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Stirrup Climb good setup!

justsomedude

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2014
Messages
2,514
Location
Nashville, TN
OK. The Cliff's notes....comfortable harness+Linesman's Belt + Stirrups is good. With this setup, it doesn't require a lot of strength. No worse than a climber stand. If you aren't relaxed, you're doing it wrong. This is less hazardous than hanging climbing sticks. The downside is that you can't just climb up and down. You an however leave your tether in place and rappel down for a break and then your climb back up is faster

The only extra gear is a tether, webbing, sling, rope man, carabiner. My foot tether rig weighs 23oz using Yale Bandit. Might switch it to 9mm.

You can pass branches safely with this setup. Rope retrieval gets more complicated though.

GEAR: Metolius Safe Tech Deluxe (love), two 12" Slings, Hollowblock, Linesman's Belt with Ropeman 1, Sterling HTP 9mm long rope with GriGri2, Yale Bandit short tether with Ropeman 1, tied webbing stirrups.
Gear.JPG

Here's the connections. That big tan web in the middle is too long. It runs from the harness to the Foot Stirrups Tether as a backup. Replacing with a short sling. There is a Ropeman 1 on the foot tether. Stirrups and backup sling attached to same carabiner. Black foot loops bottom right.

Above that is a black sling that runs from harness to GriGri2 to the Sterling HTP 9mm. Replacing it with a 12" sling as well. Having your device raised up ("Extended Rappel") is easier to tend than having it directly on your harness.
The yellow sling is Hollowblock attached to the leg loop as an auto block. I'm a chicken with Rappel. I like an Autoblock. DON'T USE THE AUTOBLOCK WHILE CLIMBING. It's just in the way and you have other backups.
The Ropeman on the bottom left is attached to 9mm rope as a Linesman's belt. This harness has strong gear loops. I am using it for my linesman's belt connection at least for this type of climb. I am a chicken...so the LB connections are using TWO loops on each side. But there isn't much weight on your LB in this setup.
COnnected.JPG

Stopper knots with a tail make the tether easier to advanceStopper.JPG

Stirrups are tubular webbing, 3' long after knots. Probably safe to start with 12' (I tied them a few years ago...) The connection point is an overhand on a bight tied in the middle. Then halfway down from that I tied another overhand knot on a bight connecting the two sides to keep them from spreading when you stand. I put pieces of 9mm rope inside the webbing to keep the foot loops open and more comfortable. Then overhand on a bight for the foot loops. Overhand knot by rethread is easier to keep the loops the same. YOU REALLY WANT THEM THE SAME AND YOU WANT THEM TO HANG DOWN THE SAME DISTANCE FROM THE MIDDLE.
Stirrups.JPG

Run the tails of your harness tether and foot tether outside of your Linesman's belt rope.
Tails.JPG


Set your harness tether as high as you can reach. Set your foot tether just below that. Tighten up the grigri and hang. Step into the stirrups ALL THE WAY. Your feet stay in for the whole climb. Now you adjust your foot rope man as you lift your knees as high as you can. ATTACH YOUR LINESMAN'S BELT around the tree and stand up and tighten the LB to keep you steady.

You are well balanced on the even stirrups and LB plus you are backed up from your harness to the foot tether. SAFE. Now take out the slack on the harness tether as high as you can and hang again....loosen your linesman's belt, adjust the foot rope man and lift your knees......REPEAT.

You'll take two or 3 'steps' before having to move your tethers up the tree.

DON'T LET THE GRIGRI get too close to the top of the tether. It can get stuck against the tree and you can't descend without freeing it.

To Descend, attach retrieval line (more below). If I am hanging from a GriGri while hunting, I run an Autoblock. I might switch to a sewn Prusik while hunting though. Here's the Autoblock connection. The Autoblock also serves as a backup connection to your GriGri.
Autoblock.JPG

I have a gear haul line with a small knot tied every 10' so I can check my height. It has clips large enough to fit on my tether and one end has a NiteIze twist with an Eye attached to it. You an cinch the line together with it and can attach items quickly for hauling. I hang it off the stopper knot on my tether for retrieval after rappel.
Haul.JPG Haul 2.JPG Haul 3.JPG Haul4.JPG
 
By the way....if you rappel down for a break, you can ascend running both devices on the same rope (Foot acscender ABOVE THE GRIGRI) or even simpler with an additional Ropeman.

You could use a Ropeman as an ascender and then rappel with an ATC or other device.
 
I must be dense because I'm gonna need a video... lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You're using two ascenders like this:
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/47156559" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p><a href="
">Wild Country Ropeman &#039;How To&#039; series - #1 - Ascending a Rope with a Ropeman.</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/wildcountry">Wild Country</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

But you are using two tethers. A more refined/safer/easier version of this: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="
" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Video of this on action would go a long way. Thanks for the write up!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thanks for posting this! I'm gonna give this a try when I get a chance. I'm not sure of a couple things there and I think it's cause I haven't learned how to rappel. I'd basically do the same with ropemans. I'd have my main tether with ropeman connected to my bridge. A separate tether with the foot stirrups on a ropeman. A linemans belt with a ropeman. And then if desired for extra safety I could run a rope/strap from the foot tether to my harness. Only question on that is would I just be running that from the carabiner on the foot tether to the carabiner on my main tether? Does this sound like it'd work to you? I'd just be using my evolution. I'm all about trying to be as lightweight and mobile as I can and this looks like it could become my new favorite for those long walks in.
 
And then if desired for extra safety I could run a rope/strap from the foot tether to my harness. Only question on that is would I just be running that from the carabiner on the foot tether to the carabiner on my main tether?

Yes. And definitely run a short sling from your harness to the foot tether. $5 or so and weighs almost nothing
#1. Makes it impossible to drop your foot tether.
#2. Makes it impossible to fall (my favorite). Using a Ropeman is less sketchy than a GriGri. When you unload/advance a GriGri, it gets very loose unless you keep some tension on it. When you unload your tether, it sometimes gets loose and slides down the tree.

If you are backed up to your foot tether, standing on even stirrups and are being steadied by your Linesman's belt, it isn't scary at all when that happens. HOWEVER, if you are balancing on the top of an aider on a crooked tree and you are trying to reach up high to set your tether, if can get hairy.

As far as Rappel goes....just pick up an ATC and give it a shot. I am terrible at it, but it gets me safely down the tree.
You can just use regular tethers/ropeman to go up and down, but rappel and a long rope gives you options in case something goes wrong. And it is much faster than inching back down the tree. It does add weight though.
 
I just went out and did a bunch of practice climbs, some with a 5 step Aider and some with Stirrups. Some with a Ropeman on top and some with a GriGri2.

I think if I was going to climb with a Ropeman, I would use a normal tether on the way up and to hunt from. Then switch over to an ATC and long rope for Rappel. Ascending with a long rope and GriGri doesn't require a switch over but you have to be more attentive to loading the GriGri as you advance.

SMALL INCIDENT: I was on a tree with some lean...went to climb up on the Aider and the bottom kicked sideways pretty hard as I wasn't driving my feet straight down. no slack in my tether but my feet swung out sideways.

There's no question that using an Aider for this uses more muscle and more likely to work up a sweat than stirrups.

If you were going to use an Aider, the Ropeman on the foot tether is king of a waste. You are advancing by climbing. Climbing with Stirrups, the Ropeman is a really important advantage. You could use a Prusik but it would be slower.
 
Nice, I can't wait to try this only I still need webbing to make them and time is of the essence right now. Are you trying to silence your carabiners and ropeman with anything? When you slide the foot tether up high does that carabiner come anywhere near the one on your main tether?
 
IMG_2834.JPG No, carabiners don't come close to each other. I've used hockey tape on carabiners that don't get rope friction.

Experimenting with inner tube on the non opening side of biners. Seems ok if you are careful where you put it
 
I like how easy this method is. I need to adjust my stirrups after attempt number one so they're shorter and allow bigger "steps". Having the ropeman on the stirrup makes it easy to pull the tail end up while lifting my knees so it's pretty effortless. Gonna try to get more efficient with this one. Easy, safe, lightweight, just time consuming.
 
