Rigging kit recommendations

[AHPP]

On 29/12/2022 at 18:16, Cactusjack1993 said:

Hi all. 
 

looking to buy rigging kit as I’ve just recently got my ticket. I’m looking for a decent set up which can take medium/large loads and will last a while. So far I was thinking of getting: 

 

DMM 200kN Impact block pulley

Gleistein HeavyGreen 16mm

English braid multi-sling (16mm x

5m)
Stein RC2000 capstan

 

I’m a bit confused on the size of capstan sling. It’s working rigging rope is 16mm so would this be the same for the sling? Also will be buying a redirect, rigging carabiners and sling on top of that I just didn’t add it in. Thanks 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I find I can do pretty much everything with a hairy 16mm three strand and a nice 12mm double braid. The 16mm is easy to hand hold (especially good for tensioning/lifting light bits) and tolerates natural crotching and branch/trunk friction well. The 12mm is for proper rigging, lifting with Hobbs etc, run through pulleys and rings only. I used to think I needed a monstrously thick line to be the big rigging hero I am. I don't. I've never broken a 12mm and with clean systems and thoughtful rigging, I don't worry about doing so.

16mm double braid is heavier manipulating it up the tree. If you really are doing a lot of heavy negative rigging, yeah, you'd want 16/18/20mm double braid but I'd only get it out for the end of the climb anyway. You're low down the stem by the time you need that much stopping power. I don't even own one. I just use both ends of my 12mm.

 

I don't have strong opinions on pulleys besides being wary of the ones that open with a button push and have built in swivels (e.g. Rock Exotica Omni Block). I'm sure they're fine but I'd worry about accidental button pushing or breaking the swivel from crossloading or something. Worry distracts.

Rings are mint. If you're tight for money, buy rings first. I spliced some onto a scrap of three strand, which won't win you any kudos on instagram but they're cheap and mega handy.

Pulley/ring slings you're only going to set once so they might as well be beefy. I don't like the fancy choking or spliced pocket ones. You can't move them around with a rope threaded and you can't get them as snug as tying a deadeye how you want it. Same for ring/pulley/portawrap at the base.

 

In terms of my own gear, I went straight from pikey tricks (branch/trunk wraps etc) to a Hobbs but I would often say to people I was climbing for to use whatever base friction they wanted or had on hand. Portawraps work and I can't recall one ever going wrong. They sit how they want to sit and work. Fixed bollards can tilt if not strapped tight enough and you can end up with a pinched rope and a piece you can't get down. Portawraps can also be tied/chained/shackled to things like machines/trucks that might have sharp metal edges and won't have the nice tree trunk shape a bollard wants to be strappped to.

 

One of the most important things is gloves for you and groundsmen. Leather, heavy enough to protect against three strand, light enough to operate biners and saws in. And bin them when they get holes in. You can't work confidently if you're trying to avoid a holey spot in a glove. 

 

 

Curious what gear you used on your course btw? Pulleys/rings, double braid/three strand, portawrap/bollard/lifting bollard?

Edited December 31, 2022 by AHPP

[john87]

Very good post that...

 

john..

[slack ma girdle]

21 hours ago, AHPP said:

 

I find I can do pretty much everything with a hairy 16mm three strand and a nice 12mm double braid. The 16mm is easy to hand hold (especially good for tensioning/lifting light bits) and tolerates natural crotching and branch/trunk friction well. The 12mm is for proper rigging, lifting with Hobbs etc, run through pulleys and rings only. I used to think I needed a monstrously thick line to be the big rigging hero I am. I don't. I've never broken a 12mm and with clean systems and thoughtful rigging, I don't worry about doing so.

16mm double braid is heavier manipulating it up the tree. If you really are doing a lot of heavy negative rigging, yeah, you'd want 16/18/20mm double braid but I'd only get it out for the end of the climb anyway. You're low down the stem by the time you need that much stopping power. I don't even own one. I just use both ends of my 12mm.

 

I don't have strong opinions on pulleys besides being wary of the ones that open with a button push and have built in swivels (e.g. Rock Exotica Omni Block). I'm sure they're fine but I'd worry about accidental button pushing or breaking the swivel from crossloading or something. Worry distracts.

Rings are mint. If you're tight for money, buy rings first. I spliced some onto a scrap of three strand, which won't win you any kudos on instagram but they're cheap and mega handy.

Pulley/ring slings you're only going to set once so they might as well be beefy. I don't like the fancy choking or spliced pocket ones. You can't move them around with a rope threaded and you can't get them as snug as tying a deadeye how you want it. Same for ring/pulley/portawrap at the base.

 

In terms of my own gear, I went straight from pikey tricks (branch/trunk wraps etc) to a Hobbs but I would often say to people I was climbing for to use whatever base friction they wanted or had on hand. Portawraps work and I can't recall one ever going wrong. They sit how they want to sit and work. Fixed bollards can tilt if not strapped tight enough and you can end up with a pinched rope and a piece you can't get down. Portawraps can also be tied/chained/shackled to things like machines/trucks that might have sharp metal edges and won't have the nice tree trunk shape a bollard wants to be strappped to.

 

One of the most important things is gloves for you and groundsmen. Leather, heavy enough to protect against three strand, light enough to operate biners and saws in. And bin them when they get holes in. You can't work confidently if you're trying to avoid a holey spot in a glove. 

 

 

Curious what gear you used on your course btw? Pulleys/rings, double braid/three strand, portawrap/bollard/lifting bollard?

@AHPPgood points particularly about the gloves. There is nothing worse than having to wear a gloves on the wrong hands because you have worn a hole in one, and trying to get a quick turn around .

Mackerel mitted has never been so app.

[Cactusjack1993]

On 31/12/2022 at 10:48, AHPP said:

 

I find I can do pretty much everything with a hairy 16mm three strand and a nice 12mm double braid. The 16mm is easy to hand hold (especially good for tensioning/lifting light bits) and tolerates natural crotching and branch/trunk friction well. The 12mm is for proper rigging, lifting with Hobbs etc, run through pulleys and rings only. I used to think I needed a monstrously thick line to be the big rigging hero I am. I don't. I've never broken a 12mm and with clean systems and thoughtful rigging, I don't worry about doing so.

16mm double braid is heavier manipulating it up the tree. If you really are doing a lot of heavy negative rigging, yeah, you'd want 16/18/20mm double braid but I'd only get it out for the end of the climb anyway. You're low down the stem by the time you need that much stopping power. I don't even own one. I just use both ends of my 12mm.

 

I don't have strong opinions on pulleys besides being wary of the ones that open with a button push and have built in swivels (e.g. Rock Exotica Omni Block). I'm sure they're fine but I'd worry about accidental button pushing or breaking the swivel from crossloading or something. Worry distracts.

Rings are mint. If you're tight for money, buy rings first. I spliced some onto a scrap of three strand, which won't win you any kudos on instagram but they're cheap and mega handy.

Pulley/ring slings you're only going to set once so they might as well be beefy. I don't like the fancy choking or spliced pocket ones. You can't move them around with a rope threaded and you can't get them as snug as tying a deadeye how you want it. Same for ring/pulley/portawrap at the base.

 

In terms of my own gear, I went straight from pikey tricks (branch/trunk wraps etc) to a Hobbs but I would often say to people I was climbing for to use whatever base friction they wanted or had on hand. Portawraps work and I can't recall one ever going wrong. They sit how they want to sit and work. Fixed bollards can tilt if not strapped tight enough and you can end up with a pinched rope and a piece you can't get down. Portawraps can also be tied/chained/shackled to things like machines/trucks that might have sharp metal edges and won't have the nice tree trunk shape a bollard wants to be strappped to.

 

One of the most important things is gloves for you and groundsmen. Leather, heavy enough to protect against three strand, light enough to operate biners and saws in. And bin them when they get holes in. You can't work confidently if you're trying to avoid a holey spot in a glove. 

 

 

Curious what gear you used on your course btw? Pulleys/rings, double braid/three strand, portawrap/bollard/lifting bollard?

Great info AHPP thanks. We used the stein RC 2000, Teufelberger Sirius 14mm, DMM 200kN Impact block pulley and a DMM Pinto Rig pulley for re-directs. The majority of my work was done with a re-direct as opposed to natural crotch rigging though I had assumed it would have caused a lot of rope friction without one. Now that you’ve mentioned a 16mm shouldn’t take that much friction, it’s good info to know. 

[AHPP]

34 minutes ago, Cactusjack1993 said:

Great info AHPP thanks. We used the stein RC 2000, Teufelberger Sirius 14mm, DMM 200kN Impact block pulley and a DMM Pinto Rig pulley for re-directs. The majority of my work was done with a re-direct as opposed to natural crotch rigging though I had assumed it would have caused a lot of rope friction without one. Now that you’ve mentioned a 16mm shouldn’t take that much friction, it’s good info to know. 

I almost always use a big pulley for a main point and a ring for a redirect. The ring adds just enough friction that if you drop the rope, it won’t pull itself to the top of the tree but not so much that you can’t lift stuff. Buy the Pinto Rig as well. You can use it as a predirect somewhere before your main point to build your system into a strong shape. Or as a spare redirect. Or on the base of the tree instead of a portawrap; you put the portawrap on truck/machine and can drive that to lift stuff. Or you’ll find yourself taking it to make a little mini system with an old climbing rope on small stuff. 
 

I don’t know what you mean when you say, “16mm shouldn’t take that much friction.”

Nice double braid rigging ropes (like Sirius) of any diameter won’t thank you for natural crotching them. Three strand like the white Marlow with black flecks or probably the green polysteel on ebay will just go a bit hairy and make you look like an old school boss. 

