LockJack Twin, Sport or Spider?

classictruckman

classictruckman

Participating member
Location
Ottawa Valley, Ontario, Canada
I want to buy a LockJack in the spring, I've been thinking about the Spider since it came out, but the sport is still available and looks like a nice rig.

What do you guys think about them?

BTW, when I'm production climbing I can easily go through a split tail per month so if a clutch will last closer to a year then it should be worth it.
 
I tried out a twin and the clutch lasted about 4 months. I am not the type of climber that bombs out of the tree, so I would say this was normal usage. I did use a cocoon pulley as a friction saver, so all of the friction was on the lockjack. I did not replace the clutch because I can splice a new hitch cord in a half hour for very little money and they last as long or longer.
 
I tried a Lockjack Sport. It was miserable trying to find a sweet spot. Decending was either really slow or reeeeealy fast.
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Most other people that I have known to try a Lockjack had the same experience.

You can't attach it mid-line.

It is only good for DDRT.
 
I climb on the Sport. I do full time production work on the Sport and I love it. Combined with a Pantin, a good adjustable friction saver with a Cocoon pulley, it is friction free climbing. It can be put on mid line in the same amount of time it takes to tie a hitch. What is really nice is when you are spurring up something or racing through the limbs, the weight of the rope self feeds the Lockjack. I climb on a Petzl Navajo saddle and I clip it in directly to the webbing (not the D Ring) so it is even closer to my body and is more compact.

I am a light climber (140 pounds) and a clutch for me last a few months. If I start the clutch on Velocity I will get about 2 months out of it on that rope and then it will start creeping. Then I use it on Tachyon for another few months until it creeps on that too.

I have had a few scary moments in trees when I pulled too hard on the handle and dropped myself a few feet. That is the bad thing about devices like these. Human reaction is pull harder = fall faster.

I think it will be a great day when someone can make a device that can work DDRT or SRT that has a panic feature like the ID' that locks up if you drop yourself.
 
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I think you should go for THIS version of the lockjack...

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personally I don't like the look of the unicender, I think I read somewhere on here that it has clutches, how long do they last and how do you replace them? From the pictures I've seen of the unicender I don't see any replacable parts.
 
The Lockjacks I have are easily installed mid-line. There are two parts to the clutch, one fixed, the other pivoting. The pivoting part comes off, insert your rope, replace the pivot clutch and you are on line in line.
 
I've been climbing on a sport for 3 years. It takes a little bit of practice to get the hang of descending smoothly with it. You won't get a year out of a clutch though. Dirty ropes, bombing out of the tree,etc shortens the life.
 
Are you going to London ISA ON Conference? I have two you can try and one with a clutch a yr old and see for yourself. I was in Germany last year for Tree Care Days in Augsburg and I think most are on a ART productc.
But judginging by the Buzzers my guess is Srt for work and not just ascent is the future.
I got big old Man Maple today might see if I can rig a LJ to do Srt. Trucks warmed up got a go.
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I want to buy a LockJack in the spring, I've been thinking about the Spider since it came out, but the sport is still available and looks like a nice rig.

What do you guys think about them?

BTW, when I'm production climbing I can easily go through a split tail per month so if a clutch will last closer to a year then it should be worth it.

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I am gearing up to head your way in a few weeks.
Let you know as time approaches.
I did rig up Srt with the lock Jack plus the Secret weapon. too much stuff happening and alot of rope.
The SRT LJ will work but I cracked my main TIP( Man. Maple) after a couple feet up and time was running out. Friday and home before dark, so I didn't get in the crown with it..

LJ Sport has been very good to me.
But I am the same way. See it to belive it, try it to buy it.
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I'd love to try it RopeShield, but I won't be making it as far sa London any time soon, where are you located? I do make it down to Toronto every now and then.

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