Why don't yall 2TC? - ultralight rope technique

[mtsrunner]

When I 2TC climb, I purposely limit my top tether moves to about 18” at a time. I’m 6’3” and can get more height per move, but I don’t want more slack in my tether. I also use a Kong Slyde so that if I do slip, that 18” fall won’t feel that bad. In just about every one stick video I have ever watched, the guy will have at least 2-3’ of slack in his tether at some point. Having said that, one sticking doesn’t have to be any more risky than any other method. I just think people fall in love with the ability to make big moves up the tree and thereby introduce more slack therefore more risk of catastrophe.

 

[Leaf12]

I just think people fall in love with the ability to make big moves up the tree and thereby introduce more slack therefore more risk of catastrophe.

You’re right about this. 2TC gives up speed for lower risk, and one-sticking does the opposite. However, I’ve often wished for actual data on one-sticking accidents. Because there is a difference between theoretical risk and practical risk. After I make a move up, there are about 30 seconds during which my tether is at knee height before I shift it up. Theoretically, I could fall about 5 feet in those 30 seconds and bang myself up. Practically speaking, it’s hard to imagine the circumstances in which that would happen, because I have my arms literally wrapped around the tree as I’m adjusting my tether, and my feet planted firmly on my stick. When I first started climbing, I learned the hard way that the stick needs to be solid AF before making a move, but since then, I haven’t had any experiences that make me feel unsafe one-sticking. I think it probably comes down to an individual evaluation of risk and trade offs.


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[Samcirrus]

Thanks, a video would be great. I searched youtube and seen a tree guy with a fig 8 and he had a prusik above. Maybe too many ways to do it? Also a list of all your component would be helpful, rope and such.
Sorry to be a pest, but will all the different videos it get a little confusing for a new guy.

Yes, its possible I guess, but I didn't like it cuz the rope runs

Can put 8 below friction hitch if enough room in the hitch and even use the same biner. Put on lineman’s so you can safely open the tether carabiner, input 8 into system, lock biner, remove lineman’s.

But back to 2TC, i find it easy and much faster descending than ascending. I don’t usually rappel with 2TC as I don’t see much savings of time vs dealing with the pull down and rappel rope packing.


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I tried 2TC all last season, and I finally gave up and got an EWO ultimate 1-stick for this season. I loved the idea of no-sticking, but I frankly felt like an inchworm going up the tree. I’m 5’7”, and with two tethers, I was making like 6+ moves to get up to hunting height. With the one stick with sewn aiders, I can do it in 3, in about half as much time, AND have the scout platform to stand on once I get up there.

With 2TC, one move up can never exceed your height or reach. But if I place my stick as high as I can, the top step of my stick will be higher than the top of my reach, while the bottom sewn step is still easily accessible. I think 2TC probably works better for certain body types (tall, long arms, long quads). It’d be cool to see a race between two similar-sized people, one 1-sticking and one 2TC, to compare the height achieved with number of moves made in a certain timeframe.


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I love the idea of a friendly competitive race up the tree.... itd have to include a few branches too!
However with 2TC you can't compare the number of moves as it's much faster( IMO), less sweaty, and exhausting to do 12" to 18" moves, than giant 3 or 4 foot ones like some ppl attempt. See northfourty's video it's so chill and calm and quite fast.
As a final note I've beaten my friend who one sticks....and I think its quieter.
For 2 TC it's all about finding the correct length for both your foot tether and main one so it becomes as simple as climbing a ladder.
I've tried 2TC with my platform as my foot tether but its definitely louder and more tiring, so I just install it at the top.

 

[Samcirrus]

When I 2TC climb, I purposely limit my top tether moves to about 18” at a time. I’m 6’3” and can get more height per move, but I don’t want more slack in my tether. I also use a Kong Slyde so that if I do slip, that 18” fall won’t feel that bad. In just about every one stick video I have ever watched, the guy will have at least 2-3’ of slack in his tether at some point. Having said that, one sticking doesn’t have to be any more risky than any other method. I just think people fall in love with the ability to make big moves up the tree and thereby introduce more slack therefore more risk of catastrophe.

