Akimbo

[Rich Rule]

It is pretty much unusable on wet or dirty rope for me. I don't have the time to piss about with it mid climb.

 

Hence the reason I have grabbed other devices when work needs to be done.

 

 

Rich

[carlos]

thats a shame to hear rich, hopefully the design could be tweaked or somthing.

carl.

[Rich Rule]

Don't get me wrong, it is a good device and when it works, it works well.

 

I have got it to work on htp. A rope I haven't had the joy of getting the RR or the BDB to work on.

 

I just can't get it to work on my Cougar ropes (blue and orange) or my Kernmaster yet. Then add a bit of presipitation into the mix and your not going anywhere fast.

 

I guess I need more time to tinker, but unfortunately I don't get paid for tinkering.

[MattyF]

On the cougars it seemed fine fully open on top and one on the bottom.

Didn't enjoy the Stirling but it needs braking in a more an milking.

[Old Mill Tree Care]

It is pretty much unusable on wet or dirty rope for me. I don't have the time to piss about with it mid climb.

 

Hence the reason I have grabbed other devices when work needs to be done.

 

 

Rich

 

 

WTF! I didn't expect to hear anyone say this.

Can anyone else substantiate this or provide info on how it can be adjusted to work well in wet weather?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

[Paul Smith]

Mine worked on Kernmaster in the wet, as said a little stiff in the freezing rain. Never slipped or creeped in fact the opposite. Still think I need more time to tune it in though! When time is money just get on with it and worry about it on a more leisurely day!

[BenR]

Hey Matty, I milked about 2ft in total off the 11mm HTP. Its works a lot better now.

 

I have to agree with Rich on this, its a finikity little bugger. As a subby climber you need something that goes on the rope and works much the same whatever the conditions. The akimbo is not that device. It hates my used cougars whatever the conditions and whatever the settings.. I thought cougar was a 'firm' rope as arb ropes go but its clearly not firm enough. The HTP is as hard as they come and it loves that. I think part of the issue is that its designed for 11-12mm and cougar is on the top end of that. Add into the equation the fact that once the rope is squashed in the cams it naturally expands side ways and is picking up contact with the side plates. I think it would have been a better move to make it for 11-13mm as that is what most in arb use.. by making it 11-12 you immediately exclude those who prefer 13mm. I know plenty of folks out there who have to use 13mm due to issues with their hands. Basically in its current form the device is for people who climb on their new rope when they fancy it, on a nice tree, in lovely weather.

[Mark Bolam]

I'm getting one then.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

[High Scale]

Hey Matty, I milked about 2ft in total off the 11mm HTP. Its works a lot better now.

 

I have to agree with Rich on this, its a finikity little bugger. As a subby climber you need something that goes on the rope and works much the same whatever the conditions. The akimbo is not that device. It hates my used cougars whatever the conditions and whatever the settings.. I thought cougar was a 'firm' rope as arb ropes go but its clearly not firm enough. The HTP is as hard as they come and it loves that. I think part of the issue is that its designed for 11-12mm and cougar is on the top end of that. Add into the equation the fact that once the rope is squashed in the cams it naturally expands side ways and is picking up contact with the side plates. I think it would have been a better move to make it for 11-13mm as that is what most in arb use.. by making it 11-12 you immediately exclude those who prefer 13mm. I know plenty of folks out there who have to use 13mm due to issues with their hands. Basically in its current form the device is for people who climb on their new rope when they fancy it, on a nice tree, in lovely weather.

 

 

Agreed, im no longer a subbie climber, well not much, but i like things to work the same way everytime which is why I have climbed on the HH since it came out.

 

Making the production Akimbo viable for larger diameter ropes wouldnt be that much of an issue imo.

 

I prefer fatter ropes for my tender southern arms.

[Rich Rule]

I wonder how any of the climbers in other parts of the world are finding it.

 

I am sure the dudes in SoCal will be loving it in their dry, arrid environment.

 

I wonder how the ones that went into Northern Europe are holding up and also the others in the U.K.

 

I tried again today on Kernmaster. It was wet from the other day but it didn't work. I have to close the top arm completely and then hope it releases. TBH it is hard enough just to get the device to release.

 

I then slapped the bollards to fully open on the top and one from largest at the bottom. Tried it on a shorter but if Cougar blue as I was just taking epis off and raising the canopy. It didn't work too well in single line mode so I tried it doubled. It worked but was pretty frustrating as it wouldn't release very well. No problems on grabbing, releasing seems to be the problem.

 

After 3 trees I put it back in my bag (again) and finished the other 9 on a hitch.

 

Jaime, please don't take this the wrong way if you read it. It is a great looking device and well made, I just feel it needs some amount of further research and development for guys who may climb in anything less than perfect conditions.

 

Edit: I must add as well, and tried to get a vid of it but the problem stopped. After I have done a climb and the Akimbo has been in the kit bag. Twice it has happened now, the bottom arm locks in position and stops the device being opened. No idea what is locking it up. At first I thought I had somehow bent the device. That free'd up after washing the Akimbo. Today it was locked up and I grabbed my mobile to try and film it to show what I mean and just as we started recording g the bloody thing free'd itself up.

 

Any thoughts on that Jaime or have you had anyone else mention the problem?

 

Cheers.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Rich Rule