Hitch Cord

[chrisj]

Up until now I've been climbing on a Blake's Hitch (13mm split tail on 13mm rope). I'm looking at going over to something like a VT, knut or distel with a pulley. The only thing is I don't have any Arb shops near me so it would need to be mail order. However I do have a climbing shop nearby. They have prussick cord in a range of sizes. So is there any difference between the cord sold in climbing shops and that sold in Arb shops? Is there a reason I couldn't use the cord from the climbing store? Just wanted to check before I do something silly.

[jrose]

When I first started climbing I assumed the prussik cord was the same, and brought some from local climbing store only to be told that it was far to thin.. Think it was about 6mm or something, most arb prusik cord is at least 8mm and most are 10mm

[chrisj]

My local climbing store has everything from 2mm to 10mm. My main worry was whether the construction was the same. I was half waiting for dire warnings about how it would melt within seconds and send my plummeting to my death.

The price is about the same and if needs be I can just mail order from an arb supplier but it would be just so convenient if I could just pop into the local shop.

[Al Mondz]

The minimum diameter for hitch cord in the Arb world is 8mm. If your going to move onto a Hitch Climber with a VT or something similar then you must remember that different size hitch cord (length/diameter) and your climbing line diameter will all interact differently. It may take a while and a few adjustments to find the best set up for you. Also I would go for hitch cord that's pre spliced and cut to length, something like an Ocean Polyester eye to eye. That way it's all ready to go straight from the packet.

[treesrus]

i've been using prussik and variations of for years, didn't know any better until i joined arbtalk. now, i am using the helical with 10mm climbing rope on my 13mm static line. the difference between rock climbing rope and tree climbing rope is that tree climbing (static) rope does not stretch, while rock climbing does. but for such a short length for your split tail/prussik makes no difference.

[chrisj]

Yes i was aware of the difference between dynamic climbing rope and static arb rope. I'm using a proper arb rope. The cord the local shop sells is static cord and is available in proper 8mm and 10mm. The one doubt I had was whether the cord sold in arb shops was a different material and had higher abrasion resistance, making the cord sold in the local shop too easily melted or glazed and thus not suitable.

Sounds like no one has any dire warnings about that so I may get some and try it low and slow, keeping a close eye on it and see how it holds up. Even if I end up using arb cord long term, I'll have an idea of whether I can pick up some locally if I'm ever stuck.

[treesrus]

abrasion resistance has more to do with your knot tying, which is the main reason i've gone to the helical, it runs smooth yet locks easily.

[Steve Bullman]

You need polyester cord.....make sure what you are using from the mountaineering shop isn't nylon

 

 

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[chrisj]

Just the info I needed Steve. Thanks for that.

[edbol]

I want to buy a double eye /sliced hitch cord for a vt... Can anyone recommend online please ?

 

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