Compact Bulldog Bone

TimBr said:
@Z'sTrees; I was wondering whether or not the Bola is at all "jerky" when you go to release it with your full body weight on the line. I own the ART Positioner, and maybe this is operator factor, but I do find the release to be rather sudden. I've taken to pinching the rope with my hand below the device in order to provide a smoother release.

I guess I'm just wondering if the Bola seems to operate in a smoother fashion than that, without going to the extra lengths that I do with the ART device. Thanks in advance for any answers you choose to provide.

Tim
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Tim,
I find the bola to be perfectly smooth and controllable as a lanyard configuration. When in ddrt mode it can be a bit less so depending on the friction of the tree. Single leg takes more effort to release so if you dial that force up slowly and don't just reef on it it's pretty darn smooth. All this is with the Yale r.i.n.g. 10.5 mm line. When I was using tritech (a good bit fatter and stiffer) it wasn't as good drt/srt but still very much adequate.
I found the art positioner to have the same issues you're saying. It'll release under load but there's not much control. The zillon seems like a nice piece but lacks some of the versatility of that the bola offers, in my opinion.

Interesting to add a wrench in above the bola, I just don't think it makes much sense to try to make it into a true climbing system when there's a fantastic and very similar device that's designed to do just that, the bulldog bone.
 
123Craig said:
Was there anything wrong with your old bone (no pun intended)? - Could you have just ordered replacement parts in that case?

Did you just want to try the stubby? - Can you give us an update on what you think of it?

Thanks
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Or can anyone (surveyor?) give us some more info on how R+D is coming along on small batch of Stubby Bones - or is it just too early? : )
 
No further R and D on the stubby, It was my attempt to build a Bone specifically for the Vortex, with a shorter top pivot length. The interest never seemed to develop for the stubby Bone. I guess I should make one with my new tapered and elongated bollard to see how that works!
 
123Craig said:
Was there anything wrong with your old bone (no pun intended)? - Could you have just ordered replacement parts in that case?

Did you just want to try the stubby? - Can you give us an update on what you think of it?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Sorry mate, haven’t been on here in a while. I managed to drop my old bone about 40’ out of a tree on to concrete and bent the upper arms, otherwise I would’ve carried on using it - was working absolutely fine on vortex after 3 years, any skinnier rope would’ve needed a new spine.

Been using the stubby daily for a little over a year now and it’s great - I did have slight issues with it creeping on brand new vortex but no problems after it fluffs up. Will be interesting when I get some new rope to see how it behaves given that the spine is worn a bit, I imagine it’ll slip a fair bit, although Gordon did send me a clever oblong bollard to rectify that if it does happen.

Given that it’s specifically designed to run vortex and the like, you do lose some versatility over the standard bone because it won’t grip skinnier ropes, but that’s not a problem for me and the tweaks that have been made to make it easier to run fatter rope in are worth the trade off, for me.
 
Does the BDB have replaceable parts like the rope runner, which would greatly extend its life? Or is it like the Akimbo without replaceable parts and you gotta buy a new one when it wears out? I've been browsing through this thread and I haven't found the answer yet, aside from the plate with the baby bump.
 
808Climber said:
Does the BDB have replaceable parts like the rope runner, which would greatly extend its life? Or is it like the Akimbo without replaceable parts and you gotta buy a new one when it wears out? I've been browsing through this thread and I haven't found the answer yet, aside from the plate with the baby bump.
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The two worst wear points are the spine and the bollard, both easily replaceable, either from Surveyor or also both pieces are fairly easy to make yourself if you have any basic metalworking capability. It is a much simpler design of device than the Akimbo. IMHO, simple is good if it does the job and my Bone works great on all my ropes. I have several sizes of rope and it just takes a second or two with a phillips screw driver to quickly adjust the Bone to each size.
 
808Climber said:
A question for BDB owners: swivel (Rock Exotica nano installed by surveyor) or no swivel instead of the tear drop for the connection point?
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I bought a Nano from WesSpur and installed it after using the BDB about 6 months with just the teardrop. It is nice having the swivel but it worries me how small it looks. I know it is rated and all that; but I simply have a problem trusting the little swivel completely with my life at height. It seems like the weak link in the chain. But, that said, I have not experienced any problems with it and having a swivel there really adds versatility in moving around, limb walking, etc.
 
I offer the RE nano swivel (model S11) because it fits perfectly as an attachment point on the Bone, if you use the small end of the swivel through the SS link pin. The RE nano has a flat shoulder which matches perfectly with the radius at the end of the lower cantilever arms of the Bone. I think also a DMM rubber grommet would work if inserted at the larger end of the swivel, (although I have no grommets on hand to try this)
 
808Climber said:
A question for BDB owners: swivel (Rock Exotica nano installed by surveyor) or no swivel instead of the tear drop for the connection point?
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I would say either have a swivel on your bridge or on the BDB itself. If you use other devices without incorporated swivels I would tend to go with a swivel on the bridge and keep the teardrop on the BDB.
 
Had to share this picture from an Italian climber, who just received his new Bulldog Bone.

z25V9zh.jpg
 
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