Today I was trimming a big wide multi leadered liquid amber. It was so thick, I didn't have to srt up it, I just throw my rope up over the next branch in line tell I was at the top. It had really long heavy limbs that looked ready to snap, then the wind kicked up to add to the fun.
I trimmed the highest leader, then switched over to SRT. I used branches that normally I wouldn't trust with my weight, but because I was over multiple ones they shared the weight allowing me to get way out there close to the tips, then I dropped down, easily reaching those over grown tips.
I wasn't all the way down yet at quitting time, so tomorrow I'll Srt up to where I left my pole pruner tied off and finish. I will do this two more times I think to get the complete tree. Going back up is so easy and labor free its not an issure. I'll just go up and redirect to the side I want to do next.
I'll take some video if I can figure out how to post it. On smaller trees like this I just foot lock the rope. Even if you don't foot lock, you can foot lock on the yo yo(RADs). I think I read its 3 to 1, not real fast but easy. On a long ascend with a foot strap off the hand ascender, your climbing 1 to 1, and you move up fast.
Even when I do use the footstrap(I just use a sling)I toss it when I get to the top. What you have to be really carefull of is cutting that rope. Hanging on a single 11mm rope with all your weight on it, you only need to nick it with a hand saw and it'll pop like a guitar string. I did this when I was learning, Thank God I had a second tie in