No, not just events, great events! Sadly, I have not been so fortunate as to be able to attend myself, but I do get a vicarious pleasure when seeing the photos and reading the comments.
 
Nowadays quite expensive to travel. I used to be able to get back round trip for around $400, but way more now. They started tacking on fuel surcharges, then airport taxes, just to wet your whistle before the airlines way jacked up the ticket costs. Even the companies where the rivets are falling out of the fuselage and the cabin attendants are like guards at a Siberian gulag, they have considerably raised the fees. I don't so much like to fly to begin with, it seems strange. I did fly first class to Hawaii once, a stopover to change flights on my way back here. The last one to board and no other seats available, I was ushered up to first class. I can live with that, no complaints for sure.
 
:lol: gulag guards

I haven't been on a plane since I was like 12 or 13 but I hear the security today is more like being strip searched for prison than luxury travel anyways.
 
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