I only have to move one leg of my line. The one that hangs for retrieval just sits there and looks pretty. I tend to not chainsaw cut close to my lines so cutting the line isn't any more of an issue for me srt than dDrt. Seems no matter how you climb you should be able to position yourself to make a safe controlled cut. Yes I one hand a saw all day long so I'm not that guy who says he can always get in perfect position to make a textbook cut. I just don't see cutting my line anymore so than other methods.
Retrieval with redirects :Haven't had difficulties personally. If I do, the foreman is 300 lbs.
I still have that central tip way up. The benefit for me is being able to redirect that tip to drop down into areas rather than super long limb walks. I can go above the limb where my angle isn't so bad and redirect through a branch then drop down to my target and walk out further with a better angle. Good for us not so graceful fellas. I do have to go back up to the redirect if I need to go to the other side of the tree. That's so easy srt. Just kick on the ascender and pop back up to the redirect. Easy-peasy. Has made my plan a little more strategic in working the canopy. Try to get everywhere I can and chase as few redirects as possible. It is really much easier for me and I had the ddrt and body thrusting system working so well for me. The anchor bridge system made life so much better but the fact remains, for me, ascending up a single line away from the trunk in mid air is so much easier than body thrusting mid air or footlocking the tail.
So the great thing about a td with an canopy tie is that I don't flipline up stuff. I have a canopy tip and a chest teather for the rr/bone and an ascender on my gaff. I just walk up the tree hand over hand and foot over foot. No flipping, no moving stuff around to always stay tied in climbing around branches and through crotches. If I slip, I am instantly caught with no drop. The spike ascender keeps my line taught were the teather advances my mechanical device the way it was designed. Everything passes the whistle test. As far a blocking down, even better. So I had always been taught to always stay double tied when blocking down. Ddrt always presented a challenge there unless you used a contraption/friction saver/ ring to ring prussic/left staubs. I was always taught don't hang your life off a bowline so with the cinch anchor srt delta link set up, problem solved. I leave a tail the length of the wood I want to send down. Boss says send them 16' I leave 16' of tail below the alpine butterfly. Buzz down 16' and pull the retrieval end. The line falls down to me and I snug it back up and make the cut. Do it again. Now sometimes i'll have to untie and retie the alpine depending on how the retrieval went but if I keep the stick clean it should slide rite down to me.
I'm sure not gonna try to sell you on this or change your mind. Just answering questions. I doubted it and rode around with srt stuff in the box for over a year until I said I am gonna really do this, every climb, until I could get good enough to make a decision on style. It just works. I'm about a year or so behind all the guys on here. I see something new and I watch it and learn for a while before I jump on that ship. The doubled rope thing is pretty interesting to me now. Haven't tried but who knows.
I suppose it's like if I were to buy a wraptor. I've only been on one once. It was awesome and all but it's a lot of money just to get up a tree. Then I have to switch systems, then lower it to the ground, set up takes time, blah blah blah rite? Some of the same arguments for any change in climbing style. It works for me, its the way I'm used to ect..... don't have time to mess around and practice when the boss is up my tail........
Then I get one, the best thing ever, the cats ass, the bees knees, saves me so much time, so much energy, increase productivity. I can almost hear "I've been climbing 45 years and I can out produce all these young boys with their fancy gear" BECAUSE you're working smarter. There comes a time when we are getting older and we realize its not about how much you did in a day but how can I do what I do smarter, more efficiently, and without feeling like your gotten your tail kicked all day. The old bull young bull analogy.
My point being, this is MY work smarter not harder. Let those young boys work their tails off. I can do what they do and more, sweating less and i'll be doing this longer (hopefully). Believe me I want a wraptor. That is the ultimate career longevity tool for the climber. If I get one I'm sure i'll say the same thing about it as srt. Man I wish I had worked this way a long time ago.
Not trying to sell you treevet. You sound like you've had as many years in the trees as my brother. I try to talk climbing with him and he tells me he has know idea what I'm talking about. He stopped climbing long ago and was very old school in Kentucky. So I get it and if it works for you after 45 years in your career, if it works, why change? I get it. Again just answering questions. Trying to help as those before have helped me.
I'm no bad ass but my OLD ass is at the fire station today resting from my tree work days.
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