Spot on! And when making big moves either in 1 sticking or 2TC you may not realize that your adrenaline is pushing you to stretch and use muscles that aren't normally pushed to their limit introducing greater heat and exhaustion, not to mention risk of injury. But I definitely take some risks as well in my endeavors, and have been finding ways to limit them.

 

[Samcirrus]

I've also climbed a bunch of shady scaly bark trees by 2TC, and that is my ONLY dislike of 2 TC that bark sprays in your face and neck when you move your tether up....
Personally I see 2TC as the stepping stone to future SRT/JRB climbing.

 

[mtsrunner]

I've also climbed a bunch of shady scaly bark trees by 2TC, and that is my ONLY dislike of 2 TC that bark sprays in your face and neck when you move your tether up....
Personally I see 2TC as the stepping stone to future SRT/JRB climbing.

I thought so, too. I practiced JRB in my yard all summer. I ended up climbing exactly one tree JRB this season. I guess it just depends on the trees where you hunt. It turned out that where I hunt has a ton of limbless straight trees that don’t have a crotch or horizontal load bearing branch for at least 50’.

 

[2Sloe]

It’d be cool to see a race between two similar-sized people, one 1-sticking and one 2TC, to compare the height achieved with number of moves made in a certain timeframe.
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when you get older you figure out that it’s not a race. How long it takes to get up the tree doesn’t matter…..getting to the tree is the game.

 

[rswink]

when you get older you figure out that it’s not a race. How long it takes to get up the tree doesn’t matter…..getting to the tree is the game.

Not spooking any deer is my game.

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[Samcirrus]

I thought so, too. I practiced JRB in my yard all summer. I ended up climbing exactly one tree JRB this season. I guess it just depends on the trees where you hunt. It turned out that where I hunt has a ton of limbless straight trees that don’t have a crotch or horizontal load bearing branch for at least 50’.

Right! I don't think SRT is any less safe than JRB even though your on 1 vs 2 lines.... I've been putting a bunch of presets in most trees I've climbed this season that I liked. And I'd say 90% will be SRT next year, but I'll always have my 2TC foot tether with me as my backup/ linemans, as well as possibly going higher than my preset.

 

[Samcirrus]

when you get older you figure out that it’s not a race. How long it takes to get up the tree doesn’t matter…..getting to the tree is the game.

I Totally agree that in the field it's never a race and hurrying causes mistakes..... but I really would like to have a competition....just like firemen and lumberjacks do! I just can't travel far from Northern MN as I have a special needs daughter who can't travel easily...so whoever wants to or thinks 1 sticking is faster than 2TC....come to Duluth so I can kick your a**.... lol

 

[GeoFish]

I tried this Friday and it did not work well for me. I need to try this again but I need a better foot aider. The one I have is a 1" strap. Does anyone make a aider with a wider foot loop? Maybe I will contact CGM and see if they can make me one.
Also I tried this in my Dryad. Maybe I need to use my Recon for the learning curve.

 

[Samcirrus]

I tried this Friday and it did not work well for me. I need to try this again but I need a better foot aider. The one I have is a 1" strap. Does anyone make a aider with a wider foot loop? Maybe I will contact CGM and see if they can make me one.
Also I tried this in my Dryad. Maybe I need to use my Recon for the learning curve.

I bought the 2TC thigh loop from them and just sewed the first loop stronger and that has been a VERY comfortable footloop for my foot tether!

 

[bpz89]

Why not 2TC? I’m new to saddle hunting. When I saw someone in a saddle for the first time, the decision to saddle hunt was easy, it was what I had been looking for after dragging that 19 lb Viper around mile after mile on public where I hunt. Picking a saddle was easy, there are many great choices. However picking a way up the tree was an evolution marked by much research and progression. I really didn’t want to trade my Viper for a stack of sticks. I saw DRT/SRT and said that’s awesome, no sticks to carry, I’ll do that. Then I got to watching a little more. These dudes aren’t throwing a bag in the dark, they are mainly using presets, which is less flexible than hunting out of my Summit Viper. I’m like, man I sure want to be able to pick a tree in the dark and climb it. So, who’s throwing a bag in the dark up in trees with no low limbs? Nobody, well there goes DRT/SRT.

