I like the rubber hose on my foot loop, it adds a bit of comfort, it also keeps the loop open so you can take your foot in and out easier when passing limbs or just as you climb
-
The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
-
We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules
Why don't yall 2TC?
- Thread starter Red Beard
- Start date
-
- Tags
- 2tc two tether climbing
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2022
- Messages
- 4,274
I'm happy to hear you are finding some success with 2TC. I added the rubber hose and with the reflectors in order to help hold the loop open and so that I could easily find my footing in the dark, mainly coming down the tree. It probably does help with comfort, but I am only standing in my foot tether with all my weight for about 20 to 25 seconds at a time. I take my foot out of the foot tether each time before I move it up the tree. From your picture, it appears you are tightening the loop down on your foot? Is this the way you are doing it?
Yea Muzz, it looks like your Blake’s Hitch tether is pretty short.
I use ones like that and don’t sinch it down on my foot. I use the hitch to adjust for different size trees…
I use ones like that and don’t sinch it down on my foot. I use the hitch to adjust for different size trees…
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2020
- Messages
- 1,557
Try a 4" wide footloop! The comfort level difference is amazing!
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2018
- Messages
- 8,054
One of the awesome things about the Blake’s hitch is if you have a long enough tether is how it stays open and is easy to get your foot in. I would stay away from cinching it onto your foot.
Wether rope or webbing the shorter your foot loop is the more side pressure you will have. That’s why the cinch was so painful. I have found that shin length is the sweet spot.
Wether rope or webbing the shorter your foot loop is the more side pressure you will have. That’s why the cinch was so painful. I have found that shin length is the sweet spot.
Marmuzz
Well-Known Member
Yes, that's what I tried.
Admittedly it is. I know @NMSbowhunter has been advocating 14-15' of Predator but this 11' EWO tether was the only Predator I had on hand. It is too short for this use but I do find the Predator is very nice to tie this way.
That makes sense. Again, rationale for a longer piece of rope to tie the Blake's and/or designing a wider footloop.
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2022
- Messages
- 4,274
This is about the sweet spot for length and proportion for me. And yes, the whole thing is made of about 14 feet of predator. I usually set the loop about 22 to 24 inches off the ground, which for me is a good step up. Right now, you may just have to work with what you have and if this method seems to be working for you it might be worth buying some longer rope. Sometimes Wesspur will have short pieces of Predator for sale in the clearance area on their website. Also sold by the foot.
www.wesspur.com
KMII Max 11mm - Bulk Rope
We sell our climbing ropes by the foot for your custom lengths and rope projects.
www.wesspur.com
Attachments
Last edited:
htimsds9999
Member
What are the extra hitch and carabineer on the foot tether for?
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2022
- Messages
- 4,274
For me it serves two purposes. The main purpose is as a connection to hang the backpack while setting my ring of steps on the way up the tree and as the backpack's home once I am up at hunting height. I push the Distel hitch all the way up to capture the main loop of the foot tether and clip the backpack in once I am at hunting height.
The other lesser purpose it serves is as a means to cross limbs while climbing. I have used this once this season and zero times last season. In this scenario I move up the tree until I encounter a limb. I then clip my saddle's bridge into the Distel hitch on the foot tether, and then weight it, I then remove tension on the top tether until all my weight is on the foot tether. I then unclip the main tether and remove it from the tree, move it above the limb and reattach it to the tree. I then clip into the main tether while still connected to the foot tether. I then reweight the top tether and unweight and detach the foot tether.
Attachments
I do pretty much the same thing as Mississippi except I don't keep my carabiner on it.
It is my tether handle as well. (check my avatar)
Hey I actually found a picture where I am going around a limb…
Marmuzz
Well-Known Member
Dang sir I get it but the amount of ropes and hitches you got going on in this picture…
Hahahaha
Don't let the second bridge scare you.
Don't let the second bridge scare you.
Andrew
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2018
- Messages
- 289
I need to revisit the blake hitch foot loop. I like the simplicity of it. My biggest worry with it is it seems like you have limited adjustment for different size trees. Maybe I’m wrong.
Also on smaller trees when I did get it adjusted right, the foot loop was huge.
Also on smaller trees when I did get it adjusted right, the foot loop was huge.
Once you get familiar tying it you can adjust it with a longer tail to keep everything the proportion you want it to be.
Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk
BuckTown
Well-Known Member
I’m still in “research mode” on the 2TC idea for next year. Pardon my ignorance here, but does this Blake’s hitch not adjust like prussic or other friction knots? And if it
doesn’t, why not just tie it to a prussic instead? I’m not exactly seeing the issue with adjustment on various tree sizes y’all are discussing here.
doesn’t, why not just tie it to a prussic instead? I’m not exactly seeing the issue with adjustment on various tree sizes y’all are discussing here.
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2022
- Messages
- 4,274
A Blakes hitch is unidirectional. It only tightens in one direction. A Prussik is bidirectional. It will tighten in both directions. You put weight down into it and it locks solid. You pull up on it and it loosens nicely.
The only downside I see is on really small diameter trees with the foot tether I have as I have it sized. On basketball diameter trees up to maybe 30 inch diameter the adjustment range is fine. On small diameter trees, which I hardly ever climb, the length of the foot tether can make it a little more prone to trying to swing out. Add to that a small diameter tree and you just have to be more careful.
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2022
- Messages
- 4,274
I sized it to fit the majority of the trees that I climb, those ranging from basketball diameter to maybe a little over 30 inches or so. I hardly ever climb small diameter trees so it's not generally too big a deal. On small diameter trees the foot loop can be a little long and add to that the more pronounced rounded radius of a small tree there is more chance of your foot slipping. It is just something to be aware of and pay attention too. I don't like small trees anyway since I like a tree to be at least shoulder width to hide behind. I'm halfway through the season and I have been up one tree I considered small.
I'm only 5' 7" so big trees are pretty tricky for me to climb unless I've got my spurs on.
My foot tethers are pretty short compared to Mississippi's.
I'll dig around in my phone and I bet most of my saddle practice and hunting pictures are small trees? (especially once at height)
My foot tethers are pretty short compared to Mississippi's.
I'll dig around in my phone and I bet most of my saddle practice and hunting pictures are small trees? (especially once at height)
Last edited:
Andrew
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2018
- Messages
- 289
That’s a good point. And like @NMSbowhunter I try to stay away from small trees, but want to be as versatile as possible. I’ll have to play around with it some more.