DMM throw hook.

I don't own a Gri-Gri 1 so I have no idea how they differ but the Gri-Gri2, while it is a beautiful, well-made tool, is not a good choice if you plan on using it as a positioning lanyard adjuster, which I do with the Hook all the time.
 
Good luck finding some Reep, it may have been discontinued. I personally don't like it because it seems to tangle a lot. Other static and semi static ropes work just as good for manipulating the Hook.
 
Good luck finding some Reep, it may have been discontinued. I personally don't like it because it seems to tangle a lot. Other static and semi static ropes work just as good for manipulating the Hook.

Nowhere near as bad as throwline ;-) I'm still very happy with the 10mm Reep Schnur as a Hook line. Haven't had any tangle issues, the suppleness allows it to compress much more when you stow it in a bag. I suspect that a light and supple line allows the Hook to fly better when you throw it.
-AJ
 
I'm a rec-climbing newbie asking for suggestions and comments, please.

I'm just ordered and await delivery of the Hook, because after reading this thread and seeing BobBob's cool videos, I decided to incorporate it into my existing custom made 30' Cool Vortex lanyard by converting it into a 2 to 1 lanyard. I'm using a swivel hook in a sewn eye and some Cordura Tubing on one end and the Hook's on the other end's sewn eye. A pully/prusik (8mm Ocean) is the rope grab for the snap side and a GriGri as a mechanical capture device on the Hook's side. Included in the above configuration is a Petzl non-locking roll clip and a RollNLock, for the Hook's rad system.

I'd rather switch to a longer 50'-10mm lanyard line, but for how the 12mm will do. I like the feel and grip on the 12mm line may be better than the 10mm and I've tested the GriGri successfully on this line, but not yet with the Hook. Still, I will heed the warnings about reloading the GriGri when slack occurs.

Also, does anyone have any insight or experience using Tree Quickie in place of the Hook's shackle. I heard somewhere that it's a good substitute for the Hook's shackle because it may make it easier to remove the hook without an additional tool and maybe make for an easier retrieval in certain tight situations, despite it possibly screwing up the clean snag-free design a bit.

Thank you!
 
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I'm a rec-climbing newbie asking for suggestions and comments, please.

I'm just ordered and await delivery of the Hook, because after reading this thread and seeing BobBob's cool videos, I decided to incorporate it into my existing custom made 30' Cool Vortex lanyard by converting it into a 2 to 1 lanyard. I'm using a swivel hook in a sewn eye and some Cordura Tubing on one end and the Hook's on the other end's sewn eye. A pully/prusik (8mm Ocean) is the rope grab for the snap side and a GriGri as a mechanical capture device on the Hook's side. Included in the above configuration is a Petzl non-locking roll clip and a RollNLock, for the Hook's rad system.

I'd rather switch to a longer 50'-10mm lanyard line, but for how the 12mm will do. I like the feel and grip on the 12mm line may be better than the 10mm and I've tested the GriGri successfully on this line, but not yet with the Hook. Still, I will heed the warnings about reloading the GriGri when slack occurs.

Also, does anyone have any insight or experience using Tree Quickie in place of the Hook's shackle. I heard somewhere that it's a good substitute for the Hook's shackle because it may make it easier to remove the hook without an additional tool and maybe make for an easier retrieval in certain tight situations, despite it possibly screwing up the clean snag-free design a bit.

Thank you!

I'm not so sure the Singing Tree Quickie will fit as a replacement for the small DMM shackle on the Captain. The holes where the bolt/screw of the DMM shackle go aren't large enough in diameter to fit the slic pin of the Quickie.

To address your previous ideas concerning the Captain in a 2-in-1 lanyard or as a separate, solo system: I've personally had trouble with this since I've purchased the device. Most of the time, I carry the hook independently from the 10mm Sirius/bag - when I need to make a traverse, I just clip the termination end of my lanyard to the Captain (lanyard is about 20 feet long, 11mm Teufulberger Platinum). I have a small 4" Dyneema webbing loop girth hitched to the shackle of the Captain to minimize the carabiner's interference with the Captain's self-orientation. So far, this system has been the most useful, least cumbersome way of utilizing the Captain.

