Prusik loop

[geoff]

Just my opinion...but I would recommend even when practicing use commercial standard Karabiners so you are familiar with opening them one handed,clipping etc... and can move up into climbing familiar with professional equipment. ...

 

Good advice Silky, I would also advocate the swabish as mentioned, the prussic can be prone to tightening & need constant attention to work smoothly.

[daltontrees]

Your prussik knot doesn't have to be tied using a loop, you can tie it with a short length of rope tied off with fihermans' at a carabiner. The way you have tied it though, there was no need to tie off the ends on the shackle, these sends should be tied off onto the carabiner instead.

 

The prusik is only one of dozens of friction hitches, everyone has their favourite(s), I am almost exclusively swabish hitch. Much depends on the relative diameters of the climbing line and the friction cord.

 

If you ever plan to climb commercially, whether for tree work, survey, bat survey, foliar sampling etc. is that you will need the erlevant NPTC ticket and that it would make sense to use the knots that you will need to passs that assessement. That basically means bowline, figure of 8 on the bight, figure of 8 stopper, prussik and a double fishermans. On the course you will probably get to make up a prussik loop using a double fishermans. Then you will probably climb on a prussik using a loop. But for assessment yo may need to eb able to make up a traditional system (see the Companion page 53, but using a bowline for the carabiner attachment and a prussik for the friction hitch.

 

Simple is best until you are confident of making personal changes that are needed for improved efficiency. Someday you may need to resort in an emergency to a simple system that requires no fancy gear and the only thing available is the end of a rope. If you can do that because you understand the principles behind it and can do it literally with your eyes shut, then I'd say experiment.

 

Me, I like it simple. Carabiner, loop tied so tight it will never come apart, swabish. Cheap, strong, washable, disposable, easily tied, easily checked. No great clumps of knots at your waist. Especially as there are often 3 climbing lines all coming from the same point. Scots pine's system is even simpler but I'm just not a fan of eye-2-eye cords.

 

Each to their own, you will find yours. But don't try to walk before you can erm, climb?!

[MaxwellArb]

The swabish looks interesting , will have a go at trying that……….scotspine1

 

Is that a fisherman's knot you are using on the crab ? ……MaxwellArb ?

 

Yup, bit messy as not dressed and set, was just experimenting with a new lanyard. Keep us updated on how you're getting on with climbing, and keep an ear open for any rec climbs going on. Loads more fun to climb with companions. :-)

[Ricbob]

Just started trying a blakes hitch on a hitch climber and seems to work well, anyone know why its not used more often, something im missing maybe.

 

Also i hear a blakes should be the same dia as you climbing line? mines 2mm less but works just fine, whats the justification for it been the same?

[peatff]

I use the leg of my table as a pretend tree !!!

 

As long as the dog doesn't do the same you're alright I suppose

[maria warwick]

As long as the dog doesn't do the same you're alright I suppose

 

:biggrin:

 

 

 

Some right good advice coming my way ……… thanks.

As you say: " simple is best" , less to go wrong……

 

Aiming to try and get some "hanging around" practice soon.

 

Cheers Guys

[Marc Lewis]

Just started trying a blakes hitch on a hitch climber and seems to work well, anyone know why its not used more often, something im missing maybe.

 

Also i hear a blakes should be the same dia as you climbing line? mines 2mm less but works just fine, whats the justification for it been the same?

 

Blakes does not need to be same diameter as you have found. Its often described as being used with same diameter rope cos its one of the better friction hitches for this.