Versatile equipment for beginner

[tops]

I've decided to learn tree climbing, and will take a class. I'm however trying to decide what equipment I should get, after reading and watching lots of stuff. My thinking is to start with ddrt and later add on stuff to do srt. It's probably impossible to agree on a perfect system, but I would like to buy climbing equipment that gives a good climb going ddrt, and that will still be useful when adding more gear to do srt.  The hitchhiker doesn't seems nice, but perhaps there are better solutions out there...

 

What are your recommendations for versatile starting equipment, that can be added on to later?

Or have I got it all wrong, and should just go for separate stuff for ddrt and srt, because it's easier to get the perfect setup with lengths of hitches or type of rope etc?

[MattyF]

A Versatile set up would be a rope and a couple of karabiners and Prussiks and a side strop.. you could climb any tree with that.
I solely pretty much climb SRT these days, there is a barely any one in this country teaching it so it would be difficult getting instruction and training for it.. treekit do have training days so keep an eye on there website.
Personally if I took on a newbie apprentice who showed great prospects as a tree climber I would move them straight on to SRT skipping double rope .
A good double rope set up though would be your hitch hiker with a VT and pulley saver... the hitch hiker is a useful bit of kit and I use it in my SRT set up.. but the pulley saver would be useless SRT ..basically there is loads of different techniques and as you said every one will be different in to what they use.

[Tommy_B]

I often wonder how much easier it would be to just teach someone straight off the bat using SRT as they wouldn't need to 'unlearn' all of the Double rope techniques. 

[MattyF]

I often wonder how much easier it would be to just teach someone straight off the bat using SRT as they wouldn't need to 'unlearn' all of the Double rope techniques. 

That’s my thinking tommy, nor would they develop all the injuries associated with it... I can climb quicker on a double rope but keeping that pace all day you run out of steam.. and you don’t wreck your elbows , hands and wrists any where near as bad SRT.

[Dbikeguy]

i have done similar over the last 12mnths rec climbing. find someone you can go try it with or at the arb show. if you then feel happy to learn more buy a decent harness ( try a few on at the arb show maybe) i went tree motion lite 31” waist and 78kg so thin.
buy a shorter rope for drt as when you move to SRT you will only use DRT in small trees.
a handful of 3 way krabs, couple of friction cords of differing lengths suitable for the rope dia you buy. You can then find what you prefer. i settled on the VT or Distel.
a pulley.
i always climb with a lanyard invase which you can make from
a 3-4m chunk of your main rope. a friction cord and 2 krabs going basic.

All of the above will be useful going forwards.

add a ankle ascender to give your arms an easier life.

if feeling posh buy a new Petzl zigzag and forget the pulley and friction cord!
for SRT you will want a different rope, a rope wrench and a knee ascender.

start low and play about

[tops]

Thanks for all the advice!

 

I've understood there are different takes on starting out with ddrt or srt. My guess, it's good to know them both, and I'll start with the one requiring the least amount of equipment (or fine-tuning). I'll be drilling useful, basic stuff like knots safe practices at any rate, and probably won't climb so much as to injure myself. It might actually be a good work-out for me

[benedmonds]

On 20/03/2019 at 10:38, Tommy_B said:

I often wonder how much easier it would be to just teach someone straight off the bat using SRT as they wouldn't need to 'unlearn' all of the Double rope techniques. 

Could they pass their NPTC assessments using SRT...? 

[Tommy_B]

As long as they are safe and can tie a 3 knot system and the assessor was well versed in SRT to make a decision on if they're safe and competent I can't see why they'd fail. 

 

Without getting into CE nonsense!

[benedmonds]

7 minutes ago, Tommy_B said:

As long as the... assessor was well versed in SRT....

That's the issue.. Chances are they won't be..

[MattyF]

That's the issue.. Chances are they won't be..

Last refreshers I did it was fine ... as long as it was not on the arial rescue... I can imagine if you had a decent instructor who knew what was what it would not be an issue.