Anyone climbing with a petzl rig

treeweaver

treeweaver

Location
Austin, TX
To avoid using my pantin since i have a sore leg I swapped the HC/RW combo and climbed partly single rope and part rads with the petzl Rig, using HTP 11mm.
I had never climbed with that system but I really enjoyed the climb. Felt like i had the benefit of multiple anchor points and had very easy limb returns pulling hand over hand in rads. The pulley on the ascender made this very smooth, next to no friction and zero sitback on the progress.
Cant see it being as versatile as climbing on a rope wrench,but in some scenarios seems like a great way to climb.
On a longer ascent I tried the croll in the frogwalker setup for the first time and that was effortlessly fast. Hate changing system at the top though, makes me very paranoid.
Anyone else using a rig for pruning? If so what rope do you use? I know Jared Abrojena uses it and wonder if anyone has details on his setup and wonder if anyone has a pic of his setup.
 
I have been using the RIG for over a year now ( was natural to me coming from a rescue/industrial background). I love it! There are a few things to keep in mind though. One of the most important is to keep it in a locked position when working. For ascending I use a Petzl Basic along with my Croll that is on my chest. For short ascents that need more then me just using branches to pull up on I use the Basic with the RIG. My Basic has a 5mm (I think) cord attached to it that has a foot loop on it. I love this setup and never even gave the WR a look seeing how I had been climbing this way before the WR became so main stream. As for the change over not sure how you are going about it that makes you have the willies over it. For me I place the RIG on my line below both ascenders (hand and chest), I then stand up onto my hand ascender at the same time taking the chest ascender of the rope. While standing I take up slack on the RIG and sit down on it (in locked position). For new guys this time is a good point to do a RIG check my lowering your self with it making sure it is all good. Then I take my hand ascender off.

I think I have some vids up on my youtube page with me climbing with the RIG.
 
Jim,
I did the changeover at the the top the same way you do. I guess the reason I get the willies is that it's a common moment for accidents according to statistics, even for experienced climbers. I guess it all comes down to it being a new system. I was a little nervous all around using the rig just because it was new. Not necessarily a bad feeling, it reminds you of your first times climbing.
As far as setup I do the same other than using the ascension instead of the basic.
Looks like there are a bunch of rig users on treebuzz...
 
Been using the RIG for well over a year, its a great tool and even got used to it with one hand. I run velocity and IMori through it. the best part for me if how easy on and off the rope it is for when I'm moving TIPs or taking out REDI's.
 
Love the RIG for removals. The RIG & gaffs are best for the few removals I have to do. RIG goes on at the base and stays on though out the work. But, if I have to redirect, it's the easiest. Works on every rope I've got, from soft FAT 12strand XTC13 to hard 24strand HTP11. Pruning, it's the ZK2 or Grigri/RADS ... but they're a PITA for removals. RIG RAWKS REMOVALS!
 
Since I switched to sequoia srt, I went ahead and borrowed a croll and together with a hand ascender, pantin and a rig, I've been climbing all week with petzl's recommended system for climbing trees srt down to a t. i was curious to try after the debate in the wrench/ zig zag thread. i've done big trees and small ones. It's very different to climbing srt with a wrench. Rads makes you plan the route in tree very differently. It's fun and has some advantages and I like it more than I thought I would.
However it really doesn't feel any safer than a wrench, infact on bigger trees I had to do multiple switches from croll and ascender to rig which if anything increase fall risk. So far I prefer a hitch cord and a wrench but I want to climb like this for a while longer to see how far I can push this system. Frog walking with just a croll, pantin and ascender on static line is awesome though.
If anyone wants to climb with a rig, a swivel on the bridge and static line are essential. Non locking DMM revolvers are very handy for the rads too.
 
Man its funny you bring this up. I just started using this system as well and i think it is great. Very predictable and consistent. The switch over is a little troublesome, but i cant decide if it is a deal breaker. The croll is so smooth, no friction ascending at all. Do you tether your top ascender to your bridge? I am trying to figure out a good way to do that.
 
