How'd it go today?

I'm like you, most of my weight on my line.

Good stuff on your climber, and yours, Squish.

I've wondered before on the forums, what percent of all climbers are taut line compared to all other "modern" hitches. I'd guess 70% are taut line. Which is kind of crazy since seems like 95% of climbers on the forums are modern hitch guys. Which I guess would mean the vast amount of tree climbers are not on forums.
 
Cory, Im often amazed at hoe many climbers still get around on old cotton saddles or simple butt strap style saddles and L shaped garbage gaff pads. I get the fact that many men just want to stick with the style they learned on, but how about some comfortable gear atleast?
 
Tautline on the tail of his hi-vee..


So if he is using a "closed system" instead of an "open system" such as when the climber has a separate friction cord for his hitch which allows your climb line to double as a lanyard, is your guy able to stay tied in full time as he ascends Ddrt?
 
So if he is using a "closed system" instead of an "open system" such as when the climber has a separate friction cord for his hitch which allows your climb line to double as a lanyard, is your guy able to stay tied in full time as he ascends Ddrt?

Im not sure I follow. He climbs on what Butch prefers. Butch can you post the pic of your setup?
 
Finished a large crane job this morning. Large, 120ft. Pondo, behind house, in the deck. Was about 52" for ~16 feet, then split into co-dom stems, easily 28-30". Craned another 100 footer in front, much more quick. Their driveway looked like a logging site. Went smooth other than the crane being three hours late, 40' too short on reach over the house and two busted hydro lines on the chipper. Mondays... :|:
 
Chris, like if you wanted to pass a limb on your way up the tree (new school), you would be lanyarded in around the trunk under the limb and then unclip one side of your climb line and throw it up above the limb then clip it back to your saddle, pull it tight then unclip the lanyard. You passed the limb and stayed tied in full time instead of being not tied in momentarily if you had only used a single lanyard on your way up and didn't use your old school climbing line to help pass by the limb cuz you didn't want to untie and then retie the friction hitch if you used your climbing line to help pass the limb. Clear as mud?
 
You can't do it with one hand... or at least I can't.

What's wrong with a tautline?
Never had to tie my hitch with 1 hand. I learned the Blakes 15 yrs ago after first climbing on the tauntline, the Blakes is so much easier to manage. I fairlead and slack tend it with a micro pulley.
 

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Chris, like if you wanted to pass a limb on your way up the tree (new school), you would be lanyarded in around the trunk under the limb and then unclip one side of your climb line and throw it up above the limb then clip it back to your saddle, pull it tight then unclip the lanyard. You passed the limb and stayed tied in full time instead of being not tied in momentarily if you had only used a single lanyard on your way up and didn't use your old school climbing line to help pass by the limb cuz you didn't want to untie and then retie the friction hitch if you used your climbing line to help pass the limb. Clear as mud?
Corey I always use 2 separate lanyards, 1 on each side of my saddle , 1 on a Petzl micro grab and the other a Gibbs. Each fully independently adjustable. Climbing line always stays tied in.
I first started out on a 2 way lanyard with a prussic in the middle but got tired fumbling with the prussic. A mechanical grab can't advance a 2 way lanyard's prussic both sides , so I just went to my 2 lanyard setup with each own's grab.
 
One of my customers invited me up to an old hot spring inn, deep in the mountains. I have recently finished some work for him. The inn is an old timber frame structure with both an outside and inside sulphur bath, very attractive rooms and the meals were excellent, lots of dishes with food that can be found growing wild or swimming in the rivers. Before parking the car we were already met by a young lady that ushered us into a small room for a drink and snack, a nice way to shed the windy road up there. Then she took us on a little tour of the place before showing us to our lodging. Once in our room, they immediately brought in intoxicating drink and some very tasty food for a snack. High class but very relaxed. Accompany us was also my customer's 91 year old grammar school teacher from the second through the sixth grade. A cool guy to speak with about the past, still sharp and in good health. I hadn't been up to a place like that in quite a few years, and had forgotten how nice that they can be. Too much sake, but I woke up at four-thirty and went into the bath. I could open some large sliding windows to look out over the mountains in the early light. The place is pretty high elevation, the morning air was sweet and cool. Home now but can still smell the sulphur.
 

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Cory, I need to work with him more to get a better understanding of how he crosses all his bridges, so to speak. Yes, he climbs on that old style closed system. I left a spliced eye line with a split tail on it in a big tree last week that I quit taking down when my pain got bad. He studied my line and hitch for a minute and pulled it right out of the tree. I was sort of shocked that he didnt take advantage of it. Nope, sort of gave it a disgusted look and took it right out of the tree and started up the tree on his lanyard. To each their own. I wont gripe because he ripped a wheelie up the tree just fine doing it his way. To each their own. A climber should only do what makes them comfortable, and that varies greatly amongst us.
 
Starting a one acre clearing on two adjacent yards. Phase 1 remove the under story of buckthorn and honey suckle Phase 2 remove the dead and dying Phase 3 prune the good trees Phase 4 replant. Should be fun in the rain and mud.
 
Cory, I need to work with him more to get a better understanding of how he crosses all his bridges, so to speak. Yes, he climbs on that old style closed system. I left a spliced eye line with a split tail on it in a big tree last week that I quit taking down when my pain got bad. He studied my line and hitch for a minute and pulled it right out of the tree. I was sort of shocked that he didnt take advantage of it. Nope, sort of gave it a disgusted look and took it right out of the tree and started up the tree on his lanyard. To each their own. I wont gripe because he ripped a wheelie up the tree just fine doing it his way. To each their own. A climber should only do what makes them comfortable, and that varies greatly amongst us.

I do respect a climbers right to use their own gear or techniques, but pulling a preset line out in favour of spurring up with no overhead tie in is kinda dumb.

The smart thing to do in that situation would be to use the original line to pull your own system in IMO.

I was on a job for another co years ago, two day takedown, the climber pulled all his kit at the end of the first day. I got there a bit early the next day, so I thought I'd help him out by getting a throw line into the crotch he tied into the previous day. When the climber showed up he very nicely said thanks but no thanks, and spiked up. It was a really awkward climb too. Never understood that attitude, if there's an easier way I'll take it every time.
 
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