old school

[stihlmadasever]

Hey all,

One of our young lads on the squad has just got his cs38 tree climbing and aerial rescue ticket and is all keen to climb.

Seeing him hip thrust on a prussik took me back to the days when i did the same.I gave it a bash and im ashamed to say i kinda struggled.What with climbing kit technology advances in the last couple of years ive become dependant on ascenders and mechanical hitches.

Does anyone out there still dabble with the hip thrust and prussik?

Give us your stories

[Shane]

I did a bit of climbing a few weeks back, prussicking up an old Walnut.

Within two minutes I had a knackered tendon (electric shock feeling from ring finger to elbow).

 

I couldn't cut a loaf of bread for two weeks. Took me 4 weeks to be able to swing a golf club.

 

At this rate I'll have to avoid using the Zimmer for a while.

 

Will I complete my 3rd lap to 20 years old?

[Steve Bullman]

Very occassionally use a prussik and every time it reminds me how much hard work it is not to mention inefficient

[stihlmadasever]

Very occassionally use a prussik and every time it reminds me how much hard work it is not to mention inefficient

 

Very true steve,made me feel like an unfit old codger!

My newly qualified groundie made it look effortless,so as punishment he had to buy the tea and cakes..its only fair

[Mark Bolam]

Left my rope bag on a site a few months back and had to climb a big oak on the Saturday for some specific limb removals.

Cobbled some old hitch cord on to a retired climbing rope and did it old school.

I wanted to kill myself.

[stihlmadasever]

Left my rope bag on a site a few months back and had to climb a big oak on the Saturday for some specific limb removals.

Cobbled some old hitch cord on to a retired climbing rope and did it old school.

I wanted to kill myself.

Ha!

[Arran Turner]

Used it quite a bit lately, been doing lots of pine removals.. handy for pole work as it doesnt self tend when you have a bit of weight in your rope which is handy when chogging down.

[Sandworks]

Tried going back to a prussic during the summer..... Arse! Never again....... What a waste of energy👹 love my unicender........... Will use one as a back up though , don't know how I used climb hip thrusting ..... Always hated it!

[billpierce]

wow! i use a prussok full time! never bothered me at all! just the way i was taught, then it stuck. had a few goes on some fancy acender things and a bit with footclip/hand hold things and thought it was balls.

 

whats the best thing to try instead then? i like being able to attach mid line, i like looking at it and trusting it/being able to see if its worn.

 

i have a petzl grillion on a short line but never got to grips with it.

 

open to improvements though!

[silky fox]

Last used a prussick about three years ago....still have one in my kit bag but The Spiderjack and ZigZag took me down the route of a more efficient and enjoyable climbing style.