new climber needs advice.

Maui Palm & Tree Care

Maui Palm & Tree Care

Location
Pukalani, Hawaii
i have been climbing in a safe professional way for about 2 years now and im looking for a quicker way to get into the tree's. i use a split tail system with 30" beeline cmi micro pully and 2 caribiners. i like this system for moving in the canopy but need a quicker way up. i get burnt out body thrusting when im hanging off the line. i thought about foot locking or maybe getting a foot ascender. srt is also a thought. what would you recomend me?
 
footlocking is a great way to get into the tree. when you first start out it will be tough but the more you do it the easier it will get.
 
I'm fairly new to climbing too. I was taught "old school" tie in with a bowline with a long tail for a blakes. My climbing evolution has gone from that to a split tail with a mirco and blakes.
Now I'm climbing Ddrt with a vt, hitch climber, and a paintin and occasionally practicing foot-locking the tail Ddrt method.

The VT and hitch-climber have been wonderful advancements to my climbing style. Ddrt with a pantin can be slow but also save energy. I view it as a progression to srt. For $70 bucks get the pantin and give it a shot, not the fastest or most efficient, but you get to stick with the familiar ddrt until you can bust the bank and take the time to figure out srt.

There are also a few ways of elevating your hitch so you are only climbing the tail of your ddrt system. An adjustable bridge, or there is a way to loop the standing part of your line to your harness and then back up to a hitch climber (or 2 eye micro) and it's locked off using a rope grab/mini acender. Just be sure to keep it within reach.
 
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is the change over to ddrt easy once i get into the tree?

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Depends on if your able to lanyard in once you reach the top. If your hanging in free air it can be tough (for me anyways)
Just lanyard in once your up there and have your climbing system all set up on the ground so all you have to do is pull it up, throw it aorund your tie in point and boogie.
You could also take a second line up in a backpack, that way you have a rescue line set if needed.
 
Another cool tool is Rich Hattiers Anchor bridge Climbing system. Or any variation of it. I use a hillbilly version sometimes when FL is out (too close to stem or other obstructions), all you need is an extra biner and an extra prussic, webbing loop, etc
 
try footlocking the tail of your rope while you are on drt. its a great way for you feet to learn the footlock motion. and its nice when you dont have a pantin.
 
My approach to training a new climber is a bit different. Getting a climber into the tree where the fun is with the least effort is the best way to get them hooked on climbing. I've seen new climbers get discouraged by other ascent methods and be worn out when the get to the top. There is plenty of time in a climbing career to learn ALL of the ascent methods.

Some sort of ground-anchor SRT is the easiest way into a tree. A friction hitch or ascender, with a backup then using a Pantin and the climber is off to the canopy!

Once in the tree they lanyard in and change over to a DdRT setup.

The climber would have already had experience on a DdRT system in small trees already. All of the changeovers would have been taught, drilled and demo'd on the ground. I'm nearby, likely, right there next to them in the tree so that I can coach the switch-over.

Saving calories is the core of my approach. We get paid to have incidental exercise, no need to go to the gym for a workout.

later, perfecting a footlock comes back into play.
 
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im thinking i might just get a CMI foot ascender to start and then see if i still wanna foot lock later.

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I would look into the petzl foot ascender...I personally think it works better

Once you get the one look into the double line rope walker...i believe it is called
 
I think the CMI is a good choice for a new climber, I have one and you CAN'T kick it off by accident, you have to reach down or use your other foot to disengage it.

plus the teeth are not as hard on your rope IMO :)
 
Hmmm, looks like f-locking to me. Nice job. Save your money on the pantin or send it to me you can have mine for cheap. Keep reading and save your money for something in the Srt category.
 
First most important thing about Srt is tying off the static end of the rope correctly before you even think about ascending. So start with that question first, it's always interesting different ways climbers anchor their lines. Safety first, Srt is less forgiving than other methods of climbing but does have it's rewards.
 
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My approach to training a new climber is a bit different. Getting a climber into the tree where the fun is with the least effort is the best way to get them hooked on climbing. I've seen new climbers get discouraged by other ascent methods and be worn out when the get to the top. There is plenty of time in a climbing career to learn ALL of the ascent methods.

Some sort of ground-anchor SRT is the easiest way into a tree. A friction hitch or ascender, with a backup then using a Pantin and the climber is off to the canopy!

Once in the tree they lanyard in and change over to a DdRT setup.

The climber would have already had experience on a DdRT system in small trees already. All of the changeovers would have been taught, drilled and demo'd on the ground. I'm nearby, likely, right there next to them in the tree so that I can coach the switch-over.

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This is great advice Tom. I would definitely show someone how to ascend into a tree using SRT first before trying footlocking.

Once they do that, show them how to footlock, and I bet 99% of them will think its a waste of time and energy when they've already seen how easy it is on the body to SRT.
 
well im not a total noob to climbing guys. there are 2 ways i was i would go about tying off this system. 2 wraps around the base of the trunk and a running bowline. the other way i would do it would be to use a piece of webbing or a sling clip a carininer to the sling, munter hitch on the biner locked with a mule knot then backed up by a overhand knot cliped back to the first caribiner. this way i can be rescued if something goes wrong.
 
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well im not a total noob to climbing guys. there are 2 ways i was i would go about tying off this system. 2 wraps around the base of the trunk and a running bowline. the other way i would do it would be to use a piece of webbing or a sling clip a carininer to the sling, munter hitch on the biner locked with a mule knot then backed up by a overhand knot cliped back to the first caribiner. this way i can be rescued if something goes wrong.

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I checked out your video, based on your climbing style I'd say cinch your rope on a limb with a Running Bowline, SRT up using the system you suggested (hitch on the rope, ascender above with long footloop, Pantin on the other foot). When you reach the limb, lanyard in, take out the Running Bowline, convert over to a DdRT system, your hitch is already on the rope ready to go. Key thing for that type of system is the hitch needs to be configured low enough so when it's loaded the top of the hitch doesn't contact the bottom of the ascender.

Hey, put some helmets on your ground assistants! Just giving you a hard time :-)
-moss
 
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