D Mc

Yes, the Uni is a great tool. Lately though, I have been using the Hitch Hiker as my go to tool. It has a much more industrial feel that I find comforting. Dave

Wow, Ewan! Your posts of 8 and 9 will be a great help for those that are looking for answers. I use SRWP for everything. Big trees or little, excurrent or decurrent it makes no difference. I do this not because it is the new or cool way, in fact I hated the thought of the whole change/relearning process. I could do anything that needed to be done in or with a tree using DdRT. So you might ask, why did I switch systems? It is easier. For the same reasons that you grab and use a ladder. When it is time to go up, you use your legs. Not in every movement up but in enough that the work load on your arms is significantly reduced. Climbing trees and doing the work we do will always be physically demanding but the new generation of SRWP tools that are now available will enable a climber, once they understand fully what the system is capable of, to climb and work for as many years as they choose. There are lots of old guys climbing mountains, very few gymnasts over the age of 30. Dave

Climbing a single static line, has less personal strength requirements and no directional limits. Dave

I guess it might be one of those things that need to be tried before it makes sense. But it is hard to imagine not recognizing the usefulness of a hand ascender in SRT. It works the same way but is far more versatile. The last picture shows a very efficient rope walker system. If you are returning on a limb walk, unclip the Croll and return in complete control with a slide and pull. Never any slack to tend. Like I said, it might be better to just try it a bit as I know that is a pretty lame description. No, I do not use the Croll much anymore. Dave

This is an old photo and I do things differently now but it should give you an idea of what I am talking about. Like I said, this works just like a hand ascender, and we all know how well they work on SRT. The difference is these tools can also go down and will not hurt the rope. Dave

No, not at all. In fact I find it quite familiar and comfortable as that is the method I have used for most of my climbing career. Think tail tied hitch. Dave

Yes. Just take some time to figure out what length works best for you. It needs to be long enough for a worthwhile advancement stroke while still being able to reach the hitch, or Uni, at odd angles. Dave

Both the Uni and the HH work really well on a tether, which completely eliminates the need to slack tend. Dave

If you can, try adding a carabiner loop similar to what I pictured. It does more than just giving you a place to clip to. It works like a corner trap so maintains carabiner alignment. The surprise benefit is that when you reach down to grab the Hitch Hiker your hand will rap around it so that even without thought, the carabiner is moved first, making advancement smooth and with less effort. I would also recommend you find a shoulder strap that is comfortable enough to use all the time. Like anything new they take some getting used to but the benefits are great even when not used for hitch advancement. Even a light weight strap like I use, will comfortably keep your harness in a lower and better position without it slipping off with the weight of a saw. David

Word! I am so thankful to be doing tree work in a time with so many great choices. It is not what is the best tool for SRWP but what works best for you. These pictures are to reference size and lack of complexity of the Hitch Hiker. I take a lot of pictures with just the HH in the frame so it's size can look bigger than it truly is. I also here a lot of complaints on how complicated SRT is. Well it does not have to be. David

Got it, thanks. I can normally role my Vortex into the open RW if I make sure that I have the pin catch fit into that clever little recess on the inside edge milled into it for that purpose. I rarely have to work with wet ropes, which is fine by me, because my hands go numb enough even when dry. Dave

Reg, I was not questioning why you removed the RW but instead why you took the pin all the way out in order to put it back on, as opposed to just leaving the pin in its opened position and slipping the rope through the gap. Dave

Always fun to watch you work, Reg. At around 5 min in, as you are setting things up to descend, you remove the the quick pin from the RW for reattaching it to the line. Is that just a personal preference or is it to hard to squeeze the Imori past the quick pin even when it is in the recessed notch? David

I would agree and I will elaborate some on the reasons for doing so. It will be tempting for all the climbers that have been using a hitch tended by a Hitchclimber pulley to try and use the Hitch Hiker the same way. Though it will work in this manner, you will be disappointed as it is not a pulley and has some distinct differences in how it works best. First the knot. Start your wraps toward the spine and count 6 before putting the end into the Dogbone. Take up as much slack as you can before tying the stopper knot. The last wrap will drop off when you load the hitch with weight and become the 5 wrap that is pictured. This hitch is easy to adjust and fine tune once you get the feel of how the Hitch Hiker works. Now the why. The HH runs the best when it stays in alignment with the climbing line. It will release or grab and slide with effortless ease if this alignment is maintained. If you try and tail it like a Hitchclimber VT combo it will work but, as I stated, it is not a pulley so not only will you feel the increased drag from that fact you will also get more movement from the HH's locking dynamics than required and get far more setback than is desired. Using the short recommended hitch and tying it by starting it towards the spine helps the Hitch Hiker stay in alignment, run silky smooth and will produce the least amount of set back. David

It works very well for smoothing out the control inputs on the Uni and having a RW over the Uni does significantly reduce wear. It is hard to see but I put a rubber grommet inside the closed ring of the clip. This prevents the RW from swinging closed under its own weight. Unfortunately it gets little use lately as I prefer using the Hitch Hiker. Dave

Hmmm, maybe something that could easily be taken on and off... Dave

Same for me, works great. Dave

Do a search on this little jewel. It is called the Hitch Hiker and is the creation of Paul Cox of Ropetek, who also makes the Ropetek Wraptor, a motorized ascender. The HH is a hitch-based system, mid-line attachable, goes from SRT ascent to SRWP seamlessly, as well as switching into DdRT mode if the need presents itself. My understanding is that it will be officially released during the TCIA Expo in November. David

My apologies to the OP for continuing these off topic comments but this is wrong. Fluency and continuity come from the climber not the tools. Joe, you are a great climber but it is not because you are on a doubled rope system. If you had the desire to put in the time and training into SRWP that you have put into Ddrt, you would be just as smooth. The only difference would be, is that you could climb for more years without the inevitable over use degeneration in your upper body that is so common in tree work. Even short moments of using your legs instead of your arms for in-tree movements, will make a big difference as the years go by. Dave

Sorry I missed this update when you first posted it, David. Thanks for taking the time and being so thorough. Four years, wow! Dave

Sorry I missed this update when you first posted it, David. Thanks for taking the time and being so thorough. Four years, wow! Dave

Yes, it does! If you can devise a stiff tether for joining the two the combo becomes very well-mannered for ascending and the constant transitions of work positioning. Dave

Ok, you guys are making me nervous. The RW should have no bearing on weather or not your hitch grabs on a set back movement. You should be able to remove the RW from the line and still have the hitch grab every time by it self. If you are not using an independently and reliably grabbing hitch your setup is not safe to climb on. But maybe I've misinterpreted your comments? Dave

LOL. Patience. This is a great and new concept in tree climbing tools and Paul is working hard at getting things worked out for production. Dave

Ewan, that was a very good post and described the way that many feel when trying out SRT after having climbed years on DdRT, myself included. I would like to encourage you to keep at it. All the wonderful and natural feeling movements of DdRT took years to develop and master. Virtually all of your climbing, planning and positioning are dependent on that 2:1 arm- assisted movement. It will take time to overcome muscle memory and practice to appreciate how to best utilize the strong points of SRT work positioning. Why bother? I get this often from climbers that argue that DdRT already can do anything that needs to be done in a tree, and it can but at the cost of early retirement due to arm-related overuse injuries. Tree workers use their arms and upper bodies a lot even without climbing the rope. Relying on arm strength for movement as well, is a major contributor to this overuse damage. Properly executed SRT work positioning will place a greater lode on other, larger muscle groups. Even though it can be difficult to transition, it is worth it. Dave