Yep. They are adjustable to your feet via the castration bands and are adjustable in height via the 2nd tether hitch.
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Why don't yall 2TC?
- Thread starter Red Beard
- Start date
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- 2tc two tether climbing
Yep. They are adjustable to your feet via the castration bands and are adjustable in height via the 2nd tether hitch.
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For those that use a distel hitch, are you using 3 or 4 wraps? 3 wraps seems to hold fine and is easy to move. Everything I've read states 4 wraps but it's almost harder to move than a prusik.
I like it. As long as the hitch cord diameter is proportional to the main line, say 9mm main line to 7mm hitch cord it works well. The Distel works by elongation and is easier to break by compressing it lengthwise. A Prussik sort of grabs like a fist and can get very tight. A Swabish is another good hitch.
I counted again and I had 1 too many wraps. Undid that wrap and it’s a world of difference. Also sewed a tender which makes things much easier.
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Something like this? Only issue I saw with it was that there would be a minimum tree size, to prevent overlapping. This wouldn’t be that hard to make if you had a small piece of spring steel….like shipping crate banding material.
Did a few climbs today on different trees and noticed I couldn't advance the tethers to the same height on each tree. It then dawned on me that different diameter trees will use different lengths of rope for the girth hitch. It's stupid obvious but it you run a short tether, it'll make a difference.
For example, this is how much rope is used to girth hitch various diameter trees:
8"=25"
10"=31"
12"=38"
As you can see, going from a 8" diameter to a 12" diameter tree uses an extra 13" of rope.
For example, this is how much rope is used to girth hitch various diameter trees:
8"=25"
10"=31"
12"=38"
As you can see, going from a 8" diameter to a 12" diameter tree uses an extra 13" of rope.
^^^ That's part of the reason for lots and lots of pre-season practice... 
Last year was my first year of saddle huntin' and I climbed a half a zillion different trees that spring/summer and it really pays off to know kinda what to expect out of a tree just by looking at it. (if you've already climbed a similar tree)
Last year was my first year of saddle huntin' and I climbed a half a zillion different trees that spring/summer and it really pays off to know kinda what to expect out of a tree just by looking at it. (if you've already climbed a similar tree)
This big maple defeated me, stopped the climb at 4’. started with my rappel/top tether canyon IV, then tried my oplux backup tether, but just couldn’t get it done. It’s the largest tree i would climb with sticks, i can just touch my hands hugging the tree, leaning slightly toward me, with a big bulge at 11 ft. Couldn’t safely push the tether up without snaking my hands under the tether. i have the leg loop, so i could have pulled that out of the pack, and slapped it on , or maybe even used a linesman….but that‘s pretty complex, too much Fiddling at the base of the tree.
So the answer for why don’t y’all 2tc, as others have said, is a matter of the trees where you hunt. Anything big, and with any bulges is no go, at least for me and my system. Any tree basketball or smaller 2 limbs or less to pass is a no-brainer 2 TC, and with a relatively quiet, simple system. We’ve got an early season start, and I have family stuff next 3 weeks, so scouting, cams, and most practice is in the bag. It will be 2 TC early season, since i can (almost) always find a smaller tree where i hunt with good cover. Regarding SRT, i set a few presets, but too many crotchless trees where i hunt. I’m thinking about packing a false crotch, and leaving in trees that have eventful hunts where i know I’ll be back, since SRT is by far safest and easiest for me. (And i force it to be quiet with a very slow setup).
Rut will depend on weather. (I pack the platform for longer sits, so might was well strap the 3 sticks.
After rut, cold weather, bare trees, I’ll go back to my 3 hawks with movable diamondback 5 step etrier, with rappel. It’s a system i got pretty good with last year, and is quiet.
Next season, i’ll see where we evolve this, and decide to upgrade my 2TC to get up most any tree, or i might invest In a quality 1 stick, and go that route. Since there are quite a few crotchless trees about this size in my deer woods, We definitely need to innovate some easier, 1-hand tether movements to make this viable for a wider range of trees. Any tips you guys have that are simple. (Maybe tether handles?) are welcome. Also, i added some webbing to the ropes to help protect them, i don’t think they make movement any better or worse.
So the answer for why don’t y’all 2tc, as others have said, is a matter of the trees where you hunt. Anything big, and with any bulges is no go, at least for me and my system. Any tree basketball or smaller 2 limbs or less to pass is a no-brainer 2 TC, and with a relatively quiet, simple system. We’ve got an early season start, and I have family stuff next 3 weeks, so scouting, cams, and most practice is in the bag. It will be 2 TC early season, since i can (almost) always find a smaller tree where i hunt with good cover. Regarding SRT, i set a few presets, but too many crotchless trees where i hunt. I’m thinking about packing a false crotch, and leaving in trees that have eventful hunts where i know I’ll be back, since SRT is by far safest and easiest for me. (And i force it to be quiet with a very slow setup).
Rut will depend on weather. (I pack the platform for longer sits, so might was well strap the 3 sticks.
After rut, cold weather, bare trees, I’ll go back to my 3 hawks with movable diamondback 5 step etrier, with rappel. It’s a system i got pretty good with last year, and is quiet.
