Rope-Hiker ?

[Climbhigh]

I Just had to give this a try..

 

[flushcut]

I want to know more about this strange device!

 

[DMc]

Well, how does it work?

 

[Climbhigh]

I climbed on it for a couple of hours. pretty much like climbing on the RR, except with a hitch ( big surprise .The hitches I tried all grabbed every time after long ascents. Real smooth release and hitch control. Climbed around on a few limbs,I thought maybe it would be harder to slack tend with the hitch instead of the bird but It was just as easy, that was surprising. I was using a brand new 150' hank of Blue moon, It was raining pretty hard the whole time and ended up milking 2' of cover off. Good way to break in the new rope!

 

[Climbhigh]

I didn't modify the RR in any way, Just made this little link out of stainless to replace the bird. The two tabs sticking out tend the hitch and the HH-2 dogbone fits in the groove.

 

[Climbhigh]

works good DDRT and 3:1

 

[woodslinger]

quite creative, do you see any advantages over the RR? How does the setback compare to a RR or HH?

 

[Climbhigh]

quite creative, do you see any advantages over the RR? How does the setback compare to a RR or HH?

I used it on an Alder removal today. It chokes right up to the spar like the HH. Minimal setback, same or less than RR. It has real smooth release and hitch control from either hand at any angle as apposed to the bird. Were it really worked good is slack tending while I was spuring up, same as the RR. I Guess it just adds the security of a hitch to the RR in those tight spots. I kind of just threw this thing together the other day when it was storming out, wasn't really expecting it to work as good as it does!

 

[DMc]

I have no idea what Paul or Kevin will think, but I like it! You know, because you are not using the dogbone as a point of friction things could be made even more compact.

 

[Climbhigh]

I have no idea what Paul or Kevin will think, but I like it! You know, because you are not using the dogbone as a point of friction things could be made even more compact.

Thanks! And it doesn't rely on rope bend anymore, I thought you might like that part.

 

[Climbhigh]

You know, because you are not using the dogbone as a point of friction things could be made even more compact.

Hmm... gears turning, little smoke..

 

[Climbhigh]

I have no idea what Paul or Kevin will think..

yea, I don't suppose they appreciate me tinkering with their tested life support devices and posting it all over the internet. But it works so damn good!

 

[DMc]

yea, I don't suppose they appreciate me tinkering with their tested life support devices and posting it all over the internet. But it works so damn good!

This is indeed intriguing but also a two edged sword. Many advances come from someone trying a new idea. I don't know you or your qualifications but for most, making changes in life support systems that have many hundreds of hours of testing is a very bad idea. As is posting them when very little time has been spent on testing those changes. Do be careful.

 

[Climbhigh]

My first attempt at uploading a video, so take it easy on me! Just me playing around on the RopeHiker.
https://vimeo.com/161874020?utm_sou...vimeo-cliptranscode-201504&utm_campaign=28749

 

[DMc]

Climbhigh, I think that was not bad for your first video.

There is one thing I would like to point out, though, about how you are clipping into the Rope-Hiker. The RR has a built-in pulley that makes slack-tending smooth and easy. A pulley in that location can also be a great asset in reducing the amount of force required to keep your body upright during ascent, as I have mentioned before. If you clip into a ring or swivel on your bridge, the pulley will be able to be facing directly away from you. If you can then set a tending strap that keeps it in that orientation, it will support you as you lean back. This is the most overlooked tuning setup I see in a rope walking ascent.

Not a big deal when you are walking up a trunk as in your video, but very noticeable on an open-air ascent.

 

[Climbhigh]

thanks.I switch back and forth between tending at the bridge and the upper tending point, trade offs both ways, I actually prefer open space when rope walking it's smoother for me. You know what was the biggest gamechanger for me was when I saw your comments a year or so ago somewhere about "adjusting your saddle for a more upright body position when you let go of the rope" That hands down made the the biggest difference in maintaining that upright position and just overall comfort. So thanks again for that !

 

[Pfanner man]

Climbhigh, I think that was not bad for your first video.

There is one thing I would like to point out, though, about how you are clipping into the Rope-Hiker. The RR has a built-in pulley that makes slack-tending smooth and easy. A pulley in that location can also be a great asset in reducing the amount of force required to keep your body upright during ascent, as I have mentioned before. If you clip into a ring or swivel on your bridge, the pulley will be able to be facing directly away from you. If you can then set a tending strap that keeps it in that orientation, it will support you as you lean back. This is the most overlooked tuning setup I see in a rope walking ascent.

Not a big deal when you are walking up a trunk as in your video, but very noticeable on an open-air ascent.

this is interesting to me. i cant help but think if you clip to your ring/ swivel if there's any slack or drag it'll cause the device to flop. also it seems it could encourage some to lean back which makes the ascent harder on your arms and less efficient. focusing on the posture, which is hard and foreign at first, has made the ascent easier for me, keeping legs underneath, back and neck straight and half bent arms to hold me in. i kind of think of it as a mid air march

 

[Pfanner man]

My first attempt at uploading a video, so take it easy on me! Just me playing around on the RopeHiker.
https://vimeo.com/161874020?utm_sou...vimeo-cliptranscode-201504&utm_campaign=28749

this looks really awesome, seems a better set up than the "hitch runner". won't be long till guys are asking you to make them one

 

[DMc]

.... i cant help but think if you clip to your ring/ swivel if there's any slack or drag it'll cause the device to flop. also it seems it could encourage some to lean back which makes the ascent harder on your arms and less efficient....

Yes, this is just for ascending. With a foot and knee ascender it is good and smooth, with no set back and no flop. With the chest strap tightened it is very similar to having a chest roller. Combined with good posture your arms have almost no load.

 

[Pfanner man]

Yes, this is just for ascending. With a foot and knee ascender it is good and smooth, with no set back and no flop. With the chest strap tightened it is very similar to having a chest roller. Combined with good posture your arms have almost no load.

hmmm, i believe i will have to give that a try thanks for sharing the pics

 

[Climbhigh]

Thanks to you, DMc and everyone else that shares all their tricks and setups. Being new to SRT I couldn't Imagine trying to figure it all out without these forums and youtube!

 

[Pfanner man]

try theschultzeffect.com 5+ hrs of info covering everything from basic to advanced, and every trick in between, all in one placed, available for stream and/ or download! #shamelesspromotion

 

[pantheraba]

at "shameless"...no problem with that.

 

[Pfanner man]

so i hope i'm not sounding like "that guy" but i figured the info might be helpful for others. you have a great set up. i went to try it out one day and realized why it would only work for you and not me. the placement of you pulley! because it is at the same point as your tender and where your device attaches it all works together to pull you in and tend beautifully. any other set up, however, will just flop before it begins to tend because the pulley will be higher than the tending point and device attachment point. to get it to work like yours and tend at the bridge one would have to add a pulley down there.