What cord are you using on Canyon Elite?

[Marmuzz]

Past few seasons I’ve been climbing on Canyon Elite with a friction hitch above a belay device. I’ve used 6mm TRC and 6mm PROBE eye-to-eye sling because of their heat properties for rappelling but I have hated them both. They load super hard and take major effort to tend or release… tried Distel, Mich, Cornell, Klemheist, Swabish, etc.

Today just for kicks I ground-tested Sterling 7mm and Teufelberger Sirius 8mm accessory cords in a Swabish on Elite and found they grabbed reliably and tended quite easily.

I’m thinking strongly of switching to the Sirius cord, even though it’s technically too big at 8mm to go on Elite 9mm… but IMO Canyon Elite is not a true 9mm, maybe closer to 10.5mm; nor is TRC true 6mm, maybe more like 5.5mm; eyeballing those ropes of the same stated diameter.

What cord are you all using on Canyon Elite?

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

Not for Canyon Elite so sorry to be the first stinky pickle but @Fl Canopy Stalker turned me onto 7mm Bluewater for my 9mm HTP. Should be arriving soon. I like 7mm better than 6mm for rappel but I like my 6mm TRC as my tethering hitch. Excited to see how the Bluewater performs on rappel versus the TRC.

 

[Marmuzz]

Not for Canyon Elite so sorry to be the first stinky pickle but @Fl Canopy Stalker turned me onto 7mm Bluewater for my 9mm HTP. Should be arriving soon. I like 7mm better than 6mm for rappel but I like my 6mm TRC as my tethering hitch. Excited to see how the Bluewater performs on rappel versus the TRC.

Like this?

7mm VT PRUSIK - BlueWater Ropes

The 7mm VT Prusik was designed for use on smaller diameter ropes. This specialty design features a tough, heat resistant Technora aramid sheath over durable nylon core strands. The core in this kernmantle design keeps the VT from flattening and binding up. A computerized large gauge sewing...

www.bluewaterropes.com

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

Like this?

7mm VT PRUSIK - BlueWater Ropes

The 7mm VT Prusik was designed for use on smaller diameter ropes. This specialty design features a tough, heat resistant Technora aramid sheath over durable nylon core strands. The core in this kernmantle design keeps the VT from flattening and binding up. A computerized large gauge sewing...

www.bluewaterropes.com

Yes but I bought by the foot from WoodHuntingSaddles.com

 

[Horn]

I'm using the sterling 7mm DanO sells in a stitch hitch. Haven't even thought of changing since I put that on

 

[Marmuzz]

I'm using the sterling 7mm DanO sells in a stitch hitch. Haven't even thought of changing since I put that on

Are you rappelling with it?

 

[Horn]

Are you rappelling with it?

Yeah, I use a figure 8 below the hitch if I'm doing it the way I think you're talking about. Could use the madrock too, I'd still go below the hitch and this is what I do more often. Also learned the munter style JRB shows on that set up

When I put that on I was almost 220 pounds and I find it grabs reliably, tends easy and releases easy enough for me. I think I tried both 6mm and 8mm on there too and 7 is where it was at for me. Working well at 200# too

 

[Marmuzz]

Yeah, I use a figure 8 below the hitch if I'm doing it the way I think you're talking about. Could use the madrock too, I'd still go below the hitch and this is what I do more often. Also learned the munter style JRB shows on that set up

When I put that on I was almost 220 pounds and I find it grabs reliably, tends easy and releases easy enough for me. I think I tried both 6mm and 8mm on there too and 7 is where it was at for me. Working well at 200# too

Thanks. Good work on the 20#

I’ve always been worried about heat on non-rated cord on rappel. Maybe a device like an ATC or figure 8 mitigates that enough.

 

[Marmuzz]

@Horn do you have a picture of how you have this rigged with a stitcht hitch?

 

[Horn]

I don't have a picture of it , I can take some this afternoon @Marmuzz Are you looking for anything in particular? I know that one has a brass ring from Farm and Home in it, I think my tether does too. They had the smoothest weld I found

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

@Marmuzz search for “Sticht” under posts made by @Brocky. He’s been helping me and others in the “Friction Hitches” thread with this one lately. He’s got versions of it with a ring and without, what he calls a “soft sticht”. You may have already been aware of this activity in that thread. Anyway, lots of pics from him in there, really helpful.

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

@Horn do you have a picture of how you have this rigged with a stitcht hitch?

This is a practice Soft Sticht with too-small normal cord. But the concept is the same. Cord forms its own friction ring above the bottom vertical lines, and I had this attached right to my fig8 as Brocky showed us. I will be trying the same rig when my Bluewater 7mm comes in.
I know the question wasn’t directed at me but I had a pic handy.

 

[Marmuzz]

I don't have a picture of it , I can take some this afternoon @Marmuzz Are you looking for anything in particular? I know that one has a brass ring from Farm and Home in it, I think my tether does too. They had the smoothest weld I found

Yeah I’m curious what hardware you’re using. A pic with the ring would be great, thanks.

 

[Marmuzz]

View attachment 93932
This is a practice Soft Sticht with too-small normal cord. But the concept is the same. Cord forms its own friction ring above the bottom vertical lines, and I had this attached right to my fig8 as Brocky showed us. I will be trying the same rig when my Bluewater 7mm comes in.
I know the question wasn’t directed at me but I had a pic handy.

Thanks for this. Yeah, I’ve been reading Brocky’s advice on that thread and trying to understand how to incorporate it into my system. Are you ascending like this setup in the photo, or just rappelling?

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

Thanks for this. Yeah, I’ve been reading Brocky’s advice on that thread and trying to understand how to incorporate it into my system. Are you ascending like this setup in the photo, or just rappelling?

So far just rappelling. No need to ascend on ropes yet but I may try in the near future. And not rappelling with this on a live hunt yet, just 8’ off ground from one stick. I’ve rappelled from hunting height with other hitches but wasn’t satisfied. Trying this weekend from hunt hopefully.
Here, I grabbed my rappel rope out of my bag and I had it re-tied with TRC. Had to add 2 extra wraps for a little more friction and to eat more cord up but it performs beautifully from 8’ up. I do think 7mm however, will be the sweet spot for this hitch on my 9mm HTP (which is really stiff compared to what I’ve heard about Canyon, but still pliable and breaks itself in well).

 

[Horn]

I leave my decent device completely separate from my hitch. I just put the device on, then slowly switch from my hitch to my 8/madrock/munter and drag the hitch down like JRB does

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

I leave my decent device completely separate from my hitch. I just put the device on, then slowly switch from my hitch to my 8/madrock/munter and drag the hitch down like JRB does

Still deciding which I like better, separate or attached.

 

[Horn]

Keep us posted, I'm curious about the stitch/8 combo

 

[Horn]

Here are some pics @Marmuzz . I can throw my saddle on and show how I'd hook up if you'd like. I'd be on the hitch with my bridge long from hunting usually. And I use a sling for the short one that would attach to the madrock/8. Or another questions / pics are no problem

The brass ring is 1.625 od/wide and .25 thick, so 1.125 id. I know I got that at farm and home but that was mostly handy and had the smoothest seam.

Yup I let the end be frayed in dangerous (?) Fashion. I meant to fix it buuutttt life happened and in the pack it went. Maybe I ought to tape it.

 

[Marmuzz]

Here are some pics @Marmuzz . I can throw my saddle on and show how I'd hook up if you'd like. I'd be on the hitch with my bridge long from hunting usually. And I use a sling for the short one that would attach to the madrock/8. Or another questions / pics are no problem

Thanks much for the photos. I think I follow… on rappel you have the hitch to one bridge and a device on another, yeah? Does that provide additional friction on the rope so the hitch can release easier?

And what’s your way up the tree? Are you ascending on the Sticht?