Rope Wrench feedback

[Pedroski]

Aye man, I get that.

 

Doubled Rope Technique - DRT

Double Rope - DR

 

Why DDRT? There is a thread somewhere but I CBA (geddit?) to find it.

 

If we all type Drt in this thread rather than Ddrt from now on, it will have saved us all several days by the end of our lives....

 

The "Dd" is short for "Doubled" init? FYI IKWYM though, but CBA is no excuse for being lazy.

[Mark Bolam]

FO.

 

[Taupotreeman]

Its how the attachment works, LJ connects straight to the RW via the top connection the SJ has to sit very close. Apparently it slips down but thats what i've been told by a few who have tried it. But personally the hitch is still keeping me busy with testing all the knots on it to see how each performs and how well they work. top at the moment is a vt 3/3 setup.

 

I tried to do a test set up with the SJ and the RW and it looks all cock eyed. The rope twists through the SJ and the rope and tether interfere with the braking, at least the way I set it up.

 

I finally had a go on a (admittedly small) Cherry dismantle the other day. Ditched the SJ because of the above reasons and just went with the hitch climber set up. Struggled somewhat with the ascending as, like many, I'm hardwired to that DRT way of doing things. On a branch walk when I wanted to haul myself up a little I had to stop and think about it and work out how to do it. Somewhat different to just pulling yourself up and having a SJ grab the rope. Also tried with an over the shoulder lanyard and half strangled myself so I need to work on that. What I did find was that there was no lack of confidence only using single line. Also, I preferred the less cluttered set up. One line to check and everything in front of you. The VT and HC work just fine for me, finger tip control. Think the SJ will be kept entirely seperate for the times I want to use it. I need a heap more practice and experience and that's probably still an understatement but I'm sure as hell going to be giving it plenty of time and energy to try and get it right.

[ClimbMIT]

Here goes!

 

Wrench arrived last night, so I fitted the slick pin and that was it.

 

Today was day 2 on some 50' connies, two end ones left, brashy brashy. Probably not the ideal introduction!

 

I bagged in to a decent looking crotch and tied off at the base. First 10 feet was a struggle, kept pulling on my rope, years of Drt hard-wiring! As soon as my Pantin started tending it started to click. Because the tied section of my rope was tensioned on multiple side limbs, I thought my anchor would drop as I removed them. Obviously it did, but it didn't matter as I was on SRT!

 

Worked the whole tree from that first crotch. I went back up the 40' pole at the end just because I was so chuffed on how far I could advance on one pump on the Pantin! It's been a while since I ascended 40' with a smile on my face!

 

Chogging down was a bit weird (with a basal tie off), but I got there.

 

2nd tree, 20ft ladder, strop in, big throw, running bowline and I was off again.

 

Easy tree, this one, and I only struggled a bit coming down (I wasn't wearing spikes).

 

The single line thing didn't feel weird to me, the only problems I had were:

 

a) My Drt (I can't be arsed to call it Ddrt every time, and don't know why that acronym is used) hardwired brain. Old dog, new tricks.

b) My Pantin won't tend slack till about 10' up. Got over this be rolling a large log onto my rope before I set off.

c) Coming down a pole taking the system with me. Should have worn spikes? Mine go with my Pantin ok.

 

Second job was a very dense Monty Pine, some snow-damaged lower limbs to remove. No chance of bagging in, just climb, secure, advance, secure, repeat etc.

 

I reverted to Drt straight away as I don't think the wrench would have helped in a tree like this.

 

My initial thoughts are -

 

Kevin Bingham, the beers are on me when we meet. You've probably extended my climbing career by 5 years at least.

 

Reg Coates, the beers are on me next time you are over mate, you told me to get one on about page 5 of this thread!

 

I have never climbed SRT until today, so this was a steep learning curve. As so many on here have said, and I would like to extend my thanks to them, it's almost like learning to climb again.

 

In fact, it's not. You can climb trees again like you did when you were a kid, LOTS to keep the rig high, tend the slack with the Pantin and enjoy it!

 

The Monty made me think that Drt still has it's place, and I think in small garden trees may be quicker, but isn't it nice to have a choice?

 

 

This post has taken me exactly one 440ml can of 5% Stella Artois to type.

 

Kevin, in American, that's probably about 3 cans of your Bud!

 

Exciting times.

 

I too had my first semi- successful climb SRT and first with the RW above 10'. Once the pantin started working along with my flip over the shoulder it worked great! I was only about 30' feet max and had to swing over to another tree that was only about 5' away and walk the limb. Everything went well, I used my lanyard much more than usual since I was using a new system. I love it! Only issue was when descending (which was smooth) except I felt a good bit of heat on my hitch (28" grizzly spliced 10mm Beeline with vt 3 wraps, 3 braids) So I stopped about three feet off the ground and checked my hitch and adjusted the RW. Started to come the rest of the way down and couldn't! Hitch froze up! After fighting it for a bit I finally got smart and I began to use my pantin to advance and take the tension off the hitch so I could reset the hitch. After several failed attempts and some poor choice words I was able to make it down. My wife laughing at me and the kids asking me, " What are you doing dad?" Using 1/2" Arborplex for SRT, Lol! I knew better but couldn't wait until I purchased a better climbing line. Anyway I should have done this sooner because I convinced my wife I NEED a new climbing line:) So I have some Poison HiVee on the way! Can't wait to be able to fully utilize this equipment. I do weigh around 195 so I think this was also part of the issue and my tether may have been a bit too long. By the way my name is Mark and I am a newbie here. Thanks for laughing, I mean reading.

[DrewB]

Yeah, like, huh, like, you wouldn't, like, want that to happen while yer friction hitch is repetitivly wearing up and down the same rope.

 

 

Seriously? The alpine butterfly would be in a different place on the rope for virtually every tree you climbed? Much less repetitive than the friction hitch we are all using everyday?

 

it sounds ridiculous i know but ive really worn a piece of tachyon from an alpine butterfly being removed out of a big tree.

Chucking the ringloop in isnt hurting anyone so whats the big deal with using it here?? sorry if that comes across badly....

[Old Mill Tree Care]

it sounds ridiculous i know but ive really worn a piece of tachyon from an alpine butterfly being removed out of a big tree.

Chucking the ringloop in isnt hurting anyone so whats the big deal with using it here?? sorry if that comes across badly....

 

That's what I thought when I read the last few posts on this. It's not the position of the TIP that wears the rope, it's the retrieving part, the rope running through the alpine butterfly.

I'll be getting a ring loop today I think.

[Rupe]

No big deal in using it, just surprised that its necessary. I have been choking an access line with a butterlfy for yours. Agreed, I dont then climb on that access line all day but it still gets installed and removed in the same way, and not noticed any excess wear on it.

 

Your saying that the butterfly wears the rope whe nyou retrieve it from the tree? And this is more wear than the friction hitch causes while climbing around the tree all day?

[Rupe]

Double Rope technique Drt is like SRT but there are two fixed lines, so Double Rope.

 

 

Doubled (with a d on the end) is one rope doubled over to make a climbing sytem, its quite diffferent to two fixed ropes(Drt as above) and so its called Ddrt. A small difference but if we seem to abbreviate more and more so we might as well get it right.

[Mark Bolam]

Thanks for the explanation Rupe, Ddrt it is.

[Old Mill Tree Care]

Thanks for the explanation Rupe, Ddrt it is.

 

I don't climb on DRT any more. X