Rope-Tek HitchHiker 2

The Rope-Tek HitchHiker 2 is a mechanical climbing device for tree climbers who want smooth slack tending and fine control in the canopy. It is aimed at experienced climbers moving away from a plain friction hitch toward a more mechanical setup.

Where the HitchHiker 2 fits

Climbers search for the HitchHiker 2 when they want something between a friction hitch and a fully mechanical device: the familiar feel of a hitch-based system with less fiddling, better slack tending and consistent behavior from one climb to the next. It sits in the same part of the gear shop as the Petzl Zigzag and similar devices.

Exact configuration, rope diameter range and the systems it is approved for come from Rope-Tek, so read the instructions and the listing before you build your system around it. Compare it with other devices for MRS to see what suits the way you climb.

Mechanical devices change how a climbing system feels compared with a friction hitch. Expect a learning period: how the device grabs, how it releases, and how much input it needs to descend smoothly will all feel different at first. Give yourself time on the ground and at low height to learn its habits before working with a saw.

Training and inspection

Any device in your life-support system has to be used exactly as the manufacturer describes, with compatible rope and connectors, and in line with ANSI Z133 and your employer's procedures. Learn it low and slow, close to the ground, with a trained climber who knows the device before you take it aloft.

Inspect it before every climb for wear, cracks, bent parts and smooth movement, and keep it clean of sap and grit. Retire it if it has taken a big load or shows damage.