Kneen't Ascender

Phthalocyanin · Sep 3, 2022

A DIY solution for rope-walking while I wait for an ascender in the mail.

One hand ascender, couple of carabiners, a trango sling, a length of garden hose, a bit of bungee cord, and we're off.

SeanRuel · Sep 4, 2022

That'll work!

southsoundtree · Sep 4, 2022

I've tried/ used commercial knee/ floating ascenders.

Haven't steered me to buy one over my homemade one.

It's that same type of handled ascender, cut down, with a bungee on top ( a loop tied with overhand knots along the length to provide length options) with an adjustable length foot loop.

To guess, I'd say I've been using it happily for 8+ years.

Saved me $120+ dollars, using something I had on hand that I no longer used.

Vicente · Sep 4, 2022

I use a homemade one as well, works just fine, imo yours will be a struggle to work with due to the bungee being very short and thick, to much tension not enough travel. My bungee is just some of the elastic cord that came with my treemotion to set up extra gear loops and runs from just above my knee to my shoulder.

colb · Sep 4, 2022

Vicente said:
I use a homemade one as well, works just fine, imo yours will be a struggle to work with due to the bungee being very short and thick, to much tension not enough travel. My bungee is just some of the elastic cord that came with my treemotion to set up extra gear loops and runs from just above my knee to my shoulder.

Somewhere in his content, @Richard Mumford-yoyoman describes his research into identifying optimal bungee cord for knee ascenders. He also sold the one he uses a-la-carte at his business site, last time I checked...

Cool DIY, @Phthalocyanin !

Vicente · Sep 4, 2022

colb said:
Somewhere in his content, @Richard Mumford-yoyoman describes his research into identifying optimal bungee cord for knee ascenders. He also sold the one he uses a-la-carte at his business site, last time I checked...

Cool DIY, @Phthalocyanin !

He does I think I'm going to order some from him, since I got new suspenders (camp) I'll need to rearrange how my halfass connects as the suspenders don't have a connection point in the same position on the left side.

Dan Cobb · Sep 4, 2022

Vicente said:
I use a homemade one as well, works just fine, imo yours will be a struggle to work with due to the bungee being very short and thick, to much tension not enough travel. My bungee is just some of the elastic cord that came with my treemotion to set up extra gear loops and runs from just above my knee to my shoulder.

If the blue cord is the bungee, you're absolutely correct. I thought the (not shown) bungee would attach to the green carabiner, the blue (rope?) being used to keep the green biner from being in the way when putting the climb line in or out of the ascender. That's still not ideal, as it reduces the length of the bungee. An ascender with only a few inches of fat bungee would be of no use to me.

I like a miniature screw link to attach bungee to an ascender. A tiny one will open just enough to slip into the hole on an ascender.

Vicente · Sep 4, 2022

Dan Cobb said:
If the blue cord is the bungee, you're absolutely correct. I thought the (not shown) bungee would attach to the green carabiner, the blue (rope?) being used to keep the green biner from being in the way when putting the climb line in or out of the ascender. That's still not ideal, as it reduces the length of the bungee. An ascender with only a few inches of fat bungee would be of no use to me.

I like a miniature screw link to attach bungee to an ascender. A tiny one will open just enough to slip into the hole on an ascender.

I just have mine tied directly onto the ascender then have a regular beaner at the top to clip to my harness, I'm going to order a small beaner from Richard for the top part as well.