Mechanical friction devices

[TIMON]

I went from hitch climber to zig zag

The hitch climber takes a bit of getting used to. When you start HC it's probably best to use a distel or michoacan eye tie hitch (or similar) because they grip quickly. Once you get used to it, it's a great system.

I keep mine on my long strop now, with a valdotain hitch.

The zigzag is brilliant (and mine still hasn't cracked )

[rachelroots]

I love my Hitch Climber too Rachel - I use a Knut Prussic. Used to use Swaibisch but Knut better, VT binds on rope.

 

I might try a swaibish then! I us it on my lanyard and it might be a good one. I use a VT and sometimes distel for the hitch climber. I started climbing last September so not incredibly experienced in trying out everything and finding my own grove quite yet!

[MattyF]

I might try a swaibish then! I us it on my lanyard and it might be a good one. I use a VT and sometimes distel for the hitch climber. I started climbing last September so not incredibly experienced in trying out everything and finding my own grove quite yet!

 

 

Stick to your vt rope wrench forget about this double rope , or you can have my BB .

Edited August 18, 2015 by MattyF

[rachelroots]

Stick to your vt rope wrench forget about this double rope , or you can have my BB .

 

O.K Kitten. All climbing techniques have a time and place, I want to be competent and knowledgeable in them all!

[mikeh]

Nothing wrong about DDT Rachel, tried & tested. I tried SRT - hated it, then maybe I was doing it wrong - didn't give it much chance before going back to Doubled rope.I like the control & being able to tie in another 2 spots with long lanyards & prussics & then have full X,Y,Z positioning control. Nothing beats feeling in complete control rather than struggling with the unfamiliar.

[mikeh]

Should have read Ddrt - bloody predictive text.

[James Atkinson]

Prefer spider jack, last longer, easy to replace the cam when it wears away, self tends better, and doesn't crack, BUT it does take a lot longer to get used too than the zigzag, zigzag is prob the most natural mechanical device, spider jack will deal like a death trap for the first week. If you want to go srt order a rope runner or bulldog bone

[matthawh1966]

Just started using a lockjack after over 20 years climbing on a prussic I use it with a pulley saver with a pinto pulley .now climbing is effortless. It only took a few climbs to get up to speed. I would never go back to a prussic.

[Mick Dempsey]

I'm very old school so moved from a Blakes/Prussik to a zig zag. It seems to me that a lot of climbers on here that actually earn money doing the job (and whose opinions I value) like and use them.

I wouldn't look much further if I were you.

[Joe Newton]

I've been climbing for years on a HC, and recently was sent a Spiderjack by Steve on here. I've used the ZZ briefly before, and it's a good bit of kit, but the Spiderjack seems better at self tending. It is less intuitive though, and smooth descent is something you have to learn, whereas the ZZ is easy.

 

I think it depends. In the right hands I reckon the SJ would beat the ZZ, but let's face it: most of us aren't like Joe Harris.

 

I doubt you'll be disappointed with either as long as you keep a open mind and are prepared to spend a bit of time adjusting.

 

By the way, which ever you go for, they're all wasted on 13mm rope. 11.7 max