Rope Runner (Singing Tree) - unconventional uses

Ryan-H

TreeHouser
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
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I've been climbing on the Rope Runner daily for almost a month now and have been testing out a couple different strategies for using it.

It works just as well as a hitch in a double rope system, no better no worse. That's a huge asset for me, as I switch between systems a lot. Kevin mentioned that there is a risk of the carabiner attachment on the bridge getting caught on the beak (essentially the lever) of the device, failing it. The risk is pretty small--comparable to the risk of a scaffold knot terminating your climbing system on a hitchclimber pulley failing your prusik--but is easy to mitigate. Either tying off my climb line to the ring on my bridge or extending it with an eye-to-eye sling does the job nicely. I'm sure there's an even more elegant fix, though.

I've gotten pretty comfortable climbing on a RADS with a Grigri 1, but it's no longer on the market, so I decided to test out the RR low-and-slow. It works like a dream, but using it for this application is unadvisable for a funny reason. The hip thrusting motion of RADS ascents brings the top of the Rope Runner directly in contact with the hand ascender, failing the RR. No big deal, as the RR would normally catch again as soon as the climber fell below the ascender. However, a climber suddenly in free fall is likely to do one thing: continue grabbing the rope. I've tested this out a few times, and it's easy to add enough friction to the already efficient system to prevent the camming components of the RR from engaging. This results in free fall with one hand on the rope providing the only friction in the system. So, sadly no RADS for the Rope Runner unless you figure out a way to make one that works upside down.

Of course, it tends slack so beautifully on 1:1 SRT, it's making me not want to climb any other way. ;-)
 
Good to see you here Ryan! I didn't hear that story about Mexico. That's pretty cool.

Ryan, I still keep thinking that if you ever get tired of chasing bugs around trees than I think you should work on bringing America beer on a stick. I do believe it could be a hit.
 
As for the Runner and RADs, I have had the same problem. RADS is useful sometimes so it does kind of suck. I think that if I put an extended becket on the pulley so that the rope did not run along the back of the tether so tight it would work. But that would also be added bulk.
 
This thing looks awesome, I like how it self tends.
LawrenceSchultz Vid
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Cheers, Nick-Kevin-MasterBlaster!

So, it's still my favorite thing I've ever climbed on. Just switched over from poison ivy to vortex, and I didn't even need to readjust it. I'm surprised that the rope runner is showing very little grooving after so much heavy use, but I think I can probably wait a couple more months before having to rotate any of the components to even out the wear. Nothing has gummed up with dirt, sawdust, or leaf litter yet. Not sure how it would be dealing with sap, because I'm not in conifers.

I lost the little lanyard attachment. FYI, don't just clip your lanyard to your attachment carabiner instead. The two can and will interact, causing the rope runner to fail (hence the funny little attachment doohicky that comes with it.) Usually, this is just momentary, but it's possible for the gate of one to get wedged between the gate of the other and the pulley on the rope runner, thoroughly preventing the device from engaging. Bad scenario. I just replaced the attachment plate doohicky with some throwline, and that solves that issue pretty well.

Quick question: recommendations for attachment carabiners? I have tried 4+ different triaction carabiners, and only one of them has the right dimensions to work with the rope runner. Even it is annoying to get in and out of the device. I'm pretty sure there are some better options out there.

Tips: I find that when attaching it midline, starting by attaching the bird (rope wrenchy component) first, it just sits on my line, freeing up my hands to attach the rest of it. Most of the time, though, I don't bother and just thread the non-spliced end of my rope through. When pulling my rope out through a tree with multiple redirects, the rope runner works just like an ascender to allow me to really haul on the line, too. :-)
 
yes, I meant to send you the replacement tending doohickys. I will get on that. Any of the oval carabiners are good in my opinion. what are the carabiners you are using. It must be level. any of the D shaped ones wont work.
 
Ha, well I'm using a DMM ultra-O! :-)

Yeah, the HMSs, Ds, and pears were giving me no love. Forgot that ovals existed. Thanks, Nick!
 
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