[Cactusjack1993]

34 minutes ago, AHPP said:

I almost always use a big pulley for a main point and a ring for a redirect. The ring adds just enough friction that if you drop the rope, it won’t pull itself to the top of the tree but not so much that you can’t lift stuff. Buy the Pinto Rig as well. You can use it as a predirect somewhere before your main point to build your system into a strong shape. Or as a spare redirect. Or on the base of the tree instead of a portawrap; you put the portawrap on truck/machine and can drive that to lift stuff. Or you’ll find yourself taking it to make a little mini system with an old climbing rope on small stuff. 
 

I don’t know what you mean when you say, “16mm shouldn’t take that much friction.”

Nice double braid rigging ropes (like Sirius) of any diameter won’t thank you for natural crotching them. Three strand like the white Marlow with black flecks or probably the green polysteel on ebay will just go a bit hairy and make you look like an old school boss. 

‘’The 16mm is easy to hand hold (especially good for tensioning/lifting light bits) and tolerates natural crotching andbranch/trunk friction well. ‘’ 

 

I don’t know what you mean when you say, “16mm shouldn’t take that much friction.”

 

sorry I must have misread you there. I see now you’ve mentioned it being a three strand rope. 
 

thanks again. 

 

[john87]

On 01/01/2023 at 17:47, Cactusjack1993 said:

‘’The 16mm is easy to hand hold (especially good for tensioning/lifting light bits) and tolerates natural crotching andbranch/trunk friction well. ‘’ 

 

I don’t know what you mean when you say, “16mm shouldn’t take that much friction.”

 

sorry I must have misread you there. I see now you’ve mentioned it being a three strand rope. 
 

thanks again. 

 

What did you buy after??

 

john..

[Ledburyjosh]

On 31/12/2022 at 09:48, AHPP said:

 

I find I can do pretty much everything with a hairy 16mm three strand and a nice 12mm double braid. The 16mm is easy to hand hold (especially good for tensioning/lifting light bits) and tolerates natural crotching and branch/trunk friction well. The 12mm is for proper rigging, lifting with Hobbs etc, run through pulleys and rings only. I used to think I needed a monstrously thick line to be the big rigging hero I am. I don't. I've never broken a 12mm and with clean systems and thoughtful rigging, I don't worry about doing so.

16mm double braid is heavier manipulating it up the tree. If you really are doing a lot of heavy negative rigging, yeah, you'd want 16/18/20mm double braid but I'd only get it out for the end of the climb anyway. You're low down the stem by the time you need that much stopping power. I don't even own one. I just use both ends of my 12mm.

 

I don't have strong opinions on pulleys besides being wary of the ones that open with a button push and have built in swivels (e.g. Rock Exotica Omni Block). I'm sure they're fine but I'd worry about accidental button pushing or breaking the swivel from crossloading or something. Worry distracts.

Rings are mint. If you're tight for money, buy rings first. I spliced some onto a scrap of three strand, which won't win you any kudos on instagram but they're cheap and mega handy.

Pulley/ring slings you're only going to set once so they might as well be beefy. I don't like the fancy choking or spliced pocket ones. You can't move them around with a rope threaded and you can't get them as snug as tying a deadeye how you want it. Same for ring/pulley/portawrap at the base.

 

In terms of my own gear, I went straight from pikey tricks (branch/trunk wraps etc) to a Hobbs but I would often say to people I was climbing for to use whatever base friction they wanted or had on hand. Portawraps work and I can't recall one ever going wrong. They sit how they want to sit and work. Fixed bollards can tilt if not strapped tight enough and you can end up with a pinched rope and a piece you can't get down. Portawraps can also be tied/chained/shackled to things like machines/trucks that might have sharp metal edges and won't have the nice tree trunk shape a bollard wants to be strappped to.

 

One of the most important things is gloves for you and groundsmen. Leather, heavy enough to protect against three strand, light enough to operate biners and saws in. And bin them when they get holes in. You can't work confidently if you're trying to avoid a holey spot in a glove. 

 

 

Curious what gear you used on your course btw? Pulleys/rings, double braid/three strand, portawrap/bollard/lifting bollard?

Great point on the gloves. In my rigging box I keep a pair of welding gauntlets for whoever is holding the rope to put on. Not as easy to open carabiner with but quick to put on and off cause they are sloppy fitting.

 

 

[Ledburyjosh]

There is many options to choose from each have pros and cons

 

bollard or Portawrap?, bollard is easier to use put costly, portwrap is cheaper, not as easy to use but can also be used not on a tree. Double check the maximum rope size for each device so it doesn't limit your rope choice later on.

Portawrap wraps can be attached with the same diameter rope as the rigging line, but it's common to size it up anyways.

 

 

Rings or pulleys? Ideally get to use both and decide for yourself.  These need to be attached with something stronger than your rigging line so good to know what size ropes/force you will be putting through them before commiting to buying them.

 

Rope? Do you natural crotch aswell or only rings/pulleys, what size trees are regualry done? Do companies you work for have a big rope when needed, so you just need your personal prefered kit until the larger main stem? Maybe start with a 12mm and if required get a 2nd larger line. 

 

A carabiner, get a good steel one. Other bits and bobs can be added as time goes on