DMM throw hook.

Thank you, AJ. I've only used the Trango, although I do have the GriGri II, I don't believe I would have ever used it for the "Hook", the cinch just feels more reliable and secure for me. It's great to know what does and what doesn't have a constant reliability.
 
With 11.5mm Tachyon (Lava) for example, the Grigri II slips about an inch and then grabs without manual tending. So if you're putting the hook on the tail of a line 11.5mm or greater, Grigri will work*. (Grigri II is spec'd for max 11mm rope, 11.5mm runs fine, anything greater is like stuffing sausage).

This is my Grigri with a chopped up Kong biner formed into a horn to improve rappel performance. With the line over the horn there is zero slip on loading with 11.5 mm line. Doesn't help with 10mm Sirius Reepschnur though.

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My hook is on the way. I didn't get the kit and am thinking of using either safari or cougar blue. Any thoughts on which rope would be better?
 
treegongfu said:
My hook is on the way. I didn't get the kit and am thinking of using either safari or cougar blue. Any thoughts on which rope would be better?
Click to expand...

Couldn't find the weight on the Cougar, it might be good to get the lighter weight of the two. Was just looking at the 10mm Sirius Reep Schnur, same rope that comes with the kit, you could buy that with a sewn eye and have the optimal line for the hook.

http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?category_id=127&item=2071
 
Thanks Moss,

I'll go with what i have for now although I'm not looking forward to splicing my well used hank of cougar blue and the Safari, although it hasnt seen frequent use, looks like a harder splice.


Is fifty feet longer than you are able to use?

I'm thinking of using less than forty.
 
treegongfu said:
...Is fifty feet longer than you are able to use?....
Click to expand...

It was for me, but I guess it really depends on your trees and how you are planning on using it. For me it seems most throws are lateral and slightly up and stay hooked on the target crotch. Forty foot of line is more than enough for what I can do.
 
Thanks Dave,

Every climb I've been doing lately it seems like the hook would save a lot of effort in getting over 5, 10, 15 feet.

The only use I can think of for that length would be for setting a second line from in the tree.
 
Wrapped up two days of climbing for a research project, goal was to collect bud samples to ID edge cases where trees in the study plots had red oak and black oak bark characteristics. We had strong hunches whether a tree was one or the other but since it was science we had to confirm. The hook got a lot of use and made it fairly simple to access multiple trees climbing on one rope set. The main thing I found out on these trees is that for short throws 10-15', simply heaving the hook overhand worked very well. And I had further confirmation that on pullback from these relatively short distances you need to be ready to protect your face with your hand. Common sense but worth reiterating for new hook users. I only had one pullback that showed the possibility but that was enough to put an exclamation mark on it.
-AJ
 
TimBr said:
Ok, so the joke this raises is, after I knock myself out with it, was it a left hook or a right hook?
Click to expand...
And furthermore, if the users of the BDB is called a boner, should the correct term for users of the hook be a hooker? ;)
Anyways, my captain is in delivery. Really excited about it!
:birra:
 
I was going to slightly retract what I said about the hook being a danger to hitting you; it is only under certain circumstances that this is the case. It is as you imagine, just common sense - the closer, and more vertical your target - the higher your chances are that it might come back at you - just like a steel biner/throw weight/anything would.

Most often in the tree - you'd probably not be throwing at angles that are too vertical (though sometimes will). Most of the time you'll probably be throwing it between 45 degrees, 90 (horizontal), or beneath. Just like throwing anything - you'll realise that the better your vantage point (ie, higher) over the target - the easier it is - then you can always descend to put your weight in it.

I was testing to see how far and high I could throw it - therefore my angles were at 45 degrees or higher (I was just seeing what it could do). If it gets stuck in any way (when your trying to free it) - of course you want to get closer to it (to try and manipulate it easier), and of course the closer you are to it, the greater the chance that it could hit you when you finally free it (of course, the more vertical - the worse). I was just testing to see what it could do. Like any product, it has it's limitations.

I'm still keen to hear from anyone who can try out a Petzl Connect Adjust in SRT from full weight all the way down to half-weight and less. My boss has a Petzl Reverso (the closest thing to a Connect Adjust I may be able to test) - though he's so busy - he's neglected to tell me where it is.

