making a knee ascender

[Mesquite]

where do you prefer the ascender at compared to your knee? when wearing and using the knee ascender? do you like it above your knee? at your knee? below your knee? i have already made it and its adjustable but i would like some data points to compare to and try while i get used to it.

i made mine out of the jet step. since i have been using a jet step foot ascender and really like it. i was able to set it up with the stock webbing, a couple plastic thimbles, 3/8 tenex tex whoopie, and some shock cord. All textiles are intensionaly to long to try many different configurations and once found will make pretty and safer.

So far it works great in my living room. Im going to work play with it right now. Im going to climb todays tree because i want to.

 

[lxskllr]

Mine sits right at my knee. I don't have strong feelings about it, but it does bang my knee when unclipped. Not a big deal with yours, but my ascender is heavy as hell, and a little irritating.

 

[Mesquite]

The jet step is a decent size foot ascender, bigger than most. It does have two cams in it. Looking at pictures on the web and in catalogs they look to be about the same size. compared to all the other

I thought this video might help some one down the line

 

[Marc-Antoine]

I'd say that the minimum height is at least the maximum vertical step you want/can do. The two ascenders must not interfer.
A little above the kne gives some meat to cushion the device. Bellow, there's only the bone, at same height, the knee can be unhappy. Maybe you can clip the knee ascender to the saddle when unused. That will avoid the knee banging.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

A light, compact ascender works best in a knee ascender set up. Rope size capacity is important. WIll it work on up to 1/2 " rope? An older Petzl Pantin foot ascender, Camp Turbo, ISC Stryder, CT Quick Step would be good examples. Heavier and larger is clunkier and less responsive to climbing the rope via a bungee. Just my .02. Adjust it to just above the knee cap. Where you start having some meat there.
Bigger steps are not always more efficient. Think of a set of stairs.

 

[lxskllr]

I agree with the little steps. When I first tried it, I was going for maximum stride, and it made it way more difficult than it needed to be. I now use a step that almost feels too small, but it gets you up the rope fast and easy.

edit:
Re the allusion to stairs. A lot of us will go up stairs two at a time, right? At least the taller people will. The feel I get when the ropewalking is going well is more like ¾ of a stair at a time. Doesn't feel like my legs are moving far, but the progress goes fast with less fatigue.

edit2:
spelling

 

[biggun]

I never understood why anyone would leave the knee ascender in place when not in use?

It is just something else to snag when moving around. Take it off and clip it somewhere and it definitely won’t hit the knee.

As for small or big steps. If it recoils enough then take large steps. I made a frankenhaas years ago and it worked great.

I have had a velux now for a number of years after meeting the inventor. Give him his dues, it’s a great product and I bought one in support of the innovation.

I styled my original on Gerry’s doubled line rope walker. Used a Petzl mini croll, some tennex 6mm and 8mm elastic, doubled over.
I knocked it up one day after work after a visit to the boat chandlers over the road.

Here is a video of testing it.

 

[lxskllr]

Do you all favor locking or non locking ascenders? Locking is the only kind I've used, and prefer them at least philosophically. I want my gear to stay where I put it til I explicitly decide to remove it. It adds a step to removal, but I don't find it overly burdensome. I have nothing to compare the experience to though.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

I began with the Pantin and for the years I used it, I never figured out either to keep the rope in place or free it at will. I probably didn't put enough mind on it but it's frustrating.
I bought a CT instead. The locking was a big improvement on the reliability during use, but putting the rope in or taking it out takes more time and attention. Until the spring of the locker brocke. I replaced it, then it brocke again. So frigg it, now I use it as is with the locking mechanism non locking but it works reasonably well. I do have some kick-out time to time, not much, like when I want to take a step on a limb, but it's easier and quicker to engage and release it. Somewhat a good intermediate between the two stock models.

 

[Mesquite]

The jet set doesn't have a locking mechanism, i have only been using my jet step for a month or two and i have not kicked out ever. It does have a rope guide on the top of it that i assume is the reason why the rope stay put.

In the video below is a great idea for a knee ascender. I think if it went into production it would give the other knee ascenders a run for their money as long as is preformed.

 

[biggun]

When using a non locking foot ascender imagine you are pedalling a bike backwards.

