Single Rope Rappel on the Munter Friction Hitch, Tree Climbing Demonstration

Рет қаралды 85,278

JRB Tree Climbing and Saddle Hunting

Күн бұрын

Demonstration of a Single Rope Rappel using the Munter Friction Hitch (AKA Italian Hitch), as well as the JRB Ascender Hitch and the JRB Hitch. Often, Saddle Hunters use stick climbing and "one stick climbing" methods to ascend a tree, but will rappel on a rope. Borrowing a best practice from rope climbing, this is a demonstration of how JRB uses the Munter Friction Hitch on a single rope rappel. This is a demonstration. Viewers assume responsibility for their own safety when applying any of the techniques demonstrated.
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DISCLAIMER: Viewers assume responsibility for their own safety. This video is provided for demonstrational and informational purposes only, and is not considered advice nor instruction. Climbing and related knot tying activities are dangerous and should be performed only with appropriate training, supervision and protective equipment. The author disclaims responsibility for the clarity, comprehensiveness and accuracy of the content, as well as all liability for accidents or injuries incurred. - JRB Tree Climbing LLC
#jrbtreeclimbing #treeclimbing #saddlehunting #arborist #climbing #knots #srt #ropeclimbing #deerhunting #deer

Пікірлер: 89

@AMC-eq3jr Жыл бұрын

The best demonstration on the Munter Hitch. Master Class is priceless and very much appreciated.

@jrbtc Жыл бұрын

Thanks. Call me old fashioned, but it works and I have never found the need for anything else. That is not true of the knots and hitches I use and so that is where I have focused my time.

@AMC-eq3jr Жыл бұрын

@@jrbtc Thank you and good health to you.

@jamesgillies3710 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for much needed examples for our industry. What every Saddle hunter needs to know.

@jrbtc 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@vegartotland6752 Ай бұрын

thanx , super helpful vid, especially the part about different weight

@tommydansby5481 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your creations. I used the munter to rappel and didn't like using a prusik as back up with it attached to the side of my harness. I have 40 foot of rope for single sticking and rappel so I used your system on it and it worked better than expected. Thank you so much. I may not ever uses climbing stick again.

@numenorean08 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sending me to this video! Looks like a great way to rappel!

@gwhalin 2 жыл бұрын

I still primarily am using my belay device (GriGri) for rapelling, but I practice with the munter as a backup. Used to carry a figure8, but figured I always have a few biners on me so the munter is a good backup. Always good to have redundancy. Good video!

@bradbishop-atfulldraw7491 Жыл бұрын

Another winner. Love the figure eight too

@OvGraphics 9 ай бұрын

Howdy JRB. I have always been a climbing treestand hunter. Way back making a test I discovered that the belt safety harness would kill a feller pretty quick. So I designed a 3 point and my wife sewed it up. It worked, some....the same as a pro 3 point I got later. The thing would turn you upside down if you let go of the rope. Time rocks on and I grab the very first proper harness ever made, I guess... the Fall of the Woods. I still use it. Lastly I came up with a dirt simple repelling system to get down safely. Or so I thought. After numerous tests over the years my son managed to throw in a wrinkle which defeated the darn thing sending me back to school looking for a Plan B. That's what brought me here. The braking system I discovered is simply this. All yuh need is a piece of rope like yours and and old fashioned smooth carabiner. Exactly 2 wraps of the rope on the tree end and you can let yourself down with two fingers.....and I'm talking guys weighing 250 pounds. I'd do about 150 more tests on the thing before I'd call it perfected....there is a possibility of one wrap riding over the other and binding....but I have tested many times and it always worked for me. In my case, this is all fine and dandy...but how to hang from the carabiner when you want and repel when you want is THE problem. Thought I had it solved. It wouldn't take much....but whatever the gimmick, it escapes me today. I'm no engineer. It's only been a few hours my time when I discovered I was hanging by a thread for all these years and didn't know it.

@jrbtc 9 ай бұрын

I worked with a few arborists when i was younger who would employ a similar technique when they were cutting and I was lowering a large chunk of the tree. A few wraps can create a ton of friction. But it does vary depending on the roughness, diameter and dryness of the part providing the friction. It also causes wear on the rope and tree. If ya rappel just a few times out of a Sycamore or Beech or smooth Maple, we'll burn thru the cambium. But the biggest problem is that most hunters are climbing trees that don't have branches and tying into the trunks directly. We need a solution that works in every situation. Cheers

@OvGraphics 9 ай бұрын

@@jrbtc You'd think by now we'd have the solution. Fact of the matter today in Alabama we have had years recently where nobody died in the woods as the result of a gunshot. In every instance it was treestand related. I understand what you said that the two loops is hard on the rope, but in the climber world you're most likely to ever need it only once. Thought I had that licked for decades and my son just blew me out of the water. First test he lowered himself into the loopy harness like we all did and it worked perfectly. When I went to video him the next time he was in his treestand and he let himself back down to take the slack out of the harness and kinda sat down quickly. That broke my system, same as woulda happened if I had fallen into the harness. That's something we'd never done before. Oh well. GREAT to hear from you. I am old hunter and less agile.... Gotta stick with my API stand. Ha. Got a little longer to use it.

