HRC for a climbing hitch

Looks like I am going to in for some late season climbing. So it is time to do some revamping in the climbing hitch and lanyard department. So I have a few questions that I can't find the answers I am looking for even though I have done some research or at least tried to do anyway. Search functions and I don't seem to get along to good especially over at TB or the threads go off in a different direction which is nothing unusual.

I recently bought some HRC along with some Technora. The HRC has been getting good reviews as a cord for longevity. Which is good. I can't find much info on Technora for a climbing hitch. My only experience with Technora has been for a footlocking cord to get into a real tall tree which is very seldom. I have some Technora and I do like what I see and feel which is why I ordered some more and maybe give it a try also.

How does HRC handle for a climbing hitch in a VT configuration ????

Can I expect it to be the same or better in terms of grab and release than the 3/8th's Stable braid I am using now which is basically a polyester?? Samson's twin to NE Sta Set. I really like the Stable Braid but I am kind of bored with it also and just looking for something different to try. Ya all know how that goes.

How about the Technora as a hitch?? Good ?? Bad?? Fair?? Don't bother??

Since I am asking questions.

These small diameter cords that are like 5mm that I see tied into small prussiks everywhere on the net. Are there any out there that are rated for 5,000 lbs?? I can't find any and thought it would be nice to find one so I could revamp my lanyard also. The only ones I can find are basically ones that should only be used as an accessory. To revamp my lanyard I need one that is at least close to 5,000 as it would at times be used in a life support situation.

I might add my climbing rope is a broken in ArborMaster Blue Streak if this might be a factor. I am open to buying a new rope. Let's not go there for now.

I have both. The HRC is nice stuf I would recomend it.The Technora is best for foot locking couse it gets real stiff after a fue tripps up and down the climbline(i keep forgetting to wash it hopping ti will help). You should give Ice Tail or tenex a try. I think Im going back to tenex.

I love HRC. It grabs best on 11.5 - 12mm ropes, so your blue streak should work with it. I use a 3 over 3 or 4 over 3 VT on 11mm blaze. I climbed on one piece for over a year once, and it never glazed really.

larry- before I open my yapper, can you tell me specifically which technora rope you're talking about? Technora is a fiber that is used in many ropes.

love
nick

I like HRC too. I'm still using a split tail I made almost a year ago. I use a VT.

I'm using Bailout now, which is smallish, and prolly works best on 11 mm lines. Like it a bit better than HRC, which is better on larger lines.

Tenex is too soft for me, and isn't high temp.....Beeline, I found a bit soft as well, and thus it flatterns out a bit.

Icetail, haven't used, heard it's kinda soft?

Thanks for the replies guy's. Looks like the HRC is a keeper.

Nick, here is a pic of the cord I bought with the core exposed. The new cord is 8mm size. The older looking cord is my footlocking cord only in 10mm. They are both the same. Sherrill calls this Technora /Polyester.

I took a good look at my footlocking cord and noticed it is getting a little glaze to it where i tie my Kleimheist. As much as I like the feel of this Technora I don't think it would hold up so good for a climbing hitch cord. My footlocking cord has not really seen that much use and is already starting to get a glaze to it. A climbing hitch would definately put put more wear on it in a much shorter time period.

Larry, the high tech cords with a polyester cover aren't cost effective to use as a hitch cord. You never get a penny's worth of benefit out of the expensive core because the polyester outer braid will wear out long before the inner core is ever needed. A regular double braid polyester cord is relatively cheap and works just fine for a hitch cord, and the durability will be identical to the more expensive cords because the outer braid is identical. I've used a double braid poly cord for as long as I've been climbing on an advanced hitch and it works great. The 3/8" diameter lasts a lot longer than the 5/16" because it doesn't get as hot so it doesn't glaze as quickly.

If you're going to use a high tech cord, experiment with the ones with high tech fibers in the outer braid. Otherwise just stick with double braid poly.

I never cared for Tennex as a hitch for the same reasons.

Beeline didn't find a home in my climbing bag either.

Good post Brian, I have been out of the climbing scene for awhile now and haven't kept up .

What are some of the names of these high tech fibers???

