JayDeCoster
New member
- Location
- Hinesburg
Homemade knee ascenders
- Thread starter JayDeCoster
- Start date
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- Tags
- gear homemade knee ascender
JeffGu
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Osceola, Nebraska
Nice job!
climbstihl
Branched out member
- Location
- Germany
I made this to be like a saka, but I wanted to be able to use all the holes easily, which is why it's not sewn tightly. I might add some velcro on the back though, there is quite a bit of slop right now.
Unfortunately the color doesn't look as good as in the pic anymore...
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I've got an original style Haas copy made when the Haas appeared. The elegance of it is a piece of braided cover, two brummels one tail exposed splice , the tube, bungee and small carabiner at the top. Oh, one zip tie. Only downside is its a touch thick under your arch and the lower whoopee part can slightly loosen after while. So you reach down and snug it. I just pull the carabiner off my chest and hook it by my leg loop. Or move it back up to use it again. Simple to make and reliable. Place the splices to match your own leg.
A lot of gratitude to Mr. Frankhauser.
A lot of gratitude to Mr. Frankhauser.
JayDeCoster
New member
- Location
- Hinesburg
Nailed it.
JayDeCoster
New member
- Location
- Hinesburg
Very cool, love the multiple functionality! I just picked up a Rollclip Z and am looking forward to playing with it.
moss
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Carlisle, Massachusetts, U.S.
My current home-made knee ascender.
Repurposed left-foot Petzl Pantin. I use a heavier bungee cord than most. Doesn’t need to be very long: I route it through my left side D across to my to my right side D where it is anchored. I get as much lift as the length of the non-rigid footloop/tether allows. I like the foot loop open enough so I can simply flip it off my foot. It has never come off during ascent, the loaded bungee keeps it in place throughout the ascent motion. Stows very compact. Simple may be better in this case.
Bamboo cam jammer prevents the rope from popping off the rope at the wrong moment:
Throwline binding treated with super glue pins the stoppered bungee end down:
-AJ
Repurposed left-foot Petzl Pantin. I use a heavier bungee cord than most. Doesn’t need to be very long: I route it through my left side D across to my to my right side D where it is anchored. I get as much lift as the length of the non-rigid footloop/tether allows. I like the foot loop open enough so I can simply flip it off my foot. It has never come off during ascent, the loaded bungee keeps it in place throughout the ascent motion. Stows very compact. Simple may be better in this case.
Bamboo cam jammer prevents the rope from popping off the rope at the wrong moment:
Throwline binding treated with super glue pins the stoppered bungee end down:
-AJ
moss
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Carlisle, Massachusetts, U.S.
The bungee is 6mm diameter, the length is 15", the total foot loop length is 23".
-AJ
-AJ
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moss
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Carlisle, Massachusetts, U.S.
Showing the side D bungee attachment method:
-AJ
-AJ
JayDeCoster
New member
- Location
- Hinesburg
Great idea to easily get more bungee into the system.
Tree-Taylor
Branched out member
- Location
- Canada
I made mine as I could not easily get a SAKA from Richard (live in France, don't want to use PayPal..) and because I like to test concepts.
Since I did not know if I would like the device, I gave myself a 'design' constraint which was no mod of the Basic and the Keyback key holder so I can reuse them.
What I used:
Keybak - Securit carabiner retractable key holder - Xtreme duty kevlar (28"/20oz)
Petzl Basic
'Shortened' Beal Airstep-adjustable Footloop
DIY soft shakle to link the key holder to the basic
Pictures attached.
Since I did not know if I would like the device, I gave myself a 'design' constraint which was no mod of the Basic and the Keyback key holder so I can reuse them.
What I used:
Keybak - Securit carabiner retractable key holder - Xtreme duty kevlar (28"/20oz)
Petzl Basic
'Shortened' Beal Airstep-adjustable Footloop
DIY soft shakle to link the key holder to the basic
Pictures attached.
Attachments
Tree-Taylor
Branched out member
- Location
- Canada
I always liked the idea of a retractable reel but I found the Keybak didn't have as good of a return speed and feel of a bungee. I also use a Croll (simply because that's what I have) so there may be more drag there than a smaller ascender. For whatever reason I could never get it dialed in.
There's a bit of a circle being completed here. Gerry's device was 2009 might inspire a bit:
The the big Haas innovation was tucking the bungee inside a tube July 2013:
With Nick jumping on mods quick also July 2013, shows great detail:
and the yoyo copy showed sep 2014 and then..... turmoil...
Somewhere I got sidetracked into doing a whoopee at the bottom. A cure for slipping whoopee I use on my home-shot trigger pole hitch is one wrap of elastic to snug the throat. Doesn't fall down the pole without load. If it ever gets bothersome enough after all these years I'll put small elastic on the ankle whoopee.
Feels like I just went to history class.
The the big Haas innovation was tucking the bungee inside a tube July 2013:
With Nick jumping on mods quick also July 2013, shows great detail:
and the yoyo copy showed sep 2014 and then..... turmoil...
Somewhere I got sidetracked into doing a whoopee at the bottom. A cure for slipping whoopee I use on my home-shot trigger pole hitch is one wrap of elastic to snug the throat. Doesn't fall down the pole without load. If it ever gets bothersome enough after all these years I'll put small elastic on the ankle whoopee.
Feels like I just went to history class.
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
@Bart_
Your history lesson won’t be complete until you see the systems shown in the book On Rope. They were pretty well-developed in the mid-60’s
Your history lesson won’t be complete until you see the systems shown in the book On Rope. They were pretty well-developed in the mid-60’s
Tree-Taylor
Branched out member
- Location
- Canada
Hats off to the thinkers and tinkerers of our industry, especially the real pioneers who did so much with so little.
The first knee ascender I saw was the style where the knee ascender is advanced by a bungee that goes up to a pulley or carabiner at the bridge and connects back down at the other foot. I couldn't believe how a healthy sized 50ish year old climber was advancing up a line handsfree with zero effort. I tried finding this video again but no luck. I remember reading in the comments that the climber was well respected and had passed away.
The first knee ascender I saw was the style where the knee ascender is advanced by a bungee that goes up to a pulley or carabiner at the bridge and connects back down at the other foot. I couldn't believe how a healthy sized 50ish year old climber was advancing up a line handsfree with zero effort. I tried finding this video again but no luck. I remember reading in the comments that the climber was well respected and had passed away.
Tom, I've read some of that book before. Good stuff. I know I only did an incomplete localized history vignette. Was trying to show the yung'uns that the older folks may know a thing or two already. Twin prussic anyone? Ultra efficient 
... but damn compact and light. The online guy with the collection of rope devices is also very enlightening.
I have to admit I'm struck with the elegance of the splicing and bungee in tube eureka, it's kind of like looking at a simple but beautiful painting that grabs you. And that's coming from a background of R+D, metalwork, electronics, software and gearhead. It's so easy for complication to rear its head.
... but damn compact and light. The online guy with the collection of rope devices is also very enlightening.I have to admit I'm struck with the elegance of the splicing and bungee in tube eureka, it's kind of like looking at a simple but beautiful painting that grabs you. And that's coming from a background of R+D, metalwork, electronics, software and gearhead. It's so easy for complication to rear its head.
CutHighnLetFly
Been here a while
- Location
- Cape Cod, MA
This kinda sucked to make I'll be honest
CutHighnLetFly
Been here a while
- Location
- Cape Cod, MA
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