ClimbMIT
TreeHouser
Curious what others prefer RW, HH, Uni, etc.., Who climbs Srt and why? What is your favorite device and why?
little sit back, no need to engage, as with the RW, and can go from srt to ddrt to srt... no changes.
I had a crane job where it was sweet to be able to work down the spar by changing back and forth, SRT choke (no limbs) and Ddrt to lower down from the top of the log to the bottom of the log.
I have been climbing on a Hitch Hiker since it was first released. I had a ZK-2 loaned to me and tried it with homemade stiff tether. I was never able to get comfortable with the Wrench so I gave up. I got a new ZK-2 and ABR stiff tether at the Ohio TCC so I figured I would give it another try, I was still unable to dial it in the way I wanted it. Its a great tool and certainly innovative but it isnt for me.
For me, the Hitchhiker and Wrench both do the same thing, they are single line progress adjusters. Up, down, stop. The Hitchhiker, my rope and cord do all of those things perfectly. When I am using it I dont think 'I wish this went up easier', or 'I cant go down well enough', 'slack is hard to tend' etc. so adjusting from the HH to the RW is bothersome and not worth it. I totally understand how long time users of the RW feel the same way, why bother tuning something in if what I have does everything I want it to without conceivable improvement.
IMO for a user who has tried neither, the HH is a better choice. They both perform their functions perfectly, so I look to durability, compactness, ease of use, and cost. The HH is cheap to replace the cord on (yes knotted cord can be used with the RW but I prefer spliced hitch cords for that type of setup) and the unit itself will in all likelihood last my entire career. The materials used, its construction, and breaking strength of the HH are all top notch (tool steel, high quality aluminum, mbs 40kn). There arent any moving parts or joints to gum up and nothing to break. The HH setup is shorter/less bulky and while the HH weighs probably 2-3 what the RW does the weight is on the rope and isnt a concern for me at all. I found that the situating of the RW and when it engages/disengages etc was bothersome compared to the function of the HH, which is pull cord go down let go of cord stop, go up and either tend slack or pull up on HH tether. The HH is slightly more expensive but includes a hitch cord and carabiner.
No matter what, I feel like they are both great products at a good value. In the end, the HH works best for me, the way I climb and my values.
I’m thinking I should be a Hitch Hiker user. Just read a bunch of the posts and other thread tonight, watched the vids..
+1 on the HH!
Have been thinking SRT might be useful sometimes. Last time I tied a running bowline on a takedown spar and descended 20 ft. I noticed my hitch did bind up. Funny, I’ve always just worked with it.
I have been here too. Lol
As a production climber who is also a sole proprietor, the switch to SRT is about the best gear move I've made in the short lifespan of my biz. SRT allows a far greater ease of access, and working the tree becomes much less of a chore and more a challenging puzzle. Not to mention the safety aspect; most people I work with understand that using an LD as a base anchor allows them to lower me safely to the ground in the event of an injury. While, as yet, I haven't used the RW I feel that there is little improvement it could offer to SRT climbing over the HH...and the ease of changeability btw DRT makes it the clear choice, IMO. Sean's example of the crane job is perfect.