The JRB Hitch, a secure, quick release hitch

[John RB]

Team, After researching to no avail, trying to determine if this hitch I devised had been previously published, I submitted to the International Guild of Knot Tyers and then released it on my YouTube channel. This message is NOT authorization to use it for life safety applications, but I am trying to get the word out to solicit additional testing. It's got some obvious possibilities for a retrieveable rappel anchor and more. I rope climb almost exclusively but there are some crotchless trees i need sticks on, and this system can become my tether AND my rappel line. It's locked with a beaner until rappel time. I will soon add a method for adding a double, 2 stage trigger or release. The risk of using something like this is fairly obvious but let me make sure everyone reading this understands it: besides tying it correctly, ya sure don't ever want to pull that release line until your boots are on the ground. Feel free to tie it and test it, safely of course.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLETL-PceEXkaOdAOH-UdDN1-iiODhsInE

 

[arm breaker]

This seems like a really cool knot to know and play with. I hope it gets a nice reception from the guild.

 

[arm breaker]

I think one of the challenges for widespread use in the community will be how many saddle hunters have the extra rope you need for this. Most have just enough rope for a tether to be girth hitched and the same goes for those who rappel after using sticks. Of course lots of SRT folks would have the slack, but in that case it would generally need to be tied from the ground as a canopy hitch to get any benefit. Can you tie it from the ground? My first thought was probably not but curious what you think.

 

[Weldabeast]

Looks like a cool knot but IMO with the influx of peeps getting into saddle/mobile hunting the most simple (easy to tie) knots should be used..... Less chance of incorrect knots and accidents

 

[boyne bowhunter]

Very innovative. All in all that is very cool hitch. That said my first impression was there's no way that's useful to me as I would need to double my rappel rope length.

However, on further consideration I have come up with a couple of applications where I could find this useful. For clarification I typically one stick climb/hunt on a short tether and carry my rappel line in my pouch until I'm ready to use it.

The first application is those occurrences where I've started climbing a tree and after a couple of stick moves I decide that, for whatever reason, I'm going up the wrong tree. Using this hitch would save me extra steps of needing to free up my pull down rope (it doubles duty as a pull up rope on the climb) so that I can retrieve my rope after the short rappel. Typically now I just one stick back down but I would much rather rappel. Since I'm only 10 to 15ft or so my normal rappel line length is plenty.

The second, and probably more frequent usage would be after I have climbed a tree where I've gone around a sharp "V", either a branch or split, that is likely to snag the girth hitch loop of my rappel rope as I try to pull it out of the tree. In that instance I could envision tying the JRB hitch with a short release end (maybe 3-4 ft) and attaching my usual pull down rope to the loop or link I generally use to form my girth hitch. Once on the ground I could release the hitch by pulling on the pull down rope. That way I don't need an extra full length of rappel line for release.

Thanks for sharing. I'm going to have to give this some trials.

 

[arm breaker]

Very innovative. All in all that is very cool hitch. That said my first impression was there's no way that's useful to me as I would need to double my rappel rope length.

However, on further consideration I have come up with a couple of applications where I could find this useful. For clarification I typically once stick climb/hunt on a short tether and carry my rappel line in my pouch until I'm ready to use it.

The first application is those occurrences where I've started climbing a tree and after a couple of stick moves I decide that, for whatever reason, I'm going up the wrong tree. Using this hitch would save me extra steps of needing to free up my pull down rope (it doubles duty as a pull up rope on the climb) so that I can retrieve my rope after the short rappel. Typically now I just one stick back down but I would much rather rappel. Since I'm only 10 to 15ft or so my normal rappel line length is plenty.

The second, and probably more frequent usage would be after I have climbed a tree where I've gone around a sharp "V", either a branch or split, that is likely to snag the girth hitch loop of my rappel rope as I try to pull it out of the tree. In that instance I could envision tying the JRB hitch with a short release end (maybe 3-4 ft) and attaching my usual pull down rope to the loop or link I generally use to form my girth hitch. Once on the ground I could release the hitch by pulling on the pull down rope. That way I don't need an extra full length of rappel line for release.

