Some limb walking questions

G

Grais

Location
Salmon Arm British Columbia, Canada
K guys, hope everyone had a good week, I know I did. The little woman cam out of town with me this last week so that always makes heading back to the hotel(the jail as some refer to it) after work a wee bit 'warmer'...lol.
Anyhow to the subject of the post, did some limb walks this week and all went well, but for one bit, I climb in the 'old school' way using a taut line hitch, and I have always found that limbwalking with a taut line an be shall we say 'problematic' at times. The problem was that at one point, due to my weight on the branch(3-4" at collar birch branch), and the physics of the rope etc... I started to essentially swing under the branch, well I don't know if any of you have ever tried(actually I am sure some of you have) advancing a taut line after you've been hanging on it with all your weight, when you not able to take weight of the knot too allow you too loosen it and advance it, take my word for it, its tuff as hell.
So what do you all do, is this where some of the other climbing hitches come into play, and if so, which is the preferred hitch for limb walking and such where you have to advance a line that is weighted well.
I try not too be shy about admitting my weaknesses, and this is probably my weakest area climbing limb walks...we just don't get a lot of opportunities, doing Hydro work, to practice it, but Id still rather not look like a rank amateur, on what is essentially an easy limb walk.
The limb got trimmed properly, no other issues all week to speak of aside from this bit of trouble.
Ideas, and or techniques anyone ?
Thanks and keep it safe all,
-Grais.
 
The first step away from the tautline would be to use a Blake's hitch. Next, use the BH on a split tail.

Either way, add a slack tender of some sort. The most functional setup that I've seen has been called a 'mini-jack' A small loop of cord/shoelace/throwline is tied around the rope using a Klemheist. Then, put a pulley under the BH and use a small biner to clip the pulley to the cord. Snug up the cord...as you pull down on the rope, under the BH, the pulley will self-tend the BH as you move around. You can adjust how sensitive the Mini-jack is by moving the Klemheist up or down.

The next step would be to use a closed friction hitch. I like using a Distal but there are many others. Look in the Articles section and archives for more info.
 
dude get an eye to eye and a pulley system sooo much easier on your body and excellent for limb walking you can hold onto your rope with one hand to balance yourself and use the other to take in the slack of your rope( so much harder to limb walk when your usuing 2 hands to take the slack out) also the hitch is so close to your saddle that you can reach above your hitch and pull up to take the tension off if you need to. try her out boyscout
cheers!
 
Right on, will try the eye to eye, thats basically a bee line, but obviously with the spliced eyes on the ends ?
Putting together a little shopping list of items I need, I have to mail order alas, but I want to get a 150'-7/16" climbing line with a eye spliced in it, as well as a split tail, and now a couple of eye to eye B lines(if I am thinking of the proper thing, I think I am), couple of decent 'Biners, a slack tender pulley and last but certainly not the least some Bugz fer my eyes.
If theres anything else y'all think will come in handy, please don't be shy.
Stay safe all, and thanks guys.
-Grais.
 
Make sure you order a hitchclimber pulley, if money is not a factor.


Go for the Tachyon climbing line, it feels more like 1/2 inch (not such a hard switch from bigger lines).

I like HRC hitch cord, as well as Ice Tail. Beeline has never really done it for me.

Oh, and get two Petzl OK symmetrical caribiners for the HC pulley.



SZ
 
O come on Easy go for the Ivy and Grais if you climb old school and get a little peeoed at the new set up step back and try the ole pussik wrap. Yeah I know that the saying is low and slow when trying new set ups,so try putting a 2x6 on the ground and walk that while slack tending.
Nate
 
[ QUOTE ]
O come on Easy go for the Ivy

[/ QUOTE ]


Never!


I've climbed on P.I. a few times, and it just doesn't work as well for me as Tachyon.


Of course, given the opportunity to climb, I'll still go up on some Blue Streak.


SZ
 
[ QUOTE ]
also the hitch is so close to your saddle that you can reach above your hitch and pull up to take the tension off if you need to

[/ QUOTE ]

But if you do that, you need two hands, no? One to pull up and one to remove slack?
 
If you're gonna try an eye and eye, maybe out of beeline, I suggest saving a little dough and tying knots to start off with. You are at the crux of a life changing moment here. You want to make sure you do it right.

Too many people buy a spliced sling for their first one, realize that it is a few inches too long/short, then decide this isn't for them afterall.

A spliced beeline sling would be like $25-$35. You can buy at least 20' of beeline for that price.

If you buy a few feet of beeline, cut it to length you want, you now have the option to experiment and tie things shorter or longer as you need. By the time you burn through the 20' of beeline, you'll know EXACTLY what length you want to get for the spliced beeline.

Good luck with it. Keep the questions coming!

love
nick
 
Try a blakes and a slack tending pulley to start with. It's simple and will be similar to the tautline but more friendly. I think Tenex is the best split tail material for a Blakes, Beeline is too small in diameter. A Blakes split tail needs to be roughly the same diameter as your rope.

The pulley is what's gonna change things the most though. If your knot locks you pull down on the line with one hand and pull in slack with the other and the pulley compresses the knot for you.
 
I agree with starting with the blakes and slack tending pulley. That way you can just footlock your way back up onto the branch when you fall off (if yo lack the strength to just do the pull-ups) as well as easing the return trip.
 
I agree with starting with the blakes and slack tending pulley. That way you can just footlock your way back up onto the branch when you fall off (if yo lack the strength to just do the pull-ups) as well as easing the return trip.

here it and an article from this site with fairly decent system
 

Attachments

Ah the old tautline hitch, remember it well. Not fondly, but well!

To ease a limb-walk, I triangulate whenever possible. I have one rope lanyard that is ridiculously long, steel locking snap on the end to facilitate tossing. Even a few degrees of triangulation makes you much more stable.

If you ever do go to an eye to eye hitch with micro pulley, you will never look back.


Northwind
 
dude tying the pulley on with accessory cord suxs it slides to much. get a master link (you'll have to experiment with size) stick a bight of rope in it, clip an oval biner in the bight, clip a dog snap in the biner, put the micro pulley on the snap. it bights hard. i still use that system occasionally for yoyo work. its kind of fun old schooling every once and a while. like today totally old school left my gear in nashvegas and have a job in memphis. looks like the weaver butt strap, and the ol buck strap and a rope. makes you really appreciate the new gear. oh well thats what i get. later
 
yeah old school still sux and the but strap still pinches everything if ya know what i mean. the trees took twice as long and i didn't feel comfortable until the end of the day. no toys to make the job easier, just a butt strap and a captive eye biner and a foot-lock prussic, oh and a three strand buck-strap
9lame.gif
. man it really makes you appreciate the new school climbing gear and techniques. job done though and under budget as usual.
beerchug.gif
we have a great crew
jamminz.gif
 
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