Moss Cinching Lanyard prototype

[moss]

With this thread popping up in my Buzz notifications I watched my video at the beginning of it and then took the Fate Lanyard out for a second chance tryout removing a tall, thin, fishing pole, leaning, black oak with a defect at grade level. I shot some helmet cam video but it could be extremely boring ;-)

My takeaway is the following:

a. A cinched carabiner is so effective and quick and easy to implement in the more “extreme” situations encountered working.

b. One-handed installation or removal of the cinched lanyard attachment is a key characteristic for work use.

c. The Fate Lanyard does not meet those criteria.

d. It is close but does not cinch positively/always in one gesture. That may not matter all the time but it does matter often.

e. It works fine in a traditional side-D lanyard implementation but so does every other lanyard ;-)

f. I should’ve brought my regular lanyard with me because the Fate Lanyard was pissing me off ;-)

From the job, in traditional “why change what already works?” mode:

https://flic.kr/p/2hXyaZ9

-AJ

 

[Deadwood]

CE lanyard ftw... why not just do this.

 

[Brocky]

Nice, but too much work, slide the Prusik further from anchor and clip to the thimble, or loop, to not side load the carabiner.
As long as the carabiner isn’t purposely tighten to be in a horizontal position when loaded, and the anchor isn’t too small ( a wrap or two and then clip),it will generally self orient to a more vertical position if clipped directly to the rope. As has been stated perhaps nothing more needs to be done. I also have abandoned the concept.

 

[moss]

View attachment 63968
CE lanyard ftw... why not just do this.

Yes and then I hated managing the thimble and the prussik, got tired of it getting in the way when I'm flipping my lanyard end up over anchors, so I ditched a few years back. Sound usage of course.
-AJ

 

[moss]

Here's the foregone conclusion testing the F8 Lanyard one more time before giving up on it ;-) I have a new idea I'm working on with a nice bow shackle in the mix, stay tuned.

The redeeming value of this video is the following in no particular order:

a. I was working in the rain and sang a song
b. I made a nice first try Captain Hook throw
c. Showed off my Captain Hook Ladies Pocketbook
d. I didn't suck too bad even though the weather sucked, too bad
e. Did a decent demo (with actual detailed slo-mo!) of the half hitch/foot ascender footlock ascent technique only used by two or three people max in the entire world! It has a learning curve but if you stick with it, a nice minimal technique to get strong footlocking style ergonomics on single rope.
f. Observing my disdain as I threw my Fate Lanyard carelessly to the snowy cold ground
g. Pushed a tree over with my bare hands, so f'ing strong, yep! Everyone should very afraid of this old codger.

You don't need to watch it now.

-AJ

 

[DSMc]

Nice video, Andrew, but it sure looked like a set of spurs would have been nice on that tree.

 

[moss]

Nice video, Andrew, but it sure looked like a set of spurs would have been nice on that tree.

Thank you! I don't do a ton of takedowns. Me and spurs aren't good friends, especially on skinny hardwood leaners up high in the rain. But yes would've been faster. I worked out a pretty efficient sling foot support routine, didn't do a lot of chunking before the spar was good to go so it worked. White pine takedowns? All spurs all the time.
-AJ

 

[SomethingWitty]

Here's the foregone conclusion testing the F8 Lanyard one more time before giving up on it ;-) I have a new idea I'm working on with a nice bow shackle in the mix, stay tuned.

The redeeming value of this video is the following in no particular order:

a. I was working in the rain and sang a song
b. I made a nice first try Captain Hook throw
c. Showed off my Captain Hook Ladies Pocketbook
d. I didn't suck too bad even though the weather sucked, too bad
e. Did a decent demo (with actual detailed slo-mo!) of the half hitch/foot ascender footlock ascent technique only used by two or three people max in the entire world! It has a learning curve but if you stick with it, a nice minimal technique to get strong footlocking style ergonomics on single rope.
f. Observing my disdain as I threw my Fate Lanyard carelessly to the snowy cold ground
g. Pushed a tree over with my bare hands, so f'ing strong, yep! Everyone should very afraid of this old codger.

You don't need to watch it now.

-AJ

I'll have you know that I am a proficient moss-Walker. Once I got the scoop inside, toe up, down outside motion set, it showed itself to be a great technique for moving around the canopy if I happen to forget my foot ascender.
I think it's been a couple of years since you first showed it off here, and I threw it right in the bag of tricks.

 

[moss]

I'll have you know that I am a proficient moss-Walker. Once I got the scoop inside, toe up, down outside motion set, it showed itself to be a great technique for moving around the canopy if I happen to forget my foot ascender.
I think it's been a couple of years since you first showed it off here, and I threw it right in the bag of tricks.

Awesome! I have a couple local climber friends who use the technique, besides that I have no idea who's using it. Thx!

 

[SomethingWitty]

Awesome! I have a couple local climber friends who use the technique, besides that I have no idea who's using it. Thx!

No, thank you.
It is one of the things that I am showing people who are beginning to transition into SRS(T).

