The Singing Tree Rope Wrench

[rangerdanger]

Derrick, great post!! I was wondering if you or Kevin would chime in over here. I was going to post something similar, but you've worded it nicely. Knowing the basics is a big plus, but it will only get you so far productivity wise. A climber we had during the summer, he was taught old school, no split tail or anything like that. After a week or so with us, using the split tail/blakes hitch system, he said he felt he was far more productive than he was at the old company he worked for. I feel fairly productive in my current system, but find I waste time setting and retrieving my friction saver, plus the added risk that my FS could become stuck, or not pull out, requiring a climb back up to retrieve. That's one reason I think SRT could improve my productivity. It eliminates friction savers altogether.

And aside from looking at it as buying another piece of gear, I also look at it as supporting another innovative tree guy. From what he's told me, Kevin would like to explore other materials and machining options, and getting them tested and certified. If he gets enough interest, possibly mass producing them. Much like Paul wanted/is doing with his Wraptor.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Derrick, great post!!


I feel fairly productive in my current system, but find I waste time setting and retrieving my friction saver, plus the added risk that my FS could become stuck, or not pull out, requiring a climb back up to retrieve. That's one reason I think SRT could improve my productivity. It eliminates friction savers altogether.

I hated working with ring and ring friction savers that would often get stuck if not free hanging. I haven't seen them in a while.



A Rope Wrench can make it possible to have an SRT system for choking on a spar for removals, using only the hitch,RW, and running bowline. Less space between the hitch and RB than with a choked off Fate system. Probably about the same as a GriGri or other mechanical device.



I can understand the concern, sort of, with having the rope tied to the base on removals. Two options are to have it tied above 6 feet or so. Tie it to the base of another tree away from the workzone/ saw zone.

 

[sotc]

I guess climbing above your tie in could be a bad deal SRT

 

[MasterBlaster]

The music in that demo video was terrible.

Ha! And I thought it was just me.

 

[OTGBOSTON]

Is he actually selling these? What do they cost?

 

[TreeDimensional]

Over at TB they were sayin' $50.00. For a stick with a hole in it! One of the members here is hot after one!:roll:

 

[Bounce]

I'm a little surprised at the resistance that I'm hearing to this tool. IMO it's a great idea to just take a bit of the pressure off the hitch so the hitch will work in SRT. It seems completely obvious to me that a guy who could actually work (as opposed to just ascend) in SRT would be faster. It's a 1:1 system where every foot of rope you climb gives you 12" of elevation instead of the 6" you get in DdRT. This makes it faster AND more energy efficient during the ascent. Once in the canopy, you would not have to take the time to transition to the DdRT. You would have the best of both SRT and DdRT, without any negative parts of either. What's more, this device allows a climber to use SRT with very little gear. The guy who made this is clearly not a gear junky because he is trying to get by with less, not more.

 

[SkwerI]

You're right, Sean. I stupidly made my first post in this thread before watching the video. It was a knee jerk reaction to Adrian's announcement that he was buying more gear in order to use yet another climbing system.

I guess I really am turning into my father.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm still like a dog watching television over this, lol.

 

[cory]

I guess I really am turning into my father.

He's probably not as bad as you think.

 

[SkwerI]

Yeah, he is.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Yea, no shit.

 

[Widow Shooter]

I'm a little surprised at the resistance that I'm hearing to this tool. IMO it's a great idea to just take a bit of the pressure off the hitch so the hitch will work in SRT. It seems completely obvious to me that a guy who could actually work (as opposed to just ascend) in SRT would be faster. It's a 1:1 system where every foot of rope you climb gives you 12" of elevation instead of the 6" you get in DdRT. This makes it faster AND more energy efficient during the ascent. Once in the canopy, you would not have to take the time to transition to the DdRT. You would have the best of both SRT and DdRT, without any negative parts of either. What's more, this device allows a climber to use SRT with very little gear. The guy who made this is clearly not a gear junky because he is trying to get by with less, not more.

wow man, Sean, you nailed it boy, nice post

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I ain't throwing my Ddrt away.. I work on both Ddrt and SRT. They each have their place. I prefer to limb walk with Ddrt btw. I have done both.
My next purchase is going to be a Wraptor.. Not a stick with a hole in it.
Excellent post and points Sean...

