rope guide retrieval

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waste of time.

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+1
Steel hardware and let it fly. The throwline technique isn't worth the hassle unless you're in a comp.

As for getting them stuck on spars...
If you're using a ball as a retriever, switch to a ring from an old throwball or get one at a hardware store. Works a lot better.
It's also handy to weight the RG like you're backing off to see how the rings will lay. Think it through and make sure they're set so the retriever can pull through the big ring without getting pinned against the tree.

Since I've been using rings for retrievers, I haven't had one get stuck.
 
It doesn't take much time to tie on a throw line, putting the throwline back probably takes longer. One advantage to retrieving with a throwline is you can pull in both directions at that critical moment when things can get jammed up and potentially save yourself some time. I see your point, but I still like doing it.

I have not used a rope guide but from what I understand they basically retrieve the same as a traditional friction saver?
 
no, you cant simply tie on a throw line unless you buy one of those snappy jammy things which are expensive and not all that reliable and are prone to break. Otherwise, To retrieve without bombing it you need to set up an elaborate catching method which is kind of iffy. this involves another line left in the tree or a throw line. Using your access line works to catch it. Access lines are not always practical to leave hanging around the tree though. The best result I had was to simply retrieve while still in the tree so it didnt hit the ground, and then rapell the rest of the way down.
 
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[...]The best result I had was to simply retrieve while still in the tree so it didnt hit the ground, and then rapell the rest of the way down.

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More often than not, that's exactly what I do. Not to keep it from hitting so much as to avoid it hanging up.
 
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no, you cant simply tie on a throw line unless you buy one of those snappy jammy things....

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Yes you can. You don't have to have a double snapper.

When I set up the RG in the tree, I take a small bag with enough throwline to make it to ground. Just tie it to the large eye splice (see attached). Retrieval ball goes through block and catches on halyard shackle. Block pulls through large eye (hopefully) and the throwline lowers the unit to the ground. The throwline can be set up so it can "help" the block through the large eye by pulling it open if the block doesn't want to pull through easily (unheard of right?).

I've been using a RG whenever I feel the thing will come out easily. Mostly on removals where I'm going back up or if we're using a crane and I can hitch a ride. I've only pruned one tree where I set up the above described throwline rig. It retrieved fine. The throwline was a big hassle to work around.

An access line is a good idea whenever practical.
 

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make sure your tail of rope is over a high branch then clip it above your hitch. when you pull the rg out it will then catch on your rope tail and you can lower it down.
 
I'm with some of the others...
Pull it in the tree a short way from it. Then figure-8 down the access line or reset you climb line doubled. The snapper popper will bite you in the ... for more time than it saves.
 
I'm not a big fan of letting hardware fall anything over 20ft. I've attached a photo of a hybrid setup I use most of the time. If I need to move around a bunch or get to the ground, I'll run this just like a friction saver for easy retrieval (as in utilizing cocoon as if it were the small ring of a friction saver). Spar work or single tie in stuff and I'll choke the cocoon through the ring and either head back to the tie in (zero friction=not a big deal) and rapp out sDRT, or if it's a removal I'm usually taking it down pretty low.
It sure beats adding throwlines and tails of climbing systems into the mix for the usual jobs. Exceptions are not out of the ordinary though. User beware, this took a few climbs worth of tweaking to get it dialed.
hybrid2.JPG
 
The cocoon pulley looks very nice. I've got an older style ART block that functions great, but the cocoon seems so streamlined that it must slip through a bit easier.

Anyone used both the RG with the steel ring like Ryan showed above or a RG with a eye splice like in the attachment. I can't use my RG with the eye splice as a friction saver, definitely would need the ring for that.
 

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I found a good way to get it out of the tree with no impact. It also doesn't use a lot of throwline and is really fast and easy. This also sometimes works really well as a method for getting a stuck friction saver out of a tree without reclimbing. What I do is when I get out of the tree I just grab my throwline and throw in the general area of where the friction saver is (sometimes even higher) and then just clip a carabiner onto the eye of the throwbag and also clip that onto the tail of the climbing line and pull it up high enough to catch the friction saver when it comes out of the tree. Then I pull the climbing line with retrival device on the eye out of the friction saver which then falls onto the throwline (not the ground) and then I lower the whole thing down.
 
I was thinking the same thing. I have a cocoon and it only fits through the large ring if the pulley opening is facing the splice where it wraps through the ring. If you turn it to the side so the axle of the pulley is facing the splice it won't fit through. Seems like it could get hung up easily.

I've been using a double snapper and haven't had any issues as long as the rope guide is set in a crotch that allows the ring of the rope guide and the tube of the double snapper to pass through it without getting stuck. If i think it might get hung up I'll climb up, remove it, and decend SRT on a doubled line.
 
I think you might have missed the key point. By not choking the cocoon through large ring and instead, splitting the climbing line between both the large ring and cocoon (same configuration as a regular friction save), the whole setup is very easily retrieval, and very easily installed from the ground.
 
I got you but i guess that limits the cocoon then.might as well just use a cheap cmi and a ring in that configuration-unless you already have a cocoon.
 
na, I've tried regular micropulleys in that configuration and they are nowhere near the cocoon friction saver configuration experience.

Think about the profile of the cocoon and its snag resisting, throwline accepting engineering. I'm not saying it is the only way to fly by any means, but more that this is an option you can set from the ground and easily retrieve, that offers further friction benefits from a traditional friction saver. The other bonus of course being that when I want to choke the setup off to get full cocoon benefits, it's go time.

I would really like to explore the concept of combo adjustables when my splicing comes along. 10ft. 16 strand length, Friction ring tight spliced one end, prussik on a cocoon with a retrieval clevice, 6" splice on the other end.
And if you were really ballin you could rock double cocoons.
 
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