What's on your mind? TCI Magazine wants to know

[Reach]

I disagree that they are outdated and time consuming. They are complements to modern techniques to be used as appropriate.

Some jobs/ rec climbs are hike-in. Light can be right.

A taut line or Blake"s on a standing end is way faster than someone going to the truck and sending up gear.

Often, I can do something the 'hard' way much faster than waiting on a gadget, so less work in a way.

I would not be limited to these old standbys.

I agree completely. We are a production outfit, with all of the "proper" rigging gear, and yet we still do a lot of natural crotch rigging with trunk wraps to provide friction. It is a lot faster to lower one or two pieces that way than it is to set a block in a tree, hang a porter wrap, and thread the whole system.

I love the modern gear, we carry a lot less than many companies because we simply bring in a crane when the rigging gets more than basic, but we have the modern gear when we need it.

I know climbers who have spent many years climbing on a Blakes hitch, our former lead climber who was recently deported was that way. He's been climbing on a Blakes hitch about 25 years, and moves faster in a tree than most guys half his age with all the fancy mechanicals. I climb with a mechanical system myself on the very rare occasion I leave the ground, but can still tie a Blakes as well.