What are you using for SRT and why?

Benjo75

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In addition to a lxskllr's thread about the Rope Wrench. What do you use for your hitch? Hitch cord? Mechanical? Base tie or top tie? When and why? Redirects? SRT or Ddrt?
 
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Chest harness with a small carabiner (not pictured). Michoacan hitch knot only. It is very compact and so close to a Blake I use for Ddrt that it has become second nature. Basal or top tie depends if I can isolate a limb quickly. Also, when the tie in point is higher than 100ft, I top tie but that has happened only a handful of times. I have screwed myself a couple times with natural crotch redirects where I send my system up and the crotch is too tight. I prefer ascending on an SRT system because it is very efficient and I am ok spending more time but less energy switching to Ddrt when I need to always see my rope above me.
 

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Hitchhiker and HH2.
Robust.
Ropewalks well.
No changeover from SRS to MRS time SRS.
Priced Right (might be more ATM, as a fund raiser to @PCTREE 's machinist's cancer fund).
 
Hitch Hiker and beeline VT, base tie majority, canopy tie when warranted.
Tried prototype Akimbo, liked it, had to send it back to Stig...tried rope wrench, not keen on the length of the whole setup but can see how people would prefer it...
Basically what I have is working for me, not fussed to change it.
 
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I had the HHX for a while. I really liked the compactness and how tough it was but I could never get it dialed in just right for me so I sold it
 
The stable: Original HH, RW1,HHx, three OriginalRRs, RRPro, Prototype Akimbo, and a Lineboss.

I’ve also given away a second Original RW, a HH2, and an Orig. RR to friends.

original RR and the proto Akimbo are my favs; with more time on it RRPro might edge out the OG...
 
What’s a LineBoss?

Two ZK2 Wrenches, HH2, a gold CMI RopeRunner, ZigZag, and Akimbo. I keep coming back to the Akimbo, it’s my favorite. Also a Zillon and a Cinch for lanyards. Spendy but so far the Akimbo is also my favorite lanyard adjuster.
 
In the 1970s I owned bicycle shops. At one of the International Bike Trade Shows in NYC I met the machinist from Oregon who developed the KoolStop brake pads. He was alone at a booth that was no more than a card table and a chair. I signed up and was his first dealer in the Mid-Atlantic States.

Kool Stop

Years later (2009 iirc) his son and daughter-in-law (or was it his daughter and son-in-law) started a company, GET International, making a rope access device, utilizing the Dad’s/KoolStop’s machine shop. At the same TCIA or ISA conference (Baltimore iirc) where I first met and got a photo with Jerry their booth was around the corner from the one shared by Baileys, Jerry, and Wraptor Paul. I talked them out of one at a good price, saying I would talk it up with dealers in my area. It really didn’t get any traction, and their price was high (and I believe Dad was at the end of his willingness to extend more credit). They never really started shipping. It is ‘heavy’ enough to break teeth and I do not know of any actively in use.

8F889CD3-FAB2-4716-851B-347FE6BF0DF3.jpeg DDE96C79-ABD0-44A7-B3DD-5A367C1606A1.jpeg
 
HH2, Akimbo, and RRP.

The HH2 shines for big trees that require open air ascents and big swings. It offers the most intuitive control for me being hitch based and is smooth with ArbPro 9.3mm prusic on Vortex12.7mm.

The Akimbo is the fastest getting on and taking off the rope of any device I have ever used. Fantastic when the trees have complex and constant rope rerouting needs. Zero chance of dropping any parts. It also offers excellent control but takes a bit more practice and adjustment to get there.

The RRP is kind of a mix of both. Very easy and smooth control, easy on and off the rope without much drama but you do need to be careful not to over push the pins when taking the rope out and making sure you get them all the way back in. It has worked on every rope I have put it on.

Both the Akimbo and RRP work well on Samson Tangent 11.8mm which also has the most visibility of any rope I have used so far. I base tie almost exclusively and feel visibility is of major importance. Tie off with a Bowline with Yosemite finish.

Redirects are almost always natural crotch that I drop through or pass the line through.

Obviously, that is just the basics that I use, but you can go a long time in a tree with nothing more.
 
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How do you get your line back from a NC redirect?
 
Most often I don't bother. Just keep working down and pull everything out when I hit the ground. Occasionally I may need to climb back up and retrace backwards, but going up is so easy I don't give that much consideration.
 
I've been climbing on the Adjustable Bulldog Bone mechanical thing for a few years. Have it setup for my yale 11.7 ropes, very smooth ascent/ descent.

Lots of my work is in SPREADY oaks, and I like to redirect a lot. Super fast to put on/ take off the line. I always disliked fighting my hitchhiker through crotches, BDB solves that. Lanyard in, pop it off, throw rope over redirect, clip back in. I love it.
 
Akimbo and Zigzag, each with their own rope, alternating them during the ascend/travel. My telescopic pole puts away and retrieves my ropes by steps of a 16 feet radius. Srt with the rope choked on the limbs, for the near vertical ascents , the thin bark or downing limbs. DDrt for the short ascents or frankly out of vertical (easier to remove than a choked rope 10 or 15 feet away).
An access rope with a base anchor comes in the mix when I use the throwline (not often now, the less possible actually). Akimbo allows an easy change between the ropes when I'm at the target crotch.
Usually I put a canopy anchor when I reach the top, srt if I need to climb back to the top many times, if the ropes are too short or if I plan to make some redirects. For them, I use almost exclusively my multipurpose slings, easy on easy off, chocked on crotches or straight axis. Downside, I need to climb back at them, but I find it simpler. I can do some big spreading canopies by multiple "inline" redirects.
 
Sounds like you have things dialed, cuh!
 
Bdb for sappy trees on an old bit of tachyon.

2 OG Roperunners on Voyager 12mm (60m) and Cougar Orange (60m). One on each and generally for big prunes. I use whichever rope is closest and/or dry.

I have a RW and HC setup in some Kernmantle for smaller trees as the rope is a bit smaller.

I have some Sterling htp 11mm (60) which I used to use with the Gofundme Akimbo but it was a bit temperamental so not climbed on that for an age.

I got a RRP when they came out. I have been using it on the Samson and it is great. Just got a shipment in from Honey Bros in the UK. Got some Courant Squir v2 (60m). A few friends have it and rave about how good it is. At 96 gbp for 60m what’s not to like? I will set the RRP up for this at some point.

Always have a pantin or ct ascender on the boot. Depending on the task, spikes for dismantling, pantin under them. For prunes, depending on the size I sometimes take up a haas and if super spready I will take a Captain Hook with me. If it is really wet, I find an old hand ascended on the line but not connected to the system, is great for better grip.

Never used a 3:1 type system for returning from branch walks. I carry one sling and a Biner for redirects but need to go back up or it. Unless the redirect is towards the end of the job and I will just go through a crotch and retrieve.

I tend to climb on a base tie for the most part. If it is sketchy I will back it up with a alpine and pinto tie off. Always use a top tie for dismantles.
 
It sounds like you are fully prepared for every eventuality
 
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