Good question, I'm usually a 1 sticker, but I'm gonna go throw some up this weekend. Give me a chance to practice 1sticking and srt climbs and throws also. I'm practicing a lot now anyways, so by fall it should be natural movements.
I noticed that ascender has no hole near the top to attach a carabiner. This is part of the 3:1 mechanical advantage part of SRT/RADS. It makes the climb much easier. REI has a return policy of I think 30 days on clearance merchandise and 1 year on full price items. Here is a picture that shows the 3:1. The climb is basically reach up with hand ascender and your foot. Stand up on foot loop and pull in slack with non ascender hand then sit down. Repeat until you get to height. If you get sweaty you are doing it wrong. Pulling the ascender towards your body as much as possible so your body is nearly vertical and standing up in the foot loop nearly vertical, is key. You are trying to go up so pushing down makes it easier. Not pushing sideways with your foot.
I noticed that ascender has no hole near the top to attach a carabiner. This is part of the 3:1 mechanical advantage part of SRT/RADS. It makes the climb much easier. REI has a return policy of I think 30 days on clearance merchandise and 1 year on full price items. Here is a picture that shows the 3:1. The climb is basically reach up with hand ascender and your foot. Stand up on foot loop and pull in slack with non ascender hand then sit down. Repeat until you get to height. If you get sweaty you are doing it wrong. Pulling the ascender towards your body as much as possible so your body is nearly vertical and standing up in the foot loop nearly vertical, is key. You are trying to go up so pushing down makes it easier. Not pushing sideways with your foot.
Edit: I checked the return policy and it may be 1 year on the Kong. I'm not sure.
You could pass the rope from your Safeguard through you bottom carabiner on your ascender but it should have a smooth surface to slide on and not a foot loop strap. I tie my foot loop strap to the bottom hole in the ascender since it NEVER has to come off.
It sounds like you got it right. Maybe you need a bit more practice to make it easier. I had a hell of a time until I realized I must stand up straight and push down with my foot not sideways. That is a Petzl rollclip. I bought it in a SRT kit from a member here who tried SRT and did not want to continue. I think a plain smooth carabiner would work nearly as well. I wouldn't spend $40 on the rollclip alone. I will try a plain carabiner and let you know if there is much difference.
I set one paracord loop where I hunt and the next hunt I spent about half an hour and could not find it. I climbed the nearest tree and hunted that day. The next time, still could not find it after 15 minutes. About 2 more hunts later I finally took a long walk and zig-zaged through the woods for about an hour and found it. I didn't set any presets after that. The woods all look the same when you are in them. No wonder people get lost.
I could see that, im not sure how im gonna figure that out yet. considering taking pictures of the tree so i know which one im looking for.I set one paracord loop where I hunt and the next hunt I spent about half an hour and could not find it. I climbed the nearest tree and hunted that day. The next time, still could not find it after 15 minutes. About 2 more hunts later I finally took a long walk and zig-zaged through the woods for about an hour and found it. I didn't set any presets after that. The woods all look the same when you are in them. No wonder people get lost.
To find the paracord, I thought about GPS using onxhunt but the accuracy didn't seem excellent. Lowes has some reflective stranded paracord which would be good for trying to find it in the dark but it may go missing if others see the reflection.
ive been thinking about it, if i were to attach a friction knot above the safeguard, would the little metal plate and the way that the safeguard feeds work as a tender and push a knot up as i ascend, backing up my safeguard?
That should work although it would add another attachment point. The ascender is already attached. You are only attached to the ascender with your foot loop. If the Safeguard were to fail you could end up hanging upside down from your foot loop. Your friction knot above the Safeguard should prevent that as would my climbing sling attached to my ascender.
I think I found a suitable solution, I went to my local fleet shop today and picked up little reflective orange flag markers with clips ($3). I think I can just loop a bight of the paracord and clip this guy on there, hoist it up the tree 8 feet or so. Should at least give me something to look for when I know I'm close to my camo paracord rope. But hopefully discreet enough for people not to mess with it. Weighs nothing to throw one in a pouch or pocket
I hunt public land and I will go out end of August to beginning of September and begin scouting. This is when I will put up set lines.
Yesterday, I went to the park with my 35 foot long 8.5mm hunting rope with a 40 foot paracord tied to the loop. I threw over a high limb on the first throw with my 12 oz weight and 300lb test Dyneema fishing line. I pulled the rope up and discovered another limb was in the loop. I pulled my throwline back up, attached the weight and swung it so the extra limb was not captured then started pulling my rope up again. When it got up pretty high, I realized the rope was not going to reach the ground when cinched. I pulled it down with the paracord then went home. It was still an hour till sunset so I grabbed the climbing rope that was left over when I cut off the 35 foot piece, about 125 feet. I didn't need any paracord since I could use the excess rope to pull itself down. I threw over a slightly different crotch at the same height. It took me 4 tries. I found out that I needed to stand back so I was throwing less vertical. When I did, the next throw went right over the crotch. I pulled up the rope, tied an alpine butterfly loop, passed the end through the loop and pulled it up. It took about 10 minutes. I still had about an hour till sunset so I walked home and got my Black Diamond Alpine Bod, a extremely light weight climbing harness and my left hand ascender (GM climbing) and descender (Beal Birdie). I pulled my self up about 10 feet and the Birdie worked really well. The Alpine Bod was a bit uncomfortable since it was so small so I did not go higher. I also did not have my secondary attachment sling to my ascender for backup so I was a bit concerned about having no backup. I swung around a bit and it was getting a little dark so I descended and pulled down the rope and went home. Today, I plan to set my 11mm Bluewater Assault line in the tree and climb up about 45 feet. I feel better climbing on more stout line at greater height. 8.5mm rope seems fine at 25 feet. At 50 feet it feels less comfortable. This time, I will take my DIY Yellow Jacket (tm) saddle for comfort and my Petzl right hand ascender which I am more comfortable using. Happy climbing!
