Friction Hitches & Devices for SRTWP

[JeffGu]

I find it easier to use a neck tether attached to the RopeWrench to advance the hitch climber. Attaching to the pulley puts too much flex and drag on the setup, because the stiff tether has to push the RW up the rope. Easier to pull the mess up the rope, for me. The neck tether is bungee cord inside rope cover, so it doesn't interfere with the RW/hitch operation when you sit back into the system.

 

 

[R Mac]

Well I'm really biased, I love the HH. Such a great tool, compact, indestructible and with a pulley as smooth as glass. Notice that there is nothing around the hitch. In use, the HH does not bend the rope. This means the friction does not change from the top to the bottom of a tree, or anywhere in between. I have climbed on all the currently available SRWP tools and some still being developed. Of the ones currently available, for me, the HH2 is the best. This picture is with the HH2 clipped to my chest harness for ascent.

 

I've been watching some videos of the Hitch Hiker, kinda wondering if I wouldn't have been better going with it rather than the Rope Wrench

 

Oh well, it's a bit like everything else, the simplest stage of any project/hobby/whatever that requires the use of 'Kit' is right at the beginning when you know nothing and everything seems to work just perfectly, the more you learn the more difficult the choices and the more expensive it all becomes, ask me how I know LOL

[D Mc]

I like your kit, Jeff, classy and well thought out. I have used a bungee neck tether and even though it did work well, I found it lacking in one important function. It gave no upper body support during rope walking. This is the major benefit to a shoulder harness with a quick adjust buckle. I can tighten up mine to where the amount of effort needed by my arms to keep me upright is almost nil. This is a huge energy saver in long open air ascents.

[D Mc]

R Mac, you will like the RW, it is a good tool, just not my choice.

[stewmo]

R Mac

I made a knee ascender using a rigging sling (£3) with bungee cord (pence) and used a sowing machine to stitch the sides of the sling together and around the bottom of the basic ascender (10 mins) so the cord runs down the sling. Put a small spring gate crab at each end and job done. A cheap knee ascender. Works a treat.

[Joe Newton]

I'll take photo's of my knee ascender tomorrow. Should be pretty easy to figure. There's a bit of splicing on mine, but nothing that can't be achieved with knots

[R Mac]

Cheers Stewmo, sounds do-able

 

Joe, a photo would be great, cheers

[stewmo]

Here's mine:

 

[stewmo]

You don't actually have to have the bungee to the bottom so could just attach a sling to the basic ascender and double or triple the bungee from top of ascender to harness bridge. Think there are few threads on here about home made HAAS setups

[R Mac]

Brilliant

 

That looks great, you did a good job there. You mentioned that you used the basic ascender, what's the difference between a basic and a non basic?