Convince me to go SRT/SRWP

[Mattfitz]

So ive been climbing for a few years now, learned on climbers companion, and my mentor was a fairly newschool climber that climbs DdRT split tail hitch climber. He got good before the SRT craze i guess you could call it, and always told me to keep things simple.

So i climb with 2 identical vt dmm hitchclimber setups on 1/2 with a rook on my bridge and i love it. The fluidity of changing anchors and the 2to1 seems perfect to me. Most trees i work on are easily climbable, and the prunes that do pop up with long ascents i RADS up and transition right to DDRT on the same line.

I do want to atleast try some SRT tho, i like the idea of the rope wrench, you can switch back to DDRT if you need to easily, and i like the unicender as a standalone device, and of course i wanna try out the new akimbo...but im kinda set in my ways and i know it will slow my production down while im trying it out a new system

So what do you guys think? Change my mind or DDRT4lyfe im all ears

 

[rico]

I can only speak for myself, but I have tried most of the latest and great gadgets and the Wrench/ Hitch Climber set up is what I choose to use. Buttery smooth, ultra safe, bulletproof, and works great on a huge variety of ropes. I say you get a Wrench and call it a day. Add a Mini Saka/Haas, a good foot ascender, and your done. Bounce back and forth between the Hitch Climber/DdRT and the Wrench/SRT as needed and you have the best of both worlds.

 

[Mattfitz]

My thoughts as well. I use a foot ascender already, i would probably use a knee ascender aswell to rope walk up then ditch that and the wrench and go DDRT or if its a prune on one of those tall oaks with alot of space between limbs stick with srt and work that way, dont run into too many of those tho, but thats what the bucket trucks for right ;-)

 

[southsoundtree]

SRT is too complicated...let me dip my feather in the ink well.

Listen to someone who doesn't know about SRT.

Here comes the lamp lighter now.

 

[rico]

My thoughts as well. I use a foot ascender already, i would probably use a knee ascender aswell to rope walk up then ditch that and the wrench and go DDRT or if its a prune on one of those tall oaks with alot of space between limbs stick with srt and work that way, dont run into too many of those tho, but thats what the bucket trucks for right ;-)

Once you go SRT you will quickly learn that it is the bomb for working a tree (pruning or removal).. Having no friction in your system is a real game changer in how you approach working a tree. I myself very rarely go DdRt these days, and generally save it for pitchy removals and those times I just can't get an SRT access line set in a tree.

 

[evo]

SRT only climbers and DdRt only climbers truly limit themselves. Each has their place, the best climbers know which technique to pull out of their bag for the work situation.

 

[Jonny]

Do you ever use redirects on big spreading canopys?
SRT redirects are zero added friction. DdRT redirects I used to stabilize myself to make a cut and that’s about it. I run the rope through even 1 redirect DdRT and try ascend or descend or even let out or take up slack and I start inventing new cuss words.

 

[southsoundtree]

SRT only climbers and DdRt only climbers truly limit themselves. Each has their place, the best climbers know which technique to pull out of their bag for the work situation.

So true.

Hitch Hiker 2 is a great device, I hear. My HH is still kicking strong, all day long.

 

[Mattfitz]

Once you go SRT you will quickly learn that it is the bomb for working a tree (pruning or removal).. Having no friction in your system is a real game changer in how you approach working a tree. I myself very rarely go DdRt these days, and generally save it for pitchy removals and those times I just can't get an SRT access line set in a tree.

Makes sense, i finally put together a retrievable friction saver. Figured id mostly use it as a false crotch chunking down spars but i should try and incorporate it more as a main canopy anchor. I have a roll biner i can use as a redirect aswell

 

[Mattfitz]

SRT only climbers and DdRt only climbers truly limit themselves. Each has their place, the best climbers know which technique to pull out of their bag for the work situation.

Exactly. Have a full tool kit and know what tools work best in different situations right

 

[Mattfitz]

Do you ever use redirects on big spreading canopys?
SRT redirects are zero added friction. DdRT redirects I used to stabilize myself to make a cut and that’s about it. I run the rope through even 1 redirect DdRT and try ascend or descend or even let out or take up slack and I start inventing new cuss words.

I dont find myself using redirects too often, im more likely to double crotch or basically just be running two climbing lines

 

[rico]

So true.

