Distrust for mechanical descenders ect.

[luvthetrobag]

Just curious how many of you guys distrust these devices and still use climbing knots. I have never quite trusted them and have only ever used the standard climbing knot.Its worked well but im wondering if there might be a better knot to use.

 

[Grace Tree]

Lockjack. What's not to trust? My hitch cord has all been transfered to my rope museum.
Phil

 

[beowulf343]

Just curious how many of you guys distrust these devices and still use climbing knots. I have never quite trusted them and have only ever used the standard climbing knot.Its worked well but im wondering if there might be a better knot to use.

That's me. I hate mechanical devices-my knots have never failed me. Don't even use ascenders on my lanyards. Never felt comfortable.

 

[Mitchell]

wont go back

Im a K.I.S.S. pricable type but I will no to back to friction hitches after using 11mm rope and a petzel gri gri. I like my hand asceneders as well but Im getting old I suppose!

 

[nytreeman]

That's me. I hate mechanical devices-my knots have never failed me. Don't even use ascenders on my lanyards. Never felt comfortable.

Here too,Knots only,never used any mechanical descenders and Ive had ascenders for years and have hardly ever used them.

 

[tree md]

I like knots too. I have used a figure 8 backed by a friction hitch before but now I just use a split tail and Blake's hitch. I have been eyeballing the gri gri lately though.

 

[Fireaxman]

That's me. I hate mechanical devices-my knots have never failed me. Don't even use ascenders on my lanyards. Never felt comfortable.

You never had anything like this happen to you?

This is the extreme, obviously the wrong rope for the job of split tail, but eventually all split tails burn or glaze to the point they have to be replaced. And, I never took a ride down more then 50 feet that I didn't have to nurse the split tail a little - it either gets too hot or jams up or both. I've tried most ropes from Tenex to Beeline to Stay Set and most knots from Blakes to Knut to VT to Martin. They all need at least a little attention on a long ride down.

My descenders (Petzl STOP, I'D, or Figure 8) dissipate the heat better and give me a smooth, quick, hassle free ride. I back them up with a martin hitch on my side D, but I have never had a reason to worry about them. Then there are just times when SRT and mechanical are more efficient than DdRT, although at my age I am a big proponent of the mechanical advantage of DdRT.

 

[beowulf343]

You never had anything like this happen to you?

This is the extreme, obviously the wrong rope for the job of split tail, but eventually all split tails burn or glaze to the point they have to be replaced. And, I never took a ride down more then 50 feet that I didn't have to nurse the split tail a little - it either gets too hot or jams up or both. I've tried most ropes from Tenex to Beeline to Stay Set and most knots from Blakes to Knut to VT to Martin. They all need at least a little attention on a long ride down.

Nope, at least not that bad. That's more a split tail failure than a knot failure. Have burned many split tails but never that bad. I've got to honest with you, i really have no problems with my friction hitches, even with my extreme weight and long descents. I've spent hours in a tree without ever having to dress my martin. In fact one of my tests when i was switching over to the martin was dropping straight out of a tree 90 feet up. Sure, you can't burn out of a tree with it but slow and steady will get you down without a problem.

My descenders (Petzl STOP, I'D, or Figure 8) dissipate the heat better and give me a smooth, quick, hassle free ride. I back them up with a martin hitch on my side D, but I have never had a reason to worry about them. Then there are just times when SRT and mechanical are more efficient than DdRT, although at my age I am a big proponent of the mechanical advantage of DdRT.

Interesting, the mechanical descenders are perfectly safe, yet you back them up anyway? I have never backed up a friction hitch.
I'll tell you the real reason i don't use any mechanical descender-i have seen them fail, and fail badly, on frozen ropes. Now sure, this is a bit extreme and most climbers will never have to deal with this problem. But around here, for a good chunk of the year, this is a regular problem. I expect my equipment to work no matter the weather or conditions-mechanical descenders don't seem to have what it takes whereas my friction hitches have never let me down even over twelve years and every kind of condition imaginable. (By frozen rope i don't mean a cold rope but one that has gotten soaked and then has froze.)