ATC type descender

Interesting, I have never thought of putting a prussick below a rappel device like that. I don't think I'd like that much because I like to be able to move my brake arm around to aid in maneuvering around limbs and such as well as raising my arm to change the friction going into the device. Although I guess if you didn't have to collapse your hitch with one hand and brake with the other you would have a free hand for maneuvering. But I still think it would suck not being able to change the angle of the rope going in and you would have to remove any other system you have on the line already and install a new prussick below your reppel device. Plus how would you install it hold on with one hand and install it with the other you need a hitch above it so that you can create slack to put it on.
Also I can't think of any time I would want to use a reppel device where I don't already have a hitch on the line either a footlock prussick or a climbing hitch.
I use the PETZL PIRANA. I never liked figure 8's because of the way you have to unclip them to put them on. Also the PIRANA seems to spin up the rope less and has a lot more options for different levels of fiction. I actually bought one of those ATC style ones when I was first looking for an alternative to the f8 then realized the ropes I was using were too big for it. I will have to find it now that I have some smaller diameter ropes. I forgot I even had one.
If I want to come buzzing down and I'm climbing Ddrt on a hitch I will put the rappel device on my side D and just leave my hitch and slack tender pully on my bridge. If I am doing a lot of fast descending I will just leave it on my side D and then can quickly clip in and out of it. Depending on the distance between your Bridge and side D you may have to tip your hips to one side to make space. I guess it wouldn't work for all saddles but it's always work great for me.
I also keep it clipped on my bridge when I'm footlocking so it's ready to go if I need it.
Having the hitch above still backs you up if you let go the hitch will grab.
 
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If I want to come buzzing down and I'm climbing Ddrt on a hitch I will put the rappel device on my side D and just leave my hitch and slack tender pully on my bridge. ... ... Depending on the distance between your Bridge and side D you may have to tip your hips to one side to make space. I guess it wouldn't work for all saddles but it's always work great for me.
... ...
Having the hitch above still backs you up if you let go the hitch will grab.

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This is how I use it, I have a Glide II.

Nice river crossing pic Bill.
 
Bill, that's a long post I'm not surprised you worked up an appetite writing it!
grin.gif


I just tried running the SBG on one of my lower D's and it worked awesome. No messing with my HC setup either. Nice tip!
 
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Although it would be very difficult to install the atc above the prussic if your hanging on the prussic. that is one reason I would put the atc device under the prussic; if your already hanging on the prussic

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I did feel my last post lacked clarity, but I was on my phone and lazy. I meant that it seemed quicker to use the ATC or F8 like you say, under the prussic. I do agree, I think it would be impossible to install when you were hanging on the line.

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The Devices where made for Rock Climbers and Canyoniers to rappel. They do not have a weighted hitch on the Rope when installing the Descender, they're clipped into a Bolt or somethng or just stand on their Feet.

The Manufacturers probably didnt even know about Treeclimbing techniques when they developed this stuff...
It seems some even do not know yet... ;)
 
If you wanted to install an ATC with a prussick underneath it you would do so while still hanging from the original prussick. Then weight the autoblocked ATC and un weight the high prussick.

This is all hypothetical really, whats the reason for using an ATC to descend single line in tree work? Especially with tools like Rope Wrench and Hitch Hiker which allow instant changeover from ascent>work>descent.

For the record you can descend fast with Formula-1 like speed, precision, and stopping with an ATC. Way faster and more precise than any other type of device.
 
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This is all hypothetical really, whats the reason for using an ATC to descend single line in tree work? Especially with tools like Rope Wrench and Hitch Hiker which allow instant changeover from ascent>work>descent.

For the record you can descend fast with Formula-1 like speed, precision, and stopping with an ATC. Way faster and more precise than any other type of device.

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When I lived on Maui I was doing a decent amount of cocos and other palms. I would set my ropeguide first thing, and when I was done bomb down. I used my F8 so I would prolong the life of my hitch. When I found the atc I brought it up in this thread. I don't do palms any more, but it still seemed worth mentioning. If you've got a long descent, whether on a rope guide, wrench, SRT or DDRT using a F8 or ATC/SBG will allow you to descend faster, with more control and less wear to your hitch. I think.
 
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