Hitch Tending System - ever try it?

Ok, here is my prototype. Just a 1/2\" pvc \"T\" with a slot and two small holes for the Prusik cord. The actual diameter of the \"T\" is something like 0.8\"...

Davej wrote:

Ok, here is my prototype. Just a 1/2\" pvc \"T\" with a slot and two small holes for the Prusik cord. The actual diameter of the \"T\" is something like 0.8\"...

It's not clear to me how this would work, can you put it on a rope as it would be configured and photograph it?
-moss

Hi guys. Haven't been writing for a long time. Lots of things going on ...

Anyway,

This response is mainly to Moss's explanation of the footlock ascent \"school\", and also to TreeTramp(? I think it was) who said you put a websling in between your saddle ring and your friction hitch to lengthen it.

TreeTramp first:

Lengthen the distance? Absolutely. I left the details of my rigging out, because god, I'm long winded enough, don'tcha think?

Sure, I personally use two carabiners, and a length of 11mm climbing line to create an extension, with a DFL tied to each biner. I tie the 11mm to the small \"inside\" arc of each biner and that leaves the large arcs facing opposite for clipping in. The one biner clips onto my saddle (I generally don't care if that one has a wire gate with a \"snaggle-tooth\") and the other biner, the one that is tied with a VT and pulley, I make sure that one has a smooth, non-catchy gate system. (I think I'm using a big Kong pear-shape for this end.)
Since this is the biner where I tie and untie the VT, I like it to slip dead easy thru the spliced eye of the prusik cord and smooth ends work best. Also the large Kong pear leaves plenty of room for my pulley in the middle and the two spliced eyes on either side (or DFL's if I make my own tail from prusik cord).

Without xtending the distance from my saddle to the advanced friction hitch like this, I cannot get enough pull to do leisure climbing. Using a rope and 2 biners is nice because it's easily tailored to however long you need it for your personal \"reach metrics\". I see you use a webbing sling, and I have tried that as well. Works OK, but I don't like
*how it can move a little when it slacks
*because it's a sling I am dealing with a loop, which is a little \"messier\" than just a rope
*I am kind of \"locked in\" to the length, but a rope can be adjusted on the ground for my perfect length.

It's also worth mentioning that I now really swear by that \"fixe\" accessory pulley, the fixed red one that does not \"break\" and rotating in half. The fixe has a permanent gap between the two holes where the biner clips thru. This is actually perfect for attaching the brass snap that is part of my self-tending system. I snap onto the carabiner \"inside\", between the pully ears. The prusik cord for a VT ties to the carabiner on either side of the pulley, so the utility snap never rubs against the prusik cord, and provides the ideal dead-center pull on the advanced friction hitch. I know I know, I'm supposed to be using one of those 2-eye or 3-eye pulleys. I'll get one eventually.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Now for the reply to Moss:
Moss, I have been on these boards for awhile, and I know you, I read your stuff, you're one of the majority here, a \"real\" tree guy who does this every day. My eyes were opened
W - I - D - E when I attending my first ISA climbing competition earlier this year, and climbed along tree workers all day.

And I have this to day about your footlock comment - footlock IS far and away the fastest, most efficient way to get into a tree if
*you are good at it, and
*as you mentioned, the rope has some clearance away from the tree.

I could not BEE-LEAVE how fast an accomplished climber got vertical during the footlocking phase of the competition. My foot lock technique just plainly SUCKS. I can do it, and I even enjoy it when I'm in peak condition, but I am just a caricature of a climber compared to these guys I saw at the ISA competition. Awhile ago I posted something about, \"How fast (or slow) am I?\" using Texas style ascenders and blah blah, and some other seasoned climber replied with the time he can do, going vertical with footlock. And I read it (this was before I did the ISA) and I re-read it, and then I just sat there thinking, this can't be right. Because it was ridiculously fast, and I was thinking, \"no way!\" But for sure, watching tree experts climb using footlock, the technique was destroyer, just unbelievable. This one guy, young, tall, waaay long arms and legs, he was going up that rope, doing a full cycle of squat-stand-slide-the-knot about every 2-3 seconds !!! He was splaying his legs wide open off the rope, then closing them at speed and getting a footlock so fast I could barely even keep up. And I was just WATCHING it.
And he made, (what is the top marker, 50 or 60 ft?) he made 60 ft. in like 15 or 20 SECONDS. Or whatever, I can't remember the exact time, but I was just like what the f______k??????

