Marc

yeah pretty much sums it up really. Anyway I'm sure I'll be enjoying my bottle of Jacobs Creek come Feburary.

Heathen, you have no taste, hitchclimbers are the connoisseurs of the arb world it takes a mature palette to fully appreciate the subtleness of a hitch. Zig zags are the Jacobs Creek of the arb world made for the majority.

Old Mills get your hand throwing down, its so much faster and quicker to reset, when using the RK I was amazed at the Heights I could accuratly achieve by hand over conventional bags. And as most trees we climb are 20m 60-70ft and under on a daily basis that's pretty easy by hand. Leave the Big shot for the really awkward stuff. Or buy a throw pod for other end of the throw line, that's what I'd like in an ideal world throw pod and ropeknight combined.

That can be a skewed opinion, as in Russia most cars are fitted with cameras so a lot more accidents are caught on film. Pretty sure if a lot more cars in the UK had cameras there would also be a larger amount on content on the tube. But yeah they are a little bit more cavalier on the road than we are. Again we often judge by our own society standards.

Shhhhhh don't tell them our secret location!

From what I,ve seen they have beefed up the overall construction, so let's hope for higher than 15kn mbs, they have increased the angle which the friction chain can pivot, and improved the fair lead of the tail.

To me it's always been a gut feeling, I have been climbing on base ties for a long time now and always felt more comfortable with this than a top anchor, not to say I do not use top anchors. VTIO touched on this in a article on SRT and it just made sense in my mind, it also comes from installing pulling lines from the ground V having them top tied, it never felt like I was getting increased pull through the double loading, in fact it felt less because of the amount of line absorbing the pull energy. I hope what I say makes some sense.

Interesting stuff Kevin, do you have an external link to this study?

I think you've answered your own question there. The opinion they are dangerous and most do not trust them is because we never spend enough time in them to become proficient, and find the technique we are most proficient at the safest and most trust worthy i,e climbing. I think Paulo sums it up nicely, although we should always consider a MEWP to work at height, its not meant that it should be the only consideration. We own a mewp and I've used a variety from the standard 15m upto 45m, I am not proficient in there use therefore I feel you could argue the risks are higher for me to use a mewp over climbing as there is greater scope for me to get in trouble. I am not afraid to spec one or insist though if I feel it is the sefest approach.

For me just richening the low needle helped vastly, place a mark at its position now and move in small increments and test until the pick up is instant. Obviously on a warm saw, and leave it to idle between tests I never needed to drill the exhaust to get satisfactory power. Although I would try it after the warren try was out! As modding the exhaust will void it.

Intresting approach

I wasn't aware if used appropriately that it was defective unless there is something I'm not aware of? Not that it matters it was recalled and that is that. I was getting concerned that they would not make the needed improvements, reading the change log I'm hopeful they have made some really positive improvements. I'm not certain these will be the case but the major improvements from what I can see beside strengthening the top hole which was not an issue for me are- An overall improvement in strength from 15kn a figure to low for me to what I am not sure, but I'd hope 22kn minimum. Improved fair lead of the tail so now hopefully my ropes will last longer than a month with this device. The friction link chain now has a greater range of movement so no wear or undue stress on the side plates.

You say in one sentence leaving limbs protruding from the general crown profile is sloppy and unacceptable, then that you reduce each limb and equal amount.... Or am I getting confused? I don't think there is a hard and fast rule, I'm a big fan of partial reductions by just tipping in over extended limbs to within the crown profile, this for me works best on trees like Cedar to help reduce those lever arms particularly in severe weather like heavy snow. Sometimes I'll reduce and try to achieve a balanced and as close to symmetrical crown profile as possible. And on other occasions I'll just reduce a tree equally so if one limbs sticks out it will still stick out as not all trees are perfectly shaped and symmetrical and this is what gives them character. Most if my reductions have nothing to do with great shapes it's more duty of care and doing what I think is best even if I'm wrong. One thing is universal the customer is always wrong!

I prefer to climb it's often safer and quicker than a mewp and also more practical.

Do you drink? Are all the people that go down the pub for a couple all losers really? Bit harsh. I don't drink or take drugs other than caffeine and nicotine for the last 6 years, but I was not always perfect, and can't think that back then I was irrasponsible or dangerous during my working day. What I did out of hours had nothing to do with work.

I worked with an alcoholic once lovely bloke, the weed user complete scum. Seems a little skewed to me! I know plenty of alcoholics that fit your description of the weed user, and plenty of weed users that fit your description of the alcoholic. You have to remember if alcohol was discovered now there is no way it would be a legal or acceptable drug, it's long history in our society has made it acceptable. I have no problem with weed or those that smoke it. I smoked everyday for ten years before eventually getting bored of it. I do have a big issue with those who bring a danger to the work site be it their attitude or intoxication.

I got the rigging research it's thicker than the bible, and harder to read than war and peace.

I just read through it, very nice Adam easy to read and gets the essential points across well.

There was a u900 being broken up on ebay. Same pic in multiple ads just different parts being sold off so may be worth a quick email to the seller maybe.

Yes sometimes a floating rig is not ideal, it's very simple to install a hitch making it a true double rope set up that indpendtly adjustable. I really like the useful multi sling for this tied with a Blake's it self tends via the pinto as well. Excuse the pic I set it up wrong as the rope is supposed to pass through the green ring.

Sure it's different, it's has many good qualities that may suit you. It's my personal opinion that both devices allow you to climb in the same way. It's a personal thing and not for me to say what's best for you.

I feel some tools are better at doing some things, and that no tools yet exists that is good at all that's pretty much universal.

If you want to make your life easier the hitchclimber is perfectly suitable for that, also look to SRT even if it's just for access.

In a nutshell yes.

Agree with that, a lot of people seem to get hooked on the shiny sexiness and think it's the pinnacle of climbing tools, fact is it's just a tool and no better than any other tool, it all depends on you as a climber. As far as tools go you will have to prise the hitchclimber out of my cold dead hands:001_tt2: