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Better Friction Hitch?
- Thread starter TonyGreenway
- Start date
I was hoping someone with more experience could shed light on the pros and cons of friction hitches being used with a DRT climbing system and also in tethers.
I've become very comfortable climbing drt with a michoacan hitch and a pulley. That same hitch works well on a linemans belt with a pulley and if you run a longer rope for your linemans belt it can double as a second climbing system. That's pretty great in trees with a lot of branches. It really let's you put yourself exactly where you want to be.
I've tried converting that linemans belt into a tether in the tree and have had the michoacan slip on me in that application. I think that might be because because in a tether configuration it's more like srt climbing where the hitch is holding all your weight, rather than in drt where the hitch is only holding half of your weight. Is that correct?
The time I tried using it for a tether was with a new hitch cord which are typically a bit slippery at first anyway, so maybe it was just that. I need to get out and try it again at low height and see how it works, but I'd love a second opinion too.
I've become very comfortable climbing drt with a michoacan hitch and a pulley. That same hitch works well on a linemans belt with a pulley and if you run a longer rope for your linemans belt it can double as a second climbing system. That's pretty great in trees with a lot of branches. It really let's you put yourself exactly where you want to be.
I've tried converting that linemans belt into a tether in the tree and have had the michoacan slip on me in that application. I think that might be because because in a tether configuration it's more like srt climbing where the hitch is holding all your weight, rather than in drt where the hitch is only holding half of your weight. Is that correct?
The time I tried using it for a tether was with a new hitch cord which are typically a bit slippery at first anyway, so maybe it was just that. I need to get out and try it again at low height and see how it works, but I'd love a second opinion too.
I think it’s possible to tie a schwabisch hitch with a closed loop.
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After one season I have not had a single slip or problem with my Michoacan hitch I use Canyon CIV with Sterling 6mm TRC for my hitch. I use it on my rappel rope/tether and for SRT.
I've used a loop in that configuration on a utili-style bridge. Works well & is easier to adjust. but I wasn't aware that classifies as a kleimheist.
I know very little about knots or hitches. But when I looked at the schwabisch I realized you could undo the stopper knot, and make the wraps at the end so as to get the three on top. Then slide the end through the last loop.
I like the fact that it is a one way knot.
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Thank you! I looked it up. The way they show how to tie it, I went about it the long way!!
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The michoacan has been great for me in drt! It was just the one occasion that it was slippery in an srt configuration and I probably didn't give it fair enough try. It was something I thought of in the tree and new things are best tried low so your comfortable fully weighting them. The hitch cord was 10mm ocean poly on 11.7mm samson predator. Might be pushing the hitch cord diameter a little, but as a heavier guy I found that the larger diameter binds less than the 8mm version.
The only time my prusik becomes so tight I can't get it to slide without fully unweighting it is when the ropes are wet....I haven't had any problems with a prusik so I never have looked into any other alternatives.....are the others really that much better?
Feel the same way, a prusik is just so easy. Plus with a tender you basically have all the functionality that you need. But dont get me wrong, I really admire all these rope savants that does a lot of cool things and ingenuity. But looking up how to tie all these different knots make my head hurts. Just not my thing.
Got a schwabich on my tether. Like it alot better than a prusik
Yes. Michoacan really doesn't ever bind if you have the rope ratios right and have a water resistant rope I guess. Mine have been wet and snowy yet with 5 turns I've honestly yet to have a slip or a lockup. Just give the various hitches a try.... you'll be surprised at how much better they are than the prusik!
Yes that ratio is above the 80% to 60% range and that probably why.
A couple other huge reasons are if they are tended right, have the right number of loops for your body weight, and are the right length so the top of the hitch doesn't slip off.
What's the correct number of loops for someone 215ish lbs? I'm running four wraps which is about all I can get from a 28" eye to eye with a hitch climber pulley. It's got very little sit-back and holds great in drt mode. I started using it on a long lanyard with a pinto pulley and it works well on that as lanyard or 2nd system. What didn't seem to work was converting the lanyard to a tree tether by tying a running alpine butterfly on the standing end and girth hitching like a normal tether.
Yes, this is what I suspected. Is there a hitch that would function reasonably well in both configurations? I'd love to find one that works on the lanyard and could also work for a tether without having to re-tie. Thinking schwabisch or distel but haven't tried them out yet.
There are a lot of better hitches that release easier where a smaller diameter hitch cord could be used. The 10mm is often used by tree workers, but doesn’t grab as well as a smaller diameter and needs more wraps making it harder to slide with the added friction.
Timely to come up I need to learn some better hitches. I had to self-rescue yesterday while in my yard working on my SRT setup. My jammy prusik cord lived up to it's name. I was rappelling down with that on a prusik auto block above my ATC and that sucker bit the rope so hard I couldn't budge it. Good self rescue practice anyway. I'm switching to a figure 8 so I can do a soft lock more easily and getting my autoblock below me.