ascenders----

[olyman]

ok--i just got email from da man. Seen a "ascender" in his pic. So--went to fleabay to look them up. Both gibbs, and petzel. Now tell me tree climbers. which????? And why???

 

[NickfromWI]

Depends what you're doing. What's the application?

I like my ISC ascenders!

love
nick

 

[MasterBlaster]

I use my Gibbs on my lanyard.

 

[Blinky]

The Gibbs has no handle, it's designed to be tethered or hitched to the load. They're usually advanced by the load lifting up on the attachment ring. I don't think any of the Gibbs devices have sharp little teeth in the cams.

Petzl makes a million different rope grabbing devices, I assume you mean the Petzl Ascension which comes in right and left hand versions. They're generally used in pairs. They are also tethered to the load but they're advanced by the handles.

There are lots of handled ascenders like ISC, CMI, Kong, etc. Ascenders and rope grabs have lots of different applications.

The ones you select totally depends on what you plan to use them for. If you want to climb a rope, look into handled ascenders.

 

[olyman]

blink--arent sharp little teeth mighty hard on the rope???? i just seen Butchs in that one pic-,and thought it was the schnitz!!! the way i was doing it sucked.

 

[Greenhorn]

kinda of a derail but anybody doing secured footlock using an ascender?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Here's a couple of good shots.

 

[Bodean]

Here's my gibbs.

 

[Bodean]

kinda of a derail but anybody doing secured footlock using an ascender?

My buddy Ed at work uses one, he loves it.

I still beat him with a prussic cord though, ha.

He doesn't like the extra effort to push the prussic up.
If the knot is some what set/tight.
He says the double grab cam ascender is way better.



When I think ascenders, I think SRT and redwoods.

 

[NickfromWI]

I didn't like the 2-cammed ascenders. I used one for a while (i think it was called the footlocker) and it was too clunky and it didn't seem to be doing anything that the prusik was doing except being heavier, swinging around on my harness while not in use, and requiring the use of another carabiner.

I like my classic rope footlock prusik, personally.

love
nick

 

[Bodean]

Nick I use the prussic as well.
I just trust it more than a cam.

Are you still making those beeline eye spliced jobbers for footlocking?

 

[olyman]

no answer to my question about the teeth hard on rope???????????

 

[SkwerI]

olyman, the answer is "yes and no". It depends on how you use them. And also on which ascender you use, some are better than others.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Good answer!

 

[olyman]

skwerl, alas, i have no experience with the ascenders. Prior to seeing Butchs, i was ignorant. So someone eggsplain the diff brands, and the diff yes and nos. Whole diff world for me, of which i have no knowledge. How else to find out, as theres no one in this area i have ever seen climb a tree with ropes. Its all buckets and crane. Some of you have years of experience with these, i have none. Oly

 

[Blinky]

Go to a tree climbing comp and you'll see all sorts of ascenders being used all sorts of ways, especially in the aerial rescue. You can get some good ideas. Plus, it's usually a good party.

 

[olyman]

Blinky, thats fine, but have never heard of such, and dont know how to find out?????? Like i said, i went up the trees with ladder, then had rope around waist, and spikes to climb. And they werent even tree spikes!!!!! Yickes!!!! But i got er done!!!!

 

[rumination]

The Gibbs ascender, and other similar types, like what MB has on his lanyard are used in the arbor world mainly for lanyard adjusters. Other types of ascenders (hand ascenders, chest ascenders, foot ascenders) are mainly used for climbing rope, and mostly single rope at that. That's a general start.

 

[olyman]

rumination--some lights just went off---more understand now. But still have the question about the "teeth" part damaging ropes.

 

[rumination]

OK. The ascenders like the Gibbs that MB uses on his lanyard have ridges instead of teeth and don't to do much damage to the rope at all. Other types of ascenders have small teeth on the cams. Depending on the shape of the teeth and the type of rope you have, extended use will show some wear and picking of the rope fibers. However, in most circumstances in tree work it is not something you necessarily need to worry about that much.

It is important to understand how each type of ascender works and what the safe use limitations are before getting up a rope with them.

 

[Blinky]

olyman, I sent you a PM.

 

[SkwerI]

I always assumed that the ascender manufacturers intentionally designed the teeth on their ascenders to cut through the rope so that anybody who uses them will fall and die. Why would they do otherwise?

 

[olyman]

ho ho ho!!

 

[OTGBOSTON]

I didn't like the 2-cammed ascenders. I used one for a while (i think it was called the footlocker) and it was too clunky and it didn't seem to be doing anything that the prusik was doing except being heavier, swinging around on my harness while not in use, and requiring the use of another carabiner.

I like my classic rope footlock prusik, personally.

love
nick

One thing it will do that a prussic won't is allow you to body thrust by pulling down on one side of the rope. Comes in handy if you are going to be close to the trunk at any point during your ascent. Learnt that one from House Tain and havent gone back to the trusty prussic since.

FWIW I dont need a 'biner to use it either. I girth hitch it onto my swivel.

these pics were at a rec climb with lots of people in the tree, lots of bumping around and such. in this case I used one cam above my friction hitch, If I wanted to go down I just had to hold the cam open and slide the device into the top of the hitch. Redundant I know

 

[inztrees]

nice setup and nice shirt