Ropetek Hitch Hiker
- Thread starter PCTREE
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PCTREE
Treehouser
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #227
B I thought of the push button pin to start with and put an extra cotter pin like on the Wraptors backup but that and the nut idea aren't acceptable to the powers that be that oversee life support gear in our industry. I learned with the Wraptor project that it is a lot easier to go to them to start with and see what is OK from the get go rather than try to change it later. I think we have 3 or 4 slightly different TIP designs out there on Wraptors as the original rap ring was unacceptable due to bend radius
Anyways that first video I posted I had the top biner on its side like you are suggesting . It worked but was "floppy" and needed something to trap the eyes of the cord and keep it all in place plus I felt the safety guys would cry foul due to "side loading"
I still haven't heard back as to if they think the "dog bone" is acceptable but I cannot imagine how they could object about it......
Interesting side note... Just opened a package sent by Kevin Bingham and if we hadn't come up with the dog bone I might be in negotiations with him right now to license a patent off of him. Super kool idea and would have worked great. Not sure if its public knowledge yet so I won't go further but kudos to Kevin.......
Anyways that first video I posted I had the top biner on its side like you are suggesting . It worked but was "floppy" and needed something to trap the eyes of the cord and keep it all in place plus I felt the safety guys would cry foul due to "side loading"
I still haven't heard back as to if they think the "dog bone" is acceptable but I cannot imagine how they could object about it......
Interesting side note... Just opened a package sent by Kevin Bingham and if we hadn't come up with the dog bone I might be in negotiations with him right now to license a patent off of him. Super kool idea and would have worked great. Not sure if its public knowledge yet so I won't go further but kudos to Kevin.......
pigwot
M's, Juniper's, Lowen’s, and Inge’s Grandpa
Had a long day today and just got to the TH, and came right to this thread...
It is so great to see all the collaboration and ingenuity in these posts.
You are a creative group!
It is so great to see all the collaboration and ingenuity in these posts.
You are a creative group!
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Indeed, we do ROCK.
Paul, I am going to strongly urge you to get this Hitch Hiker design nailed down to your satisfaction, test it for strength and get it out to climbers! I have been not so patiently waiting for others to report on how it worked for them but nada. The only reason I can think of that we have not heard from other testers is that they are not using them.
This is a GREAT tool! The more I use it and understand it the more I like it. I was using it on some pine removals today ( no pitch problems ) and was amazed how it could run free like a Uni or Jack with a 6 coil Distel at about 25 feet up and still grab every time I sat back. Downward control is better and easier than DdRT on a hitch! Yes, you read that right. This tool does not need a bunch of add ons to make it great. It already is.
Dave
PCTREE
Treehouser
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #231
Dave I want to try out the spring idea fully and am trying to make that happen this week . I would feel better if it could be worked out but if not the version I have now with the aluminum belly and dog bone really works well. Im hoping to take at least 4 to Charlotte TCC next weekend and get some feedback. Thank you so much for keeping us updated on your thoughts. It occurred to me that you are using 10mm beeline, wonder if you will be able to get that through the 7/16 hole in the dog bone...... Im using 8mm beeline with a 5 wrap michocoan. Ill send you a dog bone and 8mm cord tomorrow. let us all know how you like that setup..
arborworks1
Treehouser
Does that mean I can get one from you in Charlotte??
SouthSoundTree
Treehouser
I get to work tomorrow on some removals and will employ it. Wish I could have used it more up til now.
rangerdanger
TreeHouser
Yep, sorry guys, between the weather and cleaning up that big removal job, and starting on a job dropping a bunch of trees I haven't had a chance to really put the HH through its paces. But luckily we have some great climbing coming up, pruning two good sized willow oaks tomorrow, and then a good sized removal to test it on Wed. I'll report back tomorrow how I like it on the pruning job.
Good of you to post Cody. Im sure Dave will have a spare one of some configuration or other here soon
Sounds great...I always love trying new tools and techniques that Dave is willing to share!
rangerdanger
TreeHouser
So I got to put some serious time on the HH today and must say I like it overall. I switched it up and went with a distel today, since that's the type of hitch most people seem to be using and it worked great. I was afraid there'd be too much friction, but the HH takes more friction away from the hitch than I thought, so it ended up working out great.
