RRC Archives

I thought that the "Texas" style is the Texas two step as in one aider per jumar so you can jug faster kinda like being on a stair climber, once you work out the right length of your daisys to each jumar and figure out which step you want each foot in then you can cruise.

The way tom described is easier to get used to right away and requires less gear but the going is slower and is a lot more work. I've only every used it in the mountains ascending out of a crevasse as you can base the system on prusiks using only two cordelets, but i've never done any adventure racing so who knows

Don,
you should check out some caving pages. cavers got rope climbing super dialed.

when i'm cleaning a steep aid pitch i usually use the texas system, which is one or both feet connected to the bottom ascender along with a loose daisy. and then a daisy connected to the top jumar so that it rides no higher than my head when weighted. on really steep rock, both feet go in the bottom, on gently overhanging rock i do one foot in the aiders and one foot on the rock for balance. note-if you are in the relaxed postion there should be no straining or stretching involved in reaching your ascenders.
if i'm cleaning a vertical to slabby pitch then i go with a yosemite style system, which is what it sounds like you have tried. yosemite style differs slightly from the texas in that both jumars will need to be a little longer. say head high for the bottom ascender and just below the wrist of your extended arm for the top one. now one aider goes on each jumar and you proceed in stairmaster fashion. this one is super efficient when the rock is less than vertical. when it gets steep you'll suffer.
i use these both for cleaning aid which is slower and less stressful than trying to go for a free hanging race. i would recommend you do a search for frog style. very popular among cavers. it is very efficient. basically, you got an ascender (croll works best) clipped straigh to your harness with and over-the-shoulder strap to keep it upright. then your top ascender has a daisy/tether and both aiders. both feet in something like the 4th steps and you swim up the rope in a frog like fashion. cavers also use a system called a ropewalker which is super fast (you can do like 30m in 18sec. if you're fit) the drawback for an adventure race would be the added bulk, and they really only work on a free hanging rope.
you could probably find a better description on something like rock n rescue's page, or inner mountain outfitters.
good luck

so i guess i was dead wrong about the whole texas style thing and i need to go hit up some more steep aid lines.
I also found this link on the frog system http://cyberbuzz.gatech.edu/orgt/caving/frog/frog.html