Struggling with srt

I'm another chubby ninja, and I'd say that I have never figured out a good way to adjust a saddle other than by messing with it for a dozen climbs. It seems like each saddle has its own method, and they're not all the same...other than the habit of laying back the plus-sized and/or top-heavy. It does seem to me that shortening the rise strap, the strap that controls the height of the bridge plates seems to mostly work.

You should strengthen your abs, but not to hold you upright, that is, in fact, your saddle's job. Get strong because strong people harder to kill and more useful in general. I think there are some saddles that are just not for the gordos and gordas, and it doesn't have much to do with the padding; one of my favorites was the old version of the Sequoia SRT (also love me some New Tribe).

Other than adjusting your saddle's fit, play with bridge length and dial in the length(s) of anything attached to your ascenders. There is definitely technique involved, but I think other posters have mostly covered that.

I have tried many, many, many chest harnesses. No rollers, but I plan to try sometime; they do seem a little bulky for my taste. By far my favorite it the Petzl secur. It sucks me right up to the the rope, it's super low profile, and it's pretty cheap. I always wear suspenders on my saddle and I would not expect the secur to do that, for me, it's just for tending. It occurs to me that the suspenders probably help keep my saddle higher on my body, which probably helps with the tipping...in addition to keeping the 661 or 3120 from pulling my panties down.

I'm pretty sure you shouldn't buy the secur; I am 99% sure that the torse is exactly the same, even cheaper, and it looks like the webbing might be a little wider, which is the only thing I would change about the secur. I think the secur is Petzl "professional" and the torse is Petzl "sport" but they're otherwise exactly the same.

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Hosocat said:
For a long time I struggled with srt because I was supporting a lot of my weight with my arms to keep myself upright. My forearm muscles would get exhausted after only 20 feet or so. I've heard comments from others saying they have similar problems. If so, you might try this. Don't let your saddle and leg loops lie low, on your hips and thighs. Bring your saddle up and buckle it as high as you can, and leg loops as snug into your crotch as you can without endangering future generations. This helped me a lot. The saddle is your balance point. The more of your weight you can get below the saddle, the less weight you will have to support with your arms as you ascend.
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It's easy for skinny humans like me to say it, and as @Crazy_Jimmy hinted at, work on going as many "ascent cycles" as you can before sitting back on your system. Even with a chest roller in play, whenever you sit back in your harness you're going to have to shift your weight up again for the next push upwards. That transition from sitting back on your system back to climbing takes a lot of energy. If you can get say 3-4 cycles moving up without sitting back you'll improve your ascent efficiency tremendously.
-AJ
 
Hosocat said:
For a long time I struggled with srt because I was supporting a lot of my weight with my arms to keep myself upright. My forearm muscles would get exhausted after only 20 feet or so. I've heard comments from others saying they have similar problems. If so, you might try this. Don't let your saddle and leg loops lie low, on your hips and thighs. Bring your saddle up and buckle it as high as you can, and leg loops as snug into your crotch as you can without endangering future generations. This helped me a lot. The saddle is your balance point. The more of your weight you can get below the saddle, the less weight you will have to support with your arms as you ascend.
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I call BS. I have worn a TM for 10 years this month. I wear low with leg loops loose like it was made to. 10 years SRT too. I ascend flawlessly. So much more things in play with one's setup for ascent than harness placement. My arms see very little load.
 
islandarb said:
I call BS. I have worn a TM for 10 years this month. I wear low with leg loops loose like it was made to. 10 years SRT too. I ascend flawlessly. So much more things in play with one's setup for ascent than harness placement. My arms see very little load.
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I think you've identified Hosocat's main problem, he's sitting back in the harness every push. If that's a climber's style then they're going to want the harness high. That brings other problems like potential compression of the lower rib cage and inability to breathe freely.

It's interesting though, caver's harnesses have the lowest possible attachment point. For very long ascents, which cavers often have to do, more distance between the attachment point and the ascent device means more vertical movement per push. If your harness is high (and bridge longer than it needs to be) a tree climber can end up getting only a few inches per push.

If you can ascend as long as possible without sitting back it doesn't matter how high or low your harness is.
-AJ
 
moss said:
I think you've identified Hosocat's main problem, he's sitting back in the harness every push. If that's a climber's style then they're going to want the harness high. That brings other problems like potential compression of the lower rib cage and inability to breathe freely.

It's interesting though, caver's harnesses have the lowest possible attachment point. For very long ascents, which cavers often have to do, more distance between the attachment point and the ascent device means more vertical movement per push. If your harness is high (and bridge longer than it needs to be) a tree climber can end up getting only a few inches per push.

If you can ascend as long as possible without sitting back it doesn't matter how high or low your harness is.
-AJ
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Nail on head. My harness not even in play on ascent. Just my ascenders ....chestie and wrench. My rope bridge ring is loose and just moves up with me. Only when I reach destination and sit in my wrench does it come into play.
 
I still need to find a good knee and foot accender.. I’ve just been spending to much money lately on gear and getting into splicing very expensive hobby. But next year I’ll be in the look out for a good deal on some


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Christrees said:
I still need to find a good knee and foot accender.. I’ve just been spending to much money lately on gear and getting into splicing very expensive hobby. But next year I’ll be in the look out for a good deal on some


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Chris just splice one of these up. Core of 8mm beeline, a hollow braid. TM bungee, you can get from arbstore, along with a turbo chest. I own every iteration of the Saka, including 2 OGs. Nothing works as smooth a proficient as this baby.20231018_191554.jpg
 
Ok I may have to give that a try.. sorry I didn’t even realize you wrote that to me m. I usually reply asap


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islandarb said:
Yes you can do that, for me I like that it can fold up really small this way. But having the cover will surely increase lifespan..not a vad thing at all.
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As someone who packs everything in a bag and sometimes has 1000' hauls in to removals, you've just expanded my perspective of this whole concept. Your a genuine champion.
 
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