ZZ and chicane vs akimbo

[WoodCutr]

those caps are great

I use a husky as a wheelchock

 

[CurSedVoyce]

My other .02
If someone can't dial in a working hitch climb rope combo, the last thing they should be messing with is a mechanical.
The climbers I have trained start on hitches and ADVANCE to mechanicals once proficiant.

 

[lxskllr]

FWIW, I wouldn't pick either of them. The zigzag for the previously mentioned reasons, and the akimbo cause it's particular about the rope you use. I like hitches, and if I were to get a "fancy" rig, it would be the hitchhiker. Purely mechanical? roperunner. Whatever you do will probably be wrong, so just pick something, figure out what you don't like about it, then pick something else.

 

[WoodCutr]

im proficient on a hitch, when I find the one that will work that day, and even then, if it will grab on my rope it will 100% lock up about an hour into the climb and I have to re-tie it and hope it works again


like I said, not here to argue about hitches, im here to ask about mechanicals, been on a hitch for over a year and hate every second of it

 

[WoodCutr]

FWIW, I wouldn't pick either of them. The zigzag for the previously mentioned reasons, and the akimbo cause it's particular about the rope you use. I like hitches, and if I were to get a "fancy" rig, it would be the hitchhiker. Purely mechanical? roperunner. Whatever you do will probably be wrong, so just pick something, figure out what you don't like about it, then pick something else.

the hitchhiker is tempting, like super temping

 

[CurSedVoyce]

My job is done here.
Hitch hiker if you must.

 

[Pelorus]

@ WoodCutr - yer welcome.
I have a chicane I bought a couple of years ago, but still havent gotten around to trying it, lol.
I think if you do get a ZZ, you will like it. A lot.
The ZZ lanyard version (zillion?) I also have and am much less fond of. Way too sensitive - accidental release when bumped against a limb or whatever.

edit- I also have an original HH which I did/do like but prefer ZZ. Ditto for a buddy's lockjack which I've tried a few times.

 

[WoodCutr]

so is mine, I ask one question, turns into 4 pages of arguing about stuff un-related to my question

 

[WoodCutr]

@ WoodCutr - yer welcome.
I have a chicane I bought a couple of years ago, but still havent gotten around to trying it, lol.
I think if you do get a ZZ, you will like it. A lot.
The ZZ lanyard version (zillion?) I also have and am much less fond of. Way too sensitive - accidental release when bumped against a limb or whatever.

I got to run a zz and chicane for about 5 minutes, was great, borrowing a zigzag (less chicane) to play with for a few days, if I like it ill buy it

 

[Burnham]

cant put long gaffs on my spurs, (buckingham steel) the gaff will stick out past the bottom of the stirrup

and, even tho a rope cost less than a mech, im still going mech, so I dont even know why we are talking about cords here TBH

Ok, now I can see some clarity.

You clearly don't know shit from shinola.

 

[biggun]

so is mine, I ask one question, turns into 4 pages of arguing about stuff un-related to my question

That is the beauty of forums. Lots of opinions and some great advise. Myself and a few others answered your questions about the suggested mechanicals.

But then the root cause needs to be explored. You can’t get hitches to work? Well people have used hitches for years and still will for years to come. That to me says the problem isn’t in the hitch but in the person tieing and using the hitch.

The last thing anyone wants to hear is of an accident. Hence all the comments about hitches. Your comments raised some concern, some of your latest comments raise even more concern.

You do know that a mechanical device can be as dangerous if not worse than a none grabbing hitch, in certain scenarios?

No one is arguing, experienced members are trying to offer you some very valuable advise which IMO you should take on board, as you obviously do t know as much as you think you do.

Maybe I am interpreting your comments wrong. Maybe you have had a beer or two and has come over wrong.

An emoji can change how a post is interpreted. 😁

Climb safe.

 

[WoodCutr]

Ok, now I can see some clarity.

You clearly don't know shit from shinola.

your right

 

[WoodCutr]

That is the beauty of forums. Lots of opinions and some great advise. Myself and a few others answered your questions about the suggested mechanicals.

But then the root cause needs to be explored. You can’t get hitches to work? Well people have used hitches for years and still will for years to come. That to me says the problem isn’t in the hitch but in the person tieing and using the hitch.

The last thing anyone wants to hear is of an accident. Hence all the comments about hitches. Your comments raised some concern, some of your latest comments raise even more concern.

You do know that a mechanical device can be as dangerous if not worse than a none grabbing hitch, in certain scenarios?

No one is arguing, experienced members are trying to offer you some very valuable advise which IMO you should take on board, as you obviously do t know as much as you think you do.

