D Mc

The Uni is the primary rope attachment. The Croll is for progress capturing when rope walking. Toothed ascenders are not kind to arborist ropes and chest ascenders not very strong so I want my primary attachment above and away from anything that might fail or cause rope damage. The Torse is not a loop around my neck but a light weight shoulder harness that stays on my harness all the time. It works better than the lanyard over the shoulder and I do not have to choose between the use of one over the other. Dave

This is what I ascend with. Petzl Sequoia SRT, Torse ascender strap, Croll, Unicender, Patin on right foot and foot loop from Uni to left foot. I am not a fan of using a lanyard to hold up the Croll. A proper shoulder strap will do the same and so much more. The ascender is a Petzl Ascension with a CMI pulley sheave fixed to the large hole. My hands lose feeling quickly in the cold so the less I have to drop, the better. I can take this setup off and on with one hand, even with gloves. Dave

RADS works very well with the Uni. It works even better if you take a wire gate Revolver and clip it to your bridge ring. I've posted a picture below. Working a tree off a single line is quite different than with a doubled line. Some climbers make the switch without breaking stride. I did not. I had been climbing and working off a doubled rope for more than 40 years, it is something I can do with my eyes shut. It was quite humbling and somewhat embarrassing to be constantly finding myself faced with having to stop and think on how too proceed instead of just flowing through it. So in the beginning, I used RADS for returning on limb walks quite a bit. But now that I've become comfortable with what I can and cannot do, I use it very little. With the Uni on a tether it is easy to return with great control and confidence. With the Uni leading, you hold onto its lower end with one hand with the other on the rope. Each pull back in is followed by a flick of the wrist that sends the Uni forward, capturing the gained progress. All of you that are wondering, if it was so hard for me to make the switch, why bother? Well, I could instantly see and feel the benefits. A finely tuned modern doubled rope climbing system feels and indeed is low effort. But it is still based on arm strength for primary movement. Our bodies are not made for this. SRT is based on leg strength for primary movement and arms as secondary support. This fits with how we are made. Most of the raves on the RW thread have more to do with the system than the tool. Many tree climbers can not imagine climbing without a hitch, the RW makes SRT work positioning possible for them. Choose the tools that you are most comfortable with, but give SRT a good hard look. Dave

You guys are asking some very good questions. I almost did not post this because of your need to pass a loler and the slowness that the Unicender is having getting certified. One thing you might try is making a copy of that picture and show it to your inspector and ask him if he would pass it. If you can foot-lock a single rope, the Unicender on a tether is all you need to climb and work a tree in SRT mode. With some support gear it can be used in a very efficient Frog-Walker for tree entry. In my opinion it is the best tool currently available for SRT entry and work position. It is quickly and easily mid-line attachable. Unlike a hitch, the friction is the same day in day out. If pine pitch is a problem it can be quickly cleaned with a solvent without worries. I could go on and on...it is a great tool. It is easy to learn how to use but in SRT mode it is also very easy for someone without proper training in its use and experience in tree climbing to get in trouble. I do not recommend it for beginners. For "expert use ony" would fit this tool. Dave

Yes. Threaded and then secured with Loctite (thread glue). Dave

I thought this might be of interest to any of you that are using the Uni. The open L on the Uni has always been a problem in the fact that it does not capture the rope which makes it unreliable for slack tending. The tail can also find its way on top of the L and jam. What the picture shows is the short side of the L drilled and tapped to accept a shoulder bolt with its head removed, sized to allow a 10mm opening. This space is large enough to squeeze the rope through so it is still mid-line attachable but small enough that it captures the rope during normal use. I have been using this for awhile now and it greatly improves the usability of this tool. Dave

It was mighty considerate of Al to start this thread so as not to hijack the RW thread, don't ya think? It is great to have so many options for SRT tree work positioning, but it is the method not the individual tool used that creates the unique work options. Something apparently easily and often overlooked. Dave

The fault should not be placed on the Rig but in the users lack of training. It is so easy to teach proper operation of the Rig, that I personally feel this point is a non issue for tree work and certainly does not require "expert users" status. Virtually all the friction controlling setups used in tree work share in their lacking a panic brake and will not work in a panic grab scenario. I have seen far greater proficiency achieved with the Rig, faster and with far less drama, than with the teaching of tie-dress-set, rope combos used in the standard doubled rope techniques used in tree work. Scary is watching a beginner trying to remember how to tie a life support knot. Dave

