Courant Squir

[Quintanana]

I’ll have to try moving the grommet. I cut a little bit away on mines to get that low friction ascent . I can throw this setup up the rope 6 feet at least. Keeps me away from the runner haha

 

[Matias]

Beautiful...`The first thing I do when I get a new tether is cut the rubber grommet off of the tether and move it a little further down towards the pulley. Find that sweet spot where the wrench sits down a little further, allowing your line to fall through the wrench much easier, but the wrench will still easily engage when needed. Once you find that location you simply re-attach with electrical tape. I find a very notable difference in how my wrench set up tends and gobbles up slack, which make for a much more enjoyable ride. This tether hack combined with a petro (one less wrap than yours) makes for a near mechanical feel when it comes to ease of tending, while still offering that hitch based sweetness.

Can I ask you for a picture of the finished tape job? For some reason the picture in my mind isn't super clear

 

[rico]

Can I ask you for a picture of the finished tape job? For some reason the picture in my mind isn't super clear

I like my grommet moved down to somewhere near the intersection of the eye on the tether.. This allows the wrench to sit down enough that there is almost no bend in your rope, which allows it to fall almost friction free through to wrench. The tricky part is finding the spot that is as friction free as possible during ascent, while still having the wrench easily engages when you sit down. Obviously rope, hitch cord, hitch, climbers weight, and preference are all gonna influence where that spot is. This hack was a game changer for me and I refuse to climb on a stock tether because of the fact that there is a constant bend in the line bringing way too much friction for my liking.

 

[Matias]

View attachment 91998
I like my grommet moved down to somewhere near the intersection of the eye on the tether.. This allows the wrench to sit down enough that there is almost no bend in your rope, which allows it to fall almost friction free through to wrench. The tricky part is finding the spot that is as friction free as possible during ascent, while still having the wrench easily engages when you sit down. Obviously rope, hitch cord, hitch, climbers weight, and preference are all gonna influence where that spot is. This hack was a game changer for me and I refuse to climb on a stock tether because of the fact that there is a constant bend in the line bringing way too much friction for my liking.

Very much obliged sir. I think we are similar shape/weight, though I run another inch of insulation around the middle, and I have that same issue. I like my setup fast and looser these days, so I think your tip here will be money in my pocket soon. Thanks again.

 

[rico]

Cool. Play with and let me know how it works out. This combined with running your down legs on the climber side is the bees knees.

 

[Steve Connally]

Re learning so much from this thread. Not consistently climbing for the last 5-6 years has really shown me how much the knowledge really is perishable. I find myself looking up information to basically relearn stuff I took for granted in the past. Learning how much you used to know that you have to relearn is pretty humbling. I've been mentally putting myself back in my place for a while as I ponder what the next step is in my career. Thanks for sharing folks.

 

[rico]

I feel you Steve. The realization that I can’t do this forever has really set in lately, and since I still love what I do this sometimes make me sad and depressed. As sad as it may sound being a climber is a big part of my identity. To counteract this I try to keep learning, tweaking, and doing my best to remain a decent climber as the physical side of my game naturally declines with age.

 

[Quintanana]

I look up to you older guys that are still climbing! I’m trying to take do what I can now to keep doing this as long as possible.

 

[Friedrich]

View attachment 91998
I like my grommet moved down to somewhere near the intersection of the eye on the tether.. This allows the wrench to sit down enough that there is almost no bend in your rope, which allows it to fall almost friction free through to wrench. The tricky part is finding the spot that is as friction free as possible during ascent, while still having the wrench easily engages when you sit down. Obviously rope, hitch cord, hitch, climbers weight, and preference are all gonna influence where that spot is. This hack was a game changer for me and I refuse to climb on a stock tether because of the fact that there is a constant bend in the line bringing way too much friction for my liking.

i just cut mine off completely, never had a problem with the wrench engaging but might’ve been lucky.

 

[Steve Connally]

I feel you Steve. The realization that I can’t do this forever has really set in lately, and since I still love what I do this sometimes make me sad and depressed. As sad as it may sound being a climber is a big part of my identity. To counteract this I try to keep learning, tweaking, and doing my best to remain a decent climber as the physical side of my game naturally declines with age.

I have come to realize how very much part of me climbing actually was. I've lost that for the past 5 years and have come to realize I have become lost at the same time. Took me a while to realize why I was lost. The end of a long career in the fire service, end of a long career as a climber, physical breakdowns has me in a place I don't recognize. I'm in the trying to remember, wondering if I can regain that skill, where do I go from here spot. I have had a long spark to do a project about aging in this industry and how the mental/emotional factors effect us with very little focus on physical. Everyone focuses on the physical, nobody talks about what happens to us when we feel like we really can't or shouldn't anymore. How the next wave taking over and sometimes surpassing our skill level effects us deep within. Its a tough spot and others do much better at the reality of it than I do. Thanks for speaking up.

 

[27RMT0N]

Every time my back goes out, I struggle with the same thoughts and worries about what I'd do if I couldn't be a climber anymore. I honestly have no idea and it scares me. I think a lot of guys in many different trades have their identity's wrapped up tightly in their work, and are all just one injury away from losing it. Hell, even an intentional retirement (which often comes from not being able to physically do it any more) often leads to an identity crisis in people.

 

[Willber]

Kalimba did not milk for me. Nothing....nada. But fuck that rope. It's shite.

What do you not like about Kalimba? I've been using it for a few days, it stays rounder than HyperClimb, though slightly more stretch. It's kinda a good thing, it didn't milk, eh.