Quick descent with a hitch climber isn't cool...

[Stephen Blair]

hi guys, i have been using the hitch climber now since capel and really enjoying it, i have messed about with different knots and have found a variation that i really like for the last month, i always take it back to simple cord every time then re-tie. i was using it today for the first time with my rope guide, everything was going great and it was so easy going up and down, i made a bit of a boo boo with a branch and it landed ontop of leylandi hedge, my groundie rushed to the other side to start cutting it out so i decided to come down and help, i am used to prussiks where you just go for it no probs, the vt was crap, my fingers started to burn within seconds, the rope under the hc coiled up really badly and i had to faff about to get down:thumbdown:once we sorted the hedge i decided to go back up, now with my new ropeguide i thought this would be a doddle, i stuck the hitch climber at full stretch and off i went, arm over arm. i got up to about 15feet to the first foothold and realised the vt wasnt gripping, lucky i had a foot and handhold. i had to try about 3 variations to get it to work again. not cool. how long is the life of a piece of cord, i could of been in trouble today if it decided to not work at a critical point in the job, which is all the time off the ground imo:sad:

[John Shutler]

what cord are you using

[Steve Bullman]

thats one o0f the reasons i dont like that method of setting the hitch climber away from you...i like to have the hitch right where i can watch it, and if you are going to have it set up your way then you definetly need to know you have it fine tuned just right!

 

the rope hockling is what we discussed the other week...did you have any luck milking it?

[arbaholic]

I have the answer to that problem. . . Art positioner

[John Shutler]

I have the answer to that problem. . . Art positioner

 

you mean lockjack

[Mesterh]

Oh dear, and I was just seriously thinking about buying one

[Steve Bullman]

Oh dear, and I was just seriously thinking about buying one

 

its not the hitchclimber at fault

[John Shutler]

its not the hitchclimber at fault

 

a bad tradesman allways blames his tools:001_tongue:

[Rich Rule]

Oh dear, and I was just seriously thinking about buying one

 

Don't let it put you off... Great bit of kit. It is all part of the fun of fine tuning it.

 

Ditto to steves comment. Keep it short and close so you can see it. That way if the knot loosens you can reset it before putting weight on the hitch. Also one of the reasons it maybe isn't the best hitch to start climbimng on as a beginner

[Stephen Blair]

thats one o0f the reasons i dont like that method of setting the hitch climber away from you...i like to have the hitch right where i can watch it, and if you are going to have it set up your way then you definetly need to know you have it fine tuned just right!

 

the rope hockling is what we discussed the other week...did you have any luck milking it?

 

it was tuned lovely when my feet hit the ground, undid myself, sorted out little boo boo. took 2 mins. clipped back on and off i went. i will certainly know next time after a quick descent to redo it. just complacency i know, but it gave me a bit of a wake up call that was for sure. havent milked it yet steve:blushing:took the plastic mould off so it fits through the ropeguide now, thanks for that. john its amrour pross. not sure if thats how you spell it. i bet it hasnt done 10 hrs work. it didnt feel worn out or burnt, it just didnt grip.