Arbtalk.co.uk | Discussion Forum for Arborists

Ive had an idea it's probably nothing new for most of you and I stand the risk of being shot down but here it is! I climb with a hitchclimber and distel or sometimes vt but I struggle with the ascending! I can pull myself up with the pull hold tend the slack method but I would rather body thrust!! I've tried the o rig which is awesome! But having to take it apart to navigate branches or change tip is a bit slow! I also tried a sling from my bridge to the bottom krab to get the hitchclimber away from me so I can body thrust this also works well but you need to take out the sling to bring the hitch in close to you again for normal use! My idea is this...... I simply put a prussic above my distel then clip it to the middle hole on the Hc, I then grab some slack from in-between the hitch and prussic and body thrust on the prussic, stop every so often to tend slack under Hc and carry on! Once you've got to where you want to be whip the prussic off and off you go!

I welcome your criticism

Pointless if you ask me, your climbing on 2 hitches for no reason - the HC surely then becomes pointless and your essentially just on a prussic?... like thinking outside the box though

I dont understand why you cant thrust anyway? Thrust 3 times and hold weight, tail slack through.............

Remember the basics - no matter what hitch all your trying to do is move your body up the tree so you can comfortably pull your rope without hauling your own weight with your arms - whether you thrust, run up the tree or do frontflips wearing a thong up the tree - more about technique.

If you can comfortably thrust using a prussic theres nothing stopping you doing exactly the same on your HC except your arms are above the hitch.

Forgive me if I have missed something.

Get yaself a foot pantin.

It's the holding my weight thing that I struggle with hence why I prefer body thrust prussic but to move around the tree I prefer Hc distel I know it seems pointless but my progress getting up the tree is much better

I've got one and I use it but still prefer body thrust

OK that makes your sugestion seem more sensible to me!

Seems like theres one obvious answer then, Spiderjack / Lockjack... all the thrusting you want with no holding weight

Im in the same boat as I am 15 stone and it is a struggler to hold body weight without thrusting.
Im with you on this one

Yes spiderjack is on the shopping list for the arb show

Have you tried H/C yet Chris...what d,you think?

I climbed on one today and liked it - dont think ill be buying one yet as I am happy with my HC set up but from what you have said it would deffinately solve your issue.

Until then it may be worth tying a knot that self tends, this would help you - a distel will self tend if tied on the 'sporty' side but its not ideal - but a VT deffinately will if tied correctly - theres threads on here about it

Just remember to set the knot before letting go!