Hitch Hiker 2 is a great device, I hear. My HH is still kicking strong, all day long.

Yep. The OP certainly couldn't go wrong with the HitchHiker (a killer tool). I suggested the Wrench because he already has a Hitch Climber setup. He could do like me and happily own and use both the Wrench/hitch climber and the HH! Pick whichever best matches your needs for the day, your mood, or your outfit?

 

[Mattfitz]

So true.

Hitch Hiker 2 is a great device, I hear. My HH is still kicking strong, all day long.

Ive got two of the dmm rapide hitch hikers and love em, just hit em with pb and wd last night, like new again lol

 

[Mattfitz]

Yep. The OP certainly couldn't go wrong with the HitchHiker (a killer tool). I suggested the Wrench because he already has a Hitch Climber setup. He could do like me and happily own and use both the Wrench/hitch climber and the HH! Pick whichever best matches your needs for the day, your mood, or your outfit?

Pretty much what ive been planning on that and the knee ascender for rope walking up

 

[Tom Dunlap]

LOL....I read the title and laughed...out loud

For me..this SRT craze started out 25 years ago.

My writing skills aren't good enough to run with this further though.

SRT is no more a craze than indoor plumbing, air conditioning, mobile phones, fuel injection, flat screen TVs on and on.

Even if you never take up SRT for work in the canopy you should include it for ascent. Then lanyard in and changeover to a climbing system that you choose.

WHne you od it will be sooner, not later, and you'll start doing short up and down work on your ascent system. WIthin a very short time after that you'll move more and more to SRT...and join the craze.

25 years ago when I started integrating SRT into my climbing I was mocked by many when I said:

SRT is the future of tree climbing

Well, the future is now.

 

[Mattfitz]

LOL....I read the title and laughed...out loud

For me..this SRT craze started out 25 years ago.

My writing skills aren't good enough to run with this further though.

SRT is no more a craze than indoor plumbing, air conditioning, mobile phones, fuel injection, flat screen TVs on and on.

Even if you never take up SRT for work in the canopy you should include it for ascent. Then lanyard in and changeover to a climbing system that you choose.

WHne you od it will be sooner, not later, and you'll start doing short up and down work on your ascent system. WIthin a very short time after that you'll move more and more to SRT...and join the craze.

25 years ago when I started integrating SRT into my climbing I was mocked by many when I said:

SRT is the future of tree climbing

Well, the future is now.

Lol i used craze for lack of a better term i guess. Really wanted to grt into a good srt wp conversation. The zero friction aspect kinda slipped my mind thats the best point thats been brought up so far

 

[southsoundtree]

I have a RW zk1 as my oldest, and back-up SRT device, and an Akimbo that I tend to use on a short climb-line (just ordered it).

Matt, you can make a wooden rope wrench, like they were 'back in the day', and try it out.

It's been the future for a long time.

I started out, self-taught off of rock climbing techniques, with a GriGri, and a base-tie, in 2005. Later learned DdRT with a split-tail blake's from a tree climber. Always struck me as too much work.



SRT is soo worth it, and if you don't like it, sell the gear (or your stick made into a WRW...wooden rope wrench---retro!)

Basically make a hole on an angle through a stick, slightly bigger than your rope, then use some junk rope to polish it, pulling the rope/ stick back and forth relative to each other. You need a tether on the other end. Could make a stiff tether with a second stick and tape. Some people have made their own midline-attachable RW
knock-off. Maybe using a strap-hinge...some kinda hinge as their material.

 

[Jonny]

Aw hell Seans flying an Akimbo now?
I think you’re gonna love it. Slack just falls through without touching it. Sometimes when you don’t want it to ( like in lanyard position) but you get used to it.

 

[rico]

indoor plumbing, flat screen TVs

Indoor plumbing? WTF? Where have I been?

 

[John@TreeXP]

For me and at my age, for sport climbing it all comes down to comfort and efficiency. I prefer the 1:1 mechanical advantage for ascent on SRT. I also like DdRT to further mitigate friction on long descents, but bombing around on SRT descent is fine too. Between the RW, Uni, HH, ZZ, Runner or the Akimbo, its entirely up to the climber, and a knee ascender is essential.