Anybody using a Rope Runner Pro

[Dustin4185]

UT would be awesome, I’ll check into that. I have a Gi bill I haven’t used completely yet. I know
One actual arborist in this area. Most of the guys around here are either “big” services with 2-4 bucket trucks, a chipper and some ground guys, or they are tiny 1-4 man operations who range from competent fallers and might climb a little, to I’ll cut it for a 24 pack and a half dozen hydros. I’m in the 2 ma operation category, but I do climb and I am trying to improve, and I do carry liability insurance and act professional on the job site. And most importantly, I know when to walk away and leave it to someone who is better than me.

It would be under the department of forestry, wildlife, and fisheries on the ag campus. They didn’t have that when I was going through the program or I would have taken some classes, lol.

 

[Woodpecker]

It is 12mm, but I didn’t know how it would work since it’s 12 strand. With a rope wrench I don’t imagine it would give much issues as long as I matched it to the right hitch cord, but I have read that the pure mechanical stuff can be quite hard on ropes, especially if they aren’t 24 strand. Any truth to that?

Most of the ascenders that have been mentioned aren't all that hard on rope. The foot ascender with their teeth can be though. You might look into something like the notch/harken jet step foot ascender. Much gentler on rope and silky smooth to boot.

Also, once thing I will note, I have to always keep an eye on WLL of ropes and products. I’m 240 in my boxers, add on a belt, lanyard, logging boots, jeans, eye and head protection, saw, etc and I get close to some manufacturers limits quickly.

At that weight all geared up your going to be at or above the wll on a lot of the mechanicals. I'm approaching the wll on the rope runner pro all geared up with an 80cc saw hanging off my belt. Bigger climbers usually end up with a rope wrench or bulldog bone. They will run about anything. Arbor master (BWR, Hivee, hawkeye, etc.) and Blue moon are two very economical ropes. Your arbor plex should run through the rope wrench with an 8-10mm hitch cord until you can afford a new rope. It's also one of the cheapest srt systems on the market.

 

[Thumper88]

A huge thank you to everyone who has replied here and all the information so far. Thanks guys!!

 

[Rob Stafari]

Nothing wrong with a hitch climber. I still climb on one a couple times a month just to keep it fresh in my memory. Stone ages would be tautline/Blake's but nothing wrong with that system either. I'll be starting my 8 year old daughter with that and moving her up to hitch climber and maybe eventually a mechanical if she sticks with it.

Tautline/Blake's and hitch climber vs. Mechanical is really a stationary Rope System (SRS) vs. Moving Rope System (MRS) philosophy of use debate. I prefer SRS because it's super easy to pull a rope through a branch union, anchor it to the base of the tree, and fly vs. Having to isolate a branch so both legs of the climb line can be used in a MRS. Really just a personal preference thing. Initially I didn't like mechanical anything in my system, but after running a hitch climber pulley for a while I gradually came around and started using a mechanical ascender, but there's nothing wrong with using a rope wrench/hitch/hitch climber pully.

I have an Akimbo that I use for a lanyard adjuster/work position and second short climb system on a 20 foot lanyard. I really didn't like it as an everyday ascender because I found it very picky which rope it would run well with.

I have a rope runner pro that I've climbed a few times with. Really I'm not in love with it. It's fiddly to install a climb line on, so the in tree midline attachment characteristics are kind of negated. It does run up the rope very smooth though and feels built well enough and maybe it would grow on me if I use it more. I may end up using it on my lanyard instead of the akimbo.

I mainly use a mechanical called a Bulldog Bone
View attachment 276155
Built by a brilliant guy down in South Carolina out of aluminum and steel. It's pretty much bombproof. Just feels very solid and well built. In short I can trust it and that's what really counts for me. For reference the carabiner attaches to a rated ring on my saddle bridge.

As far as swivels go I don't have a problem using a high quality swivel from a know good manufacturer for life support. I wouldn't trust my life to a no name Chinese swivel. The swivel in the pic is a rock exotica nano. Again pretty bulletproof. I'd be surprised if it didn't meet the 23kn rating in both pull and side impact. I also run a cmi California swivel on my secondary bridge...View attachment 276159
Works great for switching to a MRS from a SRS. Again bombproof.

@Thumper88 do you have a tree work supply shop near by so you can try a rope runner pro out? If your coming from a Blake's you might want to consider a rope wrench hitch climber combo. You can still climb MRS and switch to SRS when your ready.

Rock Exotica doesn't actually list a side load break strength in the UIM for their swivels. They do show this though.
Implying that the device will fail under the SWL in those scenarios.



