Any SRT guys in here?

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Most of the climbers here are the real deal treemen. The only self-proclaimed 'SRT guru' I know of is an arrogant ass who is slower than my grandma and has financially screwed over several members here due to his inability to deliver on his promises and abilities.

On the other hand, SRT is probably great for recreational climbing since you are doing more straight up and down and less working your way around the tree and limbwalking.
 
Ace, this is probably not all that interesting to you but one piece of gear that is conspicuously absent from this thread is the "Unicender" I have used this tool for a while Ddrt but it can be used for Srt also. Awesome tool just too expensive.

http://www.thompsontreetools.com/

Check it out and drool:)
 
Ace, there seems to be some confusion here in the responses to your question. When you refer to SRT in tree work, it covers two different subjects.

The first being solely entry (accessing the canopy) and the other is actually working the tree on a single line.

Accessing with SRT is quite common. Working the tree with single rope is not.

You being a rec climber, I am assuming access is your primary concern, which allows you the option of several different decenders. I, as Stig has, have switched to the Piranha. It is inexpensive and much more versatile in its friction setting abilities. It is, however, fairly lightly made and would not stand up over extremely long repels on a regular basis. With most trees this shouldn't be a problem. Redwoods and big eucs, yeah, could be a problem.

This is not a concern for me as I only use SRT for access then switch to a doubled-rope system for working the tree.

Dave
 
I used to double line everything .... pretty much got the Bigshot and started to single line everything at around the same time .... occasionally I will double line still ....
 
Bullshit. I outweigh you, and an 8 works just fine, even on my 13mm Black Max caving rope.. More weight = more friction, son. :)

Really? Sounds like someone is confusing the physics a little bit there. The friction is related to the device AND the weight of the object. Something can be too heavy for a given device due to limitations in ability to apply contol. You NE folks always gettin tunnel vision.:evil:
 
I, as Stig has, have switched to the Piranha. It is inexpensive and much more versatile in its friction setting abilities. It is, however, fairly lightly made and would not stand up over extremely long repels on a regular basis. With most trees this shouldn't be a problem. Redwoods and big eucs, yeah, could be a problem.

This is not a concern for me as I only use SRT for access then switch to a doubled-rope system for working the tree.

Dave

I can't figure out, why Petzl didn't make it a lot sturdier. It wouldn't cost much more, I think.
 
Man I lost my old Figure 8 about a year ago. It was my favorite piece of OLD gear. I bought it new probably late 70's. It was my only rappelling device the whole time.
The anodizing was completely worn off and it was polished with a slight groove where the rope ran. It was cool.
 
Ace, this is probably not all that interesting to you but one piece of gear that is conspicuously absent from this thread is the "Unicender" I have used this tool for a while Ddrt but it can be used for Srt also. Awesome tool just too expensive.

http://www.thompsontreetools.com/

Check it out and drool:)

I got to try Tom Dunlap's Unicender for a little bit. I also tried his Eddy. I like the touch on the Eddy better. Rappelling on the Unicender was easy enough but it wasn't easy for me to get the sort of touch I like to lean out on a branch. I suppose it would come with time.
 
The Petzl ID and the Edelrid Eddy are attached to your climbing line (you must tie in with your lanyard while you remove the handled ascender from the climbing line) at either the time that you wish to descend or at your highest climbed point (where you wish to work the tree as you come down). The ID is quite bulky. The Eddy is a little less so. Each requires both hands to operate safely. Each has a very positive "stop" feature that prevents accidental drop. Neither can be efficiently "back-up" with a friction hitch. However, they are extremely safe when used as directed. One drawback occurs when working sappy trees. The sap on the climbing line has a tendency to cause the line to stick in the device and slow the descent.
The Unicender, being both an ascending and descending device, remains on the climbing line from the ground both up the tree and then down. It replaces the handled ascender in the climbing setup. As a result, there is no change-over at the top. The device can be operated one-handed; and, therefore can be backed up with a friction device. As with the ID and Eddy it can be used to safely and easily stop along the way down the tree. The Unicender is fairly expensive. All of these devices are rather simple to use and give the new climber a degree of confidence that, unlike some other descending procedures, if he/she accidentally lets go of the line that they will be safe. The Unicender offers the additional benefit of being able to be used one-handed in the event of an accident.
 
He's been here a while... he's a major contributor to the House cashwise... and I owe him a lanyard.

I'm working on it right now, please accept my public apology for taking so long with this.
 
I've been.

Back in my Asplundh days, it was part of our coverage area; Westford to Gloucester.

(Gloucester is the home of Nature's Harvest; for the PHC guys, you'll know the name.)

Nice to have another Masshole here. =)
 
Erik, MB
Thank you. Home is Manchester, MA. Small town on the coast north of Boston by 30 miles. Near to Essex (clams) and Gloucester (fish).

My uncle used to live in Magnolia. Used to party on the beach at night with my cousins in front of that big beach club. Welcome to the TH.
 
If the rope was long enough, could you drape it over a limb at the midway point letting both ends touch the ground, and push both ropes through the 8? Seems that may double the friction

It doesn't really double the friction but it's a lot more manageable. The problem is you can tumble or bind the wrap easier with doubles. You have to feed the rope in flat without letting it twist, it's not hard, just something to know.

I have to disagree, Blinks...I have never had to make any special effort to feed doubled rope through the 8...though I use a large rescue 8 so the hole is bigger, maybe that's why it never gives me trouble. It just twists over itself any which way it comes into the device.

Rappeling on doubled rope is the most common configuration that FS climbers use.
 
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