Page Contents:
Overview
Whether climbing DSRT, SRT or MRS, the use of an arborist throwball is the preferred way to get a rope in a tree. “Rigging” is a term that came from the sailing discipline, describing the manner in which the sails are hoisted. In the context of climbing, rigging is the process of getting a rope into a tree such that we can climb on it.
Related Products
This page explains HOW. See the Shopping List if you need a throwball, throwline or paracord. Small/mini carabiners and quick links used for “rope rigging” are on the Carabiners page:
Related Devices
The JRB End Loop was created for rope rigging. It works not only in a tree crotch, but also in a False Crotch or Floating Anchor. Please see the dedicated pages:
All About the Throwball
How Much Throwline?
The more throwline we bring into the woods, the more we need to manage. JRB typically carries only 60 or 70ft. Basically, we want to be able reach both sides of the throwline when it is over the highest crotch we will rig. Assuming that we consume about 6″ on either end of the line when attaching it and that the climber can reach 6.5′ off the ground, here are some reference lengths:
- Need 50′ of line for crotches up to 31′
- Need 60′ of line for crotches up to 36′
- Need 70′ of line for crotches up to 41′
- Need 80′ of line for crotches up to 46′
How heavy a throwball?
JRB prefers 14 or 16 oz throwball.
Paracord Presets
If the tree will be climbed again, JRB recommends leaving a loop of paracord in the tree (a paracord preset) as described in the videos below.
Throwball Basics
This video demonstrates basic throwball technique and how to rig and store a paracord preset:
Halter Hitch
The Halter Hitch makes a great option for tying throwline to a throwball:
Double Butterfly Coil
This video shows an alternative method for coiling up the throwline, so as to ensure it can’t get disorganized and tangled in transport and storage.
Managing Paracord Spools
This video shows how to make sure your paracord spool doesn’t become a mangled mess!
When the Spool Runs Out
This video show how to deal with the situation when you run out of paracord and don’t have quite enough left on the spool to rig a preset.
Attach Rope to a Cord
The following video shows options for using the JRB End Loop to rig a rope into the tree. Also, see the Halter Hitch, described above.
If there is no JRB End Loop and we simply need to attach a climbing rope to a throwline or paracord, use two bull hitches in series.
Old Paracord Presets
A paracord preset can last over a decade. But its best to visit them before the season to ensure that they are ready for us the day of a hunt.
Stuck Throwball Recovery
If a throwball gets stuck, one way to get it down is a hitch climb. If you try to pull it down, be aware that the throwball can get dislodged and come at you hard causing injury. Protect yourself by pulling AROUND the base of an adjacent tree, ensuring that you are not in the line of pull.
Preconfigured SRT System Rigging
This video demonstrates a way to rig a “Preconfigured” SRT system into a tree, specifically a system which is “ready to climb” with all the critical knots are tied in advance, including the friction hitch. The system can be rigged and retrieved by only attaching our rigging line to the system using a small profile knot such as the Running Highwayman’s Hitch.
Maverick Hitch, Houdini Rigging
The following rope rigging technique is useful in SRT scenarios where the first branch in the tree can be used to get a throwball into, but is not trustworthy for a climb. See: