Throwline

It might be helpful for us to share experiences with various THROWLINE. For several years I have used SLICKLINE(3/16 yellow polypropylene). I have two of these attached to Ness shot pouch from New Tribe. When one got stuck in the hairy little branches in the top of the tree I left it thinking it would come down eventually. I am still waiting but am about ready to go after it.

Then my daughter was using my other one and got it stuck as well. I got it down through a bit of trickery but the lesson told me I needed another backup or two.

I used this opportunity to order both Blackline and Hotline from New Tribe. It is smaller and more flexible than Slickline but it has a couple of features which cause me to prefer Slickline.

The first is that it tends to have more drag on the branches. If I throw it across two branches while setting it there is enough friction that even a 16oz weight doesn't fall of its own accord. It is just not as slick as Slickline. This is in my Water Oak and is the Hotline. I have not tried the Blackline yet. I have also not tried the Hotline in my Live Oak yet. Possibly the bark of the two different trees will cause less drag in one over the other.

The second undesirable feature is that after just a few short throws I have noticed some fraying of the line. This makes me wonder how long it will last.

What experience and recommendations do others have?

Bill Wyatt

I used New Tribes throwline for years and liked it just fine. And then I found Slickline and haven't looked back. New Tribe's stuff served me fine, although I found that it tended to tangle fairly easily and was hard to untangle. Slickline in a throwmug is unbeatable as far as I'm concerned. I use my old blackline to inconspicuously hold rope settings.

Josh

I highly, highly, highly reccomend Zing-it.

http://www.samsonrope.com/home/newarborist/zingitdetails2.cfm?ProdNum=70

It's very light, and very slick. Strong, too. I use the 1.75mm size with an 8oz weight on it, though most people would reccomend the 10oz for that size line.

It is a bit more expensive that the other lines you can get, but so, so, so, so worth it.

For what it's worth, I have an eye spliced on my throwline. I just girth hitch the weight on to throw it!

love
nick

Thanks a bunch Nick. I will try it and post my comparisons with the other two here. I have located a local dealer. The price is a bit dear...$17 for 180 foot tube. How does this price compare with what you have found? He only had the 2.2mm in stock and is going to let me try that at the same price. Do you have any experience with the 2.2mm?

Thanks very much for your input. It is great that we can gain value from each others experience with various equipment.

Yes, if you call Sherrill Arborist Supplies at 800-525-8873 they have all sizes in both yellow and red. I've not used 2.2mm. It is a tad heavier and as such, needs a slightly heavier throw weight and won't go quite as high, but is a lot easier on your hands. If your used to slick line, you'll like the 2.2mm.

Anything around 20.00 is reasonable for Zing-It.

let us know how it goes!

love
nick

Nick,
Thanks a bunch for the Zing-It recommendation. I managed to find a spool of the 2.2mm size for evaluation. I LOVE THIS STUFF. It is smaller than both slickline and Kernmantle throwline. But it is stronger and slicker than either of the others.

It has less memory for kinks, twists, and knots.

It is well worth the extra cost. Well worth it. Thanks a bunch for the recommendation.

I knew you'd love it!

I am currently using the 1.75mm, red (it's actually pink), with an eye spliced on both ends. I just girth hitch the splice around the bag. It's a quick tie and untie!

For what it's worth, my primary throw weight is an 8ouncer. I like it. Every now and then, it doesn't come down, though. Usually I throw it up, let the momemtum bring it down, then if I have to bring it up to isolate my target crotch, I'll take of the 8 and put on a 12oz. That almost always brings it back to the ground

Glad you like it.

love
nick

Are any of you using Fly Lite? I am experiencing mixed results. The stuff is small, is light, throws easily and comes down smoothly. Using my bigshot I can regularly access anchors at well over a hundred feet using the Fly Lite and an eight-ounce bag. The problem is that it tangles very easily and tends to tie itself in knots as it flies through the air. I have made shots that went straight up, came straight down, and the line would have knots in it. Go figure! Another problem is that while it is quite strong, it still tends to break when pulled over rough anchors; It abraids very easily. It is very discouraging to get a line over a limb at over a hundred feet and then lose the setting when the line pops under the weight of the rope because of the abrasion created by passing over a rough surface. I have found that the best solution is to use the Fly Lite for the initial shot, then exchange it for Slickline in order to haul up the climbing rope.

Sometimes I have to start with monofilament fishing line and a six ounce weight, then exchange it for slickline before making the rope haul.

Zingit is another option. It is stronger and would do well to haul up the rope, but , even with gloves, its small diameter makes it extremely painful on my hands when making a long and heavy haul. Zingit is also even worse than Fly Lite about getting itself into tangles. The knots which tend to magically appear in the Zingit are almost impossible to untie once you have hauled on them.

Most of the trees that I climb are "wild" trees, in wilderness settings, and the possibilities for things getting tangled is always quite high. If it isn't the ground vegetation that is catching the line, it is the understory that the line passes through as it goes up, over, and down again. Usually I will carry all three types of line and let the tree, the anchor limb, and the ground vegetation determine which line or combination of line I will use. In urban settings, with "tame" trees, I almost always stick with Slickline and a twelve ounce bag. Any further thoughts on this subject would be greatly appreciated!

I've been using 1.75mm zing-it also, with a 10oz bag. I also prefer it over slickline, and NT's blackline or hotline, for most of the climbing around here. (I haven't tried fly-lite though.) It snags less on rough bark, moss and small branches, and I can get higher shots more consistently with the lighter bag. Like Josh though, I still use the blackline, usually when I want to leave an inconspicuous line up in the tree.

There was a thread recently on TreeBuzz (I think - or was it here?) about using a folding storage cube for storing your throw line. Here's a link that sells these:

http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?CATID=166&PRODID=62087.

I actually picked up something similar at a department store here (like Target), which is supposed to be a fold-up clothes hamper - cost about $6. It works great - you just flake the throw line into it, and when you throw, it pulls the line straight out of the cube without tangles. You don't have to worry about the line snagging on vegetation, and when you've made the throw, flake the line back into the "cube", and fold it back up. I spend a lot less time stuffing line into a line mug, and untangling the line from plants and debris. (of course the line mugs are still great for bringing up in the tree with you).

Yep, there was a big thread on arboristsite.com about it.

http://arboristsite.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=113794

This picture will show the hamper that can be purchased at target for less than 7 dollars. I am not yet sure if it is the BEST method, but it sure beats stuffing it into a tiny little bag!

love
nick

Bump! Or 8 months late to the party....As it were.

Some comments. I got some blackline from tree Tools a few years back---total junk! Stretchy, frictiony, and hard to see.

Flylight is also junk, as it will break at the slightest problem requiring tugging.

ZingIt is the best I've used...essentially just small spectra. The 1.75 size is very tangly and must be handled carefully...the 2.2 ain't much better! I'm just now getting pure plasma line from my source, super cheap...It is much stronger than ZI, not that that matters, it is just all that Puget Sound Ropes makes in the amll sizes. I let you guys know how it works. i'm sure its characteristics will be similar to ZI, and then maybe I can sell excess if anyone wants some.

About those hampers...I used one from Target for maybe 3 months and just kept getting tangles in it. After much frustration, I stepped up and bought the Faltheimer Cube. It is quite expensive, but I do not regret the purchase....not even a tiny bit!

Try it out. I hear the new models will be much better.

love
nick