Work positioning SRT

H

hesanarborist

I was just wondering what everyones thoughts were on work positioning with a SRT system. Rec climbing the other day i was just fooling around on the GriGri and found it pretty smooth moving around the tree and out onto limbs

Is this safe? considering the different forces that are put on the TIP i suppose the climber should be careful with choice of TIP's.

Does the changes of angle pose any problems?
 
TIPs should be of utmost importance to all climbers. Even though the load is theoretically doubled on an SRT TIP no one should EVER climb on a TIP that only has a 2:1 safety factor. If there is ever a doubt about the TIP choose a larger one and go around the trunk not just over a branch for more security.

RADS is a great way to move around a tree. The Edelrid Eddy/Camp Axle is a better tool for this application than the Gri Gri.

The Unicender is even better :)
 
Rope ascent and descent system.

Its a simple way of re-ascending a single line from certain descenders like grigri, Eddy/Axel, I'd, Stop et al.

Its actually a 2:1 system like bodythrusting, but using the leg/s and no friction.

Once on the grigri (eg), re-attach your ascension above. Attach a pully and krab on the line as it exits the grigri. Clip this pully and krab through the top holes of ascension.

Slide up ascension, stand with one leg in footloop, one hand in ascension, pull up and chase slack through pulley with other hand. Its a bit of a knack for efficiency.

By placing both hands on ascender, a groundie can chase the slack by synchronising with your pulls. This is pretty effortless for both, and a quick efficient way to ascend from descending a single line.

I hope that helps.
 
I been playing with the RAD system for the last few weeks and really like it. One of the reasons I stayed away from srt system in I like working my way up the tree, and with the RAD system you can.
 
I use SRT with the Eddy as my total work system. I ascend on a RADS, remove it for working. It works extremely well on KMIII, Fly and Tachyon.

I started solely working off SRT in as many positions that allow since Jan. of 07.

[opinion]I was at an indoor climbing gym discussing with the owner friction knots. He demoed for me the gri-gri, and as he loaded it he fell right on his butt. From that day when I see a gri-gri, I pass. Apparently, with respect for all its merits, it can be easily loaded upside down or backwards. [/opinion]

The Eddy is quite simple, compact, and easy to attach. Its very obvious when installed improperly. Having to go back to a distal for a few days reminded me the new set of options I use with the RADS/Eddy when moving my [rope] tail around.

How efficient? I start to 'feel' the climb much further up the ascent, maybe 20-25 pulls instead of 15 or so advancing a distal with an ascender, foot loop or foot locking. That means its a lot more efficient.

[added:] I just did a 40' ascent and realized something. The arm I pull on the ascender moves in the range of like a pull-up. The the other arm goes from a little below fully extended to fully extended down my side. Twice the motion but half the load, and thus both sides exert about the same amount of energy. As long as the slack is tended, which is what the RADS does, on the Eddy I can stop at any time during the pull and not lose any distance. How many times have you been in a position that you have to waste a pull because something didn't advance right.

Working in the tree with the Eddy is amazing. I can adjust my work position up OR down much finer, using the lever or thumbing the cam.
 
Jim/Tom,

After a lot of reading on your excellent TreeBuzz forum I wonder what your ultimate RADS/Eddy setup for an arborist would look like if price did not matter and you had to buy everything (rope, ascenders, eddy, pulley, biners etc) new?

For me, maximum safety and flexibility when moving around trees to remove dead wood has priority over speed of access, but DRT is getting too tiring.

Thanks for your advice!

Philipp
 
I prefer the Petzl i'D over the Edelrid Eddy. First, the i'D is designed SPECIFICALLY for work positioning, ascent, rappel, and belay. To the best of my knowledge, the Eddy has been designed as a belay, rappel device. This doesn't mean that we can't apply the Eddy to other uses, but I feel the i'D is safer and more user friendly in terms of work positioning. Take the panic function, for instance. On the i'D after the panic is engaged, the reset procedure occurs without affecting the cam. On the Eddy, the cam is opened slightly during the reset. Not a big deal if you can quickly bypass the "slightly open cam" position of the handle. However, during a limb walk with the Eddy I engaged the panic function. Upon reset, my thumb prevented the handle from returning to the closed position. With the cam now open I slipped about 18"-24" before I yanked my hand out of the device, stopping the freefall.

