How do you maximize your ability to quickly move up, in, and down a tree without compromising safety and protection of yourself, your equipment, and the tree? If you can, explain why your solution is faster than and at least as safe as other alternatives.

If we're just talking up and down...no messing around, that can be pretty quick.

I pick where I want my line, then get out the throwline and start tossing. After 1-15 tosses, I'll have it:D Once that's done, I set my line, throw on my footlock prussik, and start footlocking up (at an easy pace, 40 feet can be done in less than two minutes. If you're really hauling, you can do it in less than 30 seconds. World record is 40' in less than 11 seconds).

When I've gotten as high as I want, I stop, hang on my prussik, put a Munter Hitch on below the prussik (it's a klemheist I use, actually), then reach up, release the klemheist, and rap down on the Munter.

This way is reasonably quick because it involes minimal gear. You need only rope, saddle, footlock prussik, and two carabiners. No split tails, flipline lanyards, slings, etriers or what have you.

Let's hear yours!

love
nick

You asked 3 questions.
1. Speed in moving up a rope.
2. Speed in lateral movement.
3. Speed in a descent.

It's sort of like asking how to drive a car quickly and get away with it. You might want to break down your question.

I like NickfromWI's minimal gear requirements; doing more with less seems desirable (no loss of time switching equipment). But my goal is maximum safe speed, not minimal equipment.

The question does have multiple parts. Each part is necessary to describe the whole scenario. An example application for this information is in my "tree game" post in this thread:

In the tree, I......

Brad

Nick's solution is the simplest. But, of course, you understand that it compromises safety on a number of levels. In certain situations, this could be perfectly legitimate but not for normal climbing.

Tom

What are the potential danger that you see with that system I mentioned.

One problem would be if you cannot reach the klemheist once it's loaded while you're rapping down.

I would just as soon remove the footlock prussik and rap down on just the Munter, but that's another step.

Another potential hazard would be the possible ground fall if your footlock prussik didn't grab when you stopped to rest on the way up. It's not backed up by anything. :o

So everyone, what are the other potential hazards, and what should be done to ensure that I live to climb another tree?

love
nick

Originally posted by Bradley Ford
How do you maximize your ability to quickly move up, in, and down a tree without compromising safety and protection of yourself, your equipment, and the tree?

Ascending on a static rope system is inherently quicker than a dynamic rope system. Use of a self-tending hitch or a slack tending device also increases speed.

I, too, don't understand why Tom says that Nick's solution "compromises safety on a number of levels". A Munter hitch is not as safe as other rappelling devices, such as Petzl's I'D. What else does Nick's solution compromise?