Questions for Ropetek Wraptor owners

Hoowasat · Oct 1, 2016

I'm an older (58 y.o.) part-time hack and the idea of owning a bucket truck is way out of my league. Besides, most of the requests I get are in areas where a truck can't access. Hence, I recently bought a new Wraptor. It was somewhat convenient in that Ropetek is located only a 2-hour drive from home. I tried it for the first time today and love the effortless ascent, but I do have a few questions I hope experienced owners can expound upon.

When reaching the top of the ascent, how do y’all transfer your climbing line to the tree if there are no other branches around other than the one suspending the Wraptor? What I’m getting at is it seems awkward to choke your lanyard around the spar and suspend your entire weight on it when there are no branches on which to stand (no climbers/spikes on my feet). Do you set your lanyard over the same limb with the Wraptor’s line? I’m starting to think I would pull up the other end of my climb line and set my climbing system with that end in the tree before disconnecting from the Wraptor.

Once secured to the tree, do any of you lower the Wraptor to the ground while aloft? If so, how? I mostly work without a groundie, and having the homeowner … usually an inexperienced friend, coworker, or family member … lower the Wraptor competently seems risky. Granted, I could assist while aloft to ensure the thing doesn’t go crashing back to earth. Just wondering if anyone has a good method.

If the tree is leaning slightly, do you simply go straight up to your TIP and pull yourself around to the topside, or do you try to walk up the topside while the Wraptor pulls?

Lastly, have any of you ever had any issues with the Tanaka power head? Mine will benefit from infrequent use, regular cleaning of the air filter, and a new spark plug every year or two. FYI, I did download the Tanaka owner's manual as a refence.

Thanks in advance! Ken

tc262 · Oct 2, 2016

Can't help with most of your questions but infrequent use is hard on little carburetors if the fuel starts to go bad before its used up. With the very little bit of fuel you'll be running through that thing I'd recommend buying those premixed little fuel cans or av gas. Pump gas starts to go bad in weeks where those fuel cans and av gas are good for years.

Merle Nelson · Oct 2, 2016

Yeah I switched to that canned pre mixed fuel for the reason of infrequent use. Two year shelf life on a can of fuel.

I lower my Wraptor myself to a person on the ground and just have them get it out of harms way.

The way you describe your climb line challenges, I would have my harness set to comfortably hang from bridge or side Ds. Then I would lanyard over crotch Wraptor is over, remove climb line from Wraptor and put it over same crotch.

Next lower Wraptor and confirm it and rope are safe. Double check climb line and remove flipline to continue.

It's possible unit will pick up a bit more power after a couple of tanks of fuel are through it. (Rings seated in?) When mine was new it wouldn't lift me when I tried taking up a big saw, other gear and two 3/4 inch ropes all at the same time. Later it would lift that same weight.

Hoowasat · Oct 2, 2016

tc262 said:
With the very little bit of fuel you'll be running through that thing I'd recommend buying those premixed little fuel cans or av gas.

I always use premixed fuel for that very reason. If I'm going to run one of my saws through a few tanks in one day, I'll mix some fuel, but I'll always end the day with premix in the tank.

merle_nelson said:
It's possible unit will pick up a bit more power after a couple of tanks of fuel are through it. (Rings seated in?) When mine was new it wouldn't lift me when I tried taking up a big saw, other gear and two 3/4 inch ropes all at the same time. Later it would lift that same weight.

Hmmm ... makes me wonder if any groundies secure the Wraptor to a base tie-off, then use it to hoist a ton of gear to the climber all in one trip?

Merle Nelson · Oct 2, 2016

I was at a Climbing Skills Workshop in Santa Rosa CA in August/September where they used a block in the tree and base tied Wraptor to lift rescue dummy time after time.