I just recently started to learn how to climb, and I quickly became frustrated with using prusik loops for foot loops. The klemheist knot works better than the prusik, but all of that two-handed advancing gets to be tiring after a while. I looked around, and nobody seems to have tried the kind of foot loop that I'm going to show. I'm going to go out on a limb and coin it the St.Germain Foot Loop (yours for only $19.99 [while supplies last]). *ahem* Without further ado, here are some blurry pictures (I won't show how to tie it from scratch because I don't feel like untying this one...):


Start by tying an overhand on a bight just big enough for a bight of rope to fit through the hole.

Then, tie a tight distel hitch onto the rope with a figure 8 on a bight just big enough to fit your foot. With the tail end, tie another overhand on a bight, with a loop that's about 4 inches long.

Pass the foot loop through the eye on the tail,

Then pass the other loop under the hitch and put the foot loop through the hole.

When you step down, the distel locks, obviously:

And when you pull up, the second loop pushes the hitch up and advances the foot loop


I'm basically going for a rope-based foot ascender. You'll need to foot lock with the left foot to provide enough force on the down rope to pull the hitch up with the right foot, but I understand that that's an issue with mechanical foot ascenders as well, right? At any rate, it's much easier than fiddling with a prusik knot.

I just recently started climbing (with the generous help of moss [hey moss!]), and I'm trying to avoid using all sorts of mechanical gizmos. I don't know if there's a "market" for this kind of foot loop, but so far, it works for me, and it's easy to make and tie.

This is my first post (nice place you've got here!). What do you think? How would you improve this design?

Dave

Hi Dave,

Welcome to the forum.

As a foot loop friction hitch, what you did looks reasonable. It's all about trying it before really knowing.

I look forward to reading about your future canopy experiences.

Jim

Welcome Dave! It looks doable but the knot is bulky and complex, I'll take a look and try it out next time we climb.
-Andrew

I agree that the knot looks bulky. Here it is with a triple crown knot instead:


and tied on



I think this version is about as simple as it can get without splicing an eye instead of the other knot.

This is interesting, not sure that people appreciating what you're trying to achieve, a minimal self-advancing footloop. What's equally interesting is that Drainhook is doing the same thing with his No Bridge Blakes. Put the two together and you have a minimal hands free climbing system, by that I mean hands don't need to move the hitch or the footloop up while ascending.

If you combine the self advancing footloop with the single loop footlock on the other foot it should work well. You'll have to hand tend to get off the ground but with a little rope weight below it should climb fine.

Good stuff.
-Andrew

I can see this evolving into a 'non-mechanical' rope walker ...
GOOD STUFF, INDEED!

bowline on a bight might take up a little less space as a double loop knot?

Other double loop knots have the disadvantages of slipping (so that when you step down, the foot loop might enlarge and shrink the slack tending loop) and/or orienting both loops in the same direction. Bowline on a bight has both problems, I think. I tried a few variations of double bowline knots.

The triple crown knot seems ideal here because the two loops are perpendicular to each other. You just have to make sure to set the knot tightly before using. As I found out yesterday, if the loop enlarges, you lose efficiency. The foot loop should be barely big enough to fit your shoe.

This is a clever concept. I would like to see a video of this "poor man's pantin in action.

Hook

You asked for it; you got it... Toyota...
Here's a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbEVCfajM-8

It shows me tying the knot and then ascending a few times. (I wish I had used a wide angle lens)

That is awesome, great work David!

After you lift your right foot, if you bring your left foot up next to it you can push down with both feet, make it all even better.
-AJ

Looks like the same thing I can do with the Pantin and I do not have to fiddle with feeding the tail.
I actually put a PETZL Basic Ascender tied to a bungy cord and use that one on the left foot so I can actually "Walk' up the rope on a DbRT set up pretty easy and not much gear involved - Well I guess the Pantin and the Basic Ascender are extra gear but I already own those so may as well use them.

:applause:

Very slick David! Just how I was imagining it. I think it is a killer bit of innovation!
Nice, clear video to boot.