hitch hiker or rope wrench

jon427

jon427

Location
St.Louis, Mo.
I'm looking for some input on mechanical ascenders/ descenders, hitch hiker v.s. rope wrench, pros and cons I haven't tried either however I am leaning towards the H. H.
 
I have used both (although I need to give the HH a little more time). The RW is much easier to take on and off the rope and for a production climber I think that is important. The HH takes more time to dial in the hitch; mainly because you have to untie a knot to add or take off wraps. The HH is better in my opinion for limb walking, since the friction is reduced when you take weight off the device.

Hopefully others will chime in too
 
I'm much more in love with the Hitchhiker thant I ever was with the rope wrench. I climb ddrt probably 70% of the time, but love srt on the hh when it's appropriate for my particular style.
 
I love the wrench, I haven't used an HH much though. I am probably 98% SRT it looks pretty enticing with the tending pulley in the attachment biner. Played with that set up on the ground the other day and it seemed to work pretty smooth. I might consider getting an HH in the future.
 
I have a 1st generation RW with an Oceans tether that I have used some. I love the concept and I think Kevin is a genius for coming up with it. It is almost too simple and very easy to get used to.

I use the HH almost daily. Mainly because of the ability to switch from SRT to DRT seamlessly. The HH is clunky in comparison but highly functional. I think it works best to dedicate a rope to it because taking it on and off is tedious.

I am REALLY wanting to check out the second generation RW though and I would actually recommend having both.
 
I have the zk/2 RW and love it. I will continue to explore other ways to deploy it than with the Petzl Foot pantin, though. There has to be a better way. I'd consider buying and using anything Singing Tree or ISC makes.
 
I appreciate the input here. I am a production climber and I climb strictly on ddrt with the occasional secret weapon thrown into the mix. I am trying to put together an srt kit and was wondering the same thing. I would potentially dedicate a rope to the system, figured I'd get something a little narrower and stiffer for SRT use.

So here it is, favorite SRT rope???

Thanks!
 
With the Rope Wrench, it's New England KM III Max which is a 32-strand, kernmantle rope at 11mm and very strong. It has a nylon core, polyester jacket. I don't find it too bouncy when climbing, and it has decent stretch if you slip and shock load it. 8,000-lb rope that's not too expensive. I'm using a different rope with the Akimbo, but I still like this one with a RW setup.

GRN-KMmax-ISC.webp
 
Bob Bob said:
I'd vote for the Hitchhiker (I have version 1). I like how it's the perfect marriage of hardware and software. It's also bulletproof, somewhat compact and the price is reasonable. The only problem is the weight. Even with the weight of the device "on the rope" you still have to transport it to the tree, which can be a chore if your climbing in the backcountry like I often do.
Click to expand...
What's your favorite wrope to pair with the hitchhiker?
 
HH here. Bomb proof, easy and cheap to change hitch cord, DdRT SRT easy change over. Not sure about the negatives with setup and dial in. Never was a problem here, but I'm not a production climber. First 2 climbs you will think you wasted your money, once dialed in, and you remember how, it will be a great setup.
 
If I'm understanding what you are asking, @shankenstein, the Hitch Hiker tether is just for self-tending of the Hitch Hiker; when connected to an over-the-shoulder-holder-upper-thingy (otshut), it causes the Hitch Hiker to follow you along up the rope, as you advance using toothed foot and knee ascenders.

Forgive me if this question was already answered well enough, just trying to add some detail.

Tim

P.S. Also, on a related note, in case you haven't read it yet and do not yet own the Hitch Hiker, it is critically important, in my humble opinion, to sit hard in your harness while still on the ground setting up your Hitch Hiker for the climb, after you've tied your hitch. It is very hard to tend until you do this a few times. After sitting hard in the saddle, for some reason the hitch used with the Hitch Hiker "sets", and gets easier and easier to tend the more you do it. I probably do this procedure of sitting and then tending slack about four or five times quickly, while still on the ground, before each climb. It probably only takes a couple of minutes, but causes the Hitch Hiker to tend effortlessly afterwards. I hope this is helpful to someone.
 
Any climbing system needs the slack to be taken out once you start moving upward. Srt devices have tethers or something to pull them up the rope with your body's upward motion because pulling the tail with your feet doesn't do that on a single line. Both devices in question work fine without them you just have to push them up the rope.
I like the HH best for removals. It is tough as hell. Single rope or doubled, it works any way to tie in to the tree. I use the wrench more for pruning because I climb srt almost every time, but it is still easy to switch to a traditional doubled rope style. Neither will disappoint, so I pick based on the climb: prune or remove...
 
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