This is by no means original by me, but I use this method A LOT - almost everytime I set a throwline unless the setting is trivial.

Many will already be aware of the method; it's pretty simple once you understand how to do it and it's advantages, which, BTW, are numerous:
1- it almost guarantees you won't get your throwbag hung
2- it assists in manipulating the throwbag in the tree
3- you can pull it down and start over, say to add an additional throwbag for more pull-down weight, without losing your current setting and progress
4- you can repeat it several times to clear difficult areas in the tree - I've done it as much as four times on one setting just being careful not to get a throwbag stuck

Due to 'technical' issues, the video is not quite as clear (i.e. how to do it and why) as I had intended, but here it is - there is additional 'verbage info' in the description on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBOBCDKbvEo

Cool technique, Ron, and great vid. I've been using a similar system for the past year, or so, that you may want to play with.

FWIW: Once I get the line up over ... whatever (peripherals, etc.) ... I just girth a 20oz bag mid-line and manipulate it much the same as you do - to isolate or simply get over a branch suitable for SRT/ground-anchor.

Thanks Jack!

Sounds like we're doing the same thing. Mid-line cinching is a slick trick and would be simpler simpler when you can do it. Generally even with a 180' of throwline, I can't pull do a mid-line because there's just too much line up, over, and down the tree. E.g. in the video, I was up about 50' so just up and down used up 100'. Then I had about another 30-50' over the tree. So I had to use a second line.

But I really like your midline method; I'll sure be looking for opportunities to use it.

True enough. 50' is about my limit for intitial 'thrown' TIP. If I've got to slingshot higher, I'll just sheet-bend on another line (3x200' in MY KIT) then girth mid-line to that. I've got spliced eyes on all my throw lines so sheet-bends are quick and tiny to avoid hang-ups.

Too bad you don't live closer. We should collaborate. I like your work and the way you think.

Regards, Jack

Interesting - I have loops in the ends of one of my 10mm EzBend ropes and I sheet bend my throwline to pull up the rope. I recently switched to this method so I can 'pre-install' a rope sleeve with the throwline and pull my rope up through the rope sleeve - I hope that protects my trees more, and I know it keeps my ropes cleaner.

I like the spliced eyes. They appear to be locked brumel splices??????


Right back at ya! That would be interesting wouldn't it! I still haven't got over your work RADS setup - very well done!!!

BTW, how far apart are we and wouldn't you like to see the Tennessee Aquarium (in Chattanooga), Rock City, Ruby Falls, On Rope 1?

I'm not sure it protects the tree more. The throwline tends to cut bark more than an unweighted climbing rope. My SOP is pull the rope end just over the TIP, then put a slip knot behind my pipe and pull it up. By the time the pipe gets to the TIP the end of the rope is in my hands, I'd rather put the pipe into the TIP pulling rope than throwline, way easier on the hands.
-Andrew

Moss,

Yeah, I hear what you're saying and I've wondered about that myself, but I think it depends on whether a throwline with the weight of the rope is better/worse than pulling up the weight of a rope sleeve?

Currently, I pull the sleeve up with the throwline. Once the sleeve is in place I pull the throwline back down, it's now running through the sleeve and then I attach the rope to the pull line and pull the rope up, again the weighted throwline and then the rope when it pulls through is on the rope sleeve. But again, it comes down to which weighs more, the rope or the sleeve. Plus, by installing the rope sleeve first, the rope stays cleaner by not dragging over the crotch.

I have tried pulling up the saver using the throwline with poor results! The problem is that when the rope/throwline connection meets the saver, the saver comes out. No matter how smooth a connection I make between rope and throwline the saver will come off the limb when the "bump" arrives at the limb.

How do you get around that problem?

Easy - 10mm EzBend! You hafta understand that the rope has to be smaller than the hole - you're not gonna get that 2" diameter stuff you climb on to feed through it. BTW, I'm getting the rope (10mm EzBend) to feed through the small House sleeve.

Actually, I don't know what keeps it up there, but I've done it probably about a dozen times and it's only come down once, but that one time I couldn't see it very well, and I believe I had it positioned incorrectly. I've done it with both a throwline loop in the end of the rope (10mm EzBend) and by just using a couple of clove hitches, the second one being right at the end of the rope. You do have to use the larger House sleeve for the latter method.

To be honest, I don't know how it works; I've been rather amazed that the blunt end of the rope feeds through without 'hooking' and pulling the sleeve down. I go slow when I get near the sleeve and try to feel it in - of course I'm a pretty sensitive guy, so I can do that.

So you're gonna force me to make a video of it - so that's the way it's gonna be huh! Well just stay tuned; there should be something before the weekend is over.

Using two bags leads to the bolo effect everytime for me. The bags get to spinning and flopping around which leads to snagging.

In my buckets I had a bit ol' 20 oz. bag that was too big for throwing. It was one that was designed to be baggy too. In my sewing machine drawer I had two broken bags along with the shot. combine all three pieces that were junk on their own into one useful tool lead to a bag that weighs about 2#!!! It will pull the end of a rope down sometimes!

After slitting the 20oz bag, stitching and glueing the bag back together I needed a name. Normally, I'm not one to name cars, trucks or gear. But this one was calling for a name. Big Bertha, Mammoth didn't work...hmmm...a big, do anything creature...ahhhh...Titan! The name stuck.