 

[moss]

No, thank you.
It is one of the things that I am showing people who are beginning to transition into SRS(T).

Have you tried it on your left foot with a foot ascender on your right (or via versa?)
-AJ

 

[SomethingWitty]

Have you tried it on your left foot with a foot ascender on your right (or via versa?)
-AJ

I've never tried it with a foot ascender. Running the lock above it? Sounds a little awkward. Does it help tending closer to the ground?

 

[Acerxharlowii]

Here's the foregone conclusion testing the F8 Lanyard one more time before giving up on it ;-) I have a new idea I'm working on with a nice bow shackle in the mix, stay tuned.

The redeeming value of this video is the following in no particular order:

a. I was working in the rain and sang a song
b. I made a nice first try Captain Hook throw
c. Showed off my Captain Hook Ladies Pocketbook
d. I didn't suck too bad even though the weather sucked, too bad
e. Did a decent demo (with actual detailed slo-mo!) of the half hitch/foot ascender footlock ascent technique only used by two or three people max in the entire world! It has a learning curve but if you stick with it, a nice minimal technique to get strong footlocking style ergonomics on single rope.
f. Observing my disdain as I threw my Fate Lanyard carelessly to the snowy cold ground
g. Pushed a tree over with my bare hands, so f'ing strong, yep! Everyone should very afraid of this old codger.

You don't need to watch it now.

-AJ

I’ve seen Lawrence Schultz use that ascender foot lock combo too

 

[moss]

I’ve seen Lawrence Schultz use that ascender foot lock combo too

Excellent

 

[DSMc]

AJ, how does the foot lock help with the foot ascender? I know that when I don't want to bother clipping in the knee ascender and just use the foot, just stepping on the the foot ascender works very well. It engages both legs no problem.

 

[moss]

I've never tried it with a foot ascender. Running the lock above it? Sounds a little awkward. Does it help tending closer to the ground?

The lock is below the foot ascender. The way it works is move the right foot up (ascender on right foot), then tip your toe up on your left foot (to keep the half hitch on the foot), bring the left foot up side-by-side with the ascender foot, tip both feet toe-down slightly (locks the half hitch on the left foot) and stand up, repeat. When you lift the ascender foot you're standing on the locked foot.

When you get it down smooth it's almost as if you're lifting both feet at the same time like standard secured footlock technique, except a millisecond delay on the left foot coming up to join the right foot. Unlike standard secured foot lock technique your feet and knees have excellent ergonomic alignment for your leg joints when you stand up.

To get off the ground I hand feed the line through my foot ascender, for the second push I wiggle my left foot a lot so the tail moves through the half hitch on my foot, for the third push less wiggle needed. By the fourth cycle the weight of the tail self-tends the left foot.

You can take big gulps of rope and go as fast as you want, it's similar to secured footlock technique that way.
-AJ

 

[climbstihl]

I used the half hitch footlock before I got a foot ascender. And the other day at work I used it for traversing with a chest ascender, and then unweighting the chest ascender to take it off for the return. I wasn't wearing a foot ascender, and using the hand ascender with footloop would've been a hassle.

 

[moss]

AJ, how does the foot lock help with the foot ascender? I know that when I don't want to bother clipping in the knee ascender and just use the foot, just stepping on the the foot ascender works very well. It engages both legs no problem.

Starting at 45 seconds in on this short vid you'll see detailed video of the technique from the ground up, I hand feed the line for the first couple pushes then get rocking and rolling. You can see how the body movement is a lot like secured foot lock except no pushing a prussik up. You can go hand over hand or push both hands up at the same time depending on how full of beans you are at the time. At some point up high I'm against the trunk looks like I'm flailing a little, what I'm doing is kicking the half hitch off my left foot and using my left foot on the trunk (still getting some lift from it) and conintuing with my arms and right foot ascender.

Four years ago when I was just a kid:

-AJ

 

[moss]

By the way, I have a wicked good redesign of the Fate Lanyard, no longer uses an F8 will need a rename. It is bomber good for cinching, quick and positive cinching, super secure etc. Also works very well in "normal" lanyard modes. Still allows a standard "gate up!" carabiner cinch for light positioning applications.

This could be something I go into production with. I don't think I can patent, it's an "assembly" of existing components. Not to mention how expensive/arduous the patent process is.

After extensive field testing and pull tests I'll make a decision on whether to go in to production or not. Without a patent I think it's just build a bunch and get out front with my "Very Not Bad" gear brand If SherrillTree or anyone else wants to copy and rebrand I'll be done already and will move onto something else.

By the way, does anyone know if there are machine sewing on cordage resources in New England? I could outsource the sewing elsewhere but for quality control (very specific configuration) I'd like to be on site to nail down the production spec.

It is that good. Stay tuned.
-AJ

 

[moss]

The design principle also points to an excellent remote release canopy anchor (or base anchor) that allows for the canopy anchor to have as many natural crotch redirects as you want. It's pretty much sliced bread with butter on it. Sorry for the tease, I'm excited about it, good stuff on the way.
-AJ