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Talk DRTy to me

gcr0003 said:
Yea copy that. I’m just debating on what rope to buy. The .5” arborist rope from Samson Is actually $20 cheaper than the predator rope and only 2 lbs more. I’m considering longevity and ease of grip at this point over weight.
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Arborist rope is designed to handle the friction. From what I’ve been told the strength in climbing rope is more in the sheath and less in the core and arborist rope is the opposite making it safer for tree work.


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Just wrap a prusik under the Blake's and loop and clip your tether to it for a foot accender, WAY easier method than pulling and hip thrusting.
 
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I tried DRT with a foot ascender. It worked fine although it is twice as slow as SRT but twice as easy due the double rope. SLOW.
 
I was messing with DRT at ground level just to see if I could make it work, vis a vis NYSaddleHunter vids, with 8mm Black Diamond static rope. My Blake’s hitch might move on the first thrust, then it was bound up. Couldn’t figure it out. I’m either tying the knot wrong, or this is just not something you do with 8mm climbing rope.

I should probably be using bigger diameter arborist rope for the abrasion issue.

Does anybody DRT with 8mm?
 
Camacho said:
I was messing with DRT at ground level just to see if I could make it work, vis a vis NYSaddleHunter vids, with 8mm Black Diamond static rope. My Blake’s hitch might move on the first thrust, then it was bound up. Couldn’t figure it out. I’m either tying the knot wrong, or this is just not something you do with 8mm climbing rope.

I should probably be using bigger diameter arborist rope for the abrasion issue.

Does anybody DRT with 8mm?
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If you made a separate loop for your bridge and use a 3 or 4 wrap Klemheist knot with that rope it might slide easier. NY saddleHunter has a video where he uses a Bachmann knot, that shouldn't bind up too bad either.
 
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Camacho said:
I was messing with DRT at ground level just to see if I could make it work, vis a vis NYSaddleHunter vids, with 8mm Black Diamond static rope. My Blake’s hitch might move on the first thrust, then it was bound up. Couldn’t figure it out. I’m either tying the knot wrong, or this is just not something you do with 8mm climbing rope.

I should probably be using bigger diameter arborist rope for the abrasion issue.

Does anybody DRT with 8mm?
Click to expand...
I have seen a lot of videos on DRT and everyone uses 10.5mm or 11mm rope. Since each line is supporting half your weight 8mm should be OK, I think. Arborist rope still must have a minimum breaking strength of 5400 lbs. even when used for DRT. Strange. Knots make it weaker so I guess that is the reason or rope damage from sliding over the tree means it must be stronger.
 
Could also be static line vs 24 strand like predator....I had 9mm HTP Static briefly and the blakes hitch was difficult and nowhere near as easy as it is with the 11mm Samson Predator I have now. NY Saddle Hunter even talks about the poor knot characteristics with static line.
 
Well after 5 months of buying and selling saddles sticks, bows and other various items I finally decided to procure some predator rope for the ole DRT. Excited to test it out next week!
 
B935CD66-9E59-4AFE-82C0-E77A9D95063F.jpeg

How am I suppose to get any work done when I have good rope just waiting to be climbed at the house?
 
gcr0003 said:
View attachment 29788
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Well @Nutterbuster told me I ought not fool with this bs but here I am. DRT day one whooped me.

I didn’t have zingit or similar throw line and it really showed. It took me about 10 throws to hit my given limb, but it took forever to baby it down because the string didn’t slide well across the bark. I had no problem feeding the climbing rope over the branch; however, I did struggle to get it near the crotch. I probably hit the right limb three times before I got it close enough to the crotch so that I was comfortable enough to climb it. My first hook up was awful. I really struggled with getting the Blake’s hitch to bite. I felt like no matter how tight I made the knot the rope just wouldn’t bite down enough to hold my bouncing weight. I finally got the knot to bite enough to convince me it was safe to climb and up I went. It’s only about 100deg with 80% humidity so everything was sweating, including my hands. Well I guess my white collar hands were no match for this rope because I ripped the meat right off as I climbed. Luckily I called the wife and had her bring me some gloves. I would say gloves are unquestionably mandatory.

I didn’t trust the Blake’s hitch alone to rappel so I fed the tag end through a figure 8 curtesy of @Redbeard and came on down. I untied and tied back in. I made my bridge even shorter and adjusted my Blake’s hitch. I found that ascending and progressing the knot was manageable, even easy, but having to constantly hold the line tight due to the Blake’s hitch not biting well really wore my upper body out.

Hanging while suspending from the rope for a breather felt like more work than climbing. Don’t do that. Get to where you’re climbing and get there fast.

It doesn’t seem like a more efficient way of climbing by any means as of now. That’s said, I doubted one sticking too and I have since proven it’s utility to myself. If nothing else I’m going to continue to climb a few days a week so that I can get as shredded as @Blinginpse by the time hunting season gets here.

Any of you DRT pros know what could have caused the Blake’s hitch to suck so bad or is that just the nature of the knot?

First and second go at it. Time lapses.
https://imgur.com/a/zvEYc53
 
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I have not had a problem with the Blake's hitch ever. I tighten it as much as I can after tying it then lean into my saddle and my weight does the rest. I also had problems with my bare hand at first but I think it is a timing issue. You dont pull yourself up so much,the pull should just be to take the slack created by the hip thrust up.
It gets easier as you practice more.
 
Bowmanmike said:
I have not had a problem with the Blake's hitch ever. I tighten it as much as I can after tying it then lean into my saddle and my weight does the rest. I also had problems with my bare hand at first but I think it is a timing issue. You dont pull yourself up so much,the pull should just be to take the slack created by the hip thrust up.
It gets easier as you practice more.
Click to expand...

Maybe it’s because it’s new rope? Maybe it needs broke in a little?
 
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