KM iii max with Akimbo

[evo]

The Akimbo is an absolute marvel that defines the term 'mechanical hitch'. Lightweight and compact with the ability to be set by the user to function in a broad range of situations.

If you look at climbing hitches, not all will work on all ropes nor will all individuals be satisfied with the same configuration. Find what works for how you climb and recognize that as being appropriate.

It’s great but sucks for me. 8-9 trees out of 10 are conifers, and while I keep my ropes cleanish by PNW standards the random pitch just f’s up the whole experience
If I had a hardwoods rope, and only used the akimbo for that one rope a few times a month sure but I’m not that kind of climber.. a good ole hitch and wrench is my go to for nearly all my work, which means regardless of the rope or the tree it’s the first thing in reach so it’s the tool that gets used.

 

[DSMc]

Yup, sap sucks and needs to be dealt with however you can. It is not by coincidence that I live in an area where sap, as far as tree work is concerned, is not a major problem.

"Find what works for how you climb and recognize that as being appropriate."

 

[CTtreeNWC]

Braved the cold and wind trying to get the new akimbo dialed in to some broken in Samson hyperclimb 11.7, 195# with loggers on. By no means a final verdict but best setting yet is D/2. May not do the next job with it as primary multicender but it could see action as a secondary device. The speed in which it could be deployed would be useful. One thing that was a little unnerving was if the device was unweighted or had slack in it, the akimbo would drop. I don't know if that is just it's nature cuz it's designed like a rope grab in that the weight and pressure of what it's holding keeps it on the rope or if that was because I had it set way too loose. It was slipping badly at the time. Does the unicender act like that. It's still very early and the cold got to me before I was close to satisfied with initial testing.

I did jump the gun and ordered some of the red 11 .1 teufelberger fly from gap arborist supply because their price was thirty dollars cheaper than wesspur, who I normally support

 

[Mallett]

so far so awesome. I’ve got it on the km III max and it’s butter. I’m about 165, and for it to work on the xstatic I had to have the friction settings all the way down, and even then it was a little too much friction. On the km III, the setting E5 worked perfect for me. I agree with whoever said it drops when it’s unweighted, that’s a little unnerving. the upside is if you fall back on it, it will catch you, so it’s not like you’re at risk of free fall. I pretty much only got this device because the spring in my RRP failed, but since there is no spring in the akimbo, it’s kind of the same as a broken rope runner[emoji1787] I still think it’s a great device, but for me the rope runner (when functioning properly) is a superior device- less finicky, smoother rapid descents, and better tending. with that said, I don’t have too many hours on the kimbo yet so maybe I just need to get used to it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Steve Connally]

Thats part of the challenge. It shouldn't drop when unweighted. There's such a fine adjustment between creeping, dropping, and dragging an anchor on ascent. I tried about 6 or 7 different ropes and Xstatic was the only one I could personally dial in. I know guys who couldn't dial in Xstatic but could on other ropes I couldn't. Its amazing but super finicky

 

[CTtreeNWC]

There is a spring in the top bollard. I just don't see it doing much. I don't understand why there isn't a spring loading the whole top half. Is it true most people have the best luck with the top adjusted a few tighter than the bottom?