So yeah, if your footlock technique is on that level, than any way you do it (and you listed more than a few options) is killer. It makes body-thrusting seem silly.

rboreal wrote:

So yeah, if your footlock technique is on that level, than any way you do it (and you listed more than a few options) is killer. It makes body-thrusting seem silly.

Body thrust is very useful for short moves in the tree, otherwise it's unsustainable for long hauls, not useful as a main access technique for rec climbers (what I am). I climbed body thrust primarily in my first year of climbing (I'm stubborn) and nearly burned out tendons connecting from my forearms to my elbows.

Doubled rope footlock as you saw performed at a competition is a specialized arborist access technique. It's way too strenuous for regular rec climbing use. I've used it several times when I got my rope stuck on a pull down and had both ends of the rope available. Each time I do it I think, \"cool technique but thank God I don't do this on a regular basis\". With practice comes more efficiency but nothing about it attracts me to practice. Here' something to think about: I believe that a climber in excellent physical condition on a well-tuned Tree Frog or Mitchell SRT system can smoke the best footlock climber on the planet. The movement upward is so smooth and efficient, the only speed limitation is whether or not your heart or lungs will burst.

But for DRT hitch climbing, what most of us do most of the time, it's really useful to know how to footlock the tail with either one foot or two. You can climb all day using that sort of technique.
-moss

I do a lot of body thrusting on short pitches in the crowns of trees. When I have a long straight climb I'll single foot lock most of the way, but sometimes you need both feet to maneuver around branches, and nothing beats a bit of body thrusting for that.

Well, my T-slot dohickey didn't work. I think it needs some refinement. For one thing I think it needs to push only on the flat bottom loop of the Blake's so it won't lean it over. Plus it seems I tied the Blake's too tight. It didn't want to move.

Duh, I'm just wondering... why can't this added cord just pull on the Blake's tail? Seems like that ought to work. I'll try that tomorrow.

rboreal wrote:

I could not BEE-LEAVE how fast an accomplished climber got vertical during the footlocking phase of the competition. My foot lock technique just plainly SUCKS. I can do it, and I even enjoy it when I'm in peak condition, but I am just a caricature of a climber compared to these guys I saw at the ISA competition.

One thing that still gets me though is that the fastest Youtube video shows the guy climbing both ropes. This isn't DdRT. I don't know what you call it. They must have a pair of ascenders. This approach, whatever you call it, will automatically be twice as fast as DdRT.

Since you've been checking out YouTube, here's another.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE247cCms9Q&NR=1

The video quality isn't great, but not only does she explain it pretty well, she even tells you where to find the information in the book!

There's a lot of junk on YouTube but if you look around, there's also some useful information.

Davej wrote:

rboreal wrote:

I could not BEE-LEAVE how fast an accomplished climber got vertical during the footlocking phase of the competition. My foot lock technique just plainly SUCKS. I can do it, and I even enjoy it when I'm in peak condition, but I am just a caricature of a climber compared to these guys I saw at the ISA competition.

One thing that still gets me though is that the fastest Youtube video shows the guy climbing both ropes. This isn't DdRT. I don't know what you call it. They must have a pair of ascenders. This approach, whatever you call it, will automatically be twice as fast as DdRT.

It's usually called \"Secured Footlock\". It is confusing 'cause DRT can describe secured footlock 1:1 climbing or 2:1 friction hitch climbing, that's why people started using DdRT, for 2:1 hitch climbing.
-moss

by Moss; \"he was talking about uses for the Secured Footlock\".

There is a nice article By Michael Tain on the Secured Footlock Technique on the October 2008 Issue of Tree Services Magazine. You can see it on line ( i think) or register for a free subscription. It always has good articles. Also on the same magazine there is an article on \"Worksite Communication\" by Anthony Tresselt that can very well fit into a discussion going on about shouts and communicating with other climbers to prevent accidents in a Rec Site Climb. (ie: people getting hit across the head while removing a rope (Free Rope!)or (Headache)from the tree for instance.