First Hitchhiker Climb

[Tim_B.]

I am leaning towards Bigshot. Almost ready to make the decision! My inlaws are starting to ask what I want for Christmas. I am 54 so a little old for receiving gifts but it's hard to turn down. I think I saw you mention the stainless release in old post. Looks very helpful. I am also planning to use search to look through old posts and see what rope / hitchcord combos you all are using with HH. Are you still on the same rope/hitch as last time some asked this?


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Hey, Eric! If it's not already too late, you might want to watch this series of videos done by Tom Hoffman with regard to the APTA. He is a tinkerer and a really smart guy who tries to always find smarter ways to do things. I think the modifications he ended up making to his own APTA have been incorporated into the production version of the APTA, at least to some extent. His videos are necessarily long, in order to convey all of the information he needs to pass on, but well worth watching.

It might give you some perspective on the capabilities of the APTA.

One complaint I've heard about the Big Shot is the variable performance in different temperatures. It probably doesn't shoot as far in colder weather.

I think Tom makes mention in one of his videos about how accurate his shots are with the APTA, and also how the results are repeatable.

Now I need to go back and watch them all again, as it has been awhile. Thanks for listening.

I'm going to try to post a link here to Tom's "Playlist" of videos that relate to the APTA, so that you don't have to search through his whole library of videos on YouTube. Here goes nothing.

https://m.youtube.com/?reload=7&rdm=29zxkb3rm#/playlist?list=PLUlSYuIlSMrTTF5ss4RvKbGZ0XWNn36h3

P.S. You should probably also scroll through the whole library of videos Tom has produced. As I said, he's really smart, and a lot of the videos he's posted may be of interest to you.

 

[Bermy]

I'm still on Tachyon with 8mm bee-line.

I AM going to add JB Holdaway's rubber tube on the crossover of my VT. It works to provide a more consistent tension in the knot. You know how the VT inevitably seems to get some slack in it as the climb progresses, despite tying in real tight at the start!
The rubber is actually a 1" piece of old bigshot tube.

 

[Eric H-L]

Hey, Eric! When I try to click on this link using my Samsung handheld computer I get a message that tells me that the protocol is not supported, and I see a blank white page. Just so you know.

Maybe someone else can post the link for you in a standard format.

Thanks.

Tim

Tim,
No worries! The link works on my mobile. I don't really understand technology, it's like a mysterious force of nature to me. I am happy when it works.



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[Eric H-L]

Hey, Eric! If it's not already too late, you might want to watch this series of videos done by Tom Hoffman with regard to the APTA. He is a tinkerer and a really smart guy who tries to always find smarter ways to do things. I think the modifications he ended up making to his own APTA have been incorporated into the production version of the APTA, at least to some extent. His videos are necessarily long, in order to convey all of the information he needs to pass on, but well worth watching.

It might give you some perspective on the capabilities of the APTA.

One complaint I've heard about the Big Shot is the variable performance in different temperatures. It probably doesn't shoot as far in colder weather.

I think Tom makes mention in one of his videos about how accurate his shots are with the APTA, and also how the results are repeatable.

Now I need to go back and watch them all again, as it has been awhile. Thanks for listening.

I'm going to try to post a link here to Tom's "Playlist" of videos that relate to the APTA, so that you don't have to search through his whole library of videos on YouTube. Here goes nothing.

https://m.youtube.com/?reload=7&rdm=29zxkb3rm#/playlist?list=PLUlSYuIlSMrTTF5ss4RvKbGZ0XWNn36h3

P.S. You should probably also scroll through the whole library of videos Tom has produced. As I said, he's really smart, and a lot of the videos he's posted may be of interest to you.

Hey Tim,
First, it's not too late. I will watch these videos before I make a decision. Between them and the Climbing Arborist videos I will have plenty of informative viewing for a while!
Thanks for pointing out the advantage the APTA may have in cold temperatures.


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[Eric H-L]

Hi Tim,
I watched the video of Dan Holliday making a Big Shot trigger. You know, I was familiar with the Climbing Arborist videos on YouTube, even watched this one a while ago, but I had totally forgotten and I got more out of it seeing it again. I think Richard Mumford might have a gadget like this on a video also. It's cool that a lot of the materials are odds and ends that might be lying around...practically free. Also it has mechanical advantage and progress capture! One thing I was wondering after talking with Fiona about the trigger made from the stainless steel sailboat hardware: "How do I safely hold the 'glass pruning pole without getting my hand smacked?" I was watching Dan's hand position *very* closely this time!
Also I appreciate how you are getting the word out about Dan's videos. They really are a valuable resource. I did not know about the website until tonight. I look forward to watching these videos again in a more organized way and catching up on any I missed.


