SRT device poll

[southsoundtree]

I'll try the Stevedore next time. Thanks for the reminder.

Just tried the knut H on the HH, or I should say that I set Miriam up with it.

 

[Brocky]

I'll try the Stevedore next time. Thanks for the reminder.

Just tried the knut H on the HH, or I should say that I set Miriam up with it.

Thanks for calling it by its proper name!

 

[Bart_]

Anyone ever gain any insight into the tying the original hitchhiker knot as tight as possible, and how the hitch legs are spread/come into the hitch at an angle by being spread by the dog bone? Sorry, to finish the thought, this lead to the best performance? I had a hitch assist device that behaved the same way wrt tight knot and hitch legs spread angle. Must be a thing of some sort. Different than a hitch exiting an e.g. hitch climber pulley.

Brocky, is the original hitch hiker knot a valdotaine, without tresse, in name?

 

[Brocky]

Yes, but it does have one braid, or crossed round turn, in the front. The double eye French Prusik friction hitch is the same, but the braid is in the back.

 

[DSMc]

Can that truly be defined as a braid? I thought a braid needed a change of direction itself that was not inclusive of a directional change coming off the wraps.

 

[Brocky]

No change of direction is needed, only one section running, passing, or crossing over another section. The bottom “wrap” isn’t really a wrap, although generally counted as one when describing. When it crosses over wraps, it’s been called a bridge.

 

[Brocky]

Drill a hole in the flat washer for the cord, similar to Rope Runner.

 

[DSMc]

... The bottom “wrap” isn’t really a wrap, although generally counted as one when describing. When it crosses over wraps, it’s been called a bridge.

Just trying to wrap my head around this. On the picture of the HH in my avatar, the bottom wrap does not cross over anything.

All I see are wraps and legs without braids.

 

[Brocky]

The section that comes from the top right in the picture, that is tied in front, crosses the bottom “wrap”.

 

[DSMc]

... and that's enough to call it a braid? If so, a re-evaluation of the definition and function of 'braid' might be considered.

 

[Njdelaney]

Huh. It's no different than a Rope Runner, double locker slic pin isn't going anywhere.

I think the only reason it hasn't been considered to-date is the hassle of dropping a washer or two doing a midline attachment change at height.
-AJ

I think he was referring to the pins in the Amazon link, not the slic pin/washer combo. That's how I interpreted that comment anyways.

 

[rico]

A Slic Pin and a flat washer can eliminate the knot tying.
View attachment 88078

I always love seeing what you are coming up with Brocky, but this one seems to remove one of the HH’s greatest attributes. As you are aware, making small changes to the length of your hitch cord can drastically change how it performs. Remove the stopper knots and you loose the ability to make those micro adjustments that can be the difference between a system that does the job, and one that truly sings.

 

[Bart_]

Rico, do you concur with as tight a knot as possible, shortest legs = best HH performance?

 

[DSW]

I got 99 problems but a knot ain't one.

 

[rico]

Rico, do you concur with as tight a knot as possible, shortest legs = best HH performance?

Nope. If its too tight it won’t tend slack well. For me a system is singing when it effortlessly eats slack and bites the moment I sit in it.. Too tight and it will bite, but slack tending will suffer. Too loose and it will gobble up slack, but won't bite. It can be a fine line between these 2 and small micro adjustments can make a big difference.

With a Hitch climber/wrench setup this is done with your e2e length, adding a half or full twist to one or both eyes, and which side the down legs of your eyes are on (think Michoacán vs Petrocan). All, for better or worse, will change how the HC/wrench setup performs.

With the HH, HHX, and HHFX it’s all done with you stopper knots. Simplistic genius! Add to that the fact that the HH doesn’t put a bend in the rope and you have a unique device that, with some effort, can be truly amazing. The HHFX gives me just about everything I could ever ask for in a device. As I have gained more experience with the HHFX it has gotten better and better and it is now following me around like an obedient puppy. Did I mention that I fucking love this thing?

 

[Bart_]

Makes sense. Playing with knots, trying to get more coils out of an eye to eye I exactly experienced what you said regarding tending. My recollection is try to tie tight, after first weight set, knot stretches out to just about right. I envisioned a dog bone tuner that fine tuned hitch leg length but the big threaded thingamabobs were too unwieldy. Although on my device it wasn't floating like the dog bone does. More metal, more weight, no bueno.

 

[Brocky]

The Compromise, best of both worlds.

 

[Muggs]

I ran the HHX exclusively for a year and a half and I absolutely loved it. Once it was dialed in perfect it was amazing. I understand all of the arguments in favor of an infinitely adjustable hitch cord length, I really do. And as long as you are willing or able to keep the device installed on your rope after reaching that perfect state of adjustment, then yes, it is dreamy. It's a near perfect, robust hybrid climbing device that switches flawlessly between ddrt and srt and the fact that it is hitch based means it is instantly recognizable and intuitive to the experienced guys.

What I dislike is installing it on a rope initially. I switch between ropes often. I also uninstall and reinstall in the tree often when working with 2 ropes. I don't want to have to fiddle with my device for even a minute or two to get it dialed in. That's the one and only complaint that I have about it. To me, that would be the point of the eye to eye setup that Brocky is showing with the slic pin. I'm going to try it. Thanks @Brocky

 

[DSMc]

All good tools will have a range of qualities that they excel at and some things that other tools will do better. The HH has an extremely long list of positive traits that, in my opinion, place it in the extraordinary category. The difficulty many climbers have with tying and adjustment of both the hitch and stopper knots can be minimized with practice. Avoidance is limiting potential
and alterations of components may introduce more than expected.

Even though it takes me just seconds to remove and re-tie the HH on a line, the speed of doing so is not why I use it. If I want fast, out comes the Akimbo. Another great tool, but one with a different set of attributes. The variety of fantastic SRT tools available to the arborist community today is simply outstanding. All of them are high quality climbing aids not even dreamed of just a few short years ago. We have choices and there really are no bad ones. Just different, like the climbers that use them.

 

[Tree-Taylor]

I've often wondered about keeping a short length of cord that you could tether to the end of your line and transfer the HH onto for storage or transfer to another line.

I'm sure someone has posted this somewhere on the buzz.