However, every once in a while, I'll wish I'd left the captain on the 50m of Sirius, because the 20 foot lanyard is not long enough to perform some traverses. 90% of the time, I don't need more than the 20 foot of lanyard I have - I try to plan my climbing routes strategically, redirecting into positions where I don't need to make traverses longer than 20 feet. I hope that makes sense.

Just my experience with the captain so far. I've had it a little over a year or so. I use it in about half the trees I climb. It's a remarkably versatile and powerful tool. I've found it has plenty of uses (like lowering/raising saws/ropes, as an "in-a-pinch" speedline, a way to manipulate limbs and/or lower them through thick brush below etc.) Keep experimenting with it!
 
I'm not so sure the Singing Tree Quickie will fit as a replacement for the small DMM shackle on the Captain. The holes where the bolt/screw of the DMM shackle go aren't large enough in diameter to fit the slic pin of the Quickie.

To address your previous ideas concerning the Captain in a 2-in-1 lanyard or as a separate, solo system: I've personally had trouble with this since I've purchased the device. Most of the time, I carry the hook independently from the 10mm Sirius/bag - when I need to make a traverse, I just clip the termination end of my lanyard to the Captain (lanyard is about 20 feet long, 11mm Teufulberger Platinum). I have a small 4" Dyneema webbing loop girth hitched to the shackle of the Captain to minimize the carabiner's interference with the Captain's self-orientation. So far, this system has been the most useful, least cumbersome way of utilizing the Captain.

However, every once in a while, I'll wish I'd left the captain on the 50m of Sirius, because the 20 foot lanyard is not long enough to perform some traverses. 90% of the time, I don't need more than the 20 foot of lanyard I have - I try to plan my climbing routes strategically, redirecting into positions where I don't need to make traverses longer than 20 feet. I hope that makes sense.

Just my experience with the captain so far. I've had it a little over a year or so. I use it in about half the trees I climb. It's a remarkably versatile and powerful tool. I've found it has plenty of uses (like lowering/raising saws/ropes, as an "in-a-pinch" speedline, a way to manipulate limbs and/or lower them through thick brush below etc.) Keep experimenting with it!

Yes, it makes complete sense and I think 30' will be a good length for most uses, but maybe not as well for those really long canopy traverses. Seeing all the potential uses and advantages of having it on standby in the canopy is whats prompting me to incorporate it into a 2 in 1, versus a single hook/lanyard, especially when it comes to quick tie ins, short advances and limb walks.
 
. . . using Tree Quickie in place of the Hook's shackle. I heard somewhere that it's a good substitute for the Hook's shackle because it may make it easier to remove the hook without an additional tool and maybe make for an easier retrieval in certain tight situations, despite it possibly screwing up the clean snag-free design a bit. . .
I used an ordinary 5/16 inch stainless oval quick-link from Ace Hardware between the original shackle on my hook and the eye in the line. Very low profile, no more than the hook shackle itself, and doesn't seem to have any ill effect on the handling of the hook over a limb or tendency to snag. Not too hard to swap off in the tree if necessary, although it would stay on the other end of my CE lanyard most of the time. Waiting for the good weather to get some more time in with it but so far seems to work fine with minimal snagging. I have a horizontal limb in my backyard about eye level and maybe 4 inches or so in diameter, and I have been using that for practicing. It doesn't take too long to get the basic hang of using it and getting it back off a limb (although every limb and situation will be a bit different once actually aloft with it).
 