A few little things I noticed while using it was there seems to be a lot of 'slop' for lack of a better word, with the two carabiners in the system. Not a big deal, and easy to get used to, just something I noticed. It'd be great if one could find a way to use one carabiner(pretty sure the dog bone fixes this issue though). And while on the topic of the dogbone, one thing that concerns me with it and I've just noticed from pictures, is the stopper knots and how I can no longer attached mid line easily. A lot of my climbing I'll use the friction saver trick for my TIP, so I generally work my way up the tree DRT and when I reach my TIP tie in SRT with the friction saver trick. This requires untying my climbing hitch from my line and threading the line through the rings, and retying everything and installing the RW or HH. I can see it being a pain in the ass with the dogbone set up.(Again, just from observations of pics I've seen of the dogbone)
A few little things I noticed while using it was there seems to be a lot of 'slop' for lack of a better word, with the two carabiners in the system. Not a big deal, and easy to get used to, just something I noticed. It'd be great if one could find a way to use one carabiner(pretty sure the dog bone fixes this issue though). And while on the topic of the dogbone, one thing that concerns me with it and I've just noticed from pictures, is the stopper knots and how I can no longer attached mid line easily. A lot of my climbing I'll use the friction saver trick for my TIP, so I generally work my way up the tree DRT and when I reach my TIP tie in SRT with the friction saver trick. This requires untying my climbing hitch from my line and threading the line through the rings, and retying everything and installing the RW or HH. I can see it being a pain in the ass with the dogbone set up.(Again, just from observations of pics I've seen of the dogbone)
PCTREE
Treehouser
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #237
Ranger dogbone will elliminate slack. I don't get why folks feel the dog bone stops them from attaching midline
How long does it take to tie a stopper knot???
I climbed on mine all day today and was digging it. Last job of the day was a maple trim , cutting it back from a garden. Because I was able to multi crotch my climb line I was able to use a small skinny tall lead as my TIP right over the work area. Just dropped on down to right where I needed to be and rolled. Both SRT and the HH worked great for that tree
. I still have a lot of tricks to learn about SRT but am convinced this is worth figuring out....
How long does it take to tie a stopper knot???I climbed on mine all day today and was digging it. Last job of the day was a maple trim , cutting it back from a garden. Because I was able to multi crotch my climb line I was able to use a small skinny tall lead as my TIP right over the work area. Just dropped on down to right where I needed to be and rolled. Both SRT and the HH worked great for that tree
. I still have a lot of tricks to learn about SRT but am convinced this is worth figuring out....
Porkbrick
TreeHouser
if you need/want more testers, let me know. i wold love to help out (and im itching to try it).
treesandsurf
Treehouser
Me too Paul I'd love to try this tool, looks slick! Was going to buy a rope wrench but think I'll hold out to try this one
jp
jp
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
And if you have any of the old ones left that take two biners instead of the dog bone, consider one sold
SouthSoundTree
Treehouser
I think that the dogbone will be sweet. I had some frustration with the double-biner set-up on removals today. Mostly I was spurring up with a choked climbline, and when I was ready to descend off the top of the spar, riding the HH/ distel down.
I was trying HRC spliced eyes on PI at first with a 4/1 wrap, using the top biner in a dogbone style with some rubber bands to keep it centered. . I couldn't get quite enough friction. When I was on 5/1, which was really using every bit of the cord, I was having too hard of a time tending.
I switched to tied-eye Ice tail on PI, but couldn't keep the biner centered in the dogbone style, and had to use put on my Hitch climber and use the top biner in the end to end position. Think I used the distel 5/1 set-up successfully.
Paul, did you say you used the Michoacan?
I really like the idea of the dogbone and no pulley. As with any tied knots, its imperative to get them right, and a possibility for a mistake. As always, I'll test my new life support system (retied HH) before removing my proven one (lanyard) which I would be relying on during the transition.
I spent all day in spurs, so no rope ascending. Weather permitting tomorrow, some spurless work.
I was trying HRC spliced eyes on PI at first with a 4/1 wrap, using the top biner in a dogbone style with some rubber bands to keep it centered. . I couldn't get quite enough friction. When I was on 5/1, which was really using every bit of the cord, I was having too hard of a time tending.
I switched to tied-eye Ice tail on PI, but couldn't keep the biner centered in the dogbone style, and had to use put on my Hitch climber and use the top biner in the end to end position. Think I used the distel 5/1 set-up successfully.
