Tree Magic / SRT??

[Craig F-J]

I plan to start using SRT quite soon as a means of access into the tree (frog walker to be more specific). I'm currently using the Tree Magic which I really rate, and if possible will keep using for some time yet.

I'm aware of Edelrids Access Top-Vario chest harness which seems the obvious choice due to the harness it will be combined with. It does however not look like it physically attaches to the TM so perhaps could be substituted with Petzl's.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the use of the TM as a SRT (access) harness and the combination of the two mentioned above??

[Peter]

I presume you are using a chest ascender?

 

If you connect the chest ascender to the bridge of the sit harness with a carabiner, all the chest harness has to do is hold the ascender upright. You could just cobble one together with a bit a bicycle inner tube. See Rupe's pics of his setup.

[Craig F-J]

Yes, the Frog Walker system i'm looking at uses a Croll chest ascender. I shall have a wee look at Rupe's post. An old inner tube sounds far more appealing than a new chest ascender.

 

I have a concern about the distance between the chest ascender and the handled ascender above. I'm sure i've read recently that the lower the croll the better.

[Peter]

If you dont already own a Croll, then you can use a friction hitch instead. A nice big vt would do the job, just make sure it will hold your full weight on the single line. A pulley underneath the hitch will tow it up the line, and you can just attach the whole lot to the bridge, without a chest harness.

[Pete Mctree]

If you dont already own a Croll, then you can use a friction hitch instead. A nice big vt would do the job, just make sure it will hold your full weight on the single line. A pulley underneath the hitch will tow it up the line, and you can just attach the whole lot to the bridge, without a chest harness.

 

I'd not be a fan of a VT in that configuration. I would recomend something such as a croll or even with a closed cam such as a shunt. 100% reliable is a prerequisite for me

[Peter]

Not even something in the region of a 3/4 or 4/4 vt?

 

I would be tempted to try the new ropeman or a microcender. The point is eliminating the chest harness.

[Pete Mctree]

Not even something in the region of a 3/4 or 4/4 vt?

 

I would be tempted to try the new ropeman or a microcender. The point is eliminating the chest harness.

 

 

I use a shunt above my ascender; no chest harness. For shorter ascents I don't see the point of them

[Peter]

Ah yes, thus keeping everything snug and shipshape. I like the cut of your jib sir!

[Topher Martyn]

As stated, teh load of the chest jammer is straight onto your harness. All you need is to keep it upright. In my caving days, we used to use a loop of bungee over hte head. Small, light and superbly practical. And I did some horribly big freehanging Prussiks in the Alps.

When you want to get it out of the way for practical reasons you undo maillon on harness, slipp bungee over your head, and clip it onto your harness, and you're away.

However, I've never found traditional SRT that helpful in a tree, although I still use my old jumars to make life easier.

[Stephen Blair]

when using your footlocking techniques to access large trees,it always looks to me that you are a fair bit out from the trunk(compared to prussiking) i take it when you are well up, you just make your way over to the trunk to put in your main line.can this be quite awkward?