Thanks for sharing. I'm going to have to give this some trials.

Your first thoughts were similar to mine but your additional thoughts are making me think deeper as I love the general idea behind this knot.

 

[boyne bowhunter]

Your first thoughts were similar to mine but your additional thoughts are making me think deeper as I love the general idea behind this knot.

My biggest concern would be inadvertently grabbing/tangling up in the wrong end of the rope on rappel . . . bad for obvious reasons. However, If I use my pull down string it does provide differentiation between the two.

 

[smcchevy]

Thank you for posting your innovation. I understand others comments about using a longer strand of rope. I'm still looking forward to try it.

My fist thought would be to use pull up rope to link to "trigger" and break the knot that way. The only hurtle in my mind would be how to eliminate a transfer to rappel line at the top of the tree (I climb with a delta link girth hitched to tree and a safeguard).

I think @John RB should at least plan on making a sticker or something to sell to pay for his efforts.

 

[John RB]

Thank you for posting your innovation. I understand others comments about using a longer strand of rope. I'm still looking forward to try it.

My fist thought would be to use pull up rope to link to "trigger" and break the knot that way. The only hurtle in my mind would be how to eliminate a transfer to rappel line at the top of the tree (I climb with a delta link girth hitched to tree and a safeguard).

I think @John RB should at least plan on making a sticker or something to sell to pay for his efforts.

Arm breaker, are you stick climbing? If so, assuming testing continues successfully, the opportunity here is that this knot REPLACES your girth hitch and becomes your tether and rappel line. You tie it when you start, and lock it can cinch it to any desired tension and advance IT up the tree. Should you ever have a stick kick out, and find yourself hanging in the air, maybe with a massive wound, you can simply rappel down. SAFE climbing systems always have a path to ground which can be engaged with limited body function. And I am giving this info away and i can eat the minor costs. Its the right thing to do.

 

[John RB]

Very innovative. All in all that is very cool hitch. That said my first impression was there's no way that's useful to me as I would need to double my rappel rope length.

However, on further consideration I have come up with a couple of applications where I could find this useful. For clarification I typically once stick climb/hunt on a short tether and carry my rappel line in my pouch until I'm ready to use it.

The first application is those occurrences where I've started climbing a tree and after a couple of stick moves I decide that, for whatever reason, I'm going up the wrong tree. Using this hitch would save me extra steps of needing to free up my pull down rope (it doubles duty as a pull up rope on the climb) so that I can retrieve my rope after the short rappel. Typically now I just one stick back down but I would much rather rappel. Since I'm only 10 to 15ft or so my normal rappel line length is plenty.

The second, and probably more frequent usage would be after I have climbed a tree where I've gone around a sharp "V", either a branch or split, that is likely to snag the girth hitch loop of my rappel rope as I try to pull it out of the tree. In that instance I could envision tying the JRB hitch with a short release end (maybe 3-4 ft) and attaching my usual pull down rope to the loop or link I generally use to form my girth hitch. Once on the ground I could release the hitch by pulling on the pull down rope. That way I don't need an extra full length of rappel line for release.

Thanks for sharing. I'm going to have to give this some trials.

So far, I only published instructions on how to tie the hitch, plus some test vids. The line that you pull to release this does not need to be climbing rope. It can simply be paracord or anything, tied on the tail. It does wrap around the tree twice, and so only a few feet more rope are needed than any current rappel system.
And there is more to come. A lot. I can climb a tree using nothing but this hitch, no steps, no platform, no throwball, using nothing but the same system i use to use my "JRB Climbing Method". But i had to release the hitch first. Have u seen me climb? This is not SRT and not DRT:

 

[John RB]

Looks like a cool knot but IMO with the influx of peeps getting into saddle/mobile hunting the most simple (easy to tie) knots should be used..... Less chance of incorrect knots and accidents

Agree. But those using the Stone or Stein knot and fiddlestick for releasable rappel will like this better.

 

[arm breaker]

Arm breaker, are you stick climbing? If so, assuming testing continues successfully, the opportunity here is that this knot REPLACES your girth hitch and becomes your tether and rappel line. You tie it when you start, and lock it can cinch it to any desired tension and advance IT up the tree. Should you ever have a stick kick out, and find yourself hanging in the air, maybe with a massive wound, you can simply rappel down. SAFE climbing systems always have a path to ground which can be engaged with limited body function. And I am giving this info away and i can eat the minor costs. Its the right thing to do.

I one stick climb when I can’t SRT. I think I am following you exactly and really appreciate what you are trying to do with this hitch. As a partial aside, I also watched your other videos and really appreciate your careful thoughts and attention to detail when it comes to climbing. I’m a seasoned deer hunter but still a rank amateur when it comes to proper (typically non-hunting based) climbing techniques. I do have some background experience with rappelling but only really got into it for hunting a couple years ago.

All of that is to say I was not trying to be a downer, and I really appreciate your efforts here. It’s a super cool hitch and as someone envious of novel knot inventors I am quite impressed with the functionality. My only real point was that the way people buy and use ropes en masse around here (meaning saddle hunter in general) means that adoption could be slow due to a lack of slack to work with the knot. As an example, say you buy an 8ft piece of Oplux with a sewn eye. This wouldn't easily work. The same goes for those folks that buy 35-40ft of Canyon as the go to rappelling setup. As I understand your hitch, wouldn’t you need enough rope to go from the ground to hunting height, make the knot, and the almost back to the ground? This works for me as I have some rope to play with, and will, using my one stick technique. I’m just not sure everyone does and people have a tendency to get by with as little of anything as possible, rope included. Either way I’m going to do some testing and tinkering based on both your thoughts and those from @boyne bowhunter above.

 

[John RB]

Very innovative. All in all that is very cool hitch. That said my first impression was there's no way that's useful to me as I would need to double my rappel rope length.

However, on further consideration I have come up with a couple of applications where I could find this useful. For clarification I typically once stick climb/hunt on a short tether and carry my rappel line in my pouch until I'm ready to use it.

The first application is those occurrences where I've started climbing a tree and after a couple of stick moves I decide that, for whatever reason, I'm going up the wrong tree. Using this hitch would save me extra steps of needing to free up my pull down rope (it doubles duty as a pull up rope on the climb) so that I can retrieve my rope after the short rappel. Typically now I just one stick back down but I would much rather rappel. Since I'm only 10 to 15ft or so my normal rappel line length is plenty.

The second, and probably more frequent usage would be after I have climbed a tree where I've gone around a sharp "V", either a branch or split, that is likely to snag the girth hitch loop of my rappel rope as I try to pull it out of the tree. In that instance I could envision tying the JRB hitch with a short release end (maybe 3-4 ft) and attaching my usual pull down rope to the loop or link I generally use to form my girth hitch. Once on the ground I could release the hitch by pulling on the pull down rope. That way I don't need an extra full length of rappel line for release.

Thanks for sharing. I'm going to have to give this some trials.

Nice input. For now, just add it to the toolbox. I have more coming. I can't advertise it in life-sustaining applications when its still being tested and so i needed to publish it to get testing. I will publicize more info later.

 

[John RB]

I one stick climb when I can’t SRT. I think I am following you exactly and really appreciate what you are trying to do with this hitch. As a partial aside, I also watched your other videos and really appreciate your careful thoughts and attention to detail when it comes to climbing. I’m a seasoned deer hunter but still a rank amateur when it comes to proper (typically non-hunting based) climbing techniques. I do have some background experience with rappelling but only really got into it for hunting a couple years ago.

