RADS question

Hoowasat

Hoowasat

Participating member
Location
Newport News, VA
I enjoy using RADS to ascend and descend via SRT. This is especially true when my ascent route is up against the tree ... allows me to use my "free" foot against the spar to assist a bit with upward movement ... plus, the "free" foot is also used to stabilize my lateral movement. (Not completely "free" is it?)

However, I have not enjoyed RADS when making an ascent that's only me and the rope for 30 or more feet. If I can use DRT in such a situation, I do. But there are those times when DRT is not possible because I can't isolate a limb for my TIP. So, I tried something that I haven't heard about from others. (OK, maybe I haven't been paying enough attention.) What I did was add a foot ascender on what was my "free" foot, and I found the climb a bit easier ... mostly because it was mostly leg muscles being employed.

I'm just curious if anyone else has tried this. <Ken>
 
I can't climb without my feet or foot, don't want to anyway.
Ken, you will get tired real quick of RADS.
When I come off my rope walker and want to make moderate to short ascents, I lengthen my bridge, use my "transender" (any device that goes up and down) like a hand ascender, stand on my foot ascender and go up.
 
RADS has it's place but I would say it's a pretty specialized setup. There are some climbers who make it work fast and smooth, but most don't like it.

Get a foot ascender, you'll like how much easier it is to climb. With some fine tuning you'll be able to ascend up against the tree too.
 
Be careful with a foot ascender on rads. It's easier sure, but if your ascender push distance Is different from your pull/foot ascender stroke, you can find yourself in an uncomfortable position (almost upside down and unable to relieve the tension off foot ascender to get it off.)
Been there. My first SRT try a few years ago.
 
JontreeHI said:
Be careful with a foot ascender on rads. It's easier sure, but if your ascender push distance Is different from your pull/foot ascender stroke, you can find yourself in an uncomfortable position (almost upside down and unable to relieve the tension off foot ascender to get it off.) Been there. My first SRT try a few years ago.
Click to expand...
I anticipated the stroke to be different, and I was prepared for it. And yes, I can see if someone wasn't prepared, they could get themself into a mess. I'm not a full-time climber, but I found my preference for RADS is based on not having to switch over to different gear when I want to descend ... then switch back again if I need to go back some. I have used a hand, chest & foot ascender to rope walk ... and it is indeed the fastest way to ascend. Next time I go up, I'll try rope walking up and switch over to a Petzl I'D for in-tree work. Previously I would switch over to a rescue-8 device.

Thank you all for the thoughtful replies!
 
Hoowasat said:
...I'm not a full-time climber, but I found my preference for RADS is based on not having to switch over to different gear when I want to descend ... then switch back again if I need to go back some. I have used a hand, chest & foot ascender to rope walk ... and it is indeed the fastest way to ascend. Next time I go up, I'll try rope walking up and switch over to a Petzl I'D for in-tree work. Previously I would switch over to a rescue-8 device.

Thank you all for the thoughtful replies!
Click to expand...

Why not use a Hitch Hiker or Rope Wrench instead of the chest ascender with your rope walking system and there will be no gear to switch.

Edit... Crazy_Jimmy beat me to it.
 
I recently added a Rope Wrench (RW) to my arsenal, and gave it a whirl today using a the same VT friction hitch I tie for DRT. After a few attempts trying different methods to tend the RW, it was still a bit of a struggle. I dislike how much slack is in the system each time I stop asscending and transfer weight to my saddle. In order to remove the hand ascender from above the RW, I have to stand on my other leg with the foot ascender just so I can reach the hand ascender. Is that SOP with the RW?
 
Hoowasat said:
... Is that SOP with the RW?
Click to expand...

The RW is tended with an over the shoulder lanyard, neck lanyard or chest harness to make it hands free. If you stop after you have stepped up on the foot loop, the RW should be close to your hand ascender so you can reach it while sitting in the saddle. The VT has a fair amount of sit back and it may help to nudge it up as you sit back when you know you are going to remove the hand ascender.

Many of us are using a knee ascender, foot ascender and no hand ascender/foot loop. The legs do the climbing and your hands are used hand over hand above the RW to keep yourself upright.
 
The combination of Rope Wrench, Hitch Hiker, Unicender or other "transcender" type device with a foot ascender and a self advancing knee ascender is hard to beat. No changeover from ascent to descent, just remember to remove the foot and knee ascender from the line before descending. Some kind of over the shoulder tether or what have you will advance the climbing device without you having to tend it by hand. It does take some time to get the various elements dialed in, but once you do, it becomes so natural.
 
dogwood said:
The combination of Rope Wrench, Hitch Hiker, Unicender or other "transcender" type device with a foot ascender and a self advancing knee ascender is hard to beat. No changeover from ascent to descent, just remember to remove the foot and knee ascender from the line before descending. Some kind of over the shoulder tether or what have you will advance the climbing device without you having to tend it by hand. It does take some time to get the various elements dialed in, but once you do, it becomes so natural.
Click to expand...
Until I sew my own, I am liking the Petzl secure for an over the shoulder tether for tending, never really like the LOTS that some use as I did not want to feel limited in using it for the important times.
 
I'm getting there bit by bit. I use a knee ascender when I climb DRT, and secure the top end of the bungee to the fixed side of the climbing rope using a prusik I tied from pull-starter cord. I have 20 or 30 feet of 3/8" diameter bungee cord on hand, and I think I need to make a longer one that goes over my shoulder. I gave thought to securing it to the same 24"loop I use to tend the RW, but with such a short piece of bungee, the tension becomes fairly high ... and the idea of a broken bungee in close proximity to my face isn't the least bit appealing.

A longer over-the-shoulder bungee would not be pulled as tight, but it will bear on my shoulder. Assuming a bungee is what you guys use to advance a knee ascender, where do you attach your bungee cord? Do any of you double- or triple-loop a single length of bungee in order to get similar amount of tension in a shorter span?

YOYO - What is "LOTS" ... Is it Loop Over The Shoulder? FWIW, when doing work aloft, I always take a 2-in-1 lanyard with me, but I seldom carried loops. Using a loop to tend the RW ensures I will have at least one with me ... which is a good thing because I found myself wanting one a few times while working alone.
 
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