Here's a photo of what I'm talking about. . . .
That is quite similar to my setup with the CE lanyard assembly I got up at WesSpur. They come in various lengths up to 33 feet and have a hitch and tending pulley. I added a second hitch and pulley to the long outer length beyond the lanyard which also carries the hook. By carrying a hand ascender and RollClip biner with me, I can quickly have some MA on the hook line for a traverse (and I note someone's recent idea of bolting a Pinto right onto the bottom of a hand ascender - brilliant!). With the quick link, I can unscrew it fairly quickly to move the hook to the tail of my main line if I want to do that for a longer reach than the tail of the lanyard allows. I will try to lay it out for a photo but hopefully my description is fairly clear.
 
Meant to add above that I project using this mainly just for short quick traverses or as a second long lanyard. I have a couple of those Shakespeare auto-winding reels with throwline on them also. Looking forward to nicer weather soon to get in some more time with all this new gear. So far have only had a few dozen afternoon practice sessions in my own trees between the rains this Winter and last Fall, and nothing much over about 30 feet up.
 
I used an ordinary 5/16 inch stainless oval quick-link from Ace Hardware between the original shackle on my hook and the eye in the line. Very low profile, no more than the hook shackle itself, and doesn't seem to have any ill effect on the handling of the hook over a limb or tendency to snag. Not too hard to swap off in the tree if necessary, although it would stay on the other end of my CE lanyard most of the time. Waiting for the good weather to get some more time in with it but so far seems to work fine with minimal snagging. I have a horizontal limb in my backyard about eye level and maybe 4 inches or so in diameter, and I have been using that for practicing. It doesn't take too long to get the basic hang of using it and getting it back off a limb (although every limb and situation will be a bit different once actually aloft with it).

The Ace shackle fits on rope but it's weight limit of 700lbs is inadequate, imho. Although a 6" nylon loop seems to work well if I girth hitch to both the lanyard's eye and the Captain, as shown above. Its less hardware without another carabiner and it's probably better to be able to connect and disconnect it without any tools in a tight jam scenario. On the other hand, if you are using the lanyard anyway, why not utilize the Captain too? For now I'll leave it connected directed to the lanyard's tight eye, at least until I find an adequate reason to take it off.
 
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I switched the carabiner out for a quickie on my hook. It added way to much weight to far from the hook and made getting it out of a crotch difficult. I've been using it on the tail of my lanyard and I like that application a lot more than just having it on a longer traverse line. I just got a cinch today and was also gifted with a sidewinder with 15' of 10mm beeline spooled onto it. I'm gonna put the hook on that and see how it works. The cinch definitely prefers the beeline over the 11mm tri-tech on my lanyard
 
Here is my modded CE. I was lucky with the bag; it is the same one the Yellow Jacket saddle came in and the perfect size for the longest CE lanyard. I did not replace the original hook shackle, merely used the oval quicklink through it. The quicklink is low profile and no wider than the hook shackle. They are not rated for life support but a 5/16 inch one in stainless is easily good for a 1000 lbs or so. I actually tested one last year by lifting the front of my Toyota Tacoma with it five times. And of course, the hook itself is not recommended, or rated, for life support anyway. I am not really happy with the leather cambium saver I used as a chafe guard; it is rather stiff although it works OK once in place. I like your softer chafe sleeve. I have a piece of heavy tubular webbing around here somewhere that I will use instead if I can find it!
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Looking good Burrapeg! Those leather savers can be rigid when new and will soften up nicely with use.
That is what I am hoping. I am looking forward to the weather clearing up with Spring and then get some real hours on this new gear. So far just lots of quick practice on my own backyard trees between the rains. But it is sweet torture! There are some absolutely incredible trees here on the BLM and other public land, and incredible views from them looking out over Puget Sound, Olympic and Cascade Mountains, etc. Can't wait!!!!
 
I've had some issues with hockling...
Interesting. Could be from having both ends in use. Hitches can also cause hockling. All I know is mine doesn't and as has been said, after trying many ropes, the lightest weight ones give me the best throw distance.
 
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