Need to climb more efficient!

[OTGBOSTON]

got a pic Greg?

I PROMISE I will get a pic up for you of the srt set up and the drt set up by monday..

 

[Blinky]

I used to carry a spare pulley as the slack tender on my lanyard but a dog leash snap works almost as smoothly so I used the snap to hold the pulley. If I needed the pulley I used the snap to tend the lanyard. I'm using an 8mm lanyard at the moment so a pulley weighs more than the cord. I just throw a spare split tail in the ditty bag if I think I'll need one.

I'm ready to ditch the HC too, it doesn't do a lot for me. I wonder if some of the people raving about how much it changed their climbing were using a basic pulley to full advantage?

 

[Burnham]

Wow, an 8mm lanyard? That must be nasty to handle...at least the way I use a lanyard it would be.

What cordage?

 

[sotc]

I like my HC because it is smooth, hasn't really changed anything other than eliminating some clutter on my saddle by clipping the other biner into it.

 

[Burnham]

Ditto.

 

[Blinky]

8mm Kevlar with a poly jacket, it's pretty stiff but 5/16" Tech Cord (Atlantic Braids) grips it reliably. It sucks for flipping but it's light, quick and clean in a big wide tree. I'm not sold on it yet, just trying it until I wear it out... really durable so far. A smaller snap would make it better.

 

[Blinky]

The little rigging plate thing is very nice.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Ditto Willie and Burnam on the HC..

 

[rangerdanger]

I agree with others on the HC statement. It also helped eliminate the slack that was in my hitch biner when body thrusting. I never did connect everything to one biner like some others have. It was always two biners for me.

Plus, the HC just looks awesome. Way cooler than a normal pulley

 

[stig]

The rapide model with ball bearings even even cooler!

Richard and I have a "keeping up with the Joneses" thing going with each other, equipmentwise.

So when I bought my second HC and got a bit ahead of him, he came back from visiting family in England with a Rapide model.

So I bought a new 660 Stihl.

Anything to keep ahead of him

 

[kikori]

I finally got a right foot pantin! I have yet to throw my system together yet and test it out. I am psyched to be on the road to more efficient ascent. Now I just haveto figure out where to put all of that gear once I switch over to my VT to work the tree.

 

[TreeDimensional]

You could work off your ascent system (SRT) or switch to DbRT and use the Unicender in place of your hitch. Efficiency sometimes implies using less, or at least what you already have on your line!

You related to widowshooter?

 

[SkwerI]

You could start by leaving about half of it in the truck.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I should not laugh as I am afraid to weigh my gear bag....

 

[Burnham]

I have to hire a sherpa to drag my gear bags and boxes around.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I can picture that... Both you and Gerry

 

[TreeDimensional]

I've been giving this thread some thought. I have always been an efficiency nut. A few years ago a buddy of mine asked me why tree people don't use SRT more. That began my quest. Now I own a whole lot of stuff (like B) that didn't get used much, and now occupies a space in the truck,' cause I might need it.

Every time I transfer gear from the truck not needed on the job site, I have a heck of a time deciding what to take along. Most of the time I have stuff I didn't even know I brought. On the rare occasion I have forgotten to bring something. No harm, no foul, I can always get back to the basics that I learned with. A rope,and a friction saver (cambium saver) and saddle are all you really need to get up a tree.

The irony is that no one has ever been paid to climb a tree, we are paid for what we do while up there. Hell that even goes for cat rescues and cone pickers! I guess the original question has as many interpretations as personalities on this site. I like the SRT to get up the tree, I pull 1' of rope for a foot of gain. DbRT is less than 1/2 as efficient. but requires less horsepower.

With the right equipment SRT can be work off too. The argument about 1 rope is BS. There are scads of video out the showing just how little a handsaw tap it takes to cut even a DbRT rope set-up!

Efficiency, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder! IMO

BTW I am a little ugly!!!!

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[sotc]

I keep all my climbing gear in a bedrail box in my truck. Saddle has the bare bones, everyday stuff, if something special is needed a trip to the truck is no big deal

 

[Bermy]

I tried the single pulley setup, with everything on one biner...it just never ran anywhere as smoothly as the HC setup does. I never tried it with a VT though, just the blakes, then a distel.
Trying some ocean polyester now for my hitch cord...I like it so far, and it looks way more awesome than the scruffy icetail.!!!

 

[Widow Shooter]

I tried it too Fiona, not as smooth at all, I'll put up with the one 'xtra biner in my rig and the ability to use that 'xtra hole for hanging stuff or climbing off my tail.

 

[Bermy]

Fer shur...!

 

[rbtree]

HC all the way. For all the above stated reasons.

And Wraptor.. Used it a bunch lately. A major energy saver...and time as well!

 

[HolmenTree]

I'm still hanging in footlocking with the Blakes, 1/2" Blue streak, micro pulley and ringed friction saver. But yeah that Wraptor looks mighty interesting.

Willard.

 

[Bermy]

I almost always use a home made FS these days too. A nylon sling, carabiner on each end, one with a micro pulley, like Otis Elevator!

 

[dandandatreeman]

I am all SRT all the time in a tree now. I climbed a good sized live oak today, and IMO the fate revolver type system I use is the most effective way to climb without spers! Big Shot the TIP, Hook hitch and hitchclimber, Left hand assender with foot loop, Pantin.....gone to the top of the tree. Work one level at a time all the way down...redirect through as many forks as needed and my hitch never changes friction.
I love SRT now and I am learning new ways to climb with it everyday. Before I was all old-school dbrt and would hip thrust sometimes, but mostly just do it like a hack and spur the hell out of trims......I am a hack no more!