... you must always have a backup-never trust a life to a single tool. I still do with my carabiners and ropes, but they can take a lot more. Rock Exotica isn't going to be responsible should a device fail, they have clearly warned us.

Have had some pretty serious injuries and am overly cautious these days. I tend to embrace the philosophy of the rope rescue/rope access techs these days. Not quite to the point I am on two lines/anchors at all times yet, but working that way. Things that are more failure prone than others I already won't consider using without a backup. Swivels, pulley sheaves, etc. Not that tree climbers are hanging from a pulley sheave, but there have been at several documented axle failures of them. As well as omni block swivel failures, but those are held by a set screw that can work loose. Food for thought at least. Inspect your gear, especially the complex stuff as there is more to fail. Stay safe out there.

 

[Rob Stafari]

It is 12mm, but I didn’t know how it would work since it’s 12 strand. With a rope wrench I don’t imagine it would give much issues as long as I matched it to the right hitch cord, but I have read that the pure mechanical stuff can be quite hard on ropes, especially if they aren’t 24 strand. Any truth to that?

Don't have any experience with 12 strand, but have worked with 16 strand safety blue a bunch. It has a far more durable cover than my 24 strand ropes. I think the real issue with the mechanicals is how they apply friction and grab with different rope types. Rope wrench may even be an issue if the rope flattens too much and rubs the cheeks of the device. Could see that possibly being an issue where it would carve into it quickly. So despite the tougher sheath, eating it up quickly.

As far as hitch cords and heavy weight. When I was building tree houses and hanging with a fully loaded carpenters rig over a fully loaded climbing rig, I was weighted enough that my 8mm hitch cord was binding up on the 11.5 mm tachyon we were on. Switched up to 9.3 epicord for my hitches and it worked flawlessly. Tachyon was my first rope and was horrible for SRT on long ascents with almost all 200 ft over a crotch and base tied. So bouncy. Have upgraded to drenaline, which is better. Have not tried it in that configuration yet to really know though. Don't know if you have trees like that you'll be in often to begin with. But more things to ponder while you decide which way you want to go.

 

[Thumper88]

Don't have any experience with 12 strand, but have worked with 16 strand safety blue a bunch. It has a far more durable cover than my 24 strand ropes. I think the real issue with the mechanicals is how they apply friction and grab with different rope types. Rope wrench may even be an issue if the rope flattens too much and rubs the cheeks of the device. Could see that possibly being an issue where it would carve into it quickly. So despite the tougher sheath, eating it up quickly.

As far as hitch cords and heavy weight. When I was building tree houses and hanging with a fully loaded carpenters rig over a fully loaded climbing rig, I was weighted enough that my 8mm hitch cord was binding up on the 11.5 mm tachyon we were on. Switched up to 9.3 epicord for my hitches and it worked flawlessly. Tachyon was my first rope and was horrible for SRT on long ascents with almost all 200 ft over a crotch and base tied. So bouncy. Have upgraded to drenaline, which is better. Have not tried it in that configuration yet to really know though. Don't know if you have trees like that you'll be in often to begin with. But more things to ponder while you decide which way you want to go.

I will definitely keep that in mind whichever way I go. And even though the stuffs expensive on a budget, at least it’s still in the realm of possibility. $200 or so for a new rope seems like a lot from one angle, but in the grand scheme it’s not bad at all considering how strong and long lasting they have become. I don’t end up in trees with that kind of height often. Highest I’ve been was 109 feet in a poplar that I chunked down. And let me say, gaffing 300 lbs of climber and gear 109 feet is a task no matter how strong your legs are.

 

[Woodpecker]

Rock Exotica doesn't actually list a side load break strength in the UIM for their swivels. They do show this though.View attachment 276337
Implying that the device will fail under the SWL in those scenarios.


View attachment 276339
... you must always have a backup-never trust a life to a single tool. I still do with my carabiners and ropes, but they can take a lot more. Rock Exotica isn't going to be responsible should a device fail, they have clearly warned us.

Have had some pretty serious injuries and am overly cautious these days. I tend to embrace the philosophy of the rope rescue/rope access techs these days. Not quite to the point I am on two lines/anchors at all times yet, but working that way. Things that are more failure prone than others I already won't consider using without a backup. Swivels, pulley sheaves, etc. Not that tree climbers are hanging from a pulley sheave, but there have been at several documented axle failures of them. As well as omni block swivel failures, but those are held by a set screw that can work loose. Food for thought at least. Inspect your gear, especially the complex stuff as there is more to fail. Stay safe out there.

