Hitch Climber? Or....?

[The Diesel]

I am new to climbing trees. Just kind of doing it as a hobby. I have alot of trees around my house (some removals and some pruning) and also on my hunting land. I bought a Stihl 193t and just took down an elm.

I have been using the dual rope with a simple prusik for my climb line along with two lanyards - 15' and 20'. I was thinking about getting a hitch climber because it is kind of a pain to tend the slack. I tried adding a micro pulley but it doesnt seem to work smoothly.

Of course with the hitch climber I would have to get a spliced rope. What do you guys use? Dont want to get overly complicated. Before I buy a hitch climber and new climb line wanted to see what other options are out there.

 

[BC WetCoast]

Change your hitch knot. Even with a hitch climber, if you use a prussic, it will still be a pain. I would suggest that a VT is a little too sensitive for you with your experience, so I would suggest either a distel or swabish. I use a swabish and can tend slack without much problem.

 

[scheffa]

I climb using a hitch climber and a vt or French frisson as we call them in Aus. I don't use a spliced rope, I simply tie in with a double Fishermans. I don't however use my hitch climber to its full advantage, more as a micro pulley set up

 

[greengreer]

Another knot to try is the michoacan. Little to no sitback, grabs reliably, easy to tie etc,

The nice thing with a hitchclimber or comparable double or triple attachment pulley is that it keeps everything in line and tends a bit nicer.

 

[miko0618]

Rads on srt. Simple, and can be worked like drt on limb walks. You will never go back to drt.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[acer-kid]

RADS is slow as FAAAAAACK. Foot ascender/knee/floating ascender.

 

[miko0618]

Rads is the best work positioning system I've tried. 1 hand in, 1 hand out. You can come in against the rope like drt. No switch over. It may take a little longer to get in the tree but that's it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[acer-kid]

Switch over? I unclip tether and ascenders, and get to work. Rope wrench.

A 3:1 is easily set above your wrench system for haul back from a limb walk as well. Very minimal gear needed. One carabiner.

 

[miko0618]

Right... that's switching over. A rope wrench won't pull you back. It requires slack to tend. Let's say you want to ascend 5' and limb walk, that's a lot of messing around. The rads is ready to go.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[acer-kid]

Don't I just take one step with my foot ascender? Or for the matter of five feet.. just hump the rope? And you can definitely haul back a rope wrench with no slack accumulated. Same principle as the rads. Just less clutter and more efficient.

 

[miko0618]

How do you work with your foot ascended attached?

How do you pull yourself back with a rope wrench and no 3-1?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[acer-kid]

I don't work with my foot ascender attached to the rope. But it certainly stay on my foot or my spur shank. It's a matter of a second to engage it. And if you noticed above.. you have to set up a 3:1 haul back with a wrench. Just like the rads. Again.. other than the wrench being more efficient and more streamlined than that mess of descenders/ascender and foot loops and that sit/stand crap.

 

[miko0618]

I'm pretty sure you aren't grasping it. But it's crap because it's not what you use. Cool thing about me is that I am an arborist, I don't just play one on social media. Components of my rads...

1. I SC D4
2. Hand ascended
3. Pulley
4. 2 carabiners

It never gets installed, uninstalled. It's always ready to go up or down, in or out. No knots, no hitches. Clip and go.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[greengreer]

Pitfall of rads is not just slow ascent but needing 3x the amount of rope in a given space, either requiring you to carry and manage more rope or always be trying to figure out is you have enough to reach the ground. Regular srt is far superior in this regard, you can set it up to only have as much rope as you need to reach the ground at all times, if I'm only going 50' I dont want to be managing 100 or 150' of tail, its a waste of time and energy.
As far as ascent, ropewalk system is alot faster and uses less energy. Quick ascent, hook up the foot ascender and the tether and go, or if you're in the canopy or on spurs just hook up the tether and climb the tree.
I've used a 3:1 maybe twice, it's really only better on super akward limbwalks. The rest of the time you can just walk in and tend slack like normal.

 

[miko0618]

The rads goes with you. It only adds a few feet to the system

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[miko0618]

I'm not saying it's the best. It's what I like and use. It's an option and it doesn't suck. That's all.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[greengreer]

I'm not saying it sucks either, I think it awesome we have so many options. A guy that was working with us was a new convert to srt and was all about the 3:1 or going to drt to work the tree after initial ascent. Different strokes, different folks

 

[miko0618]

Yep.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[acer-kid]

I'm pretty sure you aren't grasping it. But it's crap because it's not what you use. Cool thing about me is that I am an arborist, I don't just play one on social media. Components of my rads...

1. I SC D4
2. Hand ascended
3. Pulley
4. 2 carabiners

It never gets installed, uninstalled. It's always ready to go up or down, in or out. No knots, no hitches. Clip and go.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Are you a time travelling arborist, by chance? Cause RADS is old hat bro. big time. I see some first timer YouTube arbor using it alot HAHAHA.I am also a certified arborist, bucko. An oak man, really. Don't get all pissy because I say your system is outdated and a waste of time. To each his own bro. I'd just be home already swilling beer while you fiddle ****ed around with that nonsense.

 

[miko0618]

Are you a time travelling arborist, by chance? I am also a certified arborist, bucko. An oak man, really. Don't get all pissy because I say your system is outdated and a waste of time. To each his own bro. I'd just be home already swilling beer while you fiddle ****ed around with that nonsense.

With an ego like that, you're probably lucky to have a job to go to every day.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk