SoftBankHawks
Branched out member
- Location
- Japan
Jesse, if you ever make it over here there is a great traversing route in front of ODSK with a couple of ball-quivery long spans to finish it off !!
DMM throw hook.
- Thread starter Huskyman
- Start date
colemanjessenz
Participating member
- Location
- heidelberg , Germany
Ball quivering traverses..... sounds like fun.
I'd love to make it over sometime in the future mate, If a plan comes to fruition No doubt i'll be in touch
Perhaps ben may be interested in another little adventure in the near future, we will see.
123Craig
Participating member
Captain vs Epple... Great stuff gents.
edit; damn, you're doing this on purpose aren't you? - you're going to make me want to get the epple to try...
edit; damn, you're doing this on purpose aren't you? - you're going to make me want to get the epple to try...
Last edited:
I live in a tropical paradise....climb mostly stand alone trees hence that red clunk of metal is unecessary...wide canopies not very tall...climbing these types of trees is a whole different ball game..trust me when I say so...I have climbed all over so I know...hook is pretty much only a 15 ft line placement tool like Jesse mentioned....moving across leaders etc...for me so much easier having my groundie send up my poles with hook to set my tail...saying this ...it is not a very regular occurance...I understand using it in north america or europe...
colemanjessenz
Participating member
- Location
- heidelberg , Germany
Hey Paul @swingdude I think you misread, Its very easily thrown and set 5 meters plus. To me it sounds perfect for your situation , did u try using it with the tail of your line or use that kit?
I know how to move around a tree without my hook..... not a problem .... but... with the work we sometimes do in parks,castles etc any energy saved is beneficial, its not just for traversing. sometimes we can dead wood upto 10 thirty meter trees a day each ( this is an extreme case but not unusual )and if theres only one bit of deadwood on the other side of the tree I can just throw it out instead of doing a ten or 15 meter ascent up and over to get one straggler.
Last edited:
moss
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Carlisle, Massachusetts, U.S.
What SoftBank/Paul mentioned is aces, a hook is superb for a quick positioner when you want super stability for a task. If it's on your harness use it.
Excellent video by coleman, it nearly convinces me to switch from the Cinch to a hitch for progress capture. Mainly because for certain rope angles I can't use my foot ascender with the Cinch. At that point I can add a simple 3:1 RADS with a prussik and a carabiner which is fine except there's a point where I'm exceeding my tolerance for extra configuration while I'm climbing. The only weakness there is that a hook and Cinch is awesome as a releasable anchor for moving back towards your main rope and a hitch is obviously a pain releasing single rope.
Did a cat rescue recently and the hook was great, saved me time setting a second anchor in a leaning oak so I could lower myself down and over to the off-center position I wanted to retrieve the kitty. In that case the hook functioned as an excellent longer range positioner/temporary anchor on one side. As it turned out I wedged it hard on the limb which was a hair over the radius spec, a little aggravating but no problem to work up the hook line to retrieve.
-AJ
Excellent video by coleman, it nearly convinces me to switch from the Cinch to a hitch for progress capture. Mainly because for certain rope angles I can't use my foot ascender with the Cinch. At that point I can add a simple 3:1 RADS with a prussik and a carabiner which is fine except there's a point where I'm exceeding my tolerance for extra configuration while I'm climbing. The only weakness there is that a hook and Cinch is awesome as a releasable anchor for moving back towards your main rope and a hitch is obviously a pain releasing single rope.
Did a cat rescue recently and the hook was great, saved me time setting a second anchor in a leaning oak so I could lower myself down and over to the off-center position I wanted to retrieve the kitty. In that case the hook functioned as an excellent longer range positioner/temporary anchor on one side. As it turned out I wedged it hard on the limb which was a hair over the radius spec, a little aggravating but no problem to work up the hook line to retrieve.
-AJ
colemanjessenz
Participating member
- Location
- heidelberg , Germany
Thank you sir
.The reason I use that setup is that it can be used in a multitude of configurations .... second system, static srt redirect, ddrt redirects(non retrievable and also retrievable) and the progress capture for traversing. That along with an 8 and the hook are the permanent fixtures on my harness , its one of those do everything things.
I like the principal of a cinch or gri gri but thats just extra kit cant use for other things. I'm yet to have to back of out a traverse but i think that if need be, it's doable with a hitch but as you say not ideal.
Quick question, are you using it with the kit ?
All good Jesse I know your climbing abilities.....lol....the hook works in your production oriented situation....I work island style....just to pay a few bills so the hook was not a deal breaker for me...I respect you guys liking it....I will leave this hook thing alone...lol
colemanjessenz
Participating member
- Location
- heidelberg , Germany
I hope I didn't come across as being pissy, paul. you know I love ya bro
123Craig
Participating member
I'm glad you chimed in Swing/Paul - I know you'll know a shit ton of tips and tricks I'm yet to know/may never learn... Some of which, the hook will take the place of.
