ascending with hitch climber

[OlaBola]

decided to try the hitch climber pully tree manager set up, using a schwabish (I think that's how you spell it!) prussik. It works well in the canopy when my feet are in contact with the tree, but I found it was really difficult to ascend when I had no contact at all with the tree, just dangling on my rope and sitting in my harness. Using an old prussik, I used to grab the rope between the prussik knot and the karribiner with my right hand and push the prussik with my left and could ascend the rope relatively easy, but I couldn't really acheive this with the schwabish and pully.

Does anyone else have this sort of problem, or is it just me?

 

Cheers folks, Ola

[Nick Waring]

have you tried footlocking the tail? or evening using a pantin on the tail?

[Tom D]

Put a sling or prussic loop between the HC and your bridge, then haul underneath the whole system. Once you get up re attach to bridge and off you go. You should be able to see it in this vid.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DlMeIHejZk]YouTube - 200' Fir[/ame]

[Spikey]

Nice vid with a mellow tune to boot, watching you guys use the hitch climber setup always makes me want to try it but I never seam to find the time to have a play with it

[Tom D]

I should have added, dont make the sling / loop too long as if you need to comer back down and you can't reach the HC you're going to look a bit of a tool.

[Steve Bullman]

make the time mate..time invested into your body should be a priority

[Mark Bolam]

Ditto Steve.

 

Changed my life.

 

Tom D's tips a good 'un.

[htb]

Put a sling or prussic loop between the HC and your bridge, then haul underneath the whole system. Once you get up re attach to bridge and off you go. You should be able to see it in this vid.

 

Nice video shows why I've been making hard work of it

[OlaBola]

thanks for the replies folks, any input is really appreciated. If you watch the video the climbers feet are in contact with the trunk as he ascends. Imagine his top anchor was away out on a limb and he couldn't come into contact with the trunk/tree at all (like a spider dangling on one strand). That's what I was finding difficult to do (ie with no contact with the tree).

[Tom D]

thanks for the replies folks, any input is really appreciated. If you watch the video the climbers feet are in contact with the trunk as he ascends. Imagine his top anchor was away out on a limb and he couldn't come into contact with the trunk/tree at all (like a spider dangling on one strand). That's what I was finding difficult to do (ie with no contact with the tree).

 

You keep the system the same as the video and footlock the tail, I was doing this today, I find it easy enough, although a pantin would be even easier.