RRP Tending

[Dan Cobb]

What's your favorite tending arrangement for the Rope Runner Pro? (Or similar device.)

I've been using a small bungee cord attached to the back of my saddle, over my shoulder and clipped into the tending point with a tiny biner. I like that I can stop the tending by just dropping the bungee off my shoulder. Except for short ascents, I use a chest roller, with the RRP riding between the roller and knee ascender. I don't really need the RRP with that arrangement, but prefer to put it on the climbing rope on the ground. Just wondering if there's another arrangement I should try. Static attachment instead of elastic? Best attachment point? Neck tether with rare earth magnets?

 

[Chris Schultz]

I’ve got suspenders with a tending point/accessory biner. Seems to work smoothly/conveniently enough. I do like the idea of the magnets though…

 

[oldoakman]

I have taken a liking to the 4SRT chest harness. But i would like to see how you configure the RRP/roller. I might use the roller more.

 

[Vicente]

I use a rope loop and run it about head height and slide it up with my hand similar to a hand ascender. I find it makes it easier to get around limbs and just feels better to me when I'm working.

 

[Dan Cobb]

I have taken a liking to the 4SRT chest harness. But i would like to see how you configure the RRP/roller. I might use the roller more.

Maybe you can see enough in this video
https://www.treebuzz.com/forum/thre...t-strenuous-compared-to-drt.46400/post-706547
The RRP is just along for the ride while climbing until I get to where I'm headed or close enough to the TIP for the chest roller to be restrictive.

Are you using (static) cord for tending?

 

[Richard Mumford-yoyoman]

....I like that I can stop the tending by just dropping the bungee off my shoulder. Except for short ascents, I use a chest roller, with the RRP riding between the roller and knee ascender...

The RRP is below your chest roller?
Is it possible for the bungee to snag on the Bird?

 

[Dan Cobb]

The RRP is below your chest roller?
Is it possible for the bungee to snag on the Bird?

Yes, below the roller. It's essentially just along for the ride until I take the roller off the rope and actually start using the RRP. It's not an issue for me if the bungee snags the bird as long as it tends.

 

[Crimsonking]

The nite-ize G series #2 carabiner will fit any device, and will hook around the body of the akimbo if the tether point drives you nuts. Just rip off the main gate for easy hooking to devices. The secondary, interior gate is great for containing the two sides of a neck tether, if that’s your thing.

G-Series® Dual Chamber Carabiner

The G-Series offers both key accessibility and security in one intuitive, clean design. Clip your keys into the first chamber of the carabiner and pass them through the inner gate to the second chamber to keep them safe and secure.

niteize.com

 

[Stumpsprouts]

It’s been the 4srt harness for me for 4 years or so. I briefly tried a micro biner on a buff around my neck- that tended amazingly- but after a couple months was having neck pain so went back to the 4srt. Before that was using the tree Austria suspenders and had a tending point built into them, that worked great but after a couple years of that I couldn’t justify the bulk. I’m a big fan of a lil swivel latch, cheap and is easier to hook on and off the singing tree rope runner tending point. They are non rated. Many years into using it, when one of the beaks broke off, it actually made it easier to use.

 

[Richard Mumford-yoyoman]

Yes, below the roller. It's essentially just along for the ride....

Yep, we want our multicender to do nothing and just be "along for the ride" on the ascent. The chest roller, like putting our toes up against the trunk of the tree when we can, also makes the ascent so much more efficient.
IMO, it is just very important that a climber understands the IMPACT these things can have if things unexpectedly go 'south'.

 

[Dan Cobb]

Yep, we want our multicender to do nothing and just be "along for the ride" on the ascent. The chest roller, like putting our toes up against the trunk of the tree when we can, also make the ascent so much more efficient.
IMO, it is just very important that a climber understands the IMPACT these things can have if things unexpectedly go 'south'.

If it wasn't a minor pita, I'd just wait until ascending to the work area to attach the multicender to the rope. Having the multicender above the chest roller is good in theory, but doesn't work well for passing hard contact points and requires a longer bridge than I like (I'm not using an adjustable bridge.) In the highly unlikely event of a chest roller failure, the RRP will prevent a complete heel hang. I have foot loops that securely fasten to my boots, so even a heel hang cannot result in a fall, although recently I've been using an open loop on my knee ascender for tree climbing. My foot ascender is on a short stirrup, rather than the normal side of the boot, so the ascender itself can maintain a normal, functional orientation in the event of a heel hang. I also carry a handled ascender (it's hard to escape my caving background) and can attach it if I need a sitting position during ascent. I've largely discontinued keeping the handled ascender on the rope (above the chest roller) during tree climbs as it seems to be overkill.

I'm sure to be in the minority with some of my techniques, but they work well for me. I started climbing SRT in the mid 80s and used several different systems over the years. What I'm using now is definitely the most efficient for me. I usually go for my "tried and true" methods, even though tree ascents are but a fraction of typical caving ascents.

I totally agree that climbing systems should be analyzed to understand the implications of any component failure. I can have any 2 components fail without being in trouble and still be able to ascend.