Then I saw an awesome demo by Bow Hunter magazine climbing with sticks and a movable aider and I said OK, well maybe a stack of sticks wouldn’t be too bad. Then I saw someone climbing with a Lone Wolf hand climber top and I said wow! That looks awesome, I’ll do that. Then I started hearing about possible limitations. Sometimes it worked, sometime it didn’t, works on some trees, doesn’t work well on others, need to modify the top, and it suffers from the same type of limitations as my Viper. Hmmmm....Oh wow, look at One Stick! Dang that looks great! Don’t really see any limitations, no stack of sticks to haul, no bags to throw, no significant tree limitations, light, mobile, check, check check. That’s the one!.....Then I saw Scott Akins climb a tree with the 2TC and I was like. WOW! It doesn’t get any better than that. Made perfect sense and it was evolutionary if for nothing else, because of it’s simplicity. It’s climbing perfected, if you can perfect the method yourself.

But frankly, at that point, I was starting to suffer from method fatigue. I had to pick something, so I picked one stick because it delivered the best continuum of advantages with the least risk (success wise). It was a method that I knew 100% that I would be able to do. I also have a LWHC top that I’m going to learn as well. But, for the least learning curve, with the most advantages, I think one stick is a good first choice if you really want light and mobile. But once I have those down, I’m coming back to 2TC because I do recognize the potential in that method. Besides, I need something to do after this next season and by then, you guys will have all the kinks worked out! Ha! Ha! Ha! Appreciate all you guys do to further the sport.....

This is where I am currently at

 

[tailgunner]

Sam and red got me itchin ta 2tc.i don't know about the rest of you.but only a woman don't want the smallest lightest softest unit in a little package

 

[Tim0712]

With all the climbing methods available now, and the hundreds of doll hairs being thrown around to achieve the lightest system in the galaxy, I'm wondering why more folks haven't taken to Two Tether Climbing. Some may call it walking on spaghetti strings (my buddy @Weldabeast), but there are a few nuts around here that have become very efficient with it.

For me, an ascending/descending method with minimal buy-in cost that can be stuffed into a cargo pocket is one that's hard to beat. However, I understand that it may not be for everyone and that's exactly what I'd like to explore in this thread. If you've tried 2TC and walked away from it for some reason, would you share why? What didn't work for you? What didn't you like about it? What did you like? And if you've never tried it, what is keeping you from giving it a go?

Maybe together, we can share some tips and/or tricks that will encourage you to try it, or try it again!

@always89y

So I tried it and it was alright but just not for me. I generally hunt the same tree in one day so if I plan to go back to it I leave everything there rappel down and srt back up. 2tc is undoubtedly one of the lightest and most compact methods out there but we all need to thing back to our roots here. 90% came from climbers and lock ons so is carrying a stick that’s a touch under 3 pounds with a platform attached to it really so bad that we need to down grade to just a rope? The sport is becoming so so so over analyzed it’s not even funny. Everyone needs to do what works best for them and not what the internet said is best lol. But long story short here the reason why I don’t 2tc is because by the time I pack a separate tether and a platform or ros it’s really not much lighter than my 1stick and I can’t stand on a ros all day

 

[bpz89]

What is “Northfourtytube” on YouTube using in his 2tc video ???

 

[tarafrost]

2TC is so old school....STT is the way to go, IMO. Even less gear required than 2TC.

 

[Samcirrus]

What is “Northfourtytube” on YouTube using in his 2tc video ???

He posted a number of pictures....search 2TC and read up on all the good threads. My video, with several modifications, is coming ASAP, my only delay is my daughter doesn't want to film me while its negative F outside.....

 

[Samcirrus]

2TC is so old school....STT is the way to go, IMO. Even less gear required than 2TC.

I'm watching the matrix and really working on my flying abilities too.

 

[bpz89]

He posted a number of pictures....search 2TC and read up on all the good threads. My video, with several modifications, is coming ASAP, my only delay is my daughter doesn't want to film me while its negative F outside.....

Looks like he is using the “ leg strap” as a “foot strap”???