“It works very well with a triple attach- ment pulley because the bottom of the hitch is both broad and symmetrical, meaning it can’t get pinched between the plates of the pulley,” he explained. Along with its versatility, friction-based climbing is especially friendly for begin- ners. With fewer parts to worry about, these systems are relatively simple to inspect, maintain, and troubleshoot. (Not to mention, there’s less of a need for ex- pensive friction devices and other hard gear that may be out of budget for new climbers.) In fact, when working with just hitches, the climber gains a tactile understanding of how the system behaves and can better adjust their strategy and route. This is es- pecially important for limb-walking and performing precision work. As fundamental as friction-based climbing is, these systems also have their draw- backs. Their performance can vary with rope construction, humidity, glazing, ac- cumulated wear, and how precisely a hitch is tied — meaning hitches and techniques that work well one day might not be as de- pendable the next. Another consideration is that these sys- tems require more physical effort which may lead to fatigue, particularly during long ascents or when frequent reposition- ing is required. Add summer heat to the mix and fatigue may come even sooner, making the job much harder to complete safely and swily. What’s most important to remember about friction-based climbing is its reliance on sol- id, foundational knowledge on knots, hitch- es, and rope performance. Before ascend- ing, climbers need to be able to trust their tying skills and know that their hitches can hold their weight and get them back to the ground safely. MRS/DRT/DDRT For many tree climbers, MRS — formerly double rope technique (DRT) or doubled rope technique (DdRT) — is arguably the most intuitive and easily learned rope system. The defining feature of MRS is that the rope
Advanced climbing gear like the Singing Tree Rope Runner SRS Climbing Device allows arborists to climb trees more efficiently while saving energy.
34 | Spring 2026 ArborTIMES ™
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online