Steve Connally
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Suffolk, Virginia
Yeah but don't wanna hijack his thread. It was outa the blue
Saka vs Velox?
- Thread starter BrianGehan
- Start date
macswan
Been here a while
- Location
- Champlain Valley, VT
The difference between the saka and velox is that the saka is just a doubled bungee, while the velox has a tiny purpose made block at the bottom that the bungee bends around. Maximizing the amount of stretch you get from the bungee.
I keep my haas attached to my chest harness, then bring the tail of it around the left side of my torso, behind my back, and clip it somewhere on my right hip. The one time I left it dangling from my hip recently, I snagged the micro biner on the bungee in a swing and snapped the bungee. I was heart broken, but then replaced the bungee and moved on.
And someone else mentioned this earlier so I will throw it out... I use the haas in the tree all the time, even for relatively short ascents. Especially now with the clip in style, it is easy as pie to reattach. The attached foot loop design was always a bit cumbersome for me personally. I made a footloop that I leave on my boot. Soon I am gonna make a second and just leave each on the two pairs of boots I wear, permanently.
macswan
Been here a while
- Location
- Champlain Valley, VT
Hope that heals quick. Sounds awful.
- Location
- Midcoast Maine
I missed that post. My inner technotard dominates - can't find it.
Worthaug
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- North Cakilaki
You need this - http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?category_id=358&item=1962
This (or something similar) - http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?category_id=232&item=15605
And this (or make something similar) - http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?category_id=358&item=15035
Reed Wortley
CTSP #01739
ISA CA #SO-6953A
Worthaug
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- North Cakilaki
Most people's I've seen were homemade with a piece of webbing connected to the back of the saddle that went over one shoulder and connected to a piece of bungee down to the simple ascender which would hang near your bridge relaxed. Then a simple footloop made from hollow braid below that.
Reed Wortley
CTSP #01739
ISA CA #SO-6953A
Reed Wortley
CTSP #01739
ISA CA #SO-6953A
- Location
- Midcoast Maine
Oooh, gotcha. That does look interesting (and easily made) - thanks! How does ascending with that setup compare to a SAKA or Haas?
Worthaug
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- North Cakilaki
I've never tried it but it's fast. Derrick Martin (countrypoypa31) had a video of his setup that I can't seem to find. His was modular and multi purpose. He uses his over the shoulder webbing sling for a redirect (not the bungee one in the link above), the ascender to setup 3:1 limb walk returns, and the footloop as another multi purpose sling.
Reed Wortley
CTSP #01739
ISA CA #SO-6953A
- Location
- Midcoast Maine
That's what I'm talking about! Gotta love multifunction. Why not use the saw lanyard for the bungee part? It's already attached to the back of the saddle, just gotta make it the right length.
misfit
Participating member
- Location
- Baton Rouge
I am just an amateur climber, so I am a bit hesitant to expose my setup here to you experts, but hopefully I can learn something from your assessment. I have no experience with the SAKA – never even seen one in person – but I have used the original Haas. I liked the Haas well enough at first, but eventually I learned a way that works better for me. Honestly, I hate bungees and see no need for them in a knee ascender. It’s just one more line to manage, and the only reason it is there is to pull the ascender up the rope. To me, that is superfluous, when my leg is already moving upward at the same time, and the ascender could easily hitch a ride with it.
So I made my own knee ascender by strapping an ascender to my leg just below my knee and attaching a foot strap to it. When I raise my leg, the ascender comes right along with it. The best part is that there is nothing to remove once I get to the top and nothing to store. It stays on my leg the whole time, does not get in my way and is ready to go if I need to ascend any farther. Not everybody will like it, of course, but it suits me very well.
I use a wide Velcro strap like the ones on the SawPod (https://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?item=1387 ) to hold the ascender to my leg, and I find it very comfortable. I use a common lashing strap that I girth hitched to the bottom of the ascender, and I created a footloop by positioning the buckle just above the top of my foot and running the strap through the back of the buckle, around my foot and back through the buckle where I can quickly adjust the length and tension. Honestly, my cheap homemade rig does not hold up as well as I would like, but I used the same setup for a year before it started looking pretty ratty and needed a re-do. But then I don’t do nearly as much climbing as you guys. Those of you who know how to splice a rope or sew a strap will easily be able to make a better and more durable one.
So if you asked me to recommend the SAKA or the Haas, I would say neither. You may be able to make something better for cheaper.
So I made my own knee ascender by strapping an ascender to my leg just below my knee and attaching a foot strap to it. When I raise my leg, the ascender comes right along with it. The best part is that there is nothing to remove once I get to the top and nothing to store. It stays on my leg the whole time, does not get in my way and is ready to go if I need to ascend any farther. Not everybody will like it, of course, but it suits me very well.
I use a wide Velcro strap like the ones on the SawPod (https://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?item=1387 ) to hold the ascender to my leg, and I find it very comfortable. I use a common lashing strap that I girth hitched to the bottom of the ascender, and I created a footloop by positioning the buckle just above the top of my foot and running the strap through the back of the buckle, around my foot and back through the buckle where I can quickly adjust the length and tension. Honestly, my cheap homemade rig does not hold up as well as I would like, but I used the same setup for a year before it started looking pretty ratty and needed a re-do. But then I don’t do nearly as much climbing as you guys. Those of you who know how to splice a rope or sew a strap will easily be able to make a better and more durable one.
So if you asked me to recommend the