Climbing system question...

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Climbing system question...

Postby VACaver » May 12, 2012 12:49 pm

I hate the way the Croll on my ropewalker bangs against my shin while climbing and have a question...

Can I replace the Croll with a Pantin or CMI foot ascender, then run a single bungee (or surgical tubing) from the knee ascender to my chest harness?
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Re: Climbing system question...

Postby Scott McCrea » May 12, 2012 2:12 pm

I know of a couple options, that you can do with what you choose.

One is to move the Croll farther out on your foot, so you're stepping on the strap with the ball of you foot instead of the arch. I might even be more efficient since it would use the bigger muscles in your thigh, kinda like cycling shoes do.

Another is to modify the foot harness to get the Croll (I use a Basic in this set-up) to stand erect on top of your foot. The harness needs to be tight, too.

Using a side-of-the-foot ascender will work, but I don't like the way it turns my ankle in on each step.

It's a bit more efficient if you don't attach the knee bungie to your chest harness. The chest harness if more efficient if it is higher on your chest. A bungee will just pull it down. I run my bungee over my shoulder and clip it to the side of my seat harness.
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Re: Climbing system question...

Postby gdstorrick » May 12, 2012 4:15 pm

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Re: Climbing system question...

Postby Cheryl Jones » May 12, 2012 6:03 pm

The only foot system I've found--the perfect one I think!--that allows me to climb with my foot flat and receive maximum gain with each step is with a Gibbs ascender positioned tightly right on top of my foot. The strap is as tight as you can make it, so it seems one with the boot, so there is no slop in the foot strap. Also, there is minimal slop in the cam attachment. This way the force of stepping is through the center of your foot, as if riding a bicycle with the pedal under your arch. Climb with a slight bicycle motion--kicking a bit forward--or kick a bit out to the side to ensure the cam grabs with every step.

I reached into a box of vertical gear and pulled out the first foot rig I came to, put it on my shoe and took some photos.

Image

Image

Image

A couple of notes:
--The buckle can be sewn on either on the inside or outside of the foot (just below the cam.) It is up high enough so that it doesn't get pried open when walking.
--The red 1" webbing needs to be stitched with a sewing awl since it is under the eye of the cam and the webbing needs to be as taught as possible.
Gary S., try it and tell me if I win the prize! :big grin:
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Re: Climbing system question...

Postby gdstorrick » May 12, 2012 6:18 pm

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Re: Climbing system question...

Postby Scott McCrea » May 12, 2012 7:55 pm

Gary, how much was the reward? I bet you haven't tried my set up. It works great for me. Uses a Petzl Basic, no bungee and the load is centered of the ball of the foot. Maybe I'll post some pics...

Cheryl, I had that set up for my first climbing system. It worked ok. It got me out of a lot holes, but it got too frustrating and I ditched it. The Gibbs is not efficient enough. The slop between stepping up and down to set and unset the cam adds and inch or two to each step. I'm too lazy to climb like that.

Also, that freakin' pin. Several times, I gave up trying to get it out and just removed the whole harness from my boot. It is especially bad when climbing tandem on top.
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Re: Climbing system question...

Postby NZcaver » May 12, 2012 9:41 pm

Cheryl Jones wrote:Image

I have one of these in a box somewhere.

I always wondered what it was... :tonguecheek: :laughing:
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Re: Climbing system question...

Postby gdstorrick » May 13, 2012 7:26 am

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Re: Climbing system question...

Postby Scott McCrea » May 13, 2012 7:47 am

:rofl: $10 :rofl:
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Re: Climbing system question...

Postby tncaver » May 13, 2012 8:55 am

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Re: Climbing system question...

Postby VACaver » May 13, 2012 9:07 am

I'm headed to Ram's Head next Friday, Scott, and would really like to figure something out between now and then.

Post some pics of your setup!
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Re: Climbing system question...

Postby gdstorrick » May 13, 2012 1:53 pm

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Re: Climbing system question...

Postby Cody JW » May 14, 2012 10:11 am

I have a OR1 double bungee ropewalker with stiff steps and use the croll on the foot and there were a few times I had the rub on the calf but most of the time it does not. I have not yet figured out why it rubbed the few times it did. You might be able to do something less drastic by using a longer or a different quick link to attach it to your foot loop ?? In my early days of ropewalking I used a single bungee attached over the shoulder to the seat like Scott described with a free running Gibbs on the foot and a basic on the knee. It was fine but for some reason it never did self start as well as the double bungee with the croll. The ease of connecting and disconnecting the foot cam with croll or similar makes it hard for me to go back to a Gibbs. Also , Scott mentioned the way the bungee attachment to the chest harness tends to lower the harness in a less efficient position. I had mentioned in an earlier thread that as a big chested guy I find a lower position more comfortable. May not be as fast but at 210 lbs I am not going to beat many up the rope anyway.
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Re: Climbing system question...

Postby Cheryl Jones » May 14, 2012 10:44 am

In 1978. Must be at least $412,529.17 in today's money


All riiiight! I'll take it! :woohoo:

I've been planning to postion a Pantin on top of my foot to see how it works, but I live in Procrastinationstan.
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Re: Climbing system question...

Postby SuckinOnSodaStraws » May 14, 2012 11:17 am

Im fairly new to being on-rope... just wanted to know about gdstorricks' signature. What is wrong with climbing using "frog-system"? Can you give me either a brief explanation, or point to a previous thread on the subject? I practice frog all the time in a setup I have in a tree outside. Be nice to know if I'm wasting my time with obsolete methods... Sorry to change the topic. Thanks.
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