Big Jim's
Big Jim's Hitch Breaker
A small tending aid for climbers who want a friction hitch that releases cleanly.
Eye & Eye Prusiks
Representative photo. Check the retailer listing for the exact model, color and size.
Photo: IMG_0397 by hojaleaf, CC BY 2.0
An 8 mm sewn eye-to-eye hitch cord from Yale Cordage.
The Yale Veritas hitch cord is an 8 mm sewn eye-to-eye cord for tying friction hitches on arborist climbing lines. Yale is a familiar name in tree-care rope, and Veritas is its hitch cord option for MRS and SRS climbers.
Tie your hitch on the climbing line, clip both eyes to the carabiner, and set a micro pulley above the hitch if you tend with one hand. Run a short test climb low to the ground and adjust wraps until it grips and releases the way you want.
Many climbers like running Yale hitch cord on Yale climbing lines, but any properly matched rope will do. The hitch is what matters.
If you are setting up a new system, write down which rope, which hitch, and how many wraps you settled on with the cord. When the cord wears out, replacing it with the same product and setup gets you back to the same behavior quickly, without a fresh round of trial and error at the base of the tree.
Check for glazing, stiff spots, and worn sewn eyes before every climb. Retire the cord after heat damage, a shock load, or anything that makes you doubt it.
Store hitch cords in a dry pouch, out of sunlight and away from fuel and bar oil, and keep them separate from rigging gear so they are never borrowed for a pull line or sling.
Browse more eye-and-eye prusiks. Life-support gear must meet the applicable standard (ANSI Z133 and the manufacturer's instructions), be inspected before every use, and be used only by trained climbers.
| Brand | Yale Cordage |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 8 mm |
| Terminations | Sewn eye at each end |
Specs are from the manufacturer's published figures where available. Confirm against the product listing before you buy.
No. It can be paired with other climbing lines. Test the hitch low on whatever rope you use.
That depends on your hitch, rope, and body weight. Follow your training and test low before climbing.