Learned a new-to-me technique ... RAD

[Hoowasat]

I'm self-taught and have enjoyed great success using DRT with a VT friction hitch in the handful of trees I've trimmed and removed for friends and family. I use a foot ascender on the right and a knee ascender on the left so going up is similar to climbing a ladder. I've gone so far as rigging both ends of my 150' climbing rope to two separate friction savers, and then transfer from one branch to another while in the tree. The main reason behind that exercise was to avoid having to climb back up 30' from the ground ... an excercise in avoiding exercise. FYI, I'm a little old at 55 and always looking for easier ways to do things (that mindset helps in my career as an industrial engineer).

Foot locking was fine in high school when I could climb a rope barehanded to the rafters of the gymnasium (no safety gear ), but it's not for me anymore. And for some reason, I've not been successful when I tried SRT with the sit-stand method. I'm fairly certain it's because I've had difficulty remaining close to the rope and find myself too far away from it at times.

I recently started researching the RAD method. I already had all the gear on hand and tried it today using a Petzl I'D ... large model for 1/2" (13mm) rope. Wow! I was impressed. I was thinking this was going to be tiresome being that it employs only one foot loop. But no ... I ascended and descended to a height of about 20 feet four times in a row. I'm pleased with my progress, and will add this to my toolbag of climbing techniques.

On the downside, I could not locate more than 3 or 4 online videos depicting the RAD technique.

 

[Pelorus]

I'm a little old at 52, but it really comes down to the mileage, not the model year.

 

[Hoowasat]

I had an opportunity to use the RAD technique yesterday to delimb a buddy's gumball tree located close to his house. He wanted all limbs removed to a point about 10 feet above his chimney. Since the main spar was vertical and straight, I secured my SRT line down the opposite side of the trunk from which I was climbing. Then I used a 2-in-1 lanyard clipped to that "down line" so I could pull and secure myself around the spar in either direction as needed while I progressed upward. Worked like a charm.

Added the photo below. Rope looped over the two crotches in the yellow circle, and the red circle was the highest limb I removed. I could've done all this with my 32' ladder, but that would've required a lot of repositioning, adjustments, plus climbing up n' down the ladder numerous times.