newbie arborplex blues

[southsoundtree]

My first climbing line and rigging line were both arbor-plex. I got a lot of service out of that rope for rigging, once I bought a climbing-specific rope.

As I recall, I used bee-line on arbor-plex.


Never climbed on a blakes. Looks like you need three on top, two wraps on the bottom, maybe. Looks like you're with 2 on top, three on the bottom, as alluded to, above.

 

[Brocky]

I tried this hitch on True Blue, which has a similar construction to Arborplex. It doesn’t seem to jam up like other single leg hitches.

The stopper knot is needed, and tied as close as possible to the hitch.

 

[Jem4417]

If your on your pull up bar your hitch will see a bunch more force because of the low friction and small point it has to slide on. On a beefy crotch you might not see as much load on that one leg of the rope. Also a different set up would probably be helpful

 

[beochie]

I tried this hitch on True Blue, which has a similar construction to Arborplex. It doesn’t seem to jam up like other single leg hitches.
View attachment 56021
The stopper knot is needed, and tied as close as possible to the hitch.

Nice! I tried a tautline hitch like moss suggested and it was much better than the blakes but still jammy. I just tried this hitch and so far it's what I was hoping for. It's hard to tell from the pic but the arborplex flattens out quite a bit. when the bridge intersect the standing line, the more toward perpendicular the connection the more it flattens out....and jams. The hitch you posted ends up more like a distel hitch. With the bridges force intersecting the standing line at a sharper angle, it spreads the force over more rope reducing the bind. Thank you! whats the name of this? I'd like to do more research on this knot.

 

[Tony]

Just bought some rope a harness and some carabiners. I'm in a closed system...using my climb line for my hitch. I've tried a bunch of knots and I cant get my hitch from binding. I'm just hanging in my basement and my 225 lb ass is locking those hitches way too tight to break loose. does arborplex just suck that bad? what would you recommend?

For clarity what you are climbing on is an open system. A closed system has both edns of the hitch terminated. A minor error, but it will be important in the future as your skills increase and you need more advanced answers

As for your delema. I agree the rope is the issue. Hollow braids will flatten under load. Your most cost effective solution is to look at a short length for a split- tail system.

Tony

 

[Jonny]

I thought open system meant same as split tail system.

 

[beochie]

For clarity what you are climbing on is an open system. A closed system has both edns of the hitch terminated. A minor error, but it will be important in the future as your skills increase and you need more advanced answers

As for your delema. I agree the rope is the issue. Hollow braids will flatten under load. Your most cost effective solution is to look at a short length for a split- tail system.

Tony

could you give me an example of a closed system? I Thought a blakes, taut was about as closed as it gets.

 

[Tony]

could you give me an example of a closed system? I Thought a blakes, taut was about as closed as it gets.

Think of it this way. A open system requires a knot on the tail of the hitch. A closed system does not. A closed system does not have a tail. It is terminated to form the hitch

So a Blake’s or a Tauntline is open. A prussic variation tied with a eye to eye hitch cord is closed.

Traditional MRS systems formed with the tail of the climbing line must be open systems. Split tail systems, where a seperate piece of cordage is used to form the hitch can be either open or closed.

Tony

 

[Brocky]

A moving rope system could be considered closed because the end of the rope comes back to the climber. SRT doesn’t, so it’s an open system?

 

[Mowerr]

A moving rope system could be considered closed because the end of the rope comes back to the climber. SRT doesn’t, so it’s an open system?

Here we go again

 

[moss]

Here we go again

Haha! I could say something smart but I won’t ;-)

 

[moss]

A moving rope system could be considered closed because the end of the rope comes back to the climber. SRT doesn’t, so it’s an open system?

Open and closed climbing system was used in the past to classify DdRT systems. The way I learned tying in with a Blake’s or Tautline is closed, tying in with a split tail, single or two-legged is open. Different strokes for different folks.
-AJ

 

[Brocky]

I also thought the terms, open and closed, just referred to the type of hitch used, like Tony’s description. I’ve seen the terms also applied to the total climb system a few times.

 

[moss]

We are wrecking this Arboplex hitch problem thread ;-) For the purposes of SRT/SRS the only "open" system I'm aware of is the Captain Hook or similar devices.

This is all a vague area of discussion without common terms, agreed upon system classifications etc. etc. It's a massive apples/oranges trap. Tony's original point stands (rephrased): a new climber needs to constantly research and learn to understand how and why climbing systems work so they can make informed choices as they improve their skills.
-AJ

 

[Tony]

The open/closed definitions go back to the early days of arbormaster training. We felt it important to desciminate the difference in how a climbing hitch terminated. Today, with split tail systems being the norm for MRS, the discussion and definitions are less important. However, they give insight into dilemma of days past.

Semantics aside, our terms, our traditions connect us to the past and help us learn from it. When we are talking “arborplex blues” there is no need to reinvent the wheel. These are discussions many of us here had decades ago and enjoy revisiting and sharing.

As Moss so eloquently pointed out; know your systems, know the history, make sound decisions.

Seems like some of you have some reading to do

Tony

 

[Brocky]

@beochie, the hitch that I posted, is similar to a double eye hitch that I came up with that works well with the HH2, it’s called the Knut H. The single leg version came later in another thread when someone asked if a Blake’s hitch could be used in SRT. This hitch does that when used with stiffer rope and cord. I jokingly called it the Super hitch, when someone posted it would have to be a super hitch to work. So it only has a short and recent history.
I was hoping to have something that works better before answering your question, but after trying about a dozen different hitch configurations this one works the best.

 

[Brocky]

Here’s another hitch that works as good as the Knut H. A couple of modifications to the Blake’s keeps it from jamming. The tail goes through all but the top wrap and the tail then gets inserted between the bottom wrap and the bridge. I can’t tell which of the two is the better functioning with the rope I’m using.

 

[beochie]

just wanted to give an update...maybe my struggle will help others in the future. I just tried a split tail and YESSS! I can climb! I was really about to give up. My outlook went from maybe all these guys are athletic freaks and I dont have it in me; to this is easy. Arborrplex on arborblex sucks to say the least. Between the flattening out and the bumpy 12 stand, it locks together like crazy. I can live with arborplex as a climb line....just not hitch rope.

 

[south_tx_dave]

I am finding DdRT to be difficult also. Pushing the hitch is alot of work, but I wouldn't describe it as needing hammer blows.

What rope did you use on your split tail?

 

[beochie]

It turned out to be a very stupid rope to use but it was 11mm dynamic climb line. it melted on my first decent from 10 ft. but it gave me hope. I've since moved on to a hitchclimber setup(not really impressed) ATM.