Which arbtalkers climb on a lockjack?

[will.morris]

Have just done my first week climbing on a new lockjack sport, decided to go down the mechanical route after moving away from the HC VT. Not 100% used to it just yet, have had the odd scary moment but overall I love it.

 

I've heard a lot of people write them off for being bad for fine adjustment on branch tips but I honestly think that that is a load of rubbish and a case of them not being able to use it properly. Its definately sensitive but you can make small adjustments easily by squeezing on the pressure on the rope bit rather than the ball, even guiding the tail through it if you want to be extra careful. It's so nice not having to think about setting a knot and amazingly efficient coming back in on branches.

 

I'm not a fan of the spider jack, I think its a great bit of kit but just not for me. Just interested to hear who else on here climbs on the L J

[YoGi_93]

Ive only climbed on a LJ once but I agree with you I loved it. I usually climb on a hitch climber and im constantly changing the hitch I havnt found one I like yet. They always seem to bite off or slip. I borrowed one to have a climb on and I loved it, id even go as far to say it inspired more confidence not having to worry about a knot all the time! Great bit of kit

[Dan Curtis]

I do mate, I think you have seen it when we've reccy'd together, both DdRT and SRT with the RW. For fine adjustment, pull the rope out the top, much smoother than toggling imo.

 

I've heard a lot of people write them off for being bad for fine adjustment on branch tips but I honestly think that that is a load of rubbish and a case of them not being able to use it properly.

 

 

Or not given it enough time to get used to it

[carlos]

i do and have done for a few years now really rate it, the fact that its always the same .

teamed it up with the rope wrench a few months back and its now better again.

would be curious to try a spider jack out of intrest too.

carl

[jose]

I have done for about 2 yrs now. Took a while to get use to it, use to drop a few feet with the lightest of touch.

Now its a bit older it doesnt run so freely.

 

TBH i will be going back to a old style prussuk slider.

I find that it is really easy to create a lot of resistance when i dont want it.

If trying to get out on a branch it doesnt want to let me release more rope without 2 hands fighting it.

 

add to the that the cost and i cant see me getting another one.

i like my kit simple, less to go wrong tbh.

but each to there own i guess.

[Old Mill Tree Care]

I climbed on a LJ for nearly eight years and rate it as the best DRT friction device. Apologies to SJ supporters but the LJ is midline attachable so it gets an extra point from me.

[will.morris]

Nice to hear from some of the SJ cousins lol

 

I run it on yale 13mm rope with a standard double ring cabium saver. Tried it with the smaller clutch on my mates smaller rope (11.5mm I think) with a fancy art cambium saver with a pulley (rope guide?) and that was very lively. With my set up its by no means slow but finding that release point is just a bit more user friendly.

 

I never liked how a VT has to be set after a straight ascent, I've asked loads of different people over time about what would happen if you fell at that point and it seems a pretty grey area as to whether or not it would bite. Had to deadwood a big open gum at work a few weeks back and that was playing on my mind a lot.

 

Yes Dan I saw it when I climbed at your house that time, you were showing me what happens when you grab the ball Thanks for the tip about pulling above it though will have to try that. The RW is actually banned at Asplundh though so I wouldn't be able to use it SRT even if I wanted to at work.

[DrewB]

if your vt's tied correctly bro, you shouldnt have to set it everytime..

[will.morris]

I had my VT set up running pretty sweet, managed to get it to grip reliably but also loose enough to self tend when there was enough rope underneath. I tried tonnes of different factors, length, wraps, crosses, prussik cord but it was never quite 100% like something mechanical. Very close though it was extremely rare for it not to bite at all, at most it required a tiny push into the rope.

 

I might get some more of my gear sent over from the UK soon, including my short rope, so I'll keep the VT on that line for the smaller stuff rather than having to change the lj over each time. I'm sure you'll agree that longer ropes are a real pita for street trees.

[matt.akers]

Am I right in saying that a LJ is just like a mechanical friction hitch, like the new Zig Zag thing? Sorry for my stupidity?