I've got a multi-segment series started on SRT systems on YouTube. The first is the Texas and I'm much done with it. Next will be the frog followed by the RADS/yoyo. That is if I can ever get this go cart finished.

Oh, BTW, I show how to make my Blake's hitch adjustable tether and how to use it.

I tried to keep them all under 8 minutes long.

The intro:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnNh04nL1YM

Part 1 of the Texas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbkxmdumTpw

Part 2 of the Texas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT8coGiO1Yw

Part 3 - we really get to climb on it finally
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR-wNqYfdIU

Great work Ron. And, perfect timing too. I actually wrote myself a note this morning to try Texas this weekend. I typically climb YOYO almost every time I climb ( YOYO ascent, then DRT in the canopy ) and spent one weekend doing a "tour of SRT" about a year ago. I rigged for Frog, Mitchell, YOYO and Murphy and did a 65 ascent on each, but ran out of daylight before I ever got to the Texas system. As usual, your videos are concise, detailed and spot on. Thank you for posting these and all your others. I'm a fan for life.
Wiley Coyote

I haven't posted here much lately but I will be sure to watch your videos and save them for future reference. Your videos are always so well done and very informative. Thanks!

Thanks for posting your videos. You should make your own tree climbing how-to video. It looks like you already have most of the footage you need already shot.

Thanks a lot Ron, you'll soon become a star on some french board

Ron, parlez-vous français?

Le forum de la Grimpe dans les Arbres

-AJ

Thanks guys!


Hmmm, I had better brush up on my French Wait a minute, I can't brush up on my French, I don't know any French .

A glass of great wine, a plate of magrets de canard au miel et sa forestière de cèpes, some parisian girls around and beleive me you'll learn fast


Just don't say that you want to bring Texas there, even if it's only about climbing, and everything will be fine.


By the way thanks again for your videos !

Great videos Ron, as always.

Very clever adjustable teather. Doesn't get much better than that!

Looking forward to seeing the rest.

~mark

Thanks much Mark!

I have one change-over already uploaded, but I wanted to get the second uploaded that goes with it before I make them both public.

Then, if the weather ever drops below 100° here again I'll do a RADS vid or two. Next week is looking real promising.

Ron

Ron,

How thick is your tether cord for the changeover? Mine has proven a bear to release on either a 5/3 Blake's or a 4/2 Blake's. I've been able to loosen it by stepping back up on the lower ascender for my feet, but that sort of defeats the whole purpose of the tether. I've been using 8 mm All Gear Tech Cord Prussik Cord from Treestuff. I weigh 220 lbs. and wonder if I'd be better off with the 10mm.

Thanks again for all your dedicated work!

Dave

I typically use 8mm prusik cord made by PMI - who would have ever guessed that! I don't know that there's anything special or unique about it other than the fact I can buy it at On Rope 1 which is only 10 miles from my house and can be right on the way home from work!

I think the last tether I put together was PMI 9mm black prusik cord.

I suspect the problem you're having is you have the Blake's not tuned correctly. You want it a bit hard to release to insure it won't slip. But you can get it too tight or too loose and it is a bear to release.

The part that's critical for a lighter release is the loop that goes under the bridge and back up through the coils. Try making that loop a bit shorter or longer - not sure which direction will work the best for you. I believe that will solve the problem.

It can also be more difficult to release if the Blake's hitch gets jammed up against the upper carabiner.

And after you use it some, it may tighten up and get hard to release again, that's kind of common with Blake's hitches.

I wish I had seen this video a year ago!

When I decided last year to start trying SRT, I didn't have a Grigri (or similar) at the time, just a descender, so I decided I'd just learn Texas. I must have tried the changeover 30+ times in the safety of my garage, but no matter how I did it, I never found a comfortable way to get the relative positioning of my body, tie-in points, and the ascenders in just the right place to both facilitate easy attaching the descender and having a smooth transition of my weight to it.

So I bought a GriGri and learned YoYo and never went back.

Now that I've seen that trick with the Blake's hitch, I want to try it all again. Thanks for posting!

- Rob

I'm having the same problem Dave. Tried a couple different blakes hitches and screwlink sizes but can't get it to take in slack smoothly. I'm using some 8mm blue water cord . Cool lanyard design if I can find the right cord and get it tuned up.

Hmmm, I'm puzzled that you're having trouble with the Blake's tether; I use it all the time and rarely have any issue with it.

Have you tried a looser Blake's hitch?

Do you use a screw link to tend the hitch, i.e. take up slack?

We have to get this working - you'll love it once we figure out what the problems are.

I weigh about 190 lbs ready to climb. Do you weigh significantly more or less than that?