petzel zigzag

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Yo Tramp, check out the Hitch Hiker sold by Treestuff and is a hundy less that the soon to be moth balled Zig Zag.
 
That Hitch hiker looks pretty neat. Not only can you attach it midline (not possible with the Zig-Zag), you can use it in a SRT system, as I understand it.
Too bad that it does not have an CE approval yet as I live in Europe..... But maybe that will come.
 
Since the Swabisch have both ends going out in the same direction, it wouldn't be suitible for the Hitch hiker. But I guess a Distel hitch or a Michoacán would work fine. Or maybe a Knut hithch!
A6706_3.jpg

Left to right: The Schwabisch, Distel and Michoacán.
Göran.
 
+1 on the Distel hitch

That petzl zigzag looked weird anyway, I was looking at the fancy full page advertisement for it, just thinking look at all those possible failure points, what a feat of engineering.........

I would stick with one that has been around for awhile if you must go mechanical.

Just my 2 cents.
 
The problem for me with the Hitch Hiker is I'm paranoid of the VT. If it will work with the Swabish or if it can be used alone.

I guess I need to learn more about it.

Play lo and slow with the vt before you give up on it, tramp. Tied right it's bulletproof and smooth as silk. What I like about it is it grabs the rope like a chinese fingertrap instead of relying on putting a kink in the rope like a conventional friction hitch. There is a reason it's so popular.
 
I've been using the RADS uptil now actually. And still do. With a Gri-Gri2 and a static 10,5 mm static access rope. A bit slow to ascend, but great when you descend.
But I'm using a set up with a Hith climber pulley/VT and a Rope Wrench more and more now. Use a Pantin and a hand ascender with that.
Would be nice to try the Hitch Hiker. I guess that the HH could replace the Hithc climber & RW.
Göran.
 
Ya, I think I'm going to bypass the Rope Wrench all together. . Looking at my WesSpur catalog it showed the Hitch Hiker with what looks like a Distal . And a short tether for a chest harness. I wish I had some hardwood trees in my yard so I could play with these more than 12' high. Kinda hard to do on these small white spruce.
 
Do you mean the recall? I think this is the latest update from Petzl:
Product Recall: ZIGZAG Petzl mechanical Prusik for arborists (Sku. D22) | Petzl
Pity. The ZigZag seems like a good product. Seems like it has been used the wrong way and that caused the accident.
But then again, the Hitch hiker could be a better choice since it's attachable midline and less complicated mechanically.
Think I will order it allthough it's not CE approved......
Göran.
 
Ya, I found an update on TreeStuff site last night. . I really like the idea of the zz . When they get it fixed I plan on getting one. But will go with the hitch hiker for now. I'm getting up a gear order and need to decide on which 7/16 thinking about Velocity, hot. And a CMI foot ascender.

Anyone have a favorite 7/16 that works best in the hitch hiker??
 
You might prefer a 1/2" line for the HH. I haven't tried 7/16" in it.
Am using Safety Blue High Vee, and it works nice.
 
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