The rope has less of a tendency to kick out. When you want it out you just flick your foot forward. The ease of the rope coming out is influenced by how worn the ascender is.

 

[SeanKroll]

That's pretty bulky, imo. Looks like nice craftsmanship.

I have a JetStep. Works nice. The hook can be a problem, mostly while walking.


I made mine from a Petzl handled ascender I had, cut down and drilled for two connection points.

Elastic bungee cord and a piece if scrap rope, tied in an adjustable foot loop/ lower section length.

Cheap, compact, and stows well. I've been climbing on it for a long, long time, and having tried a HAAS, I didn't feel compelled to change.

 

[Mesquite]

Could you please post a picture of your device? I enjoy seeing other people creativity. It usually helps me to expand my tunnel vision.

Thank you sean for all your knowledge you have shared over the years. I have learned quite a bit from you good sir, from reading through the forum.

Good day

 

[biggun]

Here is a pic of the first one I knocked up. I did change up a few things. Smaller tennex and different elastic. That elastic in the picture was from the tree motion accessory stuff.

There was a whole thread dedicated to the Homemade knee ascenders.

Homemade haas style ascender

Made from an old left foot pantin and some flat and tubular webbing. Greetings from Germany Johannes

www.masterblasterhome.com

 

[Maximalist]

Quite a working option. This is just a parody of Haаs . However, I think the Croll is bigger than the Pantin, and there are too many rubber bands. I used Croll and one elastic band. And a stirrup with a more convenient lock.

 

[biggun]

That was about 8 years ago.

It did change over time.

 

[Maximalist]

That was about 8 years ago.

It did change over time.

A lot of things change over time. Especially if there is a desire) Can you show off your new ascender?

 

[biggun]

I now use a HAAS Velux.

I gave the older one to a friend.

Imagine some 6mm Tennex in Silver (Probably not exactly tenet but Hollow braid), spliced with a thimble at one end and foot loop at the other. Small DMM crab to croll and a length of 8mm elastic from a boat chandlers doubled over. I used to connect it doubled as I liked it to basically hit the bottom of the hitch climber.

As some points, if your balance was off, it would clip the underside of your nut sack. A small price to pay for being able to run up the rope like a champ

 

[Maximalist]

My HAAS also allows you to move along the rope very quickly. Quite compact and convenient. The foot loop ( 1 ) has a magnetic lock.

 

[lxskllr]

That folds up really nice! Since this thread was made, I bought a foldable saka. My homemade one worked ok, but it wasn't nice, and I wanted something nice, so my homemade version is in my truck setup, and the saka is with my primary gear.

 

[Maximalist]

Can you show your not-so-beautiful HAAS?)

 

[lxskllr]

I don't have a collection of old gear like most of you have, so I had to buy the parts mostly. I got a really good deal on the CMI ascender, which is why that was used. It's also what makes it kind of suck. That's a big and heavy chunk of aluminum, and it would bang against my knee any time it wasn't clipped to rope. It didn't make it unusable, but it was annoying, like having someone poke you in the side every minute or so.

The foot loop is simply a Chinese camlock strap I cut down and put a chafe sleeve on. It worked surprisingly well. It would slip a little over a couple hours, but never became non functional. If I were to use it as a primary device, a little velcro sewn on the tail end would give it enough grip to prevent slipping.

My philosophy with building anything is to meet minimum requirements with minimal effort, and iterate over time. I also don't like making permanent modifications until I'm sure I'me right. That's why there's still a strap hanging from the ascender. It would have to be cut to remove it, and then I'd have to stitch it back on if I wanted to use it as a foot ascender again. Having it dangling is ugly, but doesn't affect much. The lower section is a scrap of epicord hitch cord I had, and the elastic is from a boogieboard tether I found on a job, with a paracord prusik I'd clip to my saddle.

 

[Maximalist]

Quite a complex design. Although, if it works and you are happy with it, then why not.

 

[SeanKroll]

I wonder if fraying the strap would make the cam lock on to it better, without needing velcro.

 

[lxskllr]

I suspect it would. It didn't really give me any trouble, so I was just gonna let it wear naturally, and I anticipated it would hold firmer over time. I haven't used it since I got the saka. My work setup is just in case I need to get in a tree and I don't have my main gear. That hasn't happened so far.