Next season, i’ll see where we evolve this, and decide to upgrade my 2TC to get up most any tree, or i might invest In a quality 1 stick, and go that route. Since there are quite a few crotchless trees about this size in my deer woods, We definitely need to innovate some easier, 1-hand tether movements to make this viable for a wider range of trees. Any tips you guys have that are simple. (Maybe tether handles?) are welcome. Also, i added some webbing to the ropes to help protect them, i don’t think they make movement any better or worse.
@TommyDee, I wouldn't even attempt to 2TC that tree for the reason you mentioned, too big a diameter. For a tree like that, I'd SRT over one of the upper limbs with a base anchor.
There's no one method that'll fit all trees and this is where scouting and/or knowing your area is key. In my area, the "perfect" areas didn't have good SRT trees but would've made for great 2TC trees. Since I'm dedicated to 2TC this year, Uncle Murphy will make sure the opposite is true. Yet, bringing climbing methods for every scenario every time is probably the least practical.
There's no one method that'll fit all trees and this is where scouting and/or knowing your area is key. In my area, the "perfect" areas didn't have good SRT trees but would've made for great 2TC trees. Since I'm dedicated to 2TC this year, Uncle Murphy will make sure the opposite is true. Yet, bringing climbing methods for every scenario every time is probably the least practical.
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2TC on the Sticht hitches. Using Garda foot loop on bottom tether to go around limbs. I think I like it better. Keep my top tether simple, and bottom tether as always the one I stand on.
That was awesome. Nice job. You're bridges look long in that video, was that just the angle? Also, what bridges are you using? Are you getting your gear and knot info from the JRB site?
Haha thanks man, glad you enjoyed it
The bridges are adjustable but they’re just at a length that make sitting in the saddle while being suspended from just a tether comfortable. The angle of the camera does make them look longer though.
My bridges are just ones I made with webbing and Austrian alpine frame buckles.
No I do not get my rope and knot info from the JRB site. I did originally start using two bridges for my modified JRB climbing system; however, I found utility in having two bridges and recently added it back.
I picked up a 14’ piece of the orange 7/16” HTP (11mm) rope on clearance a year ago and have been using different cord with it but I really liked it despite it being stiff for a main tether. When I really started 2TC I liked it even more and told myself I would pick up more of it up eventually. I just found 54’ on clearance and couldn’t pass it up. The cord is something new I’m trying. It’s sterling RIT, I bought them with sewn eyes for $20 at wespur with my order. They’re 8mm but they’ve done quite well on my rope. They have a good feel and grab well. I’ll see how they hold up, but there’s a lot of cord that works.
The Sticht hitch is one that @Brocky has shared before. I’ve used it on and off but never a lot. This is kind of the first time I’m forcing myself to put it through its paces and see if I like it.
Nice video, @gcr0003! A few questions on the sticht hitches: @Brocky might be able to help, too
1. The EWO 6mm sterling eye to eye is likely too short for 8 mm or 9mm, so wondering if anyone has the right length to tie this on 9 mm canyon IV, and best place to source (wesspur?). I like the eye to Eye for less bulk.
2. Interested in how many of here are using the larger HTP rope for ease of tether movement. Or are some of you using handles. I tried putting some 1” webbing to protect Tether, but doesn’t help moving it. Easy upper tether movement is key on larger trees, still trying to dial this in.
3. I’m an always rappel guy. Anyone know if you can rappel slowly with just this sticht hitch and an autoblock on the right linesman? If yes, might be worth picking up the rings and cord to try. Otherwise, I’ll probably stick with my Mich+ mammut smart setup.
For newer guys watching, those big moves are not great for the less agile crowd….you’re good enough to pull it off, but if a newer climber tries and kicks out of the footloop, might be a rough catch. It’s awesome to see how good guys are getting at this.
1. The EWO 6mm sterling eye to eye is likely too short for 8 mm or 9mm, so wondering if anyone has the right length to tie this on 9 mm canyon IV, and best place to source (wesspur?). I like the eye to Eye for less bulk.
2. Interested in how many of here are using the larger HTP rope for ease of tether movement. Or are some of you using handles. I tried putting some 1” webbing to protect Tether, but doesn’t help moving it. Easy upper tether movement is key on larger trees, still trying to dial this in.
3. I’m an always rappel guy. Anyone know if you can rappel slowly with just this sticht hitch and an autoblock on the right linesman? If yes, might be worth picking up the rings and cord to try. Otherwise, I’ll probably stick with my Mich+ mammut smart setup.
For newer guys watching, those big moves are not great for the less agile crowd….you’re good enough to pull it off, but if a newer climber tries and kicks out of the footloop, might be a rough catch. It’s awesome to see how good guys are getting at this.
There is also a 6.8mm RIT, it is a 16 strand single braid, easily spliced. There’s a no metal Sticht that I just developed in my Knot and Hitch Fabricating and Research Lab.
I will say that the Sticht hitch doesn’t require a lot of rope length from what I have seen. You will just have to tie it and see if it works. I think most standard length eye to eye cords would work. The main thing on that smaller diameter rope and cord would be getting a smaller metal ring so the rope can’t pull through.