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[Eric H-L]

Peter,
Sorry to hear the exchange rate is making it pricey to get rope. In that post you mentioned Vortex and Cherry Bomb... do you use one more than the other? Or does it depend on the situation?


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[Eric H-L]

I'm still on Tachyon with 8mm bee-line.

I AM going to add JB Holdaway's rubber tube on the crossover of my VT. It works to provide a more consistent tension in the knot. You know how the VT inevitably seems to get some slack in it as the climb progresses, despite tying in real tight at the start!
The rubber is actually a 1" piece of old bigshot tube.

Fiona,
I am just discovering that Houdini VT loosening up from very tight stopper knots. I was hoping it would stabilize with breaking in. Thanks for the rubber tube trick. Now if I decide to get a Bigshot I will eventually have plenty of old tubing! I think I saw something on a forum about making carabiner corner traps out of Bigshot scraps?


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[Raj]

Cherry bomb on pitchy climbs, and smaller stuff. Vortex on taller wide spread hardwoods. Just because the cherry bomb is 120ft and vortex is 150ft and that's all I have in the 24 strands.

 

[Eric H-L]

Cherry bomb on pitchy climbs, and smaller stuff. Vortex on taller wide spread hardwoods. Just because the cherry bomb is 120ft and vortex is 150ft and that's all I have in the 24 strands.

Do you use different type of hitchcord? Do you need a longer cord for the Vortex?


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[Raj]

3/8 beeline on the 1/2" and 8mm AP on the 11.7. Stock lengths on both.

 

[r0ck1r0ck2]

i use arbpro 9mm cut to a little less than 4'

have also had some luck with armorprus 8mm
and sterling rit 9mm.
and yes to the beeline.

i climb on yale 11.7 and my long line is 200' of sterling addiction.

they both work quite well thank you.

i have had luck with my samson BRW on pitchy cruddy pines as well.


i've gotta say, before you get a launcher,
practicing with the throwbag has returns far outweighing the costs.

on my short 120' yale line i've got spliced eyes and with start my climbs with a base anchor tied with one end
and a Ddrt hitchclimber setup on the other.

i ascend to my 1st tip and advance with my lanyard and the Ddrt to a nice high AF tie in.

then proceed to maniac out.

i also have nothing but nice things to say about climbing arborist's page
stand up man.

lawrence shultz's SRT series is really cool as well.
meaning really really cool.

 

[Grendel]

I've never ran anything but the stock beeline on my HH. I even changed it out once. . . back to the same thing. I think there are probably better cords for that application. Beeline is so stiff. Something fuzzier, softer, and more grabby, like AP or that ArbPro stuff would probably suite me better. . .

All that being said, beeline works just fine. . .

 

[Raj]

The big shot does change when it's very cold, I just keep it in the cab with me on the drive to the job.

 

[Eric H-L]

The big shot does change when it's very cold, I just keep it in the cab with me on the drive to the job.

Peter,
Last night I watched Fairfield's YouTube comparison APTA vs Bigshot. He said the same thing you did about keeping his Bigshot in a warm place.


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[Eric H-L]

Hi Rocker,
I was reading your thread about ropes and I saw the picture of all the hitchcords with ends whipped. I was wondering what you had settled on. Now you have answered my question! I might have more questions for you about hitchcords but I only have a 15 minute break now.

"i've gotta say, before you get a launcher,
practicing with the throwbag has returns far outweighing the costs."

I am totally taking this advice! The whole APTA vs. Bigshot question is fascinating, but I can spend my time now practicing throwing. and figure out which launcher to get later. I still suck but I can see improvement since I started a year ago with mason's twine and a potato in a sock!

The Schultz Effect is something I got a few months ago. I was very impressed. I can see as I advance I will start learning and using some of those redirects.
Eric

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[Bermy]

My bigshot release is simply the clip and a bit of cord prussicked around the pole. Pull it all down, let go, aim and pull the release cord. Never had my hands slapped by anything.

Who thinks beeline is stiff? I'd call OP stiff. Ice tail is the softest cord I've used...beeline is somewhere in between.

 

[Eric H-L]

My bigshot release is simply the clip and a bit of cord prussicked around the pole. Pull it all down, let go, aim and pull the release cord. Never had my hands slapped by anything.

Who thinks beeline is stiff? I'd call OP stiff. Ice tail is the softest cord I've used...beeline is somewhere in between.

