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DSRT Method

Page Contents:

DSRT Introduction

JRB’s Doubled Stationary Rope Technique (DSRT) is a novel climbing method, pioneered by JRB. JRB uses DSRT as his preferred method. Summarizing:

  • The rope is passed over a strong crotch and back down to the climber.
  • The climber ascends both sides of the rope simultaneously, without the rope moving.
  • The climber has redundant moving points of connection on the rope.
  • The rope does not require an anchor; mechanical ascender devices are not required.

Here’s a quick demo:

This page focusses on the method. If you wish to pursue DSRT, see dedicated pages for the construction of one of the two systems which support DSRT:

3 Hitch System
DSRT System

Related Pages:

Saddles
Bridge
Rope
Friction Hitches
Cord
Carabiners
Garda Hitch Footloop
Shopping List

Throwball or Paracord Preset

DSRT requires that the rope is installed into a secure crotch in the tree using one of the following methods, detailed on the dedicated page. If none are feasible, the DSRT method should not be considered further. Consider JRB Hitch Climbing or No-slack Stick Climbing, covered on separate pages.

  1. Using a throwball, before the climb.
  2. Using a paracord preset (a loop of paracord installed in the tree at a previous time, typically after using a throwball.)
  3. Using a long pole to install the throwball the day of the hunt.
  4. Using a False Crotch, installed manually using another method.
Throwball & Rigging

This video shows how to rig, retrieve and coil the rope:

Garda Hitch Footloop

The Garda Hitch Footloop is required and is covered on a dedicated page:

Garda Hitch Footloop

General Advantages of DSRT

Below are a list of reasons JRB prefers DSRT in general, when compared to the many methods used by other saddle hunters:

  1. Safety. Always on minimal slack and always have a rappel path to ground. Redundancy for moving points of attachment on the rope.
  2. No mechanical devices, reducing cost, weight, setup complexity, and metal/noise potential.
  3. Simplicity. No anchor required; no knots are tied at the climbing site.
  4. Speed. It’s the fastest climbing method JRB is aware of.
  5. Quiet. Once we arrive at the tree, our feet never move from their position until we are off the ground and silently ascend the tree, with no scraping or clank potential.
  6. High efficiency. No friction/loss from a moving rope through a crotch or a device.
  7. Ailment friendly. If we have a bad shoulder or knee, its possible to climb with as little as one leg and one arm. No bending over.
  8. Two haul lines are built into the system in that both ends of the rope reach the ground. One can be used for our bow/weapon and the other can be used for a pack.
  9. No retrieval cord. In basic rappel on a single rope, we need to remember to bring and install a retrieval cord.
  10. Easy to build a system. A basic DSRT system is just a Garda Hitch Footloop and a Rope with 2 hitches.
  11. Thinner ropes. Because each side has half our load, DSRT-only systems can be constructed with the smallest diameter climbing ropes, as small as 7mm.

Here is the 2022 video which explains many of the Advantages cited above.

DSRT / SRT Comparison

The reason JRB prefers DSRT in most situations is simply because the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Advantages of DSRT

  1. No anchor to be set. Installing an anchor increases time, complexity and risk.
  2. Nothing to tie or put on the rope at the climbing site. Except for the Pre-Configured SRT system, in most SRT situations, this is not the case.
  3. Rigging is easier. For example, threading a friction hitch through a loop in midair can be a delicate operation.
  4. No retrieval line necessary; we simply pull the rope back. That’s one less thing to carry, wind up, lose or forget to engage on before rappel.
  5. Retrieval is easier. In DSRT, we just pull down our rope, and reinstall our paracord at the same time. In SRT, we need to remove our anchor and reinstall our paracord in separate operations.
  6. It’s Faster… because of the above.
  7. It’s twice as strong. Because our weight is distributed evenly on both sides, each side of the system holds only half our weight making hitches easier to move and break, with less jamming and slippage potential.
  8. Thinner ropes. Because each side holds only half our weight, when building a dedicated DSRT system, we can use thinner ropes than an SRT system.
  9. Less risk . Risk assessment is a mathematical exercise which considers the cumulative severity and probability of all possible failure modes. JRB has done the analysis: Due to the lack of an anchor and lesser jamming potential, DSRT has less overall risk potential.

Advantages of SRT

  1. Less rope: For a conventional, isolated crotch, an SRT climb can be accomplished with less rope than a DSRT system.
  2. Cost: SRT requires less rope and doesn’t need a swivel carabiner (which is preferred in DSRT.)
  3. Easier Ascent: Most new climbers agree that it’s easier to advance one hitch than two, and is less effort to advance move the Garda on a single line.
  4. Special Situations. There are particular trees and scenarios (described on the SRT Method page) where SRT is necessary. These include basal anchor situations (assuming adequate rope) and when the anchor must capture the trunk. See:
SRT Method

Use the best method for the tree

JRB’s approach is simple: Build a 3 Hitch Universal System and use the following priority scheme:

  1. Use DSRT whenever possible.
  2. Use SRT in those situations described on the SRT page.
  3. Use Hitch Climbing in situations where a throwball or paracord preset is not feasible.

Rappel on the Munter

Before we climb, we need to rehearse our Rappel technique. Forming the Munter Friction hitch needs to be memorized and mastered with our feet on the ground before embarking on an actual climb:

Technique and Geometry

This video covers SRT and DSRT, from the perspective of different experience levels.

DSRT Demonstrations

Before we try anything, we should learn as much about it as possible. Here is a link to the DSRT Playlist on YouTube. All videos down to the “bookmark” video have content that a new climber would benefit from seeing. DSRT Playlist. At a minimum, these are the most relevant videos all DSRT climbers should view:

If the Longhorn Agile Hitch is used, both friction hitches can be moved with one hand, with a “single shove”. Earlier friction hitches were longer and less performant and needed to be operated independently with a “double shove” which requires more coordination and balance.

Climbing Technique and Geometry

Geometry and technique details are also described in this older video, when different friction hitches were used.

This video captures the details of what to expect and what steps to take in our first climb. This demonstration obviously was done before the possibility of a system with Longhorn Agile Hitches and a “Single Shove” to advance them.

This video has some more detail on climbing technique.

Mitigations

The system has some level of redundancy and this video explores how that could be engaged and what could go wrong and how to plan for it.

This video was made in an SRT system but is a valuable demonstration of possible recovery scenarios.

Advanced Techniques

This video shows an advanced scenario where a Longhorn Soft Shackle helps us use a high branch or a dead branch for rigging around the trunk. Note that a retrieval line is also needed.

This older video shows how we can leverage the redundancy in the system to bypass a branch that is caught between the lines.

This older video shows how a DSRT system can be used to climb in the middle of two trunks.