Saddles with floating bridges

Answers to your questions listed above...

My Forum name, Electrojake.
Simple. Three events led to the creation of that handle...
1. My life long nickname "Jake". (for George?)
2. The fact that I have been doing electrical work for the last 30 years.
3. Quite a while ago I needed to come up with a clever email name in a hurry, thus This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Not a very exciting story but it fits me all the same.

As for my time on TreeBuzz...
I am very aware of TreeBuzz.com. It is an outstanding web site!
The short story is: My wife & I both work at height on high voltage electrical systems (albeit for two different companies) and, a number of the high tension linemen I work with have some background doing tree work. The father of an Asst E/T Engineer I currently work with used to run a tree service out of Jackson, New Jersey. Thus my interest in Mark Chisholm and TreeBuzz and people who work at height.

The connection may be a bit abstract but I am a fan of TreeBuzz. I simply don't have the time to get involved in all that wonderful action the site offers. This TCI forum is better matched to my current timetable and climbing skills.

As for your photo of the young climber...
Daughter? Granddaughter? Student?
Just wondering as I have a daughter that just turned 9. She is not much of a climber. Not yet anyway.

So tell us about the climber in your photo?

Ej

Additional input to Electrojake's question as to why those saddles with one fixed D are so popular:
Recently in discussing the advantages with a distributor of saddles (I can't say who), they mentioned that they saw two main reasons why one central fixed or floating D main tie-in on saddles was very popular: 1) because if the climbing rope was too far apart, the DdRT technique becomes more difficult since you're pulling to the side and off center of gravity and
2) as you approach a limb, you can begin to roll which could be awkward or even dangerous.
I thought these were points well made. Any other thoughts on this?

The pic was taken about three years ago. That's my bro's daughter. Now, both her and her sis have all their own gear. Thye tie their own knots but my bro checks them before they climb.

One of the first climbs I did with her was when she was about two. I had a chest harness and she was in a full body harness. We clipped together, chest to chest. I climbed up a ways and my bro started to swing the rope. She laid back and started laughing so nice

Next week we're meeting in the Ozarks for a few days of camping, swimming and tree climbing.

Originally posted by Tom Dunlap
One of the first climbs I did with her was when she was about two.

Early start indeed! That’s outstanding.
Thanks for the follow up on that photo.
Electrojake

Originally posted by charlieb
. . . why those saddles with one fixed D are so popular . . . they mentioned that they saw two main reasons why one central fixed or floating D main tie-in on saddles was very popular. . .

I must agree with item 2.) of your post.
You will indeed roll to the side as you climb. Very noticeable if you clip in low & wide. In my opinion, it’s still worth it vs. cramming all your lines together at the hands.

The perfect saddle would be one which would keep the tie-in rigging low enough to be out of my face and just wide enough to allow for easy hand manipulation.

Eliminate the traffic jam at the hands . . .



The Treeman idea of a NewTribe saddle built around a Petzl Paw is intriguing. The engineering problem of attaching the leg straps to the Paw with the required 90 degree twist in an clean manner has got my mad scientist juices flowing. Hmm…

I attach the regular sized delta screw link to the Paw (the leg straps). It is a tight fit, but doable.

I need to get coaching on how to post photos here. I am behind with all of you folks posting images. I use a digital camera of course (SLR Fugi Finepix Pro).

EJ,
I think your NT might be too big. I'm just judging from the photos you posted, but it appears you have a lot of room in there, and that pichs your gear WAY up. You might tighten the strap too, that keeps the belt out of your ribs, which will aid you.
Another note, and again this is only from looking at the pics, but you appear to do what we called the "Dip" when refering to the teeny-bopper cruisers in town. I think if you make a concious effort to force your back erect in the seating position that will get your gear out of your face.

I use a long bridge when doing initial ascent, and that can get in the way. I notice you use a split-tail. Try leaving the tail, as if you were going to tie the blakes on it, then use your split tail. When you get to position to move around in tree, tie the blakes on the tail with a short bridge, and loose the split-tail, that may get your knots out of your face...

Climb Safe!
Icabod

After reading your observations, a few items come to mind . . .

1.) I need to re-read your post while in my NT saddle so I can digest & apply the information you gave me. And, I do have an NT saddle one full size smaller. Perhaps I should do a few fitment tests.

2.) Fortunately my New Tribe troubles are minor. I spend 90% of my time in a Buckingham unit. I feel quite secure in the Buck. I guess it reminds me of the Klein Tools work belt & fall arrest equipment I was raised on at work.

3.) And last but not least: I could cure years of my own bad habits if I would simply spend a few hours with a skilled recreational climber. (which is on the docket for next spring)

Thanks for the input!
Ej

I recently tried the Paw on my New Tribe, but couldn't get the twisted clevis' on to the waist straps or screwlink and then on the Paw, like Peter suggested earlier. Help!! Can you post some pics. So I had to put a carabiner on to the main screwlink and then put the Paw on to that biner in order to get the Paw to face horizontally. By then the whole configuration was too long and clunky eventhough I was able to organize four dif. devices nicely on the Paw.
If I want to ascend DdRT(Double Rope Technique), I have to put on four devices to my main saddle screwlink or to the Paw. I use the walking frog method of ascending and it sure gets to be a mess, but worth it because you can really ascend quickly and w/o much effort. I have to attach: (1)Handled ascender w/ tether up top, 2)Rope(working end) carabiner, 3)Tail end of rope biner w/ knut knot, 4) Rocker for backup)
Can anyone help me with this?
I may just have to wait and use a Master IV saddle for working the trees and use the Newtribe for recreation, but will still need to organize.
Thanks for any help.

got pics of the setup using the PAW? i have one and would like to retrofit ti somehow to my Bashlin XS saddle...