That occurence led me to purchase the i'D.
http://en.petzl.com/ProduitsServices/D20_ID_D20900-04.pdf


http://www.edelrid.de/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=27&Itemid=
 
[ QUOTE ]
Jim/Tom,

After a lot of reading on your excellent TreeBuzz forum I wonder what your ultimate RADS/Eddy setup for an arborist would look like if price did not matter and you had to buy everything (rope, ascenders, eddy, pulley, biners etc) new?



[/ QUOTE ]

don't quote me, but I think unicender will come into the conversation REAl soon........




I am a huge RADS fan. I first saw it when Tom used it to get the one-legged frenchman back into the trees.

I use a gri-gri, but after hearing more about the eddy, I'm gonna try it.
 
post deleted by treesandsurf
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Taylor,

Good points.

Thanks for sharing your 'butt-pucker' experience. It's good to know about gear and systems weak points.

Philny,

When I use RADS I use one of several handled ascenders. So far, I haven't settled on a favorite. The ISC is the strongest but it is also the longest. Having an upper ascender that's short allows a bit more movement up the rope each time.

Chest ascenders...same...several with no clear fav yet.

Tachyon is my rope of choice these days. KMIII is really durable. T is ligher and will take up less volume in my ropebag. I have a feeling that T will pick a bit more than KMIII but it's way too early to tell that.

Using short biners in certain places reduces gear-lock.

My preference for SRT is Frog Walking using the Unicender. Yesterday I got the new version of the Uni. It looks really nice. This weekend I've got a couple of takedowns and I might use it.
 
Oh yeah! Thanks to Tom for loaning me his personal Eddy for a week after the SRT workshop in Elk River. I really appreciate the opportunity to work out the bugs of an SRT work positioning system!
 
Wow lots of good info! But now I have more questions than answers... :-)

1. I thougth people who have tried both prefer the Eddy over the ID because it is lighter and allows for smother adjustment. Are there any other advantages / disadvantages between ID / Eddy? I am not really concerned about the weight more about the moving around in the tree.

2. Tachyon is 11.5mm but they say it works for 11mm gear. Does Tachyon work with Eddy and would I need the larger ID or the smaller ID?

3. What is different about the "NEW" Unicender compared to the old one? I see only one version here: http://www.thompsontreetools.com

4.What is the better saddle? Petzl Sequoia SRT: http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=21490%201 or the TreeFlex saddle?

5. Could I use the Croll with a chest harness together with the Eddy or the ID to climb RADS instead of a hand ascender?

6. Any pictures of the "SRT Frog Walking with Unicender" setup?

7. Any pictures of the Eddy/ID RADS setup?

8. And isn't there a micro pulley somewhere?

These are a lot of questions, but hey you guys have the experience and I am the RADS / SRT greenhorn...

Thanks!

Philipp
 
1. The key feature of the Eddy for me, is the ability to totally free it like a friction hitch for lateral movement one handed without much weight on the line. Other devices need two hands to fairlead the rope or control descent.

4. The TFX is specially designed to fit lower than other harnesses. This gives more stride between chest and hand ascenders (like a caving harness). It also encourages a proper curve to the lower spine, and many other ergonomic benefits.
 
Johnny @ SHERRIL (no longer there) suggested a simple setup,he even diagramed it and sent it to me.Which remained on my bulletin board for over a year. He uses a one handled ascender but I use a two. Hardwear is as follows...One handled ascender, two carabiners, one grigri thats it! Ascending simple and easy,when limbwalking you can leave the ascender about halfway out making returning as easy as pulling your tail. This particulair setup works great for my particulair climb/work style. Thanks Johnny wherever you are
 
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