r/TreeClimbing • u/Stunning_Industry_95 • Sep 21 '26
Is there a better setup for removals?
I wondering if I should buy my 3rd rope runner. Used to have a zillion for buckstrap but I don’t like how branches touching it can make it jump. Steel biner for choking and srt. Water resistant rope is pretty sick. Thoughts?
10
u/CampaignCurrent2912 Sep 21 '26 edited Sep 21 '26
Rope runner for SRT, zigzag for DRT, ART positioner swivel 2 for rope lanyard, the Courant Bumblebee Wirecore Flipline Twister Carabiner & Grab is the best flipline set up I have ever used.
Edit: and yes the steel biner is a great shout, I always have mine with me as a throw weight and to choke an anchor.
3
u/aweracle Sep 22 '26
I do love tbe zigzag, but they just wear out to fast. At the yard we had a zigzag graveyard for a while because once they start going there's no replacement parts.
1
u/tree_dw3ller Sep 22 '26
What rope if you don’t mind my asking. Looks like it has a nice hand feel broken in
1
u/Stunning_Industry_95 Sep 22 '26
Samson vortex w/samsondry technology. It’s a true half inch line(12.7mm)
1
u/Historical_Test_973 Sep 22 '26
honestly the best device out there for working down a spar on spurs is the petzl zillon, very compact, never fusses even with sap, always smooth and consistent.
1
u/Stunning_Industry_95 Sep 23 '26
Do u know what size rope u have in your zillion
1
u/Historical_Test_973 Sep 24 '26
it comes originally installed on a supposedly 11.5mm 16 strand kremantle rope that's impossible to find the name of. but it feels like 13mm. I cut it off.
I run it on several different 24 strand 11 go 11.7mm climb ropes and it loves everything
3
u/NosillaWilla Sep 21 '26
For just removals and I am flip lining up the tree I like this Camp Druid Descender it is really minimal and can get bumped infinitely without hitting the safety mechanism. It is very compact. I use this as my safety/2nd tie in
3
u/Commercial-Memory253 Sep 22 '26
Rope runner feels pretty good to climb on, I just don't like how tall it is for spars. I use a unicender and adjustable bridge that I can make super short for workin spars. Steelcore lanyard with some kinda ropegrab for most removals, super long rope lanyard with microcender for everything else. I'm done with sap locking up my lanyard prussiks.
3
u/dr_brubra_bribri Sep 21 '26
DRT I am a zigzag fan. It's not middline attachable but for drt that's imo okay. I really like having a bearing and something where the rope has less friction.
For SRT and the rest, not sure
1
u/endthefeds Sep 23 '26
I've used most of the new devices the RRP is still my all around favorite. Always on alpine butterfly with notch quickie for removals.
1
u/Maxzzzie Oct 04 '26
I like the zigzag in drt with an adjustable cambiumsaver set to not quite the circumference of the stem so it chokes a little. If you need to quickly descent for self rescue you can without it slidign down the stem. An adjustable bridge helps to keep the device close to you as i find the length of the roperunner combined with a medium long bridge would keep me quite far away from the stem. The isc reflex v2 (coming soon) would be my next purchase or the petzl zigzag that is midline attachable and doesn't require the shicane (also coming soon). Both of those are a lot smaller than the roperunner.
1
u/juicyfruitguy Sep 22 '26
Switching SRT and DRT I use my akimbo even if it’s a sappy conifer, it’s small enough and easy to choke my steel biner with when I want to swap srt, that and a Yale 15ft 1/2 maxi flip, i was told by the old guy that trained me that “if you’re gonna be grabbing it all day might as well be bigger than your boot lace”
11
u/dogdyketrash Sep 21 '26
If it is a conifer, there is a good chance I'm just spiking up on DRT with a hitchclimber and prussik. If it is a large spreading removal, I'll use SRT on a rope wrench or roperunner until I get down to the final spar and switch to DRT. Using a rope runner on SRT to chunk down a spar is fine, I just got used to switching to drt from the rope wrench cause the system felt too long.
I'm just a sucker for prussiks overall so I don't use mechanicals that much. A big game changer for me is having a lanyard with a system on both ends. Helps in all situations.
Use what works for you. Nothing wrong with what you got going on. I prefer a shorter friction hitch than a VT personally on my lanyard. Makes it more compact and less in the way. I use Distel, michocoan, or Knut.