Footlockin scare!!!

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it's why they make ascenders, so you don't have to use a cord. The cord should be a back up only. In this time and age it makes no sence to footlock with just a prusik cord.

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umm dude, that REALLY puts a damper on my training program.
I use a 3 wrap prussic with a small piece of elastic cord girth hitched to the line and wrapped around my neck to keep it from dangling. When I reach the top, I seat myself SLOWLY and make sure the knot is setting before I relax. I keep the line locked between my feet untill I know the knot has set. I take two figure eights since I am clumsy and could possibly drop one.

Reverse foot locking comes natural to anyone who has found themselves 50 feet up and untied from their system somehow (yes I did this right after learning to FL). The fear of God gives you the ability to get down :)
 
Once again, death is dodged. You're very lucky!

In this case I don't think that the K is to blame. In tests the K has shown to be better at grabbing the rope than prusiks.

When I knot is chosen it needs TDS.

Tie
Dress
Set

From what you said it doesn't sound like you Set the K before ascending. That sounds like the place that you went down the wrong street. In the TCC the climber is required to do an on-rope rest/test before starting the climb/timing. This shows that the climber goes through that step. During the comp many climbers will have longer cords and keep the hitch VERY loose! My bet is that most of them wouldn't grab if the climber missed a lock. But, in the TCC there's a backup of course. In The World, there isn't!

Most climbers are lucky enough to get one Freebie Fall during their career where they don't get hurt. You just used yours up. I know that you're thinking about climbing a lot different today than last week.

Adding a backup to doubled rope isn't as smooth as in SRT but it can be done. Tying a second hitch with really short tails to your bridge with a good slack tender will work. I'm not a fan of using two-cam ascenders and pushing a hitch above them. My feeling is that the hitch will be tied too loose so that it will slide. Then, if the 'backup' is ever needed the hitch will be loose like yours leading to a slip at a minimum and maybe a fall.
 
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umm dude, that REALLY puts a damper on my training program.


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and umm you can't use a strap long enough to have the ascender out of reach? Just grasp the rope with 2 hands, and bump the cender up just like your knot. Or use one of these http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=RB%20B542

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Reverse foot locking comes natural to anyone who has found themselves 50 feet up and untied from their system somehow

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Does no one know how to wrap the rope with your leg and pinch between your feet to slide down?
 
A couple cents worth...Just wondering if spread between the lines was a factor? If it was, I suggest using an alpine butterfly to capture the the working end of the rope it's installed. Then send pulling the working end will send the butterfly up the branch union that anchors you. That way the rope won't spread even on a large limb. You will need a long rope as this will only work if you have a rope that is 3 times the height of your anchor point (150 ft of rope for a height of 50 ft). Also,I agree that it feels pretty instinctual to grab the rope with my feet if the knot doesn't grab. I'm not so sure that that wasn't developed in time from feeling uncomfortable near where my anchor was due to spread between the lines...
grin.gif
 
I feel like folks panic sometimes and jus wont let go......everytime I have seen someone wig they are still locked with theyr'e feet and of course the knot wont hold


sit down harder...or buy ascenders.
 
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Which test was this? Any links or references?

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In my personal experience (not scientific of course), a 3 wrap/ 6 coil prusik grabs more reliably than the equivalent Klemheist. I don't footlock much anymore, but when I do it's with a 3 wrap prusik!
 
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Back in 97 at our local TCC, a competitor FLed without a prussik loop (just the belay) and won the event with the fastest time.


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is this allowed?

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It was then.
 
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Which test was this? Any links or references?



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Over the years I've read tests that were done in many rope related fields. I wish that I could cite chapter and verse but any of that info is lost from either a hard drive wipe or not making use of bookmarks in years past.

Anytime that I have a question about something I put Google to work. Just like doing homework I learned a lot by wandering around the 'net.

My books are still in boxes so I can't use them either.
 
I have slid down the double line on a six finger prussik (1.) once that was scary when tied into a big limb & the spread forced it apart (at 70 feet after a no rest ascent). and (2.) lots of little times when I either didn't dress it right or put my weight into it hard enough to set it (or some combo of those).
But what I learned to do is to stand up in my last foothold & advance the knot, then reach up and dress & set the knot hard with my hands & hang on it by lifting my feet up without releasing my foothold on the rope. one or two bounces will make it tighter than you need -but is a good mental check. after that you can sit & swing and move around no-prob.
I always set my knot higher than I can reach, and too loose to catch & annoy me on the ascent. So I guess I HAVE to hand-dress & set the knot at the top.
Wait a minute... is that a bad way to do it?
 
How about considering this...stop about ten feet from the ground and tie a stopper knot in your access line? If the worst thing happens you may take a whipper but that's likely to not hurt as much as taking a grounder. Rock climbers have been doing similar things for years maybe this is something that arborists should bring over since we have a long history of borrowing other tools and techniques.
 
Dress and set it low, it'll function as it should as you advance it. I also have it higher than I can reach. Test it on the ground as you would your TIP. Watch your distance from the limb you're over and do a mental calculation of how close you can get to it safely.
 
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How about considering this...stop about ten feet from the ground and tie a stopper knot in your access line? If the worst thing happens you may take a whipper but that's likely to not hurt as much as taking a grounder. Rock climbers have been doing similar things for years maybe this is something that arborists should bring over since we have a long history of borrowing other tools and techniques.

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Not a bad idea. I've thought about this before, after seeing Peter Jenkin's teaching his tree climbers to tie stopper knots as they descend. The problem is that when you get to the top of your ascent, you have to pull both sides of the rope up. Maybe a minor inconvenience when considering falling to your death
blush.gif
.

I try to stay plenty clear of ascending all the way up to where the rope spreads at the limb.

jp
grin.gif
 
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I also have it higher than I can reach.

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Is this a good idea?

What happens if you need to manipulate the hitch and you can't FL and raise yourself high enough to grab the hitch? An injury or cramps could leave you hanging without a way to move.
 
An adjustable tether (footlock cord) works great. Lengthen it for ascent, shorten it for rest or work. One handed adjustment, no extra locks needed.

Shown here with a carabiner that would attach to an ascender. I also have one with the Microcender placed on a prusik loop (so that a Prusik or Klemheist can be used), but no photo.
 

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it's why they make ascenders, so you don't have to use a cord. The cord should be a back up only. In this time and age it makes no sence to footlock with just a prusik cord.

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not sure if I agree with this statement...

a three wrap prusik is going to be much safer then using a mechanical ascender. I have to admit: I use Kongs, and I do NOT back up. Not smart on my part, and I feel uneasy when I footlock up. It is much easier on the body to use ascenders, but I believe that safety is higher when using a traditional prusik vs. mechanical ascenders. Sometimes, I will however tie in short.
 
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How about considering this...stop about ten feet from the ground and tie a stopper knot in your access line? If the worst thing happens you may take a whipper but that's likely to not hurt as much as taking a grounder. Rock climbers have been doing similar things for years maybe this is something that arborists should bring over since we have a long history of borrowing other tools and techniques.

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Yes... good advice. This is rock climbing stuff. I can remember jumaring up long wall routs in yosemite with old school (then the only ) jumars. The only way to back up was to frequently tie in short. I do this on occasion, it makes you feel safer.
 
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