When Reggie first displayed these products on the forums I made a comment to him that I would be most interested when they became available. Well, further discussion produced the RC 2000 and RC 3100 with the request that I post stating my honest impressions of the items.
For my operation, just myself and my wife, a small but capable lowering system is all we require. I have been a big fan of the PortaWrap III and have extensively used the Hobbs, so I know the pros and cons that each possess.
This lowering unit is a classic example of the evolution of a product. Reggie has also used all of these different devices and modified key points to produce a lowering device that has the blending of their finer points.
He warned me that this unit doesn't really come into its own until you start getting into the bigger wood. Unfortunately, I have not gotten to try that aspect of it yet. But I don't want that to overshadow what it can do in normal, moderate-sized lowering situations.
In a cottonwood trim we recently did, several of the limbs were over a structure and required precise rigging. The RC 2000, with its top attachment, allows us, IMO, far better control than the PortaWrap. It is a subtle thing but you don't always want maximum slack taken out of a line. In those situations having a top tie places the bollard at the ready for instant slack take up and corrections.
I used a lightweight, 3:1 haul system on the top tie. Because my wife is not only small, but short, she needed a way to retighten the top tie that she could reach. This worked very well. Preloading the primary tie with the top attachment is more than just a convenience. It totally stabilizes the unit and the primary attachment. When control needs to be precise these are important points. This is why all of the larger units are strap ons.
The RC 3100 is a very well made, lightweight pulley that does exactly what it was designed for very well.
These units are VERY well built, easily capable of handling anything within the rope categories.
I would like this posting to be open for others to add to on their experiences of the RC units or with questions about them.
Unfortunately we don't have a third person to take action shots, so I am linking the Stein link that has pictures and videos that are far better than anything I could produce.
I do have one criticism, but not with the units. It was a comment in the instruction manual. The RC 2000 apparently has a shelf life. Under product life: "In good storage conditions this product may be kept for as many as 5 years before the first use without affecting its future duration in use."
Gotta tell you, unless you store this thing in a vat of battery acid, its going to be viable for a lot longer than that.
Dave
http://www.stein-usa.com/proddetail.php?prod=SS-RC2000
For my operation, just myself and my wife, a small but capable lowering system is all we require. I have been a big fan of the PortaWrap III and have extensively used the Hobbs, so I know the pros and cons that each possess.
This lowering unit is a classic example of the evolution of a product. Reggie has also used all of these different devices and modified key points to produce a lowering device that has the blending of their finer points.
He warned me that this unit doesn't really come into its own until you start getting into the bigger wood. Unfortunately, I have not gotten to try that aspect of it yet. But I don't want that to overshadow what it can do in normal, moderate-sized lowering situations.
In a cottonwood trim we recently did, several of the limbs were over a structure and required precise rigging. The RC 2000, with its top attachment, allows us, IMO, far better control than the PortaWrap. It is a subtle thing but you don't always want maximum slack taken out of a line. In those situations having a top tie places the bollard at the ready for instant slack take up and corrections.
I used a lightweight, 3:1 haul system on the top tie. Because my wife is not only small, but short, she needed a way to retighten the top tie that she could reach. This worked very well. Preloading the primary tie with the top attachment is more than just a convenience. It totally stabilizes the unit and the primary attachment. When control needs to be precise these are important points. This is why all of the larger units are strap ons.
The RC 3100 is a very well made, lightweight pulley that does exactly what it was designed for very well.
These units are VERY well built, easily capable of handling anything within the rope categories.
I would like this posting to be open for others to add to on their experiences of the RC units or with questions about them.
Unfortunately we don't have a third person to take action shots, so I am linking the Stein link that has pictures and videos that are far better than anything I could produce.
I do have one criticism, but not with the units. It was a comment in the instruction manual. The RC 2000 apparently has a shelf life. Under product life: "In good storage conditions this product may be kept for as many as 5 years before the first use without affecting its future duration in use."
Gotta tell you, unless you store this thing in a vat of battery acid, its going to be viable for a lot longer than that.
Dave
http://www.stein-usa.com/proddetail.php?prod=SS-RC2000
