Sticht Hitch

Brocky

Brocky

Been here much more than a while
Location
Michigan
This hitch has come up in a couple other threads, Hitch Hiker Length, and Lanyard Adjuster.
Thanks to those who are trying this hitch and giving feedback on their experiences.

@JontreeHI, there might be binding due to the legs being too short to allow the ring to be positioned farther down from the wraps. Another possibility is the rope you’re using. Looking at your pictures it looks like it flattens easily, I’ve only used HTP, perhaps that makes a difference. Maybe try one less wrap to get more leg length to get more adjustment.

@climbstihl, the binding while tending has happened to me. I’ve found that when it first starts to bind, stop pulling and then the second attempt at tending will make it slide easily.
 
Since I always use it above the hitchclimber, I've found the orientation of the ring is also important when tending.
The first picture shows how I tie it, although sometimes it is tighter than that, the second picture shows the correct position of the fing for tending. If the twists behind the ring are offset a little bit, the ring can go off to the side, inhibiting tending. I use a 45mm ring with 10mm courant phoenix, the rope is a 12mm.20190417_164557.webp20190417_164700.webp
 
It looks like with the longer legs and using the bottom hole of the HC, it causes the pulley to rotate until the sheave contacts the twist, and then it starts to push the hitch. Maybe try the top hole with slightly shorter legs. This might make the HC push up on the ring, which in turn would push on the wraps.
Maybe even try it without the HC, using shorter legs?
 
How long of a hitch cord is recommended for a 3, 4 or 6 wrap? With the 8mm 30" Eye&Eye, I can get 3 or 4 wraps, but it binds too much with 4, and barely tends with 3. with a 30" 10mm Eye&Eye, I can barely get 3 wraps. It seems the length of the cord are ring size are critical when it comes to having enough to be able to slack the knot and make it loose enough to tend with one hand, if all goes well.
 
evo said:
What size ring do you find best? I have a handful of the smaller ones, smc and cmi. Would those work?
Click to expand...
The ring needs to be big enough for 4 legs of cordage. At least a 1 3/4" or 2" inner diameter ring seems appropriate, but the 2" ring seems to run better than the smaller ones.
 
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Hey Jon, if it binds, the ring is too close to the wraps. The legs of the cord you’re using might not be long enough to add slack to the upper part of the hitch. The 6 wrap Prusik in the other thread bites very hard by itself. With the twist and ring added, and long enough legs, the ring can be positioned far enough away from the wraps, that it wouldn’t bite. Another possibility is if you’re using a braid instead of a twist in the back. If the legs get longer as you’re using it, the bottom part of the hitch isn’t locking up, and the wraps slip past the ring, and would tighten, and eventually bind up.

@evo, the small rings will work as long as three sections of the hitch cord, and the second eye will fit through. I’m not sure if a really large cord in a small ring would allow the twist to make contact with the rope, or if it’s necessary that it does. The bottom part should prevent the wraps from tightening. You don’t want too big of a ring, or the twist will spread out too far, and cause the wraps to tighten.
 
I'd guess at least 5 feet of cordage appears to be what @climbstihl uses in the photo shown above. Using what I have lying around, 48' cord isn't long enough, with the anchor knots. Does anyone sell Eye&Eye's any longer than 32", without placing a custom order?
 
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I just tried the 6 wrap Prusik with a real long cord, there is a limit to how far away the ring can be from the wraps. It slid easier as I first started to separate them, but then started to became harder to move the farther they were separated.

Sterling accessory cord with knots is what I used when coming up with the Oval VT. It stays round and is cheap until you find the length you need.
 
@John@TreeXP My 10mm is 30" between the knots. I also have a sewn 8mm OP e2e, which is 30" from the inside of the eyes. (Where's the proper place to measure a sewn e2e?). I can get 4 wraps with both of them, with the 10mm I can even get 5 wraps to work, on the 8mm 5 wraps bind up way to much. What diameter of rope do you use?
 
Yesterday in the gorgeous sunshine, under a 80' Red Cedar. I ran it on single rope up and down a bunch of times, ascending about 25 feet high, using 11.8 mm Drenaline on SRS. Under my full weight and after repeated use, the Stitch Hitch got a lot stiffer and harder to break. Initially though, I found it to be very similar to the Hitch Hiker, but way less clunky. While I was using the same 5 wrap set up used in the video, using another hitch cord, line 9mm EpiCord with enough length to get a good 6 wrap, I think I'd be able to get this well dialed in and have it become a very usable multicender. Aside from the expected sit-back it advanced surprisingly well and due to its ultra light weight and compared to other multicenders, it competes right up there with the big boys. For tending, I used a Petzl Torse for a chest harness and connected onto the carabiner, in between the legs of the hitch's spliced eyes.

I have not yet tested it on a lanyard or in an MRS system, but based on the feeling I had using it for SRS, I think it'll run beautifully. Again, I must stress the importance of finding the right combination of hitch cord, rope, etc., as most experienced climbers will understand when it comes to getting your climbing system properly dialed in. In that regard, this ranks up there with other finicky devices that work well or not so well, depending on the climber, their rope, ring size, their hitch cord and the number of wraps on the hitch knot, the weather, etc.
 
My guess for the binding up is your use of too big of a ring. I wondered from looking at your pictures, that the larger ring wouldn’t allow the twist to keep the slack from the wraps from slipping into the legs, the downfall of most hitches on a stationary line.
The sit back can be lessened by more flexible legs or tying the eyes. With the tied eyes, a bow shackle can be put on after tying, instead of trying to squeeze them through.
 
I am getting closer to being dialed in. I was just hoping I wouldn't have to go buy more cordage. I question whether a sewn Eye and Eye works as well as a spliced one, being how some hitch cords are non-splicable. I also liked the 2" ring more than the 1 3/4", as it made the tending smoother.
 
Here are some miscellaneous combinations playing with the limitations of this hitch. This first one is a loop of 1/8” T-100 that I already had, works, but probably needs a wrap or two more to descend a little smoother.
59467

This one is 5mm Tech cord, using soft shackles instead of a metal ring and carabiner. It worked okay,but had more friction.
59468

The top two in this one has a new product I’m putting out called the Notch Rapid Climb, actually just a way to use the Rig. The toggle part is very easy to tend by hand. The bottom one on the right has a small accessory cord tied to the top of the bow shackle that makes tending with a neck, or over the shoulder very easy, with minimal sit back.
59469

This last one is a variation by replacing the twist with a split bolt electrical connector.
59470

59471
 
This has me thinking about my Totem, since that has a Sticht plate too.

rockexotica-descender-totem-1.jpg
 
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