Maybe I am interpreting your comments wrong. Maybe you have had a beer or two and has come over wrong.

An emoji can change how a post is interpreted. 😁

Climb safe.

I wasnt having the best day, slept on it, gonna have some coffee, and shut my mouth
I need to work on being less of an ass, I didnt think it'd be this hard lol

 

[treebogan]

ZZ under a rope wrench has worked for me for close to a decade.

 

[WoodCutr]

ZZ under a rope wrench has worked for me for close to a decade.

this has been a thought, support bingham (spelling?) and not the petzl ropewrench ripoff

 

[Tommy_B]

Hold old are you? Fitness level? Strength? Weight? Fully loaded with saw?
How long have you been climbing? What sort of trees? Mainly spar work or broadleaf?
What is a "typical" day in trees?

These are all answers that I would ask before deciding what the best climbing system is for anyone

 

[WoodCutr]

teen (not giving exact age)
quite fit, not a body builder but can do pullups, 120# about 130-135# with gear, make that 140# with a saw, and a variety, spars, spreading, I do it all lol

here is a few of my recent jobs
(the images arent the same sizes so excuse formatting)

 

[WoodCutr]

id say a typical day for me is 6-7 hours standing on spurs, with no good TIP, frequently upside down

 

[treebogan]

ZZ and Rope wrench combo, goes together like Whisky and Beer.

 

[WoodCutr]

ZZ and Rope wrench combo, goes together like Whisky and Beer.

im going to have a zz for a few days, I might stick my homemade wrench on it and see how it goes, if its good then thats probably the setup I'll get

I like the ZZ because the high amount of friction points spreading the "grip" out, so if one is in a thin spot or pitch it shouldnt matter so much, unlike the 2 friction points on the akimbo

 

[pantheraba]

Good pics. You're about the same size as my 16 year old grandson. He is very fit also but doesn't really have any interest in trees at this point. Good to see you with a defined interest and asking questions to further your abilities. Folks offering information beyond what you asked questions about is simply them extrapolating potential problems based upon their experience. Always remember it's an honor that someone takes time to offer there experience. Giving time is a gift it's hard to put a price on. Receiving codified experience (words) is a free gift. Potentially life-saving and hopefully leads to better efficiency in whatever you're doing. Stay the course young one... Let these folks help you learn.

 

[WoodCutr]

will do, Gary, thanks

 

[SeanKroll]

I use tied and sewn hitch cords, tried hundreds of combo's and cant ever seem to get one to work, typically it runs if I use a foot ascender but sometimes does it when tending by hand

im going mechanical, not staying with hitches, the mind has been made, sorry to any hitch lovers or mech haters, the amount of times a hitch has tried to drop me 30-60ft is too high
maybe im too light (130 with gear), maybe im not getting them set right, but considering ive almost never had one work right is concerning

tried a buddy's zigzag and chicane, only issue is the length, and not being midline attatchable, trying to decide if the slightly less smooth akimbo is worth it, I suppose I will get both, run them for a day and sell the one I dont like

You're doing something wrong.

Tied or fixed eyes?

 

[SeanKroll]

tell ya what, the hitch deal might just be my rope (scion 11.5) its slickernshit, when I first got it I couldnt even use a blakes hitch on it, its slowly getting better with some hickory natty crotch tho

Wash your rope.

 

[stig]

I use tied and sewn hitch cords, tried hundreds of combo's and cant ever seem to get one to work, typically it runs if I use a foot ascender but sometimes does it when tending by hand

You must be older than sin to have tried that many combos.
I got my climbing license in 1983 and haven't been through nowhere near that.
If you are that old, how come you didn't get into mechanicals when they first came out, why wait till now?

Reason I asked about turns on the distel is, when the German climber Uli Distel changed the old, well known Schwabisch back when we both were young, he did it with 4 turns, one below, 3 above.
I've climbed on both of those, and the are very dependable knots, which is why I start apprentices out on a Distel.
It is not fast and easy, but it won't bite your ass for inattention.

Once they master that, they go on a VT and then off into the World of "hundreds of combos" on their own.

As for ZZ versus Akimbo, I will climb on a ZZ, but I would NEVER let a newb on it.
Sideload that fucker over a branch and it'll crack.
I love the Akimbo.
Never had any problems with it.
My partner has to reset his according to weather, seems like it works for some, less for others.

Want something that is absolutely bulletproof, something you could run an Abrams M1 over............backwards, and still climb on.
Get a Hitchhiker.

I start my apprentices doing SRT on that.