Hi Fiona,
I saw the picture of (I think) your release on the Wesspur website. It looks like a solid piece of stainless sailboat hardware! Like you said a little expensive-- but probably stronger than the bowstring triggers. The setup they had on Wesspur was like you describe (not the full on 3 to one MA with progress capture and bells and whistles that Dan has.) My anxiety would apply for the minimalist or the maximalist version. I just don't want my hand on the pole above the moving parts. I was thinking that with the release set low on the pole there might not be much room to hold the pole below the danger and keep it aimed. Dan seemed have no problem in the video and your hands are safe-- so I am sure its no problem. As I mentioned to r0ck1r0ck2 I am putting off acquiring a launcher for the time being. I know myself well enough that if I got either type I would be throwing a lot less and not progressing in that discipline. Eventually I will probably get BOTH...buying a Bigshot and building a APTA knockoff!

All this discussion of Hitchcord and Rope has left me still overwhelmed by the choices. I am fortunate to live right near Treestuff. Now that I have some finalists I am going over there and seeing them up close. I am curious what you said about the relative suppleness of OP, Beeline and Ice Tail. I guess what I want to know is how does the cord perform differently if it is more or less stiff? Do you find the more supple cord grabs better? The stiff ones release better for ascent? Or is it something else that you can observe?
Eric

 

[BOTS]

Big shot is a game changer especially in the tall pines

 

[Eric H-L]

I have always hated leaf raking!

Today I changed my mind. I have enjoyed climbing the trees on my property all year. The trees have given me so much...raking up once a year is really a small way to give back a little. I thought I would rather be climbing, but I reallly got in the raking zone!

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[Eric H-L]

Anyone know what this is?

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[r0ck1r0ck2]

i wanna say Quercus Bicolor / Swamp White Oak
Images of Swamp White Oak
definitely white oak family.

as to the friction cords..

the things that matter are,

your weight.
heavier people on smaller diameter cords can seize up the hitch.

the humidity/temperature,
wet/muggy days can get the rope/cord grippier. cold days less so but still can get the line inconsistent

your climb line and
the cord matched to it.

i think the 2mm difference rule still applies to the HH2.

eg: 10mm armor prus on a 12.7mm (1/2") line would be a better combo than 8mm on 12.7mm rope.
or 9mm arbpro on yale 11.7mm line.

also.

how new the cord/climbline is
as the rope and the cord get used it can get glazed or can fuzz out.

and how often you tie/retie the hitch.
some people like getting the hitch set to the cord then just leaving it on the rope between climbs.

seems like you're climbing on safety blue?
that's pretty dynamic 12.7mm line.
nice for learning as it stretches and it's cheap.

i've had some success with the michoacan as well as the standard HH hitch.

 

[r0ck1r0ck2]

if you're going to stay on the safety blue,
go to TreeStuff and grab 4 or 5 ft lengths of
ArmorPrus 10mm
ArbPro 9mm
and
Sterling RIT 9mm

9mm cord is pretty flexible on a wide range of ropes for me.
and the ArmorPrus is the BeesKnees.

i'm 200pounds of climber maybe more now that i've got a girlfriend who makes me happy.

 

[Bermy]

Eric that's pretty much my setup for the bigshot release in that picture.
I have no problem with hands in the way when pulling down, I kind of crouch at the bottom of the pole...but then, we've all been revealing our heights on the other thread and I'm pretty small!

 

[Limbrat]

Definitely white oak Eric. You seem to be into making your own gear. I made my big shot with two poles out of the top rail from a chain link fence, one with a male end so they can be taken apart. My trigger is similar to Dan Holliday's, using an archery release, but I just used one pulley. I made the sling shot forks out of 3/8" steel rod if I remember correctly, welded onto a bracket that slid over the top pole and bolted to it. I drilled a hole in the bottom pole just above ground level for a small eyebolt to attach the cord. Works pretty slick if I do say so. I did go to the Big Shot bands and pouch after trying several other options.

 

[Eric H-L]

Hi Rocker,


Your info on hitchcords is super helpful to me!
I am 155 without boots or gear and I have been leaving my HH on the rope.
One misunderstanding to clear up: No Safety Blue. I started out using my trees to practice industrial rope access techniques. I started climbing Edelrid 10.5 static with the Petzl "three of a kind" Croll/Ascent/Rig.
Then I fell in love with trees and started getting some proper tree gear. I got the HH, 8mm OP cord, foot ascender and homemade knee ascender. I am still on the Edelrid 10.5 but I am eager to get some legit tree rope. I am using information from your ropes thread to help decide.


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