@lobstah3238 2 жыл бұрын

Putting all my descenders in a tote for storage. This is so simple yet safe. great way to rappel.

@jrbtc 2 жыл бұрын

It's just one of those places where complexity doesn't buy us anything. Rappel is easy... gravity is with us... we just have to manage the friction wisely.

@thecaliforniamaniac8542 Ай бұрын

Awesome explanation!!

@jrbtc Ай бұрын

Appreciate that. I had no idea this would be such a popular video. Coming down on a rope is simple: gravity is with us. Once we master that, it's pretty simple to add a Garda Hitch footloop and use the same system to go UP the tree.

@412OutdoorGuy Жыл бұрын

Great video, thanks. As a beginning single stick hunter, I am going to practice this in case I ever drop my device.

@jrbtc Жыл бұрын

Good deal. In general, think about every single thing that could possibly go wrong and have a plan. For a one sticker, my main concern is a stick kickout or completely disappearing at any time during the climb including the first set. I see a lotta one stickers who don't attach a tether until they are 8ft off the ground. My next concern is management of slack. Keep slack at an absolute minimum. Cheers and good luck

@feldwebel7734 Жыл бұрын

this is the best vid on this thank you

@jrbtc Жыл бұрын

Appreciate that!

@Sebyza94 Жыл бұрын

Awesome!

@josephmccarthy3774 11 ай бұрын

Great demonstration on "upgrading the munter". In my unit, we use the Munter a lot for rope rescue while in kit. (Plate carrier etc.) Needless to say we get pretty heavy and I always have trouble remembering how to get into the "super munter". 🤙

@jrbtc 11 ай бұрын

Excellent. I'm happy to help. There are some other tricks we can do to fine-tune this and get even more friction. But I decided to make this one about the basics

@josephmccarthy3774 11 ай бұрын

@jrbtc Kiss method always works best especially with us nugs in the miltary lol.

@joeshmo5399 7 ай бұрын

Thanks great demonstration of the Munter hitch. I saw it used by firemen on the TV show Emergency 51 using a massive carabiner. I would only use it if all I had was a carabiner though since I would need the super Munter with an extra turn at 225lbs. I try to keep a rescue 8 with me incase my Petzl ID has a problem.

@jrbtc 7 ай бұрын

Thx. I am old enough to remember that show lol. As a hunter, I have had to execute rappels in cold conditions, in near darkness where my fingers were too cold to function and I have a rule that nothing I need is capable of being dropped. I have a few figure 8s but don't like needing to tether them, nor the metal on metal... and so i just keep it simple and Munter down.

@ngut5915 Жыл бұрын

Rappelling causes rope wear IF you go very fast because of the heat caused by the friction, otherwise it's not an issue.

@kylejackman1007 2 жыл бұрын

Dude your a wizard lol great work

@doncook3584 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome

@myname-mz3lo 5 ай бұрын

most rappel equipment is just extra. all you need is a rope and a carabiner . even harness can be made with rope

@jimjohn6520 2 жыл бұрын

Would love to see some hunting videos in which you have used your climbing method.

@bsdiceman Жыл бұрын

I need to investigate this method of tree climbing and rappelling down. JRB hitch

@Jay-vr8it 4 ай бұрын

Master class. Thank you Sir Side note, it's terrifying how easy the hitch explodes 😂

@jrbtc 4 ай бұрын

Jrb hitch or maverick hitch? Regardless, they only get easy after we get our weight off of them. And of course, we must be careful.

@jimniblack 6 ай бұрын

Regarding rope wear from friction, here are some test results published in Hitch Climbers' Guide to the Canopy. The tests measure the point at which the polyester in a friction hitch cord loses its "tactility". The length of rope run through the hitch versus speed of descent is: 1,000m of rope run at 1m/s (test stopped due to time constraints); 220m of rope at 2m/s; 40m of rope at 3m/s. Conclusion- friction heat alters polyester. Go slow!

