thinking of trying SRT, got a few questions...

[jrose]

Hi all,

 

I've been considering having a play with SRT climbing for a while now, and am on the verge of ordering a rope wrench and giving it a go. I have a few questions, apologies if they've already been covered - I had a read through some of the threads, and got myself rather confused!

 

1. I normally climb on a Hitch Climber & VT on 13mm Liroa Ignite or New England Safety Blue. I have a Pantin, some tape slings and a couple of Pintos. If I get a Rope Wrench, is that enough to get me going or do I need anything else?

 

2. Most of my work is utilities, so throw line use is limited. However we work in a lot of forestry areas with drawn up Ash, Pines etc - lots of long pulls up some days! Once you have reached the canopy, is it relatively easy to advance your anchor as in DdRt?

 

3. My reason for looking at a Rope Wrench is that I understand its fairly simple to change to DdRT if desired eg. Ascend using the rope wrench, then just remove it and work doubled, is this right?

 

4. Anchors - is base anchor or top anchor judged on a per tree basis as to what the best option is?

 

Thanks a lot, sorry for the lengthy post!

 

Joe

[5 shires]

Hi all,

 

I've been considering having a play with SRT climbing for a while now, and am on the verge of ordering a rope wrench and giving it a go. I have a few questions, apologies if they've already been covered - I had a read through some of the threads, and got myself rather confused!

 

1. I normally climb on a Hitch Climber & VT on 13mm Liroa Ignite or New England Safety Blue. I have a Pantin, some tape slings and a couple of Pintos. If I get a Rope Wrench, is that enough to get me going or do I need anything else?

 

2. Most of my work is utilities, so throw line use is limited. However we work in a lot of forestry areas with drawn up Ash, Pines etc - lots of long pulls up some days! Once you have reached the canopy, is it relatively easy to advance your anchor as in DdRt?

 

3. My reason for looking at a Rope Wrench is that I understand its fairly simple to change to DdRT if desired eg. Ascend using the rope wrench, then just remove it and work doubled, is this right?

 

4. Anchors - is base anchor or top anchor judged on a per tree basis as to what the best option is?

 

Thanks a lot, sorry for the lengthy post!

 

Joe

 

Chest harness, kroll, some bungee cord , a foot slling and a couple of oval b,hers

And may be a single or double hand as sender.

[Mark Bolam]

Don't forget a stiff tether.

 

I ascend pretty much everything with the RW now, and switch to ddrt whenever it suits (which is less and less).

Advancing SRT is as easy as ddrt, I just throw my line to the next union and choke off a crab.

Buy or make a HAAS for long pulls, definitely worth it, as is a hand ascender.

Read the Ropewrench thread on here. Allow a day.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

[Fredward]

Is your rope a single braid? Not sure mechanical ascenders are particularly well suited but I think they work. I have found it a bit awkward advancing my rope on SRT, what Mark suggests obviously works but not sure about safety when it comes to choking off biners, in terms of side loading/rubbing gates etc. If I'm gonna use SRT I normally throwline in and don't change my TIP but do use redirects.

 

I use base anchors if pruning or removing deadwood, probably switch to top anchor for removals.

 

It is easy to take the wrench off but hitches behave very differently with and without the wrench and srt/drt, if you are switching in the canopy you would need to test your system whilst having a second tie in.

[Old Mill Tree Care]

Your main question appears to be regarding the ease of switching to and from DdRT and SRT.

The best device would be the Hitch Hiker, Rope Runner or Bulldog Bone because they work as well on both rope techniques.

If you like a traditional hitch choose the Hitch Hiker.

It you prefer mechanical, choose from the other two.

[Thatoldchestnut]

Delta link millions are useful to connect alpine butterfly's/ bowlines when choking at anchor points. As for advancing your tip there's a good vid on YouTube titled "ascending on the unicender" where the guy in the vid uses a double fig of eight and traps his line between the two loops of the eight with a bina which doesnt actually bear any weight so you don't have to worry about cross loading

[BenR]

Is your rope a single braid? Not sure mechanical ascenders are particularly well suited but I think they work. I have found it a bit awkward advancing my rope on SRT, what Mark suggests obviously works but not sure about safety when it comes to choking off biners, in terms of side loading/rubbing gates etc. If I'm gonna use SRT I normally throwline in and don't change my TIP but do use redirects.

 

I use base anchors if pruning or removing deadwood, probably switch to top anchor for removals.

 

It is easy to take the wrench off but hitches behave very differently with and without the wrench and srt/drt, if you are switching in the canopy you would need to test your system whilst having a second tie in.

 

pop the spliced end through a sling.. throw your rope bundle as far as you can over a branch, clip the spliced end into the sling with a biner and pull her up.. voila the sling girths on the branch and the biner isnt side loaded. I dont bother though. I think i can tie a running bowline quicker