 

[gf beranek]

Tree Bing is poster at the buzz. His input there is always positive.

Don't know if the tool is all that cracked up,, but he climbs smooth and efficient.

Boy I remember the day...

 

[Old Monkey]

I think its cool how many climbers are out there inventing and innovating. It makes our industry very vibrant and alive. There have been so many improvements in the last 10 years, its amazing.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

I guess climbing above your tie in could be a bad deal SRT

I don't think any worse than DdRT. How do you mean?


For staying below the redirection point...
With SRT, I will shoot a line in a tree as high as I can (arbitrarily, let's say 50'), pull my rope through the crotch 50' back to the ground if I know that all my work is below the 50' redirection height, and tie it off on the long side.
Then, I'll tie a stopper knot if it not spliced, or clip a 'biner for weight on the short climbing side.
If I have to hop over trunks and/ or re-route my rope, I'm only pulling up a Max of 50'. If I was at 40' in the tree on a DdRT system, I'd have 20' above me and 100+ feet of rope to pull up and reroute (my shortest climbline is 120').


As for climbing above the redirection height...
If I need to go higher, or want to traverse through a canopy or into another tree, I'll add an appropriate amount (30-40'' to go 15 or 20' higher than the original re-direct/ TIP.
When I reach the re-direction point, I just make sure to keep weaving the rope over branches, each backed up by ones below. This has worked well in conifers for removing hangers. You can readily climb above your redirection point.

So long as I don't wrap the rope too much, here to there through the canopy, I can pull it out without a problem, and no RnR friction saver to have stick.






I really like the groundie emergency lowering option on SRT.

 

[dandandatreeman]

I have been climbing on this same system, and there is no way I will be hip thrusting or any junk like that again. I use the frog walker system to assend, but I use a big shot to get my rope as high as possible.( We've got alot of tall ones.) Going up to the very top, and switching over to the fate revolver system to work is a breeze! Also it don't matter how many forks you run through the friction stays the same. Kevin Bingham is awesome IMO. I think that I will stick with the fate system for a while since I just got into SRT, and got use to it. There is not many systems that are as good as it IMO. Big seller for me is that there was not alot of gear to blow my pennies on.

 

[Old Monkey]

Which system is that? I do not think I've seen it.

 

[dandandatreeman]

Its on youtube. I think it the most informative video is "F8 Revolver" or look up "Treebing" as the video poster. Kevin has some great stuff on you tube!

 

[canadiantreeman]

Over at TB they were sayin' $50.00. For a stick with a hole in it!

I wonder what it'll cost after a carver gets a hold of it?

But seriously, its a neat, simple tool that effectively makes SRT with a hitch possible. I think its great and all the better that its made of wood. It can only get better, the concept is there.

But so too can a unicender improve. Its very cool to see Mr. Bingham advance his technique.

I think that east coast climbing is VERY different from west coast.

 

[dandandatreeman]

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyXwrXgN0qw
This is where I started my SRT adventure.
I wish I made more money for a unicender, but my hitch and hitch climber work good.
Climbing styles in the north are very different from the south also.

 

[canadiantreeman]

Sho nuff.

 

[sotc]

I don't think any worse than DdRT. How do you mean?

Well, if your tied off at the ground, you climb above your TIP and slip, theres a good chance that you would follow your rope to the ground. Just one of those things to think about

 

[SkwerI]

Willie, another simple solution is using slings with a carabiner and clipping your line off every so often as you climb above your TIP. Of course if the stem is big enough to do that then you probably need to just move your TIP higher.