@jrbtc 6 ай бұрын

That's interesting info. Thx for sharing. My intuition says that there are other variables in the test. For example, single vs doubled rope, what if any load is on the hitch, what hitch, and how tight it is.

@jimniblack 6 ай бұрын

There are more details available on page 13 of this paper that was jointly published by DMM, Treemagineers and Teufelberger. It can be downloaded at www.treemagineers.com/pdf/hitch_climbers_guide.pdf .

@reddawng43x91 11 ай бұрын

Saved me $100 on a mad rock safe guard

@jrbtc 11 ай бұрын

Cool. It's more than just money though. If I thought a $200 device was safer, I would be telling you to buy it. But what if it got stuck or just didn't hold? How would we get out of that situation? I can't say because I can't see inside the device to make an educated decision. And our life hangs in the balance, literally. With a Munter, and a good hitch, you can see exactly what's going on and control it. Rappel is actually kinda easy: gravity does the work. We just control it. Cheers

@rgboyte Жыл бұрын

Wow!

@jrbtc Жыл бұрын

Appreciate the support. But I am curious what inspired the Wow? Meaning that the use of the Munter itself is a fairly well known technique.

@jrbtc 29 күн бұрын

Here's a SHORT video with the same idea! kzfaq.infoKbaXlnQ14UQ?si=XQDLy78VYDmMIxMg

@johnweber4373 2 жыл бұрын

John, the info you are providing is fantastic. I'm Saddle hunting running climb sticks and rappelling down using a figure 8 and prusik, you convince me to use your JRB Ascender Hitch and Munter Friction Hitch, relieving my fear of dropping the figure 8. Since I use a linemen belt which hitch the JRB Ascender Hitch or Michoacan Hitch to replace the Prusik Hitch on the linemen rope? I subscribed to JRB Tree Climbing and Saddle Hunting on Face Book, how long does it take to be accepted? Thanks John

@jrbtc 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. As you know, this is a new knot, and so all of the information is new and evolving here as I publish it. For now, I would recommend that you become proficient at tying it, and soon I will upload some new content on how to use it in a lineman's belt or tether.

@ChanceSanders Жыл бұрын

What was it called again?😊

@numenorean08 2 жыл бұрын

Another question, I have noticed you are using Sterling Oplux with these knots, as well as Sterling accessory cord. Do you have experience with these hitches/ropes when the rope is wet? Have you used other ropes such as the Canyon C-IV? I am considering purchasing a longer rope and trying to narrow down my options. Thanks!

@jrbtc 2 жыл бұрын

The exact properties of every wrap and cord combination can be different when wet. For example, I took Sterling Oplux and soaked it in a bucket of water overnight and then tested Michoacán friction hitches with 6mm cord... and they needed one more wrap to hold. And so my general recommendation is that: wet test your stuff as appropriate, add a wrap as appropriate, and of course, in actual climbing systems such as the JRB Climbing Method, we are never dependent on the Integrity or hold of any single friction hitch. Because we have built-in redundancy. And we can always get to ground safely without assistance.

@numenorean08 2 жыл бұрын

@@jrbtc as always, very helpful, thanks!

@handduggraverdronline 7 ай бұрын

You need to use the large pear carabiner. Unless you want to chance falling

@jrbtc 7 ай бұрын

That is what was used, demonstrated and stated in the video.

@michaellaura1231 10 ай бұрын

What carabiners do you like for your bridge and lineman’s belt applications? Thanks! Great videos and much appreciated!

@jrbtc 29 күн бұрын

Sorry for the delay in responding...somehow I missed it. My website has a page for Carabiners and will (currently) get you a discount on the Petzl William Ball carabiner used in this video. jrbtreeclimbing.com/

@tomtom4405 Жыл бұрын

I've used munter (aka "Italian hitch") a lot for mountaineering to both belay and rappel (abseil) because it works on heavily ice crusted ropes when devices don't work. It is essential knowledge but it has high rope sheath wear and twists the ropes, more a problem on long rappels. You do a lot of rappelling with munter/Italian and the ropes don't handle as nicely after that. Great to know but not my go-to method

@jrbtc Жыл бұрын

Fyi, have climbed and rappelled nearly every day on a rope with the munter and at the end of 4 years when I retired the rope based on manufacturer recommendations, the rope still looked new with noticeable wear. I had read that it is rough on the sheath but in practice, I learned otherwise. And you are correct that it can add spin in the rope during the rappel, however, that can be neutralized by varying the angle at which we feed slack in. However, typical rappels for a saddle hunter are only 25ft or 8m. A mountaineering application could be much longer and require precision in the technique. Thank you.

@brennanstrunk4276 2 жыл бұрын

Could you use synthetic winch rope? Capable of more than enough weight

@jrbtc 2 жыл бұрын

I have never attempted this nor could I recommend it. I am sure we could pull it off, but that doesn't make it a good idea. Climbing ropes are designed with a rugged sheath over an inner core and can handle friction. To my knowledge, a winch line is optimized for strength only, not abrasion.

@BretSmith777 Жыл бұрын

Excellent demo .... how did you break your friction hitch with body weight on it?

@jrbtc Жыл бұрын

As you have correctly surmised, most friction hitches can't not be broken under the load of our body with such ease. In this video, I am using the 523 jrb ascender hitch. It is one of several friction hitches which I have introduced and are available here on my channel which have the ability to be broken under load for most individuals and cord and rope combinations.

@chadgoebel7476 2 жыл бұрын

John, do you have a video on how you climbed. You didn't appear to have a preset loop and were not using a climbing stick of any kind. I am very interested in the details on how you ascended the tree for this video.

@jrbtc 2 жыл бұрын

Chad, as i mentioned in the video and in the video captions, I climb using my JRB Hitch Climbing Method. This is the playlist... so far, all I have done is introduced concept to see if anybody else had been doing it. Or anything similar because the knots used are all my own. Next season, I will be developing more content on this playlist, as I have made several improvements to the method since publishing this initial video. kzfaq.info/sun/PLETL-PceEXkbOxNPBrpcIFnpl2HUmSrwM

@chadgoebel7476 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks John, I've watched that video but you have clearly made some changes as the 2x4 was not incorporated. I look forward to the updates. Thanks again for all the content it is much appreciated and extremely helpful

@jrbtc 2 жыл бұрын

@@chadgoebel7476 yes... i will get to that... but summarizing the changes since that video: 1. Using the JRB Ascender hitch. Its much better than anything else. 2. Eliminated the small (yellow) tending loop. 3. Although the hard bottom footloop is more comfortable, it's not my standard footloop and i want one system to take in the woods and climb with different methods. And so, i am still tweaking the best way to setup the standard footloop to do both jobs. I am considering a few other things too.

@youtoober87 11 ай бұрын

John - how do you recommend switching to the munter if the friction hitch cannot be broken? In other words - how can you introduce slack enough to unclip the friction hitch from your bridge, so you can rappel on just the munter and abandon the hitch? I have seen the foot loop videos but that is still using the main rappel line, which would be taught. So how do we self rescue from an unbreakable friction hitch and only having one rappel line? what am I missing?

@jrbtc 11 ай бұрын

It's a perfect question: we need to be able to break our friction hitch to get started. It's one of the reasons I introduced 3 which can be broken: Double Michoacán, 523 JRB Ascender and Longhorn Agile. But if you're not using one of them and found yourself on a Distel or Prusik, there are techniques outlined in this video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z7Zid9ylrNu8iIk.html In an emergency, we can also use the "midline munter loop"... search for that video titie.

@youtoober87 11 ай бұрын

@@jrbtc got it. the key piece I was missing was adding the munter before adding the foot loop, then use the foot loop, hold the munter, unclip the friction hitch from the bridge, weight the munter, disassemble the footloop. Just tried it in my basement and it worked! appreciate it.

@jrbtc 11 ай бұрын

@@youtoober87 if you have the strength to just fold a bight of rope, put your foot in it and squeeze long enough to unload your hitch, that's the way to go. Not only is it quicker, but less risk. It can be difficult to remove a Garda while holding tension and ya don't want to risk that the rope slips in your hand while doing so, cuz the Garda could get sucked into the munter. Still recoverable, but ya gotta start over by stepping up and loading your hitch. If we were discussing it in person, I would try to convince you to safely use a different friction hitch.

@youtoober87 11 ай бұрын

@@jrbtc Thanks. I actually use the double rope munter for an emergency foot loop that you showed instead of a garda. I do use a breakable cornell hitch, and that is my normal plan. But I want to be prepared to be able to get off the hitch completely if for some reason it became unbreakable (maybe something got pulled into it, maybe I'm injured). Appreciate the videos.

@charlesolrich5898 Жыл бұрын

I have two questions: First; so far in my quest for saddle hunting knowledge, you are the only person I see using the swivel carabiner (this may not be the proper term) on your primary bridge. What is the perpose of this device vs a regular screw lock carabiner? Second question: how does weather, particularly rain, affect the friction hitches on the climbing rope? I’m just concerned about my rope getting wet from the ground (standing water a few inches deep) or getting caught in a rain shower. It is usually wet where I hunt and if a wet rope is unsafe this may not be a viable hunting method for me.