Glad to have you over here Rob. I've seen you over on the buzz. Alot of the same sentiment I have in my everyday climbing. Everything gets inspected every day. Rope gets visual and run through my hand every climb. It's been quite an evolution for me from tautline to Blake's to wrench then bulldog bone. I remember seeing that in the RE literature for the nano. Where that swivel is on the bone if it sees side load forces hard enough to break I've got bigger problems. I've been using my lanyard like a secondary climbing system for a couple years now. It just makes the most sense from a safety standpoint. Be safe as well bud.

 

[41FanForLife]

I will definitely keep that in mind whichever way I go. And even though the stuffs expensive on a budget, at least it’s still in the realm of possibility. $200 or so for a new rope seems like a lot from one angle, but in the grand scheme it’s not bad at all considering how strong and long lasting they have become. I don’t end up in trees with that kind of height often. Highest I’ve been was 109 feet in a poplar that I chunked down. And let me say, gaffing 300 lbs of climber and gear 109 feet is a task no matter how strong your legs are.

I would agree on taking 300 up a tree is a lot of work. Thats the boat I'm rowing too. Not my primary job either but i love getting out and climbing. Did anyone give a max weight fot the bulldog bone? I tried one a few years ago and from what i remember it was pretty sweet.

 

[Woodpecker]

I would agree on taking 300 up a tree is a lot of work. Thats the boat I'm rowing too. Not my primary job either but i love getting out and climbing. Did anyone give a max weight fot the bulldog bone? I tried one a few years ago and from what i remember it was pretty sweet.

John as far as I know the bulldog bone is not rated and hasn't been pull tested. Having said that it's so far over built vs. the other mechanicals I'd be surprised if it didnt at least match the 500# wll on the rope wrench.

There is a massive thread on it over at treebuzz if anyone is interested.

 

[41FanForLife]

John as far as I know the bulldog bone is not rated and hasn't been pull tested. Having said that it's so far over built vs. the other mechanicals I'd be surprised if it didnt at least match the 500# wll on the rope wrench.

There is a massive thread on it over at treebuzz if anyone is interested.

You familiar with a fellow named Dave Rohack over there? It was his device i tried when treestuff had a arb trek event in Pittsburgh. He was from Minnesota and came in for the event. He was a splicing wizard.

 

[Lightning Performance]

People love their mechanicals these days. I rock hitch cord/hitchclimber/rope wrench setups. I always thought I'd want to upgrade to a mechanical like an akimbo when it came out, but have since thought different. The only way my hitch will fail is if it is beyond its service life or I cut it. Only takes one accidental swing landing a branch into the side of a mechanical and it could be the last. Lots of people rock the swivels these days. If you look at the literature the break strength perpendicular to the swivel itself is scary low at .5 KN It should never see that sort of loading, but it just leaves me with a little more piece of mind knowing if I swing into the side of a hitch it will be all good even if the rope wrench above it fails.

Sweet piece of mind.

My mechanical grab setup stays right on the bridal with a Williams D roller. I do hitch the tail to my side clip just in case chit goes sideways like a branch hit or an icy mess on those not so thawed out days.


To the OP... if you can climb thirty feet or so on SRT go for it. I can but without two leg powered grabs your going to fade fast imo. One, leg at the knee off a foot sling and the other on your boot really takes a load off your arms. If you set up right... it's a pretty easy walk up. I also use a chest mounted grab on a chest harness for extra insurance imo. One body with a minimum of three points of attachment seriously lowers my odds of getting hurt from being dumped off the tree or released by my gear. Having four mechanicals hooked to the line is not uncommon for my ass hanging from a rope while going up. Not much is ever going to beat the DRT with a Blakes hitch as far as I see. You can tie off the tail on a single rope grab but it wastes plenty of time during a removal. I have seen a climber twist in a loop on the line and clip it off to their saddle with a beaner.


Pulleys are overrated for removals but needed for the big chunks to save your bull line if your rope guy likes to dump them. Slow and steady is safer to me.

Using a pulley on my safety line is something rarely need for myself but it will save your line from wearing quickly and fuzzing out. Be smart and never use that new pulley for anything but your life line. Same for those beaners. It sounds silly to say but many many climbers I've seen abuse the gear that is there to save your ass, everyday.

 

[Woodpecker]

You familiar with a fellow named Dave Rohack over there? It was his device i tried when treestuff had a arb trek event in Pittsburgh. He was from Minnesota and came in for the event. He was a splicing wizard.

I know of him but don't know him personally. Seems like a good guy.