New climber & the spiderjack 3

[GARY]

Prussic for a good few months then upgrade to a hitch climber set up then when you have got the hang of that spider jack, zigzag etc.

[TIMON]

Levers in a working situation are too easy to knock. I know ART have taken this into account with the SJ3 and shrouded the lever and added the locking function. It will be interesting to see what people think.

I will wait and see before I spend quarter of a grand on a friction device.

[stihlmadasever]

Try the hitch climber its great,before you go mechanical get at least a month on the prussik,its not that bad and can do all the same things a mechanical device can at at tenth of the price

[Darrin Turnbull]

Probably a super device , i'm not a big fan of the Spiderjack it's the two way action of controlling it which I don't like.

Of cause if you're bombing out of trees all day long that's the thing to get.

[Daythe trees]

It's been said in this conversation many times but master the Prussic then move on but never forget the Prussic and three knot system. I climb on a hitch climber and occasionally use a zigzag or sport jack if jumping on a line inserted by one of my mates when swooping climbers. All good systems but take a little practice. However when I drive to work and can't tie a Blake's in my head without having to strain I make sure at some point that day I tie a three knot system and use it. It's also worth considering with which ever system your are climbing on how will you rescue with it, do you need to add extra friction when an extra body is on the system? It maybe as simple as a carabiner on a gear loop to run the tail end through to add that friction....but if you didn't take that extra crab up with you what then?

[scottythepinetree]

My experience with the Spiderjack is that it is a bit gimmicky. It's a very expensive bit of kit for something that functionally doesn't do anything that a well configured hitchclimber VT combo won't do. I climbed on one for about 6 months until the cam was well and truly knackered, then went back to HC/VT, and basically never looked back. It just doesn't add enough to my climbing to bother ordering a replacement cam.

 

I've since sold it, and couldn't see myself going the mechanical route again. You just can't beat a trusty friction cord.

[Joe Newton]

It's been said in this conversation many times but master the Prussic then move on but never forget the Prussic and three knot system. I climb on a hitch climber and occasionally use a zigzag or sport jack if jumping on a line inserted by one of my mates when swooping climbers. All good systems but take a little practice. However when I drive to work and can't tie a Blake's in my head without having to strain I make sure at some point that day I tie a three knot system and use it. It's also worth considering with which ever system your are climbing on how will you rescue with it, do you need to add extra friction when an extra body is on the system? It maybe as simple as a carabiner on a gear loop to run the tail end through to add that friction....but if you didn't take that extra crab up with you what then?

 

 

Take a wrap round your leg?

[Daythe trees]

Take a wrap round your leg?

 

Exactly but worth considering and if that's the solution and you've thought of it prior then when under pressure you will do it. Not all of us work amazing under pressure and a bit of pre thinking can be time well spent. I do like your practical approach you clearly think like me.