2016 and HitchHiker. can you help me RE: Static lines

[r0ck1r0ck2]

i'm climbing dDrt with a hitch climber and BRW and have done so for the last 2-3 years.
it's tough and works quite well with my foot ascender/friction saver.

i wanna get into SRT for the fun of it and to see what the big fuss is about.

i'm set on the hitch hiker for it's compactness and the fact that you've got a hitch above the device that precludes accidentally bumping into the decent trigger as you would with other SRT devices.

Soo Many Static Lines!

your opinions are greatly appreciated.

 

[MasterBlaster]

You ain't kidding about 'so many!'

Jeebus!

 

[r0ck1r0ck2]

it's nuts
if you build it they will buy

 

[Raj]

Vortex is great, cherry bomb is nice, any yale 11.7 has excelent reviews. I'm 200 lbs loaded up. Grippy gloves is a must, especially on the smaller lines.

 

[chris_girard]

My favorite static line with the HH is KMIII.

 

[Grendel]

Good old Yale Blue Moon!

 

[Bermy]

The 11.7mm ropes run better through the HH...I'm on Tachyon and really like it.
You want a proper arborist rope though, it's got to have some give, a pure static line is so unforgiving.
Ok for ascent but why have two ropes, one to go up and one to work? Get the happy compromise.

 

[treebilly]

Yales 11.7 lines work great. I guess you could say they are semi-static. I would like to get a static line for accessing taller trees. The less stretch equals less work getting up there.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

"static" is more a marketing thing than a real technical characteristic, as the % elasticity under load can vary somewhat widely from one static rope to an other. Look closely at the specs (sadly, not always given).
They are much less dynamic than the ropes for rock climbing, yes, but you would be really disappointed if you need a true static line like a guy for your boat mast.
I found that some semi static line for tree work are less elastic than some static access lines!
Go figure ...

 

[Cthompson22]

I actually like a larger line in my HH2 better. The yale blue moon was ok but I tried some of my 1/2" xtc and it worked better for me at least. I'd like to try some vortex next for a change.

 

[pete mctree]

Vortex is a really nice rope with the HH, but it is really heavy. I have found tachyon to be a really nice line & save the static line for the big trees.

 

[r0ck1r0ck2]

Thank you all.

i liked the vortex i started out with but she was heavy and picky.

i thought the ivy i briefly climbed on was fun but black and green are stupid colors for work lines.

i really want a blue line as i think they stand out really well in winter and summer.

and i hear what you say about the happy medium soo....

blue moon seems like it could be the one.

with SRT do you find you like a longer line? re-directs and what not...
say 150' where 120 would be fine with a ddrt setup?

 

[r0ck1r0ck2]

anyone care to comment on friction cords other than the supplied beeline with bluemoon?

what about the Singing Tree Quickie in lieu of the steel carabiner?

what about a swivel?

for example

again.
i thank you for your input.

 

[Bermy]

I'm still using beeline, it's working fine for me on Tachyon so can't help you there.

There is some comment on facebook about the quickie and the HH and how you need a better tether...it's not a simple changeover from the carabiner it doesn't fit the same.

I for one will stick with the carabiner, it's a proven three motion device approved for life support, I'm not convinced yet about the Quickie. The Quickie is still pretty new out there, I take a page from my hubby and would wait until more time has passed and more people have climbed on it and any peculiarities might become evident.

I just added a rock exotica small swivel into my setup, I like it, no more reclipping the biner when I do a twirly twirl!

 

[r0ck1r0ck2]

right on

thank you Bermy. that's advice well taken.

I'm going over your srt threads as well....

got any other tips for switching from ddrt to hitchhiker?
knee ascender?

 

[Raj]

First 2 climbs you will think you wasted your money, keep at it and it will get dialed in.

 

[Grendel]

Foot ascender, Knee ascender, and look at the 9mm ArbPro hitch cord, or AP, something soft to work with the Blue Moon. Straight BeeLine might be a little stiff, but it will work.

 

[r0ck1r0ck2]

heh.
ok, that's me going to work!
thank you all!

 

[Climbhigh]

5 wraps 9.3 EpiCord on Bluemoon with the HH-2 works good for me. The best rope hitch combo out of everything I have tried is Scion with ArbPro 9mm. I like the medium swivel, gives the option off clipping into the lower swivel to keep your main climbing system independent say on a traverse or something, No big deal though probably.

 

[Bermy]

Yes, definitely get the knee ascender setup if you are going SRT.
Mine is homemade, petzl basic with a footloop on the bottom and a bungee at the top that goes up over my waist belt on my harness and actually right down to a pantin on my right foot.
The SAKA knee ascender looks pretty good for a bought item though.

Chest harness to tend the HH on the way up (mine is made from a length of nylon runner criss crossed and clipped together at the front) Homemade tether on my HH, nice and short and stiffened with shrink tube.

You can 'sit/stand' with just a foot pantin and a chest harness and tether, which is fine for short ascents, but for longer ones and initial entry you really need the knee ascender setup of some description. Mine also doubles as a 3:1 if I ever need it.

I have two bridges, one has the small swivel for the SRT line, the other has a ring for my long lanyard

The biggest things I noticed on the switch to SRT was the very different movements to go up, much more legs and a bit harder on the upper body initially until you get used to the very upright ascending position compares to blakes DRT.
Also it was freaky to be dangling off one rope when you are used to seeing two in front of you.

I base tie, a lot of people don't. It is VITAL I mean VITAL that you are always aware of where your 'down leg' is when moving and cutting. Always check before cutting as the down leg can be concealed behind a branch or trunk, and cutting it would not make for a good day at work.

 

[toyotadadon]

Blue moon is my favorite just goy some yale sumac look us different but same feel havent had a chance to run it yet but ill report back seems all the yale 11.7 are very similar

 

[Limbrat]

I base tie, a lot of people don't. It is VITAL I mean VITAL that you are always aware of where your 'down leg' is when moving and cutting. Always check before cutting as the down leg can be concealed behind a branch or trunk, and cutting it would not make for a good day at work.

Another good reason to tie in twice while running the saw. When that same down leg is going to be close to a cut, slide it around the back side of the tree out of the way and lean back, trapping it with your lanyard/flipline. On long spur climbs you can also tie down or weight the tail of your climbing line, use your tending tether to make it self tending.

 

[Bermy]

For real. I am the tie in twice queen!
I even go three if I feel like it...

 

[r0ck1r0ck2]

today the swivel, yale aztec (they were out of blue moon) and hitch hiker II arrived.
i did a real short test climb in a box eldar so not too much height, lot of spread, and who gives a rats about a box....

i've been using my cmi foot ascender with my hitch climber for years now so i had that...
i always climb with gloves so i'm used to grabby rope handling.

the first ascent was on a chocked retrievable near the top, 2nd chocked at the top, third ddrt and then base anchor with a simple bowline.

i don't think i wasted my money but i think i'm gonna have to spend some more to be happy ascending.

soo.
Haas Velox Vs Saka?

i shortened up my TreeMotion's bridge and that helped on ascent so, Roll N Lock?

the BeeLine that came with the HH2 has milked like CRaeZzzy!
i'll have to do some sewing then?

 

[r0ck1r0ck2]

the positive to come out of this is that SRT ascent even without a knee ascender is much faster and thus less tiring.

running threw the canopy is much nicer srt. i redirected like a madman.
the over the shoulder lanyard for tending works well enough and will be just fine with a knee ascender.

i definitely get the caution with a base anchor but i honestly think it can be worked around safely using all the aforementioned tricks.
also a retrievable choke up top is very easy and nice enough.