The aussies started all this when VTIO posted a reward under the banner 'Take the Redirect Challenge".
Joe Harris and VTIO have set the bar high for the best redirect in history. Criteria is as follows:
1) Retrievable without disconnecting from the system2) Quick and easy to set up
3) Usable with the minimum of dedicated gear
4) Close to friction-free as possible
Victorian climber, Tom Oldmeadow came up with one solution that looked interesting but the spike through the rope was a bit unsettling for some climbers. However, Tom was definitely on the right track.
Following Tom's posting, local climbers started looking a bit closer at the systems being used in NZ.
Drew Bristow of DB Tree has been experimenting with a similar system using the Ropeman and a redundant Trango Cinch and it appears he has come up with a redirect that looks pretty damn good.
The Ropeman backs up the Trango Cinch but the whole redirect can be easily retrieved remotely. One 'trick' is the whipping above the rope end splice to catch the retrieval ball.
If friction was considered an issue, a DMM Double Pulley could be added but Drew says that is not necessary - the friction generated is not sufficient to warrant the expense or fiddling about during set-up.
The top picture is one of the prototypes using a carabiner to attach the Ropeman. The bottom picture shows the same attachment with a rated Rapide, which is a cheaper option but works just as well. A Kong Duck could be used instead of the Ropeman.
Looks very tidy and works a treat!
Treetools has Ropeman's arriving soon!