It's hard to see in the pictures what you have going on but it sounds like you are doing a version of the Texas system or Frog system where you stand in the stirrups creating slack in your upper connection. Then you move your upper ascension device up the rope and then sit back. Then you reach down and move the lower device up the rope and then stand back up in the stirrups and repeat.
Maybe I am not seeing your pictures right.
If this is the method you are using, do you think it has more metal than it needs? Like if you use cord to make a triple crown then you create stirrups and use a prusik wrap to attach to the rope. You can go up and come down on a blakes hitch.
I like that you are exploring climbing options. I made a quick drawing of what I am talking about.
IMG_7349.JPG
 
Yep that's it. I like to just use tethers with a Ropeman (no GriGri) on each for easy adjustment. I'm probably going to use an Aider instead of stirrups. It's more "athletic" but it's faster.

If I Rappel down, I'll just switch ropes and use an ATC. But inchworming back down isn't bad on an Aider

If I go to a Blakes' I need fatter rope (I've got a 32' Bandit tether).
 
Yep that's it. I like to just use tethers with a Ropeman (no GriGri) on each for easy adjustment. I'm probably going to use an Aider instead of stirrups. It's more "athletic" but it's faster.

If I Rappel down, I'll just switch ropes and use an ATC. But inchworming back down isn't bad on an Aider

If I go to a Blakes' I need fatter rope (I've got a 32' Bandit tether).
I'm not sure that you need a fatter rope for a blakes. Still wondering why all the metal. Here is a mock up that is better than my drawing.
Works like DRT but with a single rope. Like I said, I might be missing something but I would like to know what as I have always been seeking a rope climbing method that would work for you guys.
IMG_7358.JPG
 
Yale Bandit IS my fatter rope. I was using 9mm HTP.

I think you missed that there are two separate tethers. One for the saddle and one for the foot loop. When you get to the top of a tether, you load the other one and you have to move the tether up the tree. That is no fun for me with a Blake's hitch.
I also do this with an Aider instead of double foot loops. Aider is faster but takes a little more muscle.

The reason for all the metal is one handed adjustment and no binding. The only reason to use a GriGri is so you can just descend whenever you want to without a switchover. Once you have used a Ropeman for this stuff, anything else is a bummer.

Right now, I am just using two standard length tethers with a 5 step aider on the bottom one. You use your linesman belt to keep steady as you stand at the top of the Aider and you set your tether up as high as you can reach. Put your load on the top tether and pull your Foot Tether up as high as you can.

Takes about 3 cycles to get to hunting height...a few minutes. Same for climbing down.

When I get where my waist is at my desired platform height, I set it and then climb up and move my foot tether out of the way.
 
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Yale Bandit IS my fatter rope. I was using 9mm HTP.

I think you missed that there are two separate tethers. One for the saddle and one for the foot loop. When you get to the top of a tether, you load the other one and you have to move the tether up the tree. That is no fun for me with a Blake's hitch.
I also do this with an Aider instead of double foot loops. Aider is faster but takes a little more muscle.

The reason for all the metal is one handed adjustment and no binding. The only reason to use a GriGri is so you can just descend whenever you want to without a switchover. Once you have used a Ropeman for this stuff, anything else is a bummer.

Right now, I am just using two standard length tethers with a 5 step aider on the bottom one. You use your linesman belt to keep steady as you stand at the top of the Aider and you set your tether up as high as you can reach. Put your load on the top tether and pull your Foot Tether up as high as you can.

Takes about 3 cycles to get to hunting height...a few minutes. Same for climbing down.

When I get where my waist is at my desired platform height, I set it and then climb up and move my foot tether out of the way.
The biggest thing that I take from what you said is that you think a blakes hitch is a bummer. Use a piece of regular rope instead of cord and it does not cinch down like the thinner cord does but I under stand that you would rather use metal than a blakes. I just thought it would be simpler, lighter and quieter.
 
Use a piece of regular rope instead of cord and it does not cinch down like the thinner cord does but I under stand that you would rather use metal than a blakes.

Blakes works well on Yale Bandit. I plan to tie one out of Bandit and keep it on my Bandit tether as a backup attachment and that will give me a chance to try it again.

On HTP 9mm using 9mm accessory cord for the Blake's, it completely locked up on me.
 
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