Below is a photo of what I have tested (though yet to use at work); it is simply a Bowline - though I have deliberately made the loop about a biner length, and I have also tied it so that the bight of the knot would come over the branch in the way that you see in this photo, as if my hand were the branch (if the knot/bight were facing the other way it would be harder to pull over the limb). The reason I want to try out this configuration is because of course I found that if you have a small knot at the end of a single line - it can be hard to pull it through a branch union (depending on how tight it it) without it getting caught/having to flick the line a little in order to loosen it slightly to get it to almost 'jump' through; when you do this it is possible to inadvertently orient the hook wrongly or even accidentally flick the hook out completely. With the Bowline I am distancing the knot slightly further from the hook - so hopefully there will be less chance the hook may flick out from the union (unless I want it to). Also the 2 sides of the Bowline loop should stabilise the orientation of the hook more after the knot has passed through the union. We'll see...

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Below are just another couple of photos of the nose.

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I went with fifty feet of Safari and a rock climbing tool bag.

Here it is
 

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That's an extremely ornate tree your hooks hanging in. It must be a wrought iron wood! Have you tried the "Safari" out, yet? I'm curious to see how the extra weight and twisting affects the performance. [emoji857]
 
Since folks are talking about various ropes to use, I thought I would share how I use my hook. I have it on the backend of a 30' sterling TriTech Rope (11 mm) that has two sewn eyes that I use as a lanyard also. It works great and I don't have to carry another rope for the hook.

I capture the slack when traversing with the hook with an ART positioner. Line flies through the ART when not under load, so winding it up and tossing in the ditty bag or getting some slack to give it toss is a breeze Most of the time I feel that devices that are NOT midline attachable limit me, but in this case they seem like the perfect combo as it always where I need it as it is "stored" on the line next to the hook. The ART also releases under load so I can use the hook for DSRT type techniques too (vs. just a slack capture device only).

I keep the hook, positioner, and the extra lanyard line in a weaver ditty bag.

Also every so often a long lanyard is valuable and so I think I have the best of both going for now. As to whether 30' is enough...for right now I would yes. All these things are tradeoffs so I don't think I want to carry more rope. And though I don't think it is sanctioned, I would not hesitate to use the hook as a 2 and 1 lanyard surrogate either (I know just saying I might have :-) ). Actually if I really do not want to "push" the limits of the hook in a 2 in 1 configuration, I can put a biner through the hook clevis I suppose. and just leave the hook dangle at the D.

Love the hook BTW.
 
Dave Rohach said:
That's an extremely ornate tree your hooks hanging in. It must be a wrought iron wood!
Click to expand...

That porch support is my new splicing tether since i ripped the leg off a neighbours chair while he was sitting on it.
Dave Rohach said:
Have you tried the "Safari" out, yet? I'm curious to see how the extra weight and twisting affects the performance.
emoji857.png
Click to expand...

I threw it from the ground a few times but unfortunately have nothing to compare it too.

"And though I don't think it is sanctioned, I would not hesitate to use the hook as a 2 and 1 lanyard surrogate either (I know just saying I might have :) ). "

I was thinking how hard it is going to be to have enough self restraint not to cheat with this thing.
 
If you're in a static position while moving your other tie-in around etc. 18kn is pretty damn strong. Just doesn't meet work climbing requirements at 18kn, and obvioulsy the hook over a branch is not a closed system. Using your smarts is not cheating. I think a new climbing style is going to evolve with this device, it will push the limits as stated in the DMM Captain safety guidelines but it will be very safe if implemented by competent climbers who understand vector and shock load forces among other things. Reminds me of the "One-handing a chain saw" thread. As was stated succinctly, many safety guidelines are intended to protect newbies from severe injury or death. A skilled tree worker knows when it is safe or not safe to one-hand. Most won't argue publicly for it but it's there.
-AJ
 
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@WaitakKauri, Congratulations on acquiring such a fine piece of gear. It is just beautiful looking. I look forward to reading your posts about how well you get on with it.

Have a blast, man! I'm hoping to hear that it just makes the whole crown of the tree much more easily accessible.

Tim
 
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