All of that is to say I was not trying to be a downer, and I really appreciate your efforts here. It’s a super cool hitch and as someone envious of novel knot inventors I am quite impressed with the functionality. My only real point was that the way people buy and use ropes en masse around here (meaning saddle hunter in general) means that adoption could be slow due to a lack of slack to work with the knot. As an example, say you buy an 8ft piece of Oplux with a sewn eye. This wouldn't easily work. The same goes for those folks that buy 35-40ft of Canyon as the go to rappelling setup. As I understand your hitch, wouldn’t you need enough rope to go from the ground to hunting height, make the knot, and the almost back to the ground? This works for me as I have some rope to play with, and will, using my one stick technique. I’m just not sure everyone does and people have a tendency to get by with as little of anything as possible, rope included. Either way I’m going to do some testing and tinkering based on both your thoughts and those from @boyne bowhunter above.

Excellent perspective. I started rope climbing in 2008, in a DIY seat, currently in its 6th generation and many DIY climbing systems. I am not the guy who's selling anyone or anything, but i am pushing myself to innovate and I am finding motivation from those who are influenced and asking me questions. Yesterday, i climbed to 25 ft on this hitch and rappeled down. No sticks, no platform, no aider, no throwball, no devices. But i am refining it and before i show THAT, I needed to show this. I waited to show it until now, basically after hunting season for most of us simply because I didn't want anybody trying it in a rush, particularly with their life. My stuff is always going to be a little bit different and not for the masses. But it is lean. 3lbs of rope is all i carry. No pack, no platform, no steps.

 

[arm breaker]

Excellent perspective. I started rope climbing in 2008, in a DIY seat, currently in its 6th generation and many DIY climbing systems. I am not the guy who's selling anyone or anything, but i am pushing myself to innovate and I am finding motivation from those who are influenced and asking me questions. Yesterday, i climbed to 25 ft on this hitch and rappeled down. No sticks, no platform, no aider, no throwball, no devices. But i am refining it and before i show THAT, I needed to show this. I waited to show it until now, basically after hunting season for most of us simply because I didn't want anybody trying it in a rush, particularly with their life. My stuff is always going to be a little bit different and not for the masses. But it is lean. 3lbs of rope is all i carry. No pack, no platform, no steps.

Yeah man it’s a sweet setup for sure—I especially like the simplicity and complete removal of mechanical devices from the system. I have a few questions about your general climbing method but those may be best asked elsewhere, like the climbing method forum.

 

[sdoyle1]

Arm breaker, are you stick climbing? If so, assuming testing continues successfully, the opportunity here is that this knot REPLACES your girth hitch and becomes your tether and rappel line. You tie it when you start, and lock it can cinch it to any desired tension and advance IT up the tree. Should you ever have a stick kick out, and find yourself hanging in the air, maybe with a massive wound, you can simply rappel down. SAFE climbing systems always have a path to ground which can be engaged with limited body function. And I am giving this info away and i can eat the minor costs. Its the right thing to do.

I’ve tied this knot and played around with it a bit. Didn’t even think about being able to loosen it up and advance it. I’ll have to check that out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[woodsdog2]

That is really slick. Following!

 

[John RB]

I’ve tied this knot and played around with it a bit. Didn’t even think about being able to loosen it up and advance it. I’ll have to check that out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I haven't covered how to loosen it in video and so i will describe it. 1st, if the tree is fairly uniform in its shape, and ya don't cinch it really tight, you might not need to... but here's how its done: 1. Remove load, but ensure its locked with a beaner. 2. Position hands: Left hand goes on the top strand on the left side, which is the load line after it goes through the hitch. Right hand goes on bottom strand coming out of hitch. 3. Starting with the left hand, wiggle about 4 in of slack into the upper band while simultaneously taking about 2in with the right hand into the bottom band. Then advance and recinch.

 

[woodsdog2]

Ok so in rappel situations to insure you do not accidentally hit the release line on your descent, you would place the biner on the loop as you explained. Would you then have a line on the biner to be able to extract your rope from the tree once you're at the base?

 

[Chrighton]

Awesome stuff. Thanks for sharing. Following for sure and I will play with this... in the basement for now. Great videos, explanations and innovation... all of the above.