I like the rig RADS for palm work and ascent in trees. It feels great to get up there and still have energy left to work.
Working in trees I prefer the HH, just feels more natural like the hitch climber set up i'm accustomed to, but if I basal tie ill use the rig there a la countryboy's set up.
Saw Jared on the rig at the Hawaii tcc-he's fun to watch and makes it look natural.
I'm pretty green and don't have much experience with mechanicals, so in the future I may change my tune. It runs my HTP 11 really smooth however.
Jon
 
Good to know other climbers are messing with this. For ascent I have been backing up the croll with the ascension and I do connect it to my bridge. To keep gear to a minimum I have been connecting with biners and one of the slings I use later in the climb for redirects.
For when I switch to rads for longer limbwalks I put the fixed plate pulley on the top hole the ascender. If I will be taking the ascender off and on often, switching from srt to 3:1, I put a non locking revolver on the bottom hole of the ascender, makes it real fast to switch
 
I use the RIG as a SRT basal anchor retrieval device (rated for two person loads in SRT with a friction redirect), and for single stem work. The cover plate access independent of the anchor point is perhaps the best feature of the device for sappy removals and to minimize the chance of dropping it during transitions.

RADS as a canopy access technique is a bit inefficient for my liking, though the quick integration into rescue hauling systems is a huge asset.

Locking the device constantly was pounded into my head through SPRAT - it's a bit of an inflated potential risk factor (countered by diligent system checks in work systems) in my opinion.
 
Yes, rads sucks for any ascent over 20' or so. It's only productive for limbwalks and short vertical distances. I guess this whole system is very dependent on having the croll permanently installed on the harness like in a srt specific ones. Infact I only decided to try this system after switching to the sequoia srt.
 
I can see how the change over from ascent to descent can make climbers that are not use to it worry a little. Just keep the top ascender on till the RIG is on and locked and you will be fine. I have been climbing with system for a few years now n trees and I have not looked back (even with the up coming of the RW, although I do want to try one someday). I have been climbing alot outside of tree as well with rescue and industrial that I have even been placing my ASAP above the RIG. Reason being is for long limb walks when I am one handing the RIG to walk out. It is not a good practice to not keep a control hand on the line so I feel a lot better with the ASAP above to back up if there happen to be a fall and the RIG for any reason did not lock up. Im not saying that SPRAT/IRATA techniques are all good for tree work, but check out some vids of training and pic up some great SRT techniques.
 
Meaning that you're keeping the ASAP at shoulder height at all times including when slack tending and climbing limbs? Because that would be painful to watch. Not saying I wouldn't want to watch though.
 
i use a rig for tower work and a grillon for my tower set up. used it for tree stuff but i still prefer the rope wrench for tree work. when the cam is on decent mode it can be a bit jerky. i prefer for friction that the wrench offers ut thats just me. i dont go burning to the ground a lot.
 
Yes, and this may come across wrong but, thanks for giving a rule with the ASAP (shoulder height). Fact of the matter is I have been climbing long enough to know that falling sucks, so if I have to take two extra seconds to use a backup device that is suggested to be used when climbing a certain way then I will. I tend to believe that most climbers will resist climbing a better or " un " safer way do to not giving something a well enough chance. Great example is SRT. There are climbers out there that still swear that SRT has no place in tree work. Yet they will most likely be the climbers complaining that they are too tired or worn out by the end of the day. As for the ASAP, I have seen how the running end of the line can keep the handle from auto locking it's self on limb walks and how due to the bounce a tree's canopy can make on descent a weighted RIG free run. So that said I use the ASAP that I have anyway for other climbing while in a tree. It's not always about how fast I can go, because when I am done there will just be another tree to do.

I know some things come across when you read it as if the person is ticked off. Don't read this that way, its just my thoughts on why I climb this way.
 
Old tread, but curious if anyone is using the Rig over other methods in comps?
This is the only video I've been able to find using the Rig in a comp.
I understand Jared has used the Rig in a comp as well but unable to find any video showing it.

 
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