Micro traxion question

[hank moon]

deleted

[ratagonia]

How do you measure your foot loop that connects to your top ascender? I use an 8' doubled over when connecting to a lower ascender. Would 12' tied and doubled be ideal?

There are a lot of different set ups that people use.

Personally, what I use is:

Top: 2-1/2 over the shoulder slings (=5')
Bottom: none

But let me transform your question into "how do you figure out the right length for the upper foot loop and leash?"

The Leash is easier, so let's do that first -

- when you hang from the leash, you should be able to reach the handle with some bend left in you elbow. Your arm muscles work much better when you start with some bend in your arm, so don't let that leash be too long.

- the footloop is constrained in much the same way. If the loop is too short, then the bend in your leg will be too sharp and too difficult. As a guideline, your thigh should be level, your knee and hip at 90 degrees, when you start standing up. If the footloop is too long, then your stroke will be too short, and you'll be doing a lot of motion without moving UP a lot.

The lengths change a bit with the angle of the ascent. And sometimes with how strong you are feeling that day. And also in how long the ascent is - it is important to get the lengths right on a long ascent, but on a short one, you can probably just muscle through.

Tom

[reflection]

Distance for footloop? It's a curiosity, folk talking about their ascending style and manner; communicating it and then relaying it to others. I accept and believe that a number of posters have experience and skill in getting up a line. A catch at the waist, a handled ascender with a foot loop; and or a pulley/system so the rope re-directs back through the pulley and then down. How it al fits together, well?

If one is using the frog or modified frog. Stand on the ground, connected to a taut rope. The waist "catch device" is going to set directly below the " ascender" which is attached to the foot loop. If these two are right on top of each other and the waist device is "tight" the first "reach up ascent" will lift the leg and the arm will swing so that it is almost bent.

In the field I carry a metolious foot loop - packaged in a small pounch. The loop can "arguably" be set for anyone's height, and in the field if I'm showing someone how to get up a line, one being short or tall, can find an "approximate" loop that will likely work for them. Also, when going up and over a lip, one can remove the foot and climb on a higher rung.

There are adjustable foot loops and other devices and methods - another day for this discussion - and there are other nuanced methods for longer or more sustained climbs. Different methods and cultures in climbing, caving and canyons.

Something light, easy, safe and efficient is the ticket - for general cyn travel; but proper "set up", mentoring and practice is almost a necessity if one is going to charge up a line without total exhaustion; and getting over lips, well, I'd get options dialed up before you jump into this pandoras box. Many people on this site, Tom, Hank, Brian, and others obviously, could show folk how to set up and then safely get up a line.

[dweaver2130]

So we ended up getting two 60cm slings and an aider. I figured we could try both and see which we liked. I kind of like the aider since I can use it in a pothole and have the same exact tool in my pack for ascending and that tool will work for both my or Anna (signifiant height difference). We had planned to head out today and mess around with this stuff, but there is this weird stuff falling from the sky here, and the Phoenix weather people are cautioning people to not go out for fear of melting in the phenomenon. So we will have to wait until next week. Thank everyone for their suggestions.