Not so secret weapon

jmcscrap

jmcscrap

Participating member
Location
Woodbury, MN
Random question, I know the "secret weapon" is the ringed prussic on an SRT ascent line to allow for working on a moving rope system. So along those lines has anyone ascended SRT then attached a moving rope system to the device to work off? Example - ascend on Akimbo toss a biner, pulley and rope to the bottom and a stopper knot on srt rope after ascending and go to work on moving rope system. Thoughts?
 
I’ve always looked at my Secret Weapon as a temporary setup - right or wrong. In the trees I climb (lots of conifers), I prefer to go up SRT moving tie point up often but use a trunk cinch and pulley for MRS working. To me - right or wrong - I want to try and eliminate points of failure all the time. So, given that a ground guy could hack my basal SRT tie, I try and use stuff that’s up where I can see it. Not that it doesn’t have it’s uses moving around it’s just that parts of the system are then where I can’t see em all the time. Dunno if this is valid but it’s just me - like to hear from others. Cheers to all from the Cringing Chicken
 
When I'm pruning conifers I pretty much always go up srt and switch to mrs to work, cut below my device so I don't accidentally cut my basil anchor.
 
Tony said:
Why tie to the device that has not been tested to that use and is a point of failure, when you could just tie al suitable in line loop? You are trying a knot anyway.

Tony
Click to expand...
I agree with you - the piece hasn't been tested for that configuration. I am just curious if anyone has done this, or the practicality. Thanks!
 
jmcscrap said:
I agree with you - the piece hasn't been tested for that configuration. I am just curious if anyone has done this, or the practicality. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Before the advent of reliable systems that were SRS and allowed for safe work positioning, there were many variations on what you are proposing. As a comp climber for 12 years and a 20 year ITCC volunteer, I either tried or saw most the the good attempts.

In the end, an in-line loop knot (sometimes two) was the answer because you need a knot below to restrict unintentional sliding of any device/ knot.

my .02

Tony
 
I don’t think that’s a great idea tying to your srs device, as mentioned. Ive used the secret weapon with the rings and it’s effective. Lately, I carry the petzl rescusender with me and use as a 3:1 in the canopy or attach a biner to it and take the tail of my rope and run a mrs system. I’ve been using the tail of my climb line a lot recently. Sometimes ill
Set up the mrs system on the tail of rope and attach it to me as I ascend and have a second system ready to go with me.
 
I’ve done multiple jobs where I’m piecing down a tree while tied into an adjacent tall tree (150-220 feet) with an SRS system. Oftentimes I’ll have a shorter (200’) climbing line set up MRS with a friction saver in the tree I’m working because the other tie in point is too far away or has a poor rope angle. When I get down low enough where the rope angle on the SRS line is good enough to be on one rope and my MRS rope is long enough to get me to the ground I’ll sometimes clip the ring of my homemade friction saver into my SRS device and tie a stopper knot under it. The reason I do this is because it helps me get rid of excess gear without bothering the crew, simplifies my climbing system (not on two systems anymore), and switches me quickly to a system that I often prefer climbing on. And it is easily retrieved by untying the base anchor of the SRS system and pulling it down to get the gear off. Yes, I could keep my system simpler by just staying on the SRS system but this is an option that I’ve found works well for me in certain circumstances.
 
Last edited:
Are you saying, @RyanCafferky, that you are ending up on a Secret Weapon system hung off your SRS device, as asked in the OP?

Could you just as easily clip into a Butterfly knot below your SRS?



Seems like 6 of one, half a dozen of the other, overall.
 
southsoundtree said:
Are you saying, @RyanCafferky, that you are ending up on a Secret Weapon system hung off your SRS device, as asked in the OP?

Could you just as easily clip into a Butterfly knot below your SRS?



Seems like 6 of one, half a dozen of the other, overall.
Click to expand...
Basically what I do is clip my friction saver into my SRS device so I can keep working on a MRS system instead. That way my friction saver isn’t on my harness and I’m only on one system. Yes, I could tie a knot and clip a pulley to it and work on that but ditching the friction saver and climbing on it in that configuration works well so that’s what I do. Like I said, this is on very rare occasions (maybe a few times a year).
 
I only briefly played around with a secret weapon, mostly when learning SRT and had it as a backup above a rope walker system with hand ascenders/foot loop and pantin. I found the tail of the SRT line very annoying and abandoned it all together.
I have never used a mechanical to hang a moving rope system but have set up a high line with a hitch climber and a vt. Hanging a moving rope system off that worked great. I basically had a one way progress capture, I will use this system whenever possible for steep angle bluff work so I can move laterally along the high line as well as up and down the slope.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Kask Stihl NORTHEASTERN Arborists Wesspur TreeStuff.com Teufelberger Westminster X-Rigging Teufelberger
Back
Top Bottom