heavy climber

[mikeyslax]

I'm 240lb before gear, I climb SRS on a rope wrench, samson voyager 11.8 with armor-plus 8mm, and I think it works well most of the time. But would like to get into mechanicals. any info a heavier climber could give would be greatly appreciated.

 

[oldoakman]

I bounce around 300 out of the shower and have most of the toys. A lot depends on the rope/device interface. I've had a rope runner since mid summer and have had a bit of problems getting it dialed in. Just got the baby bump for it and it seems like problem is solved. I really like xstatic for most of my work and i also use the yale 11.7 line which is just a bit more fickle with the runner. Also keep in mind that the supposed weight limit on the runner is 275 but i asked kevin about that directly before i bought it and he assured me it would work fine which it does.

 

[mikeyslax]

I bounce around 300 out of the shower and have most of the toys. A lot depends on the rope/device interface. I've had a rope runner since mid summer and have had a bit of problems getting it dialed in. Just got the baby bump for it and it seems like problem is solved. I really like xstatic for most of my work and i also use the yale 11.7 line which is just a bit more fickle with the runner. Also keep in mind that the supposed weight limit on the runner is 275 but i asked kevin about that directly before i bought it and he assured me it would work fine which it does.

Ive never heard of the baby bump!!! I'm glad it worked out for you. I was really hoping the RR would work for me, from what I can tell. its does the best with tree sap. and I'm in the pacific north west.. I'll have to check out x static, never used it. thank you for your input.

 

[colb]

I'm about 205. Using an akimbo and it's good, but I'm still getting used to it. Just started getting more aggressive the other day. Mostly wide open on the settings. Xstatic, cougar blue (not rated for akimbo), mrt on tachyon.

 

[Jonny]

Where the weight is being carried and in what form is probably more important than total weight. If you’re 240lbs, short, and it’s all butt, boobs, and belly, that’ll make things tougher all around on the body, not just climbing, but yes that too.
After I got out of the Army, I gained almost 40 pounds of body fat in 2 years. Started having some pain in my lower back, ankles, and knees. Winded climbing stairs, taking breaks in the trees to catch my breath. Sleep was shitty, depression was worse, clothes weren’t fitting well, even sex was lame and tiring. I stopped eating like I was still a 20 year old soldier got back into some exercise routine and now I diet and cardio hard if I see my weight go to 200, and honestly I’m happier and physical labor is way easier if I’m more like 190. I’m 6’. That’s for now... if I ever decide to get off my dead ass and get back into a lifting routine I’ll be happy over 200 if it’s muscle gains.

If you do something to lose weight, pay attention to other aspects of your body and life in general... it was striking what improved that I hadn’t expected.

 

[Benjo75]

I'm about 225 without gear in the winter. A little lighter in the summer. The only full mechanical I use is the Rope Runner. I use Vortex 12.7mm. It's a lot easier on my hands. The rr works great on that rope wide open. It seems to be taking more pressure than I think it should to break the beak open and start to descend. I put the 4SRT bird flap on it and that made it a lot easier than the 2 sharp plates. Like oldoakman, I just put the baby bump on it last week and that helped lots. It does seem to have more drag going up the line when ascending that it did but it's not a problem.

 

[theatertech87]

I'm 325 before gear... zigzag and chicane (or wrench) is the way to go. It just works, no fiddling like with the runner or akimbo

 

[JeffGu]

It just works, no fiddling...

Yeah, if the rope fits in it, it works like it's supposed to, end of story. Only real limitation is on the skinny ropes. It prefers 11.5mm to 13mm but that's pretty much all it cares about, SRT with the Chicane, or DdRT without it. The slack tending is best in the 11.5mm to 11.8mm range, but on the fatter ropes, it is only a little bit more drag. On 13mm KM-3 my bungee neck tether still drags it up the rope just fine.

My favorite rope right now (and I have a lot of ropes) with the ZigZag, both SRT and MRT is Voyager. A true 11.8mm under tension, and beautiful hand. Just love it. 2nd best, for me, is any Yale 11.7mm doublebraid.

Like the DrenaLINE for DdRT and ZigZag, too. It milks too much for SRT, though.

 

[mikeyslax]

Where the weight is being carried and in what form is probably more important than total weight. If you’re 240lbs, short, and it’s all butt, boobs, and belly, that’ll make things tougher all around on the body, not just climbing, but yes that too.
After I got out of the Army, I gained almost 40 pounds of body fat in 2 years. Started having some pain in my lower back, ankles, and knees. Winded climbing stairs, taking breaks in the trees to catch my breath. Sleep was shitty, depression was worse, clothes weren’t fitting well, even sex was lame and tiring. I stopped eating like I was still a 20 year old soldier got back into some exercise routine and now I diet and cardio hard if I see my weight go to 200, and honestly I’m happier and physical labor is way easier if I’m more like 190. I’m 6’. That’s for now... if I ever decide to get off my dead ass and get back into a lifting routine I’ll be happy over 200 if it’s muscle gains.

If you do something to lose weight, pay attention to other aspects of your body and life in general... it was striking what improved that I hadn’t expected.

I have alot of upper body mass, and very thick legs and hips. my first love is competitive powerlifting, and I'm at the absolute lightest weight I can be while "maybe" remaining competitive for how tall I am, 6'2 . I should weigh close to 280 for lifting. but Im making compromises to improve my climbing. And 240 is the lightest. but never say never i guess. maybe climbing will completely take over my physical life someday.. but I doubt it..

 

[mikeyslax]

th

I'm about 225 without gear in the winter. A little lighter in the summer. The only full mechanical I use is the Rope Runner. I use Vortex 12.7mm. It's a lot easier on my hands. The rr works great on that rope wide open. It seems to be taking more pressure than I think it should to break the beak open and start to descend. I put the 4SRT bird flap on it and that made it a lot easier than the 2 sharp plates. Like oldoakman, I just put the baby bump on it last week and that helped lots. It does seem to have more drag going up the line when ascending that it did but it's not a problem.

thanks man!! Ill have to check out the 12.7, have you tried the Xstatic?

 

[mikeyslax]

Yeah, if the rope fits in it, it works like it's supposed to, end of story. Only real limitation is on the skinny ropes. It prefers 11.5mm to 13mm but that's pretty much all it cares about, SRT with the Chicane, or DdRT without it. The slack tending is best in the 11.5mm to 11.8mm range, but on the fatter ropes, it is only a little bit more drag. On 13mm KM-3 my bungee neck tether still drags it up the rope just fine.

My favorite rope right now (and I have a lot of ropes) with the ZigZag, both SRT and MRT is Voyager. A true 11.8mm under tension, and beautiful hand. Just love it. 2nd best, for me, is any Yale 11.7mm doublebraid.

Like the DrenaLINE for DdRT and ZigZag, too. It milks too much for SRT, though.

I'm using the voyager 11.8 right now and I love that rope

 

[Jehinten]

I'm 240lb before gear, I climb SRS on a rope wrench, samson voyager 11.8 with armor-plus 8mm, and I think it works well most of the time. But would like to get into mechanicals. any info a heavier climber could give would be greatly appreciated.

I'm about the same size, i've been on the rope runner for a little while with either 11.5 tachyon or 12.5 imori and I just picked up a unicender and yale 11.7.

I was really liking the runner and imori combo but anything over a short climb height causes a lot of stretch. Only have one short climb on the unicender so far, but it seems to be working well.

 

[mikeyslax]

I'm about the same size, i've been on the rope runner for a little while with either 11.5 tachyon or 12.5 imori and I just picked up a unicender and yale 11.7.

I was really liking the runner and imori combo but anything over a short climb height causes a lot of stretch. Only have one short climb on the unicender so far, but it seems to be working well.

Why switch to the uni? Curious?

 

[Jehinten]

Why switch to the uni? Curious?

I've just always wanted to try it out. I had played with it at arborfest and jambo so I knew how smooth it felt and the easy on/off the rope for setting remote natural crotch redirects without having to drag the device through the crotch.


I'm not sure if it will replace the runner, just another tool to try and to use if I need to for a second tie in. I have a HH2 as well, but I'm finding that I am preferring mechanicals even tho the HH2 does certain things better than the runner.

 

[JTree]

I can understand giving the uni a go. Been curious myself and for the same reasons (quick on/off). Compact little guy too. Never played with a runner, but if I were to try to go full mechanical, that would probably be the route I would take being a heavier guy myself.

 

[robinia]

I thought my RR was creeping too much for 11.7 ropes. I figured it was because of my extra weight.
I went to Vortex and it performed better. The final solution was rotating the lower lever assembly. Now it works like a dream.

Interestingly the best rope I’ve ever had for my RR was a well worn Fly. It felt pretty big by then, like a 13mm.

 

[CanadianStan]

I thought my RR was creeping too much for 11.7 ropes. I figured it was because of my extra weight.
I went to Vortex and it performed better. The final solution was rotating the lower lever assembly. Now it works like a dream.

Interestingly the best rope I’ve ever had for my RR was a well worn Fly. It felt pretty big by then, like a 13mm.

Did you try adjusting the upper bollard?

 

[robinia]

Yes, I tried that first. But there was too much additional drag ascending.

 

[CanadianStan]

Yes, I tried that first. But there was too much additional drag ascending.

i found that was also the case ... there's a sweet spot to be had. another thing that helped was tending symmetrically once the bollard is tightened up .. the asymmetric tending point has always been a pretty big flaw in my eyes

 

[robinia]

Totally agree. Once I thought it was just ocd but it definitely makes a difference.
Here’s the two ways I connect: