Ropetek Hitch Hiker

If you would bother looking up the facts on Google then you wouldn't be thinking about the McDonald's lawsuit. Go read the facts and then tell me why this was a frivolous lawsuit? Intentionally serving coffee at 185 degrees plus even after repeated injuries over several years is not frivolous.

Brian, it was just to illustrate the concept that people can do STUPID things and still get awarded money in court. Would you put an intentionally hot liquid in a flimsy cut between your thighs while driving, regardless of if it was intended for human consumption or not?

It also might not be true that the burgler fell through the skylight and successfully sued the manufacturer or the homeowner, but its one of those stories that you hear. It does say on the glass cleaner bottle not to spray it in your eyes.

My point is mostly to suggest something that Paul will have likely come up with one way or another. Sometimes someone pointing something out to a very busy person saves them some brain space for other important ideas which only they will create.
 
...As far as DdRT to advance, it does have its place...

Perhaps for some but not for me. Even when I fined myself in a leapfrogging TIP advancing situation I will do so with SRT. If things get so tight that climbing the rope with leg power is not practical I will climb the tree or switch to a RADS.
 
Its place for me is usually in the bottom of the bag of tricks. The last time I DdRT'ed, it was pretty much just a DdRT safety line, while climbing the tree, and the time before that, too. I don't remember the last time I rope climbed DdRt.
 
Yeah, once you've gotten proficient at SRT, there's no going back. For years I've climbed SRT for ascent and then switched to DdRT for work positioning, but once the Wrench came out it was like Nirvana. Can't wait to put the HH to work as well when it comes out.

Only time that I use DdRT now is for crane work.
 
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  • #333
I keep the HH on my rope full time now. When I do crane work I still use DdRT , HH works just fine for that too. This is what I feel is so cool about it, it modulates the amount of friction applied dependent on the load..
 
So it still works fine with less load. Have you tested to see how it handles with extra heavy loads? Determined the upper range of effectiveness? I'd imagine anything over 350 lbs or so would be inconsequential.
 
So it still works fine with less load. Have you tested to see how it handles with extra heavy loads? Determined the upper range of effectiveness? I'd imagine anything over 350 lbs or so would be inconsequential.
Two guys on it during a rescue for example ?
 
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  • #339
Two guys on it during a rescue for example ?

So what now you guys want it rated at 10,000lbs for 2 person life support :|:

Skwerl, when I first started playing with this idea I climbed a step ladder with 200lbs of weight so total load of about 380lbs and it did fine. I am still waiting to do all the testing when the production versions are ready.
 
RE: two people on one climbing system, how often does this happen?

I hear people wanting to strap another person to them, or hang the patient on a rigging line and cut the climbing system, etc.

Why/ when would this two on one happen, except if the climber's system is compromised or pinned? I would think that it would be much better to have two systems with one climber on each, rather than hope that the system will suddenly hold two 'high and fast', not testing 'low and slow'. First rule of rescue is supposed to be not to become another patient. (I was trained that dead people are victims, and live people are patients.)

I can see setting a rigging line for another person to lower the patient if their system is compromised/ pinned.
 
Paul, I wouldnt worry about rating it for rescue... Just put in the instructions "not for rescue purposes".

In all the rescue classes I have ever taken, albeit only a few but more than none, never has it been prescribed for a rescuer to move to the victim and then use the victims system to lower both themselves and the victim. Primary rescue most often either involves adding the victim to your system, in which case it should be rated for rescue, or using both yours and the victims systems in tandem to lower the victim to the ground.

It would be easy enough to choose a different method to access the victim and bring them to safety.

If someone did decide to use the HH to facilitate a primary rescue, chances are it would work just fine IF they modified their hitch as you would in any rescue scenario. Classes teach that you should add extra raps to a hitch when using in a rescue to compensate for the extra weight, the hitch cords are not rated for 2 people, or even close to 10k lbs.

I believe if you properly word the instructions/ratings you would be protected from liability in that case.
 
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  • #346
MB, I tied 200lbs of plates to a loop of rope and attached it to the bottom of the HH, I then attached to the HH and drug that sucker up the rope. Man it gave me an appreciation of why obese people are always so tired:|:

Bonner, I have no intention of rating it for 2 persons, I don't think it would be a big selling point and would open me to a lot of additional liability....
 
It also makes it really awkward to test one device with two people. (Wraptor)

It puts the little guy in a very funky spot while testing. Is there video on that in storage? :lol:
 
If it was rated for a single person srt - that would be the same rating as 2 people dDrt? Regarding sharing of a load over 2 legs of rope or a single line etc. If the figures match (which they should) it's down to the caveats.
 
It would also be nice to work out a configuration with the wraptor where you attach the HH on the line & just have to disconnect the wraptor at the TIP & go to work on the same rope . No changeover . Would be a good selling point & tie the 2 products together.

Am I making sense?
 
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  • #350
I understand what you are saying . I just tie in DdRT to the Wraptor and when I get to the TIP I untie and girth tie the climbing line to the tree and go SRT then lower Wraptor on its rope to get it out of there. IMO it is easier to leave the Wraptor on its own rope so you can just lower it with no effort.
 
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