Paul, did you say you used the Michoacan?
I really like the idea of the dogbone and no pulley. As with any tied knots, its imperative to get them right, and a possibility for a mistake. As always, I'll test my new life support system (retied HH) before removing my proven one (lanyard) which I would be relying on during the transition.
I spent all day in spurs, so no rope ascending. Weather permitting tomorrow, some spurless work.
SouthSoundTree
Treehouser
maybe i should try like Dave 4/2 distel.
rangerdanger
TreeHouser
Didn't mean any offense about it Paul, just going off what I've seen in pics.
Also, is there any ideas floating around about how to do a dogbone with spliced hitch cord? I saw Dave's photo but it looks like his isn't very midline friendly. Wondering if there's any ideas out there about doing one with spliced eyes thats midline attachable?
Also, is there any ideas floating around about how to do a dogbone with spliced hitch cord? I saw Dave's photo but it looks like his isn't very midline friendly. Wondering if there's any ideas out there about doing one with spliced eyes thats midline attachable?
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
One hole of the dog bone could have a push pin retainer through a hole. Spliced eye on one end of the hitch cord big enough to slide onto the bone. Slide cord on, insert pin to retain eye. One side mind you.
It is the perfect hitch on the Hitch Hiker. For me.
It might be for you as well but getting a hitch/rope combo that works the "best" has proven to be a process that requires a lot of trial and experimentation. As for the apprehension that some of you are feeling on the difficulty of redoing your hitch with the dog-bone pin, give some thought on how quick and easy it is to retie a Taut line or Blake's, finished with a stopper knot. A double overhand stopper will bind under load but there are others that will not.
I have purposely been using the HH in the non-removable configuration just to see how limiting it would be. It's not. We tend to want to stay with what we are used to, but one thing every successful treeworker/climber has in common, is to smoothly and efficiently adjust to the situations they are faced with and the tools at hand. Climbing without a removable hitch is not so much as a hindrance as it is a re-thinking on how you approach a given situation.
Dave
C
countryboypa31
Guest
I'll be in Charlotte. I'm interested in seeing and trying out the HH. Been rocking the SRT for about 2.5 years now. So i'm always interested in more gear and advancement. Specifically that still allows to a hitch. Make sure you find me in Charlotte. I'm easy to spot tall with longer hair.
rangerdanger
TreeHouser
If you can't find Paul Derrick lemme know, I'll hook u up with him there or let you try my HH out.
SouthSoundTree
Treehouser
Used the HH with a rope walker set-up today for a canopy raise on a D-fir. I need to dial in my elastics, and make an adjustable foot loop.
Worked pretty sweet. Video isn't anything special.
I'll like to try the dogbone idea, cut out the second 'biner and pulley, as the HH seems to tend the hitch well. Also curious about the spring.
I used a 5/2 distel with Ice on Poison Hyvee. Suited up with clothing and gear, I'm around 205-210 pounds.
How does a person embed video directly on TH?
Worked pretty sweet. Video isn't anything special.
I'll like to try the dogbone idea, cut out the second 'biner and pulley, as the HH seems to tend the hitch well. Also curious about the spring.
I used a 5/2 distel with Ice on Poison Hyvee. Suited up with clothing and gear, I'm around 205-210 pounds.
How does a person embed video directly on TH?
bonner1040
Nick from Ohio
That looked smooth!
I think the resistance to the dogbone is everyone is thinking about a stopper knot that is set HARD with body weight, but what occurred to me is that likely the stopper knot doesnt see the full force you would think it might, as the HH takes a bunch of the load. From the reports were getting it doesnt seem like an issue much less a dealbreaker. I think the advantage of buying bulk cord and being able to easily dial the length is nice.
Of the suggestions to use a quick release pin, I dont think the safety gods would approve, and my money says that is one of the issues keeping the RW out of competition.
I think the resistance to the dogbone is everyone is thinking about a stopper knot that is set HARD with body weight, but what occurred to me is that likely the stopper knot doesnt see the full force you would think it might, as the HH takes a bunch of the load. From the reports were getting it doesnt seem like an issue much less a dealbreaker. I think the advantage of buying bulk cord and being able to easily dial the length is nice.
Of the suggestions to use a quick release pin, I dont think the safety gods would approve, and my money says that is one of the issues keeping the RW out of competition.