I just gt the hrc from wesspur have not used it yet. I am stll trying to burn up my beeline. Hope the hrc is as good. I think I got about 35' of it

Been using this for over a year now, is alittle stiff when you first use it but once broken in is great, used on samaon 11m rope.

http://www.outdoorbasics.com/catalog/item/5/33/0/441105/7923/New+England+Ropes+Tech+Cord.html

Welcome to the TreeHouse, Höllenreich.

swampy- welcome to the treehouse! 35' of Hrc is going to last you a loooooong time. Share with your friends!

Larry- i'd bet a dollar that the glazing you are talking about isn't really "glazing" as we typically think of it. A glazed rope has been melted. It has been molecularly altered and the damage cannot be reversed. What you are seeing is probably grime smashed between the fibers. To check, gol the glazed spot and sorta "scrub" it with your finger nails. Flex the rope a bit, too. I think you'll see the glaze disappear, or at least reduce in severity.

It is impossible to glaze/melt technora (or Vectran or PBO or Kevlar). When subjected to extreme heats (900* F) the fibers immediately char. They do not melt. They are not plastic like nylon, polyester, spectra/dyneema, polypro, etc.

I love my HRC. I've used it and a Beeline sling for going on 3 years now.

love
nick

Skwerl said:

Larry, the high tech cords with a polyester cover aren't cost effective to use as a hitch cord. You never get a penny's worth of benefit out of the expensive core because the polyester outer braid will wear out long before the inner core is ever needed. A regular double braid polyester cord is relatively cheap and works just fine for a hitch cord, and the durability will be identical to the more expensive cords because the outer braid is identical. I've used a double braid poly cord for as long as I've been climbing on an advanced hitch and it works great. The 3/8" diameter lasts a lot longer than the 5/16" because it doesn't get as hot so it doesn't glaze as quickly.

If you're going to use a high tech cord, experiment with the ones with high tech fibers in the outer braid. Otherwise just stick with double braid poly.

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Well said, Rocky! I still have a bunch of 3/8th plain db, and like it a lot.....dirt cheap, easy to replace.. But the new cords are cool, as they allow lots of fast burnouts, which can be a hoot ('specially for an old greybeard who likes to show off for the ladies.....:roll

Höllenreich said:

Been using this for over a year now, is alittle stiff when you first use it but once broken in is great, used on samaon 11m rope.

http://www.outdoorbasics.com/catalog/item/5/33/0/441105/7923/New+England+Ropes+Tech+Cord.html

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5mm??? aarrghh, How does that handle? Seems it would be way too small...and catch in the pulley when bunched up during climbs. This happens to me a bit with my Bailout catching in the angled sheave of my Hitchclimber...can be annoying.

5mm??? aarrghh, How does that handle?

as it is stiffer then others I've not had any probs with it binding up in a pully though i just use a fixie in mine. I must say though if you don't climb with gloves you might get hot fingers if you cowboy out. Takes about 2 good days climbing to break it in proper, or you can do as I do and take some sandpaper to it. I take it to REI and have it stiched (think EMS can do this also), then heat wrap the stich, sandpaper it to soften it just a bit.

MasterBlaster said:

Welcome to the TreeHouse, Höllenreich.

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Thanks, I too am a banned brother

I use Bail Out - I like how firm it is to resist flattening out. The best advice though is to try as many different prusik cords as you can get your hands on. Because the knot's performance is affected so much by the amount of weight it is supporting, a lot of people get quite different results from the same prusik cord.

Who makes HRC?

New England Ropes. You will also find the same rope under the name "Therma Shield"

http://www.neropes.com/product.aspx?mid=AD5A655BCA5BFA2A6B340F8F4F462C5D&lid=3&pid=92

Thanks Nick, thats why I was confused....I couldn't find it on their site

I finally got a tress cord made up from the HRC I bought. I haven't climbed on it yet. I can say this though from just by sitting in my recliner in front of the tv and going through the motions of grab and realize this HRC is a very smooth and I mean a very smooth running cord. One of the best I have tried yet.

I can usually tell right away if a cord is going to work out without having to really try it out up in a tree. An actual work out in the tree of course is the best test. I may change my mind on this so we will see.

I thought I was going to give this HRC a try this week as we had a 2 maple removal job. It looked like the boom truck wasn't going to be able to get the last and highest spot. To be able to finish I thought I would have to finish it by climbing out of the bucket. We were able to block the top down by rigging it back onto itself.

Ive been using Ocean Polyester. Best Ive used yet.

I finally got to give this HRC cord a workout up in an actual tree today.

I only have one comment SWEET

A very smooth running cord with excellent grab and release.