Single-handled dual ascender

g8rs_n_geese

Yep, still here. . . still interested in this type of product or arrangement of products. . .

Tree Machine

Here we'll get started. We remove the inner part of the handle, flush with the ascender handle.
We do this to both ascenders so they can eventually be mounted tight together.

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Tree Machine

Like this:

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Tree Machine

Then we replace rubber with the rubber we took out.

The industrial sealant-adhesive being used is a commercial product developed in Japan. It cures using moisture from the atmosphere, so there's no solvent at all. It firms up to feel like very firm rubber. It's bond-strength rating is 300 psi.

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Tree Machine

Completely cover the inner handle surface, like so:

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Tree Machine

Then you bookmatch them together.

Pretty straight-forward and easy so far.

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Tree Machine

The whipping will continue until morale improves.

Ha ha.

The small stuff I'm using here is 1.75 mm zing-it line.

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Tree Machine

This part takes some real care, keeping the whipping tight and adjacent, while not smearing the structural adhesive-sealant all over. Once the rubber sets up, there is no changing anything, whipping included, so get it right the first time.

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Tree Machine

Here's a look from the other side:

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Tree Machine

After the rubber cures, give the handle a good squeeze. Mmmmm. So much improvement over the handle like on the Kongs. This handle has some meat to it.



Trim the ends of the whipping.

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Tree Machine

Trim excess rubber. Believe it or not, we're done.
This baby is NOT coming apart.

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Tree Machine

This is what the new single-handled dual ascender looks like.
It just needs a couple rated slings of the ideal length.


With this sort of ascender you can go up a single OR a twin line. Or anchor one end of the rope to your saddle and use the ascender on the standing end to do a more traditional 2:1-style slow and laborious ascent.

Going up twin is the quickest, fastest, easiest, most straight-forward manner, all things considered. SRT is next.

This ascender shown in the pics I've been using 10 months so far. It's a joy, other than one limitation that it shares with the Kong, and that is, you no longer are able to fit a caribiner through the upper hole(s). That is significant. Very significant.

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newguy18

Looks good tm.

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old schooler

Tree Machine

I like em a lot.

I heard rumor that Petzl is coming out with a new dual ascender,
where did I hear that??? Oh! a rumor started here in this thread.
Petzl, Click, click. Are you out there??? Come in Petzl, click, click.
Step in and say hello. We have questions about your new ascender.....

Click, click.....

newguy18

Have you tried emailing them?

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old schooler

Tree Machine

Yes.

Knotahippie

Cool!

Being able to put a krab in there seems key. The rope could come out otherwise (usually operator error). Alot of lateral movement in the tree.

That prusik does the trick. Also keeps it a redundant system.

If one of those cams fail and no prusik, carabiner or not...crater.

Wasn't there an accident in UK where the ascender/jumar came off the rope and the climber fell on to a steel fence?

Garry Brockley

Yes but he didnt hav a prussik above as a back up if the ascender came off, and guess what it did.

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Knotahippie

It was a miracle he survived from what I remember.

Was it 60'?

On to a spiked fence?

TrevMcRev

Uhhmm....Newguy, you still insistant on purposely NOT backing up???......

Tree Machine

Yea, newguy. Backing up offers you a whole new level of confidence and trust in your piece of gear. A cam failure is a very rare event, but in you're head you've always gotta be thinking that it is possible. That's why the backup.

You may have a decade of a good driving record, never had an accident, no speeding tickets, you're clean. You're convinced you're a good driver. You ARE a good driver. Convinced of this and insistently and purposely you choose not to pay your insurance premium or wear a seatbelt, even though it is state law, because you have this screwed-up belief that you've got it all figured out. Guess what happens next?

Tree Machine

The dual ascender offers you a very solid promise, if they're not caked in ice or hopelessly choked in mud (not our industry) that they'll absolutely, positively grab the rope and not slip or creep backward. They'll advance easily and with almost no friction. They will do single rope or twin line ascent interchangably. They are quick-on, quick-off, and if you do it according to the instructions provided by Petzl, they are adjustable on rope.

Also, tending slack is sort of a thing of the past as that act is inclusive in the ascender's use.

And 2:1 -style ascent, you can just finally say goodbye to: no more air-humping or 'pulling' yourself up, or having to have someone pull you up.

The most beneficial thing, though, is that you can fully weight the ascenders, and it just doesn't matter. Rest as needed, or stop for whatever reason, you're OK. A slight push upward, and the ascender advances. Even just a few centimeters at a time in your more cruxxy situations, the ascender will advance, then grip 100%, each and every time.

That's quite a promise to aid our crown access. It's an advantage over other means of access up into the canopy that is, in my opinion, far easier, simpler and quicker than all other practical means, aside from the racing prussik.

Tree Machine

Guess what? Petzl e-mailed us back.

newguy18

You gotta remeber guys,i'm the guy who unclips his one lanyard 100' in a tree to get around limbs,i do that all the time.I know i'm not a good driver,i powerslide my truck at 60mph all the time,go 90 mph down the highway.What can i say i'm an adrenilne junkie,unless i'm in danger,i'm not havign fun.Oh and i haven't worn a seat belt since i was 12.Tm what are the chance that 2-3 ascenders are gonna fail at the same time,considering that i take better are of my gears and tools than i do myself.Pretty rare,thats why i won't use a back up.

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old schooler

newguy18

Cool,are they gonna register and add to you knowledge of ascenders?

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old schooler

Tree Machine

Here's an addition; released just yesterday at the Milwaukee Tree Care Industry Association EXPO.
TreeWorld is the first to bring you the scoop

Also there is a dedicated thread for this product.
Ascentree| Petzl Dual Handled Ascender

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Tree Machine

To be honest, that closes the chapter on the single-handle dual ascender. I have used it coming up on a year. The dual is smooth as I can dream of, but there is no upper hole for attachment of connectors and backups. It is for this reason ALONE that I do not recommend anyone construct a set like I've shown.


Other than just the limited options to backup, this is the ONLY problem I have with these ascenders.


That is all I can offer on these. Since Quercus and I are possibly the only dudes on the planet with a set of these, let's move on. Petzl has developed the AscenTree dual-handled ascenders. Let's move the conversation there.