Learning about new fangled gear.

[Ginja]

Ginja, if you want to have a play on a Spiderjack, I have just got one so give me a shout via PM.

 

Cheers dude, very generous offer!

[Marc]

Body thrusting on a prussik or blake isn't difficult if your 9.5 stone, I'd happily carry on a few more years, and I understand your rain reasoning! But at 33 its time to start thinking of career longevity, so I reckon HC or Spiderjack may be the way to go. Thankyou for your down to earth, easily understandable answer.

 

There is not much between a HC or Spiderjack both are very good tools, i'm of the Hitchclimber camp myself and see no advantage in getting a Spiderjack but appreciate it is a very good tool.

 

 

I find it hard to explain the benefits of not body thrusting to get height advantage its just something I do and is more natural for me, I work with guys who body thrust a lot and watch them pull their way into the tree, most have excelent upper body strength because of this.

I just feel if you can move away from relying on upper body and thrusting actions to move up then you will find you utilise more of your muscle groups evenly and in the long run this can only be a good thing.

 

As for pantin yes I use one, but caution has to be taken, I used RADS a lot for a year as my means of SRT ascent as well as SRT work positioning, but found using one leg to push myself up eventually un balanced my body leading to some form of pain. So I switched to a rope walker style of ascent on SRT where I use both legs to walk up the line so to speak. Once in the tree I switch over to my HC but leave the pantin for short ascents, I find using the pantin best if you bring your other foot on top of the foot with the pantin and try to push eqaully with both legs ala footlock style, I would not want to go a long way like this though.

 

If your handy with a throwline then SRT for access will helps loads, and is not very complicated to do.

 

We are all different though, our builds, the types of work we excel at, our work histories and those we work with all influence the way we climb and what we feel is best, kinda like the HC or SJ debate which is better? Of course its the HC because I say so:sneaky2:

[D Mc]

... But at 33 its time to start thinking of career longevity,...

 

Do a search on SRT work positioning. If you want to ease the wear and tear on your upper body, make the switch and climb for as many years as you want to.

 

Dave

[Steve Bullman]

I think if body thrusting is something you do a lot of you can't really beat a prussik probably.

 

On the contrary....body thrusting is something you have to do because you're using a prussik

[Marc]

On the contrary....body thrusting is something you have to do because you're using a prussik

 

There is ways to slack tend even a prussik, your right and the transition over to a HC and SJ allows you to alter the way you climb, where as a prussik you tend to body thrust more as its the easiest way to advance.

 

Am I making any sense or just chatting crap like usual?

[Steve Bullman]

haha, yeah i know what you mean mate. But even with a slack tender set up it still is never as smooth as a hitch climber/vt combo.

[arbogrunt]

I found that I get more problems with my wrist by using overhand climbing technique with a Hitchclimer. I took me a while to get used to the style, I find it works the arms a lot harder ascending, but is easier to move around a spreading crown.

A lockjack is great for me for ascents, I have mine on an eye to eye strop and can use both hands to pull myself up (or hand over hand). On a long ascent using a pantin (with one foot over the other as above), its quick and requires a lot less effort.

When I climb any other system, I have to wear a neoprene wrist support and put ice on the swelling when I get in, but with a LJ I never have a problem. I put this down to the system not 'wasting the pull', the slack you lose with each pull on the rope with other systems.

Works for me!

[Marc]

I found that I get more problems with my wrist by using overhand climbing technique with a Hitchclimer. I took me a while to get used to the style, I find it works the arms a lot harder ascending, but is easier to move around a spreading crown.

A lockjack is great for me for ascents, I have mine on an eye to eye strop and can use both hands to pull myself up (or hand over hand). On a long ascent using a pantin (with one foot over the other as above), its quick and requires a lot less effort.

When I climb any other system, I have to wear a neoprene wrist support and put ice on the swelling when I get in, but with a LJ I never have a problem. I put this down to the system not 'wasting the pull', the slack you lose with each pull on the rope with other systems.

Works for me!

 

The slack tending of the ART tools is very good, but I do not see why you find using a HC harder than a LJ/SJ, A HC has different benfits and negatives, the same can be said for SRT work positioning. And it is important to realise that what works well for one may not work well for others.

And to make sweeping gestures that one tool is hands down better than the other is also I feel wrong.

 

For you Arborgrunt it seems the LJ is the perfect system, you've experimented and found what suits you best, I think thats what we should all do.

For me i've tried both the LJ and SJ and SRT positioning and just find a HC suits me best so far, but I will always try others tools and techniques.

[arbogrunt]

thats about right mate, everyone is different. Climbing styles are like harnesses...you can tell someone its the best thing since sliced bread and its the most uncomfortable thing they've ever tried on!.

I do vary my climbing system, firstly so I don't forget different knots and styles of climbing and secondly to avoid repetition strain injuries. I've got traumatic arthritis in my left wrist..so I have to work around it...and I do!