Any Rope Wrench or Hitch Hiker users here?

[kevin bingham]

Hmm, I still think one of the greatest things about stationary rope is the base tie and not isolating the limb. It allows for so many options. I usually find two time the force oriented down the stem to feel more secure than a single canopy TIP that can be exposed to forces across the grain

 

[ch74]

 

[Underwor]

You might want to try tying your hitch so that the legs are on the other side, towards the aluminum heat sink.
Vortex is a very comforting and secure feeling, like holding onto an umbilical cord......God, what a memory!

Your memory is much better than mine. Not sure what i did yesterday!

 

[Raj]

I've been fooling around with different tethers, anything floppy of course will slide down and not tend properly. This one I made has been the most reliable in conjunction with a simple neck loop.

 

[sawman]

sweet tether looks heavy duty!!
I just use a 5or6mm cord
like southsidetree or somebody here(can't remember)
petty sure it was him anyway

 

[DMc]

Good job on that tether! One of the nice things about a tether like that is that it works like a corner trap and keeps the carabiner in proper alignment, which is actually important. Because I am using a knee and foot ascender and not a hand ascender I don't need to clip into my tether any more with a chest harness. I just clip into the bridge ring. Even so, I still leave a short tether on the HH for its corner trapping abilities.

 

[Cold Logging]

I've been fooling around with different tethers, anything floppy of course will slide down and not tend properly. This one I made has been the most reliable in conjunction with a simple neck loop.
View attachment 58057

That looks very good. I could make one of them. Very Nice!!!
I've got some 8-10 oz latigo that would work good I think with the webbing backer.

 

[kevin bingham]

Good job on that tether! One of the nice things about a tether like that is that it works like a corner trap and keeps the carabiner in proper alignment, which is actually important. Because I am using a knee and foot ascender and not a hand ascender I don't need to clip into my tether any more with a chest harness. I just clip into the bridge ring. Even so, I still leave a short tether on the HH for its corner trapping abilities.

Why does a knee ascender or hand ascender make a difference to where you tend your device?

 

[DMc]

Kevin, when using a hand ascender above the HH the line tension will soften around it as you put weight on the foot loop or just pull down on it without a foot loop. When like this, the weight of the HH will make the carabiner rotate if you try advancing from the bridge ring. It still works, just gives you more setback when you stop. The tether pulls the top of the carabiner, improving this.
When using foot and knee ascenders the line around the HH stays taut so the carabiner will not flip but instead push the HH without doing so. This works great as long as you also keep an effective corner trap on the top of the carabiner. The whole advancing and setback dynamics are further improved if you put a pulley under the HH. In my setup, I get only one inch of setback which is much better than some mechanicals I have tried.

 

[kevin bingham]

That's cool

 

[DMc]

You know, I was playing with this today and for this to work with any kind of consistency it really does need to have the pulley in place on the bridge ring/HH carabiner connection. Just switching to a knee ascender will not, by it self, produce consistent, inline advancement when a chest harness is clipped into the bridge ring

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

David, what pulley do you use? I keep meaning to order one.

 

[GemCutter]

You know, I was playing with this today and for this to work with any kind of consistency it really does need to have the pulley in place on the bridge ring/HH carabiner connection. Just switching to a knee ascender will not, by it self, produce consistent, inline advancement when a chest harness is clipped into the bridge ring

Correct. Also, the HH advances well while ascending with your chest harness/neck lanyard/etc. either clipped to the bridge ring with a pulley or to a tether on the top of the biner. Where I find the use of a pulley out performing, is when tending slack by hand as when limb walking or climbing limbs.

 

[GemCutter]

I've used the ISC Fixed Sideplate Micro Pulley and the DMM Pinto Pulley with good results. The advantage of the more expensive Pinto is that it's becket is life support rated and has clearance to attach a biner. Not important to me but might be nice for work positioning.

 

[DMc]

I have been using an old isc fixed sideplate that I modified so that I can snap it on or off the carabiner. This really helps as I find it difficult to put on or remove otherwise and that makes redirects slow and that is not good.
It would be good if someone would make a pulley like this but with wire gate locks on the hooks. This is not for life support and do carefully look at the angles on the carabiner/pulley connection before thinking of clipping into the becket on the pinto.

 

[PCTREE]

How are you liking that hitch cord Dave??

Would drive me nuts to have the tails that long, grab them every time I pull slack.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Seems to me I saw a pulley with a wire on the cheek plate.. I can't remember who made it. Thinking brand new product. Maybe Nick or Nice Guy Dave will chime in. I believe it was a double though

 

[DMc]

How are you liking that hitch cord Dave??
Would drive me nuts to have the tails that long, grab them every time I pull slack.

I like it, Paul. It runs as nice as Armor-prus but I still don't have much time on it so can't say if it will last as long. The long tails do look kind of goofy but they have not gotten in my way at all.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

What kind of cord?

Thanks for that picture. I remembered you did some mod, but forgot the details.

 

[DMc]

What kind of cord?...

I think it is ArbPro 9mm. I am not a 100% sure because Paul sent it to me. He probably told me and I forgot.

 

[PCTREE]

Yup

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Ordered some arbpro today. I still have my original beeline with my HH. I bet its one of those things, like a truck wearing out, that it seem okay, then you drive a new one. I don't know that its worn much. Not obviously, the last time I checked.

Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Been rocking the HH with Vortex Hot and 5/16 Ultra Tech of late. Been in like seventh heaven. Bee Line is great... but this combo rocks the Casbah

 

[Raj]

Had to switch back to a DdRT with my hitch climber, had a very dense canopy spruce. I couldn't see any easy way to advance my TIP with SRT. That's my only problem with SRT with the hitch hiker. Once I topped and shaved off one side (the side away from a very close house, no reliable ground help) and went back a few days later when help was available, SRT with the hitch hiker was like being born again!

 

[DMc]

... had a very dense canopy spruce. I couldn't see any easy way to advance my TIP with SRT. That's my only problem with SRT with the hitch hiker...

On thick canopy evergreens I will often just shoot my line over the top of entire tree, pull it back up and drop the throw bag down the the center. I then pull up my climbing line and tie it off to a nearby tree or other object that I deem strong enough. Take care in testing to make sure the line is centered. This works for me and is fast. But be prepared if you do this to sooner or later take some small drops as the small top branches give out. That does not bother me but I'm guessing that some might not be thrilled at that prospect.