Some tools just overlap in areas of others I guess - we're all looking for multi-use for our own specific environments. Hook detractors are welcome on this thread - if a tool is any good, it's gotta be able to take critique.
David
Some tools just overlap in areas of others I guess - we're all looking for multi-use for our own specific environments. Hook detractors are welcome on this thread - if a tool is any good, it's gotta be able to take critique.
David
I have hooked that thing 30f
Jesse I have the utmost respect and love for you bro...your post was good...I just had to state my feelings on a hook pertaining to what I do here in Barbados which is really mundane and simple...
I hope I didn't come across as being pissy, paul. you know I love ya bro
Jesse I have the utmost respect and love for you bro...your post was good...I just had to state my feelings on a hook pertaining to what I do here in Barbados which is really mundane and simple...
I'm glad you chimed in Swing/Paul - I know you'll know a shit ton of tips and tricks I'm yet to know/may never learn... Some of which, the hook will take the place of.
Some tools just overlap in areas of others I guess - we're all looking for multi-use for our own specific environments. Hook detractors are welcome on this thread - if a tool is any good, it's gotta be able to take critique.
David
Gotta agree with you david....no arb tool will be for everyone...I will never knock/rave a tool until I have tried and tested it myself...because i don't rave a tool does not mean that tool is rubbish...it just does not work for me for what I do on a day to day basis....I love a rope runner ....many do not and even hate it...I dislike a bulldog bone... horses for courses...
CutHighnLetFly
Been here a while
- Location
- Cape Cod, MA
@swingdude, I'm all about pitching my rope tail with a throw weight on the end, repelling down then swinging over to where that end hangs, then putting my system on the side. It's like setting a pre-direct in the tree.
Not going to do everything the hook does, but I rarely am traversing. I do imagine if I bought one I would find awesome uses for it, but I can also imagine myself wasting time tossing a hook at a part of a tree that I really could just get over to.
Not going to do everything the hook does, but I rarely am traversing. I do imagine if I bought one I would find awesome uses for it, but I can also imagine myself wasting time tossing a hook at a part of a tree that I really could just get over to.
Skinning a tree many ways...
moss
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Carlisle, Massachusetts, U.S.
Yep, I was one of those early purchasers who paid for just the hook and received the entire kit, that was unexpected. Love it, has paid for itself a few times over helping me in tall wide-crowned trees. I've always been a big fan of traversing techniques so I knew the minute I saw the hook I was in. Doesn't go up on every job but it's ready when needed.
-AJ
monkeylove
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Roslyn, Pa.
Anybody worried about cross loading the hook or it acting like a pry bar if pulled sideways in a crotch? I spent a couple hours today just traversing and using the hook for everything I could imagine. On the very last throw @30ft, it hooked a crotch on the wrong side of the trunk and wanted to wedge. Rather than taking a chance I just came down. If the hook got stuck I could have easily grabbed it after I got there but my concern was as stated in the beginning. If wedged and pulled sideways (bodyweight), is there the probability that the crotch might be pryed apart. I don't think the hook would break, but was worried about the wood. Am I nuts or is that a real concern or at least something that should be avoided?
123Craig
Participating member
Want to hear what others have to say... though for me - it all depends on your assessment of the strength of the branch and/or branch union. For me, up in the tippy tops of spruce recently - sometimes it hooks right round the main stem - if I judge the surrounding branch unions to be able to support what tension I put on it (all depends on rope angles, length of traverse ect) - I can get over to that tree. After traversing - sometimes I'll deliberately hook around the main stem in the same way to use the hook as quick work positioner to get further up the tree when I'd prefer to use the strength of the main stem than any one (or more) branch unions.
I find myself using the hook more and more to work position in the tree after traversing; it isn't as safe as a lanyard, though it is quicker and easier, and I only do so when I still have my main tie-in or I'm using a lanyard at the same time. Obviously - after I have completed a much longer traverse - I use my lanyard; the longer the possible pendulum hit back to the main tie-in, the safer you'd want to be.
I find myself using the hook more and more to work position in the tree after traversing; it isn't as safe as a lanyard, though it is quicker and easier, and I only do so when I still have my main tie-in or I'm using a lanyard at the same time. Obviously - after I have completed a much longer traverse - I use my lanyard; the longer the possible pendulum hit back to the main tie-in, the safer you'd want to be.
Last edited:
monkeylove
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Roslyn, Pa.
Those were all my thoughts exactly, especially the pendulum. My last hook would have caused me to be about 10 feet higher and 25 feet away from my last redirect anchor. Not worth the risk.
moss
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Carlisle, Massachusetts, U.S.
I think I can imagine the hook position you're talking about but I'm not sure. Can you do a simple sketch or photo to describe? I don't think you have that much leverage with the hook to pry a union part. Likewise the hook is such a large diameter piece of aluminum I'm not sure cross loading concepts even apply in normal use.
-AJ