@jrbtc Жыл бұрын

Excellent questions. 1. A swivel is not necessary in the majority of scenarios. However, here's a few where its nice. Note that I don't switch to a tether, and so its all about keeping our lines from getting crossed. Sometimes i climb up a complex tree with multiple bends, branches or trunks and my sitting position in the canopy is completely the opposite of how i started the climb. It's nice not to have my lines crossed when i get settled. Another scenario is that a deer is circling or flanking you and as ya follow him through the forest, the two rope strands are getting twisted. 2. Yes, Water can have an effect on the hold of friction hitches. Webbing is affected more than cord. In my experience, using other friction hitches such as Bachman and Michoacán, when a friction hitch slips, it's a slow creep, not a drastic slip. And a pinch on the top typically stops it. But I have hunted through major rainstorms on the 523 JRB Ascender Hitch without any slipping issues. I have also tested it after soaking in water. I am not saying it can't slip when wet, but I have not experienced it on 523. When i get to the top of my climb, i can remove the footloop and put in the munter right away. This way, even if a friction hitch slipped ( for any reason) i am safe and ready for rappel.

@charlesolrich5898 Жыл бұрын

@@jrbtc thanks for the reply John. I really appreciate your videos. Keep up the good work!

@alexebeler6151 Жыл бұрын

John, what diameter rappel rope have you found to work best for this method to be flexible and have good friction? 8mm or 9mm? Thanks!

@jrbtc Жыл бұрын

For me at my body weight, the 8mm tactical ropes are perfect as a rappel rope. See my website for some choices and a discount. jrbtreeclimbing.com/

@alexebeler6151 Жыл бұрын

@JRB Tree Climbing and Saddle Hunting I'm currently 204lb. Thank you for the reply, and heading to your site now!

@gunterbecker8528 Жыл бұрын

Like u style

@jrbtc Жыл бұрын

Appreciate that. It's just old school stuff with a new look. I test it out and am never in a rush to do a video. I do all I can to learn everything i can before I pass it along. Cheers

@DrMadMax Жыл бұрын

Couldn’t you just rappel with two or three around a carabiner? Also couldn’t you just take the end of the rope after you tie the Munter hitch and bring it around your body and hold with your opposite hand to add more leverage/friction?

@jrbtc Жыл бұрын

This video is about the munter and how I use it. I haven't used, nor could I recommend the methods listed. For example, if we get the Munter set just right and the rope slips out of our hand, we should not go into a totally uncontrolled, accelerating fall. Because the Munter continues to provide friction. I don't believe that would go the same way with the suggested techniques.

@clintroberts5917 Жыл бұрын

Running the line across the screw gate could unscrew it. Right or left handed shouldn't matter. Run the line against the spine to avoid a foreseeable accident.

@jrbtc Жыл бұрын

Appreciate the input. 2 comments: 1. Unlike conventional use of the munter, i demonstrate feeding line in from above ensuring no contact with the gate; only the top of the carabiner. This also neutralizes spin. 2. Screw gates aren't considered appropriate for these applications by modern standards. Use a triple action, auto locking, pear shaped carabiner.

@tomtom4405 Жыл бұрын

@@jrbtc maybe but to be honest I have bigger worries because even if it did unscrew you would be pushing it closed, sure something to watch out for but the problem can be managed. Autolocking/twist can be bad in muddy (caving) or icy (mountaineering) or sandy locations so *sometimes* screwgate is safer

@miked9407 2 жыл бұрын

John, what carabiner are you using in this video?

@jrbtc 2 жыл бұрын

Petzl William Ball Carabiner. Triple action and not to be confused with the "William", which I do not own, but I believe is the same shape but a screw gate.

@miked9407 2 жыл бұрын

@JRB Tree Climbing and Saddle Hunting thank you. Keep the great content coming. I learn so much from watching your videos.

@jrbtc 2 жыл бұрын

That's appreciated and motivating. I am doing it for the right reasons.

@pastelambong Жыл бұрын

Probably too hard for nylon sheeth rope?

@jrbtc Жыл бұрын

I have many ropes with different compositions. The biggest variables are the diameter and stiffness of the rope and the size of the carabiners. But I haven't found a combination that doesn't work.

@user-zm8gy9if8u 7 ай бұрын

Just saved me some money I'm scribing I'm here to learn and not fall to my premature dead to death I'm gonna be trained even if my little downsy head explodes from to much info I'm gonna be slower than a 180 year old arthritic Sleuth in a tree until I get my nogan wrapped around all the ways to do arborist work safely