New father to a Captain Hook looking for setup advice

Ashton Phelps

Ashton Phelps

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Show me how you set up your grappling system. I'm looking for creative 3:1's, progress captures, preferences for foot ascenders over hand ascenders with the system, or any advice for a guy new to grappling hooks. I'd also like to see what grapples people are using.
 
I’m not sure where your at, but the majority of the time I use it, I avoid ascending the hook line. It’s rarely worth the efforts.
I just toss it to the next tree over, take all the slack and maybe pull my self laterally out of the crown of the tree I’m in. Then I rappel on my main line ‘swinging’ over to the target tree.

Often this is pretty short, even trees 20’ or more apart, by the time body weight is added. The trunks wind up being 10’ or less. There’s been more than a few times, when I just pull the tops together and step from one trunk to the other.
 
For progress capture you can use a hitch, a belay device like the popular but discontinued Trango Cinch or any of the multicenders like the Rope Runner, Akimbo or Compact Bulldog Bone.

Hitch is nice and simple but won’t give you smooth release when you want to let line out under load. Straight through path allows use of a foot ascender on the tail. Sticht Hitch could give smooth release under load.

The belay devices work well and are well suited for rigging a quick RADS 3:1. Check out @Aerial Traveler ‘s vids for his Hook/RADS set up.

My issue with belay devices (Cinch, Grigri etc) is that I can’t use my foot ascender on the tail because of the rope path through the device.

With multicenders there’s a straight-through rope path and you can use your foot ascender to help take out slack on your Hook line. I find that I don’t need a 3:1 if I can get my foot on the rope tail.
-AJ
 
Ashton Phelps said:
Show me how you set up your grappling system. I'm looking for creative 3:1's, progress captures, preferences for foot ascenders over hand ascenders with the system, or any advice for a guy new to grappling hooks. I'd also like to see what grapples people are using.
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I use a rope wrench, hitch hiker, or the newest multicender in my kit (to get non-life support reps). I ascend it regularly. A compact system is best, so sewn eye is better than spliced eye and short rope wrench tether is better than long, allowing me better purchase to "mantle" the limb I'm going to.
 
Aerial Traveler said:
I've been using a stainless steel 10mm / 3/8" quick link.
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Thanks I definitely want to try it with the link.

I would like to splice something on, but also thought it may be nice to have that extra rope available to turn into a short MRS as well, where being able to remove the hook is nice.

I have velocity on there now, yet also looking for smaller lines that would work. I feel like I only need a 4000 break strength as I will likely always be pretty ginger on the hook system anyway.
haven't seen any ropes that caught my attention just yet.
 
Nice and loosely tied sticht hitch on mine with like 5.5ft of 8mm marlow viper on marlow Vega w/ spliced eye. Would prefer thinner rope with a sewn eye, the fatness near the splice prevents you from getting your hitch right up on the hook. I ascend it all the time, tends great. Just don’t let it make ya lazy :b
 
Last winter I built out one of these with a Zillon and some Director biners/ swivels and a Captain. It is smooth as butter and doesn't seize up with sap, ever. Although the Tachyon is a bit heavier and gave me pause at first it seems easier on my hands and it is easier to twist and fiddle for retrievals than the 10mm from DMM. For me it's a sweet spot. Cheers.
 
Pinhead Squirrel said:
I found a good vid on DMM .

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Excellent vid. Love it for the Compact Bulldog Bone at least. Every climber using a Captain Hook for long enough starts to get very creative with it beyond the obvious traverse uses. And yes, be super aware of what you're hooked into, and what can happen as a climber progress through a traverse, the hook orientation can change and potentially release the hook if the hook "grab" is not optimal
-AJ.
 
Here's some hook usage, traverse, then positioning help, it's awesome for a quick hold while a climber is getting themselves set up for more secure work positioning.


This is a common hook use for me was doing it yesterday, providing directional positioning support while I'm working out on the ends. Saves a lot of energy when you don't have to constantly fight out in difficult positions. My mini-wrench allows me to make one-handed positioning adjustments with minimal effort, no fighting a hitch only or having to 2-hand a belay type adjuster.


-AJ
 
AJ thanks for the videos. With my Captain "traversing rig" (see a link above), I had used wrench tethers and TreeStuff's shorter mini wrench tether with a buncha different hitches but found, apart from sap seizing up the hitches I've talked about elsewhere (the Zillon is not so affected by sappy rope - admittedly not so much of an issue with decurrent trees), it's more compact. Like in your video, I've had at times three tie-ins on the go and I just found it reduced clutter a bit, besides being really smooth to work along with a foot ascender to pull you along. Also I like the Zillon with a 3:1 to pull you along because in my own warped imagination it was kinda less "floppy" somehow than a wrench setup when out in a more horizontal-wards direction. Some of my thoughts for this Sunday AM. Again, thanks for the videos (great to see you on Vimeo 'cuz YouTube has gone CRAZY with all their stupid ads/ interruptions).
 
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