I knew you'd love it!

I am currently using the 1.75mm, red (it's actually pink), with an eye spliced on both ends. I just girth hitch the splice around the bag. It's a quick tie and untie!

For what it's worth, my primary throw weight is an 8ouncer. I like it. Every now and then, it doesn't come down, though. Usually I throw it up, let the momemtum bring it down, then if I have to bring it up to isolate my target crotch, I'll take of the 8 and put on a 12oz. That almost always brings it back to the ground

Glad you like it.

love
nick

Are any of you using Fly Lite? I am experiencing mixed results. The stuff is small, is light, throws easily and comes down smoothly. Using my bigshot I can regularly access anchors at well over a hundred feet using the Fly Lite and an eight-ounce bag. The problem is that it tangles very easily and tends to tie itself in knots as it flies through the air. I have made shots that went straight up, came straight down, and the line would have knots in it. Go figure! Another problem is that while it is quite strong, it still tends to break when pulled over rough anchors; It abraids very easily. It is very discouraging to get a line over a limb at over a hundred feet and then lose the setting when the line pops under the weight of the rope because of the abrasion created by passing over a rough surface. I have found that the best solution is to use the Fly Lite for the initial shot, then exchange it for Slickline in order to haul up the climbing rope.

Sometimes I have to start with monofilament fishing line and a six ounce weight, then exchange it for slickline before making the rope haul.

Zingit is another option. It is stronger and would do well to haul up the rope, but , even with gloves, its small diameter makes it extremely painful on my hands when making a long and heavy haul. Zingit is also even worse than Fly Lite about getting itself into tangles. The knots which tend to magically appear in the Zingit are almost impossible to untie once you have hauled on them.

Most of the trees that I climb are "wild" trees, in wilderness settings, and the possibilities for things getting tangled is always quite high. If it isn't the ground vegetation that is catching the line, it is the understory that the line passes through as it goes up, over, and down again. Usually I will carry all three types of line and let the tree, the anchor limb, and the ground vegetation determine which line or combination of line I will use. In urban settings, with "tame" trees, I almost always stick with Slickline and a twelve ounce bag. Any further thoughts on this subject would be greatly appreciated!

I've been using 1.75mm zing-it also, with a 10oz bag. I also prefer it over slickline, and NT's blackline or hotline, for most of the climbing around here. (I haven't tried fly-lite though.) It snags less on rough bark, moss and small branches, and I can get higher shots more consistently with the lighter bag. Like Josh though, I still use the blackline, usually when I want to leave an inconspicuous line up in the tree.

There was a thread recently on TreeBuzz (I think - or was it here?) about using a folding storage cube for storing your throw line. Here's a _link_ that sells these:

http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?CATID=166&PRODID=62087.

I actually picked up something similar at a department store here (like Target), which is supposed to be a fold-up clothes hamper - cost about $6. It works great - you just flake the throw line into it, and when you throw, it pulls the line straight out of the cube without tangles. You don't have to worry about the line snagging on vegetation, and when you've made the throw, flake the line back into the "cube", and fold it back up. I spend a lot less time stuffing line into a line mug, and untangling the line from plants and debris. (of course the line mugs are still great for bringing up in the tree with you).

Yep, there was a big thread on arboristsite.com about it.

http://arboristsite.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=113794

This picture will show the hamper that can be purchased at target for less than 7 dollars. I am not yet sure if it is the BEST method, but it sure beats stuffing it into a tiny little bag!

love
nick

Bump! Or 8 months late to the party....As it were.

Some comments. I got some blackline from tree Tools a few years back---total junk! Stretchy, frictiony, and hard to see.

Flylight is also junk, as it will break at the slightest problem requiring tugging.

ZingIt is the best I've used...essentially just small spectra. The 1.75 size is very tangly and must be handled carefully...the 2.2 ain't much better! I'm just now getting pure plasma line from my source, super cheap...It is much stronger than ZI, not that that matters, it is just all that Puget Sound Ropes makes in the amll sizes. I let you guys know how it works. i'm sure its characteristics will be similar to ZI, and then maybe I can sell excess if anyone wants some.

About those hampers...I used one from Target for maybe 3 months and just kept getting tangles in it. After much frustration, I stepped up and bought the Faltheimer Cube. It is quite expensive, but I do not regret the purchase....not even a tiny bit!

Try it out. I hear the new models will be much better.

love
nick