D Mc

Sure, Ian. It is not a splice at all. It is a doubled over eye-to-eye that I use as a tether. What you can see is a plastic zip tie to keep it from moving on the Uni. This way I can put the tether on or take it off easily. Dave

Be careful when doing this that the knot you use will hold when pulled in both directions. Dave

I don't like having too much stuff on my harness, so I will use a byte of the line to tie a Clove hitch or similar so that I can adjust the tension on the support side. Dave

http://vtio.org.au/Content/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Working-the-Angles-i.pdf Yes, but there is more to it. If you look at the graphics depicting force multipliers, in the link above, you can understand how having pulleys or low friction support at redirect points will be influenced by force multipliers. Just like a base tie can add more force to the suspension point. When working the outer canopy these forces get even more complex because the load will cause a lateral movement in this flexible area of the tree. Branches are at their weakest when pulled sideways. When you lock off your climbing line at a redirect point you remove the other leg as a force multiplier. But it gets better still. If you get your angles right the other leg, especially if it is also choked off, will add support that will minimize lateral flex and load that point in compression, giving you its maximum support potential. Dave

Just remember, you are talking about a system where the rope is static. The use of a Revolver carabiner is not always the best choice. It is often preferable to make a non moving connection at the redirect point to better utilize the tree's structural strengths. Dave

Yes, that is true. I was referring to SRT use. Dave

I am really surprised more climbers don't use Vortex. It is super strong and easy on the hands. Because of its high strength it is low stretch at the loads we use it at but it can still take a dynamic hit in stride because of its double-braid construction. Old Mill, the new tools like the Hitch Hiker and Rope Wrench are not so much limited in performance by rope choice but they are more dependent on the proper combination of rope, hitch cord and friction hitch. With mechanicals once you figure out how you like them, you just pick a rope to suit. Generally, thin and hard equals fast, fat and soft equals more depth of control. Where this is also true with the HH and RW because they are hitch-based, you can adjust the performance tendencies that individual climbing lines possess dramatically by hitch material and configuration. This means knowing if you have " the best " rope for your climbing requirements will be dependent on how many combinations, of those possible, you have tried. Dave

This. I thought I could and should do better than making grouchy old guy remarks and odd references. The above portion of Adam's post is what SRWP has done for me, and anyone that tries SRWP without a willingness to do the same is just wasting their time because they will not be utilizing its differences. By the way SRT access-only systems have been in use ever since I first started climbing but being proficient in their use will do little for understanding the potential that the new WP tools are capable of. The fundamental difference is not the reduction of friction, though that is nice, but the fact that one uses a static rope system and one uses a dynamic rope system. I am not talking here about whether the rope is stretchy or not but that in DdRT the rope is a moving part of the system and must remain so to accomplish in-tree movement. This requirement limits the ability to alter or control forces placed on redirects. Because the rope must move freely the sum and direction of the load will be calculated as in a rope/pulley change of direction. With a static rope system you have more choices. For instance, when working on the outside edges off a wide canopy tree, small limbs that would ordinarily not be used because they would ofter little to no support, due to pulley dynamics, can be joined by the static rope and made quite strong, similar to an elaborate cabling system. A redirect point can even be made fully static by taking a byte of your line and taking a turn or two around the redirect point ( you don't even need to go over a crotch ) and clipping it back onto itself. This is just one of many differences that must be understood/relearned and then utilized in order to benefit from the changes made available by an SRWP system. Dave

Yes it is an every day setup. Besides using whatever cutting tool the job requires, what else do you need? If it was for a dismantle I would be wearing spikes and have a steel core flip line. Yes, the Sidewinder is a retractable lanyard. The rope grab is the Trango Cinch. Dave

I do not like a cluttered harness. This is how mine is set for most work. TreeMotion, screw link and wrench, spare carabiner, Ropetek Sidewinder with 15' of 10mm Beeline and Trango Cinch. Dave

LOL!! Seriously! I can only imagine that similar thoughts go through a fledgling birds head after flapping around the nest to test their wings. After all why fly, they can hop around just fine. Sorry guys, you can't judge something until you understand what it can do. Dave

I think it is important for first time users of the Hitch Hiker to understand that the recommended cord and hitch combination, though quite functional, is heavily weighted towards safety and not sport or comp type performance. The HH has similarities but is different than any other tool and it will take some using of it to understand what it can and cannot do. But, it is a hitch-based tool so the same fine tuning in regards to rope and cord combinations will be just as important for maximizing performance as it is with any other hitch system. There is no need to settle for mediocre performance. Dave

LOL! I love the dogbone, but I had the same thoughts as you the first time I used one. Let me add some counter points that become more obvious once you become accustomed to handling it. It is the only tool, besides tying directly to the carabiner, that allows you to utilize the entire length of the hitch cord for its intended purpose. What that means is the hitch design does not have to compensate for the stiff legs that are created in the making of an eye to eye, whether sewn or spliced. The end result is a hitch that is shorter than what you would expect for the way it feels. Tuning of the hitch is even more important in SRWP than in DdRT because it sees 100% of your weight as opposed to 50%. But you already know that. What is less obvious is how the HH and RW differ even though they are both hitch-based SRT tools. The RW adds a static amount of friction, that is gauged by the amount of weight applied to the tether, to offset the work load required by the hitch. This force will be there with or without the hitch. With the HH all its load sharing is dependent on the hitch. This makes hitch tuning more noticeable and this is where the Dogbone shines. With fixed e2es your only tuning option is changing the hitch configuration. There are times that three wraps are not enough and four are too much. But with the Dogbone you can add or remove small amounts of line that have big affects on hitch performance, very easily, without changing the basic hitch configuration. If you stick with it, tying and untying your hitch using the Dogbone becomes fast and easy and, in my opinion, well worth the effort. With a properly tuned hitch, the HH will tend slack very similarly to the RW. It's all about the tuning of the hitch with an understanding that the carabiner needs to move first. Dave

I think you might be over-thinking this a bit. Because this discussion is about SRT redirects or changes in suspension point angles, redirects can, in most cases, be achieved by something as simple as running your line through an appropriate crotch. This is one of the great beauties of SRWP. Dave

Adding a pulley or ring to a top-choked system will not be of much help when it comes time for retrieval after going through several redirects. If multiple redirects are anticipated, use either a base tie, or a ring-to-ring type anchor like Ewan showed. If using a Butterfly knot as a stopper, it is a good practice to capture the eye with a carabiner or link and clip it to the retrieval end of the rope. Dave

That climber had hardly any time on the HH when he made that video and so the HH is not set optimally, plus he is just shy of 70 years old! Dave

I would like to clarify some things on these two comments. Though the end results of RW and HH are similar, the methods used to achieve those results are quite different. The RW uses a lever action that bends the line to produce enough extra friction that when combined with a hitch, or some other rope tool, the load on the hitch is quite similar to what it would experience in a doubled rope system. It has been well described as the branch that goes with you, creating a mini DdRT within the single line. Because of this, the amount of weight on the tail of the rope will alter how much force is required to move the RW. It is important to understand this variable and how to compensate for it if the weight on the line changes. If you do a search, you will find some great videos that Kevin did in documenting this aspect. The Hitch Hiker applies force through the slots in its shell that the dogbone and carabiner slide on. The more weight, the more force. But because it does not deflect the rope, its performance is not altered from any changes in the tail rope weight. In most work situations this makes little difference but it is something to keep in mind and understand. Hitch cord and hitch configuration recommendations were made after quite a bit of field testing. Other hitches and cords will work, some with fantastic results, but with far too many variables for a manufacturer to recommend. The thing that needs to be remembered is that any hitch or cord must produce 100% reliable grip. Many people lose sight of this in thier quest for a self-tailing system. Sorry for the long post Dave

I very much agree with Old Mill on this. Ergonomics is derived from two words: ergon, meaning work, and nomoi, meaning natural laws. So it literally means the science of work and a person's relationship to that work. Most climbers have been born onto the pulley tending systems, so have no reference on doing things any other way. Not so for me. Most of my climbing career was spent on a tail-tied system. For slack-tending, say in returning from a limb walk, you would pull on the rope with both arms then slide the hitch forward. This movement accomplished two things: introduced slack was never more than that created in a single pull, and all physical effort was applied in the direction of travel. The weight of the tailing rope was an asset. Now let's look at the ergonomic differences while using a pulley style advancing movement. You can go fast by taking 3 or 4 pulls, then hold yourself in position with one arm while pulling slack with the other. Or you can be slow and careful by pulling with one arm while removing slack with other. This even sounds awkward to me while typing it. With pulley-style tending, whether a pulley is used or not, at the very least, energy is spent that does not assist in directional movement, and at the worst actually pushes against the direction of movement. With the exception of tools like the Petzl Rig and I'D that require the rope to change direction, all our hitches and tools are designed to slide straight up the rope with almost no friction ( when set properly ) and then grab as needed. This straight through design is facilitated by the weight of the tailing rope. It makes far more sense to find a way to utilize this feature than to waste energy lifting it. Think about it, there are ways. The Pantin is a good example. It works great strapped to your foot utilizing the falling rope weight to assist in upward progress. Yet place it loosely on your bridge so it falls out of rope alignment and that may not happen. Would it make more sense to advance it by adding a pulley and lifting the tailing rope or spend some time in figuring out how to get it to once again work with the tail weight? Dave

It is easier to take on and off and you can spin the carabiner so that the gate opening is wherever you want it. But the most important improvement is that it pulls on the center of the carabiner so the release is not affected by sharp and changing angles created by the carabiner's movement. But like I said, I need more time with it to ensure there are no hidden problems. Dave

Yes. It is necessary in order use this type of advancer. If you can live without pulling up at sharp angles during slack tending the HH works just fine in this direction. Dave

I have been experimenting with this small metal piece as a clip-in point instead of the plastic strap. I do not have enough time on it to determine if it has any bad tendencies, but my initial impression is, it is a better way. Dave

Or for that matter, other tools of proven ability, like the Uni. Dave

I read 24 people. But even that is not representative of the SRWP community. The contributing numbers are small for two reasons. The participating members of the TH are quite small and the poll question was aimed specifically at those that have used both, which at this point in time, remains a small segment of the SRT community. If you take those factors into consideration, it should give viewers pause as to the relevance of why people, that have used both, would choose the Hitch Hiker over the much loved and highly functional Rope Wrench. Dave

I still see a lot of people taking the slick pin out on the ZK-2. A clever little pocket has been machined into the inside edge of the side plate on the 2 just so you do not have to remove the pin to get the rope in. If you leave it in you will find it is easier to operate with gloves on, you will not have to worry about dropping it and you can still fit fat arb ropes through the opening. Dave

True, that. If all that is needed is going up and down the rope, there is nothing I have used that can come close to doing the job as well as the Franken-cender. This is the updated and better model. But because tree work involves so much more than just straight rope climbing, give me a Hitch Hiker in SRWP and I'm a happy camper. Dave