Hitch Hiker Reviews

[bonner1040]

Jaime, I could see using it I have to go down and then back up a considerable distance, or on an extremely downhill limbwalk.

Thanks Gerry! That means the world to me.

 

[Porkbrick]

for whatever reason, i often find myself hanging off the side or bottom of limbs to reach some end cut. it is really nice to be able to easily pull myself back up. our coast live oaks have a lot of long drooping branches.

 

[bonner1040]

I can dig it!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Our Valley and Blue oaks are just like that Jaime. Set a redirect and decend into the lower vertical stuff.... Climb back up when done or....... hit the terra and Wraptor back up

 

[Porkbrick]

wouldn't that be nice! just the last few days ive been fooling with the HH switching to drt and back to srt. its really smooth, excellent for getting up into tight crowns by leapfrogging lanyard/climbline, then tie off and srt. im going to play around with an idea i had. if you tie off with a ring-ring/stopper knot or running knot with a tail to the ground you can potentially tie a butterfly in the tail at any point, clip it into your harness and descend drt, then re-ascend to the point you started, or if you decide not to re-ascend, then you simply lanyard, undo the butterfly and take up the slack till your running knot is tight again. clear as mud?

 

[Porkbrick]

i really love blue oaks btw. one of my favorite trees.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

This week,I tried the HH first time in a lime tree, around 70' and wide crown, heavily pruned years ago.
SRT ascent, and work with SRT and 1 or 2 ddrt for fine positioning.
It was like "wow, it's magic".
The HH responded very well either with only one rope or with the 3 ropes (5 strands actually) charing the load. Even with a very flat positioning, standing in air.

Thanks a lot for your bright idea.


I just put the HH instead of my croll, on a delta link (the central point on my Sequoia srt) and a home made tether, so I have to modify a little my system to match the HH requirements.
One point worries me is the steel carabiner flipping sideway and coming back in place at each step. It impairs the smoothness and will add an unneeded wear.
I'll look at the small eye-to-eye. It's promising.

Second point I have to think is when descending throw the limbs in a new location with the tail staying above in the last one, the HH jams when the slack is gone.

 

[DMc]

...One point worries me is the steel carabiner flipping sideway and coming back in place at each step...

I do not understand this. On ascent with a chest harness or over the shoulder tether this should not be happening. Maybe you could take a picture of your setup?

David

 

[Marc-Antoine]

Ok, I get my gear and try to take some pics. I'll post them this night if I have something decent.

 

[Bermy]

Thanks for that video Nick, and your voiceover was nice and clear.

I'm beginning to get the idea chaps, those videos have really shown me how the branch walking return and ascent can be handled with just a bit more kit, and some ingenuity...now to save up for one.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Thanks for that video Nick, and your voiceover was nice and clear.

I'm beginning to get the idea chaps, those videos have really shown me how the branch walking return and ascent can be handled with just a bit more kit, and some ingenuity...now to save up for one.

All you need is one, non-life support metal link to set up the 3:1, which you presumably already have. Of course a low-friction pulley is better, but 3:1 with friction is easier than 2:1 without friction, and probably with friction, too. Just clove hitch it in place if you can get your weight off the line. If not, then a piece of cord to make a friction hitch.

Why wait to try it? Make a wooden version.

After I did, I was able to work faster, and make the money for the metal Rope Wrench, quickly.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

I do not understand this. On ascent with a chest harness or over the shoulder tether this should not be happening. Maybe you could take a picture of your setup?

David

It was raining, so I try to simulate an ascent in my kitchen, hanging on the central heater's pipes. But the pics are deceptive.
Though, I found (hope so) what's wrong in my setup.
First, my croll's tether is too low for the HH : its natural place is at the bottom of the carabiner when I'm on the rope; not good.
Second, the delta link puts the HH not in front of me but rotates it 90°, so I see its side.
When I push and stand on the Pantin, my body movement pulls the low part of the biner sideway and makes it rotate, after that it raises the HH. With the set back, the biner comes back in place.

I have to play a little with my setup. A twisted shackle instead of the delta link for example. Or nothing at all, but I don't like to put the biner directly in the web strap of my central point. We'll see...

 

[bonner1040]

Sean you have a ZK-1 RW and one of the production Hitch Hikers right?

How do they compare to you? I have heard 'there is a tool for every job' and all that, but I find it hard to believe that one doesn't do the job better than the other.

Can anyone else weigh in on the differences?

 

[DMc]

I have both the ZK-1 and ZK-2. The ZK-2 has some really well-thought-out refinements over its predecessor and is a joy to handle. In use, they are very much alike and with a stiff tether both work well.
I think it is important when investigating a new tool's potential to take your time and not bale on it too soon if it does not match what you are used to. So much of what we do, when moving through the tree is done without conscious thought but lots of muscle memory. That and the fact that setups require tuning, it would be odd indeed if a new tool or system did not exhibit some performance holes. But even with a careful trial, not all tools will match an individual's style or needs.
I have used many, many tools and ways to climb and do tree work. The Hitch Hiker has become my top choice.

David

 

[SouthSoundTree]

I have a prototype HH, NOT a production one. I emphasize this as a preface to having used it DdRT for the first time yesterday. I rarely climb DdRT, like 10 times in the last year. I had a bit of trouble with it on DdRT with a leather cambium saver over a 3" diameter top branch, which is under the 5" diameter recommended as a minimum for the cambium saver. I didn't dial in my valdotain wraps for my rope. It may have also been the interaction of the prototype dog bone (one of the earlier ones made) with the prototype HH.

It seems from what I hear, and figuring that Paul has it dialed in before production, that my difficulties were operator error (not dialing in the number of hitch wraps) and prototype fine-tuning (the dog bone is very hard to fit into my HH midline, by a few hundreds of an inch of too small of a hole in the HH, again this prototype was made before the dog bone, I got two oxan biners with my prototype).

All this being said, Kevin Bingham has to be applauded for leading us into hitch dependent SRT devices with the ZK-1 and ZK-2, though I think that they are eclipsed by the Hitch Hiker (which again, from what I'm hearing, all the bugs that I experienced with proto-HH and proto-dog one have been designed out). The ability to change seamlessly from SRT to DdRT is big, along with not having to engage the RW to keep the hitch from locking up, and a more compact (if only slightly) set-up. The stiff tether for the RW is a good improvement, but the tetherless design of the HH is better. Oh yeah, there is no need to make an adjustment to the hitch hiker when climbing on different diameter ropes as happens with me on 11.7, and Erik usually on 1/2".

People think that $160 might seem like a chunk of change, but for those that embrace SRT, it will be SOOOOO worth it. The increase in production and increase in climber longevity (IMO, people will be more likely to use leg propulsion with 1:1, and won't be fighting friction from DdRT) will make the purchase seem like a drop in a barrel. Savings on spliced hitch cord alone will pay for the HH over time.

Once I get my new commuter up and running, I"ll be buying a production Hitch Hiker, for sure!

 

[DMc]

Anyone wanting to make a great tool even better might want to try making one of these. It is cut from a piece of 1/8" extremely tough polyurethane from a horse hoof pad. Not only does it provide a good attachment for advancing the HH, it stabilizes the carabiner/HH interface similar to a carabiner corner trap.

I haven't used it long enough to vouch for its longevity but if it breaks I will try a different material because it does improve the Hitch Hikers function.

David

 

[bonner1040]

They don't sell those near my apartment! I will have to head out to the country.

 

[DMc]

Nick, if you go down to your local fire station and talk to the guys, you will find that of those that are not making a fortune as part time tree guys :roll: some may be raking in the big bucks as farriers and should have access to hoof pads.

David

 

[Oldmilltreecare]

That's very good DMc. I'll try and find some.

 

[Oldmilltreecare]

instead of pictures, i decided to make a video

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/r4Y5mE4WmxE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Hi Porkbrick
To save the rest of us messing around and wasting loads of time, would you mind measuring that foot loop and hand loop please. Also tell us how tall you are. This would all be very useful, at least for me anyway.
Thank you.

 

[Oldmilltreecare]

A huge thank you from across the pond to PCTREE for getting my Hitch Hikers to me yesterday. I used it this morning on a big slippy Ash and I was truly amazed.

I expected it to feel like an awkward Hitch Climber set up but actually it feels like a perfect HC set up with all the SRT advantages.
I've gotta say I'm truly astonished at how good it is.
I certainly won't miss having to advance a hitch THEN advance my Rope Wrench.

PCTREE for Prime Minister (President)!!

 

[PCTREE]

glad it made it there OK, remember to keep that hitch tight.....

 

[Porkbrick]

Hi Porkbrick
To save the rest of us messing around and wasting loads of time, would you mind measuring that foot loop and hand loop please. Also tell us how tall you are. This would all be very useful, at least for me anyway.
Thank you.

no problem. im 6' nothing, but i have a 6'6" armspan. the footloop is 43" end to end, and the hand loop is around 12". the hand loop is a little short, it should be half of a comfortable distance to hand over hand (grip to grip if you know what i mean). hope that helps.

i like the horse plastic keeper. i have noticed a tendency for the biner to get sideways under certain circumstances and that would handily solve the problem.

 

[bonner1040]

I would like to know your astrological sign and favorite movie please.

 

[Porkbrick]

libra, and Tremors. i love long walks in the woods and romantic meals...