Really? I did not know that. Has there been any reported failures of that part since its release? Being able to take it on and off the line easily, and without dropping it, is one of its many assets. I think that the Rig is a great tool for tree work and would not hesitate in recommending it to someone just starting in SRT work positioning. The lack of a panic position for the handle has not been an issue when used with appropriate arborist ropes where as the lock-off position that is automatically activated by a top strike is very useful and well thought out. For positioning it can be worked with one hand, as can swings, but the latter takes some practice and skill. Upward movement is 1:1 when a top ascender with foot loop is used in a sit-stand manner and 3:1 in a RADS for limb walk returns. It is not too big and is quite a rugged tool. Like I said, in my opinion, this is a very good tool for SRT tree work. Dave

You are doing it the right way. If there is a need to control a branch or trunk, with the use of ropes, you might as well use a system that has the least chance of failure. Just because there are many that have side-loaded a carabiner for years, without failure, does not make it a good idea. For knotless rigging use loop slings with an end-trapped carabiner. Use the weight of the biner to flip the sling around the branch, as previously described, but then run it through the other end of the sling loop and clip it back onto the lowering line. This method is just as fast as the wrong way and is actually easier for the groundie to unclip and remove, while at the same time keeping the carabiner loaded properly. Dave

Very nice post, Reg. Dave

No, you are wrong. If you want to stay warm in a drafty house you must have an out side air delivery system attached to your stove. Almost any, modest size, air tight stove, will hold a fire for eight hours. But if it is sucking cold air into the room it won't matter. Give it a source of direct, and sealed outside air and all those fire caused drafts will stop. Dave

FYI, this is a common thought or reason for choosing a harness, but just the opposite of the results from long term use. A support belt for lifting needs to be tight enough to support your core muscles. It is almost impossible to get a tree climbing harness this tight and still have it stay in its proper place. Add to this that the waist belts do not flex, so excessive tightening will reduce mobility. But the worst part is that much of what we do requires pushing. When you push ( as in blocking down a trunk ) while having your lower back supported your core muscles relax. Aside from the damage caused by hyperextension, long time use will result in reduced core strength, which is just the opposite of what is needed to protect your back. Keeping your waist belts low and on the hard points of your hips, will give you complete mobility and allow your muscles to develop in a way that will support your back. Dave

No study, Gerrit. I thought the above quoited comment unusual enough to be worth some dialog to determine if others have noted something similar, and if so, why? Dave

Spore counts can be very enlightening. Going by the numbers alone, it seems successful docking would be guaranteed, yet in actuality, only a small percentage of possible sights become occupied. This apears to be true on many levels. In the world of airborne particles, anamorphs of Massaria travel the same paths used by multitudes of others. Hardscape and polutants combined, have been shown to produce many challenges and hurdles for life. Gerrit, you have a far better grasp of such things than I, and read with great care your well informed posts, so with all else being equal, why would some trees in city areas have a lower infection rate than some trees in a more rural situation? Unless of course, all things are not equal. Dave Module 3: Characteristics of Particles - Particle Size Categories | Basic Concepts in Environmental Sciences | APTI | USEPA

Could it be that high and constant particulate attachment is reducing docking availability or success? Dave

You guys need to grow up! Dave

Remember, a basal tie is just an option, not a requirement in SRT. Dave

Thanks, erich. I had thought that Biochar was just a bunch of hype; a magic pill that would allow us to eat whatever we want and not get fat. Good to know that by just adding this product we will make more money and save the world. Yes, good to know. Dave

Good post, Hama. This is a great thread with tons of good information! I do not like current agricultural practices. The high yield comes at a cost, with interest, that will be payed. Anything that will reduce the borrow-now-pay-later type damage warrants our close scrutiny. Your last sentence should not be resricted to woodlands. The world has much to offer if we so choose. Unaltered with the understanding that nothing stays the same. Life itself requires change. Dave

The Unicender becomes even more impressive in use. It is not just for access, and the same energy-saving principles that make SRT so desirable for entering a tree also apply in working the tree. In this picture notice how little gear is used. The only thing not showing is the Pantin. The line coming from the bottom of the Uni is the foot loop. Dave

If you follow this line of thinking, you had best stop using any form of friction hitch. They all release, slip, or fail with applied pressure. That is how they work and we must understand what can and cannot be done in our work environment. Really? Top opening by accident on the Uni is not realistic and would not cause full failure even if it did. If the Uni is used on a tether as a top ascender, dropping the tail while advancing does not happen. Maintaining the same tethered position for working accomplishes the same. Almost all things can be improved upon, but the Unicender is so far superior to any single tool that is currently available, that it is well worth investing in for those with a mind to. Dave

Beautiful! I think the old girl was very lucky to have found you. Dave

If you look at the starting point, it seems possible that there were multiple limbs in the past that grafted/merged with the main stem. Dave

Along with what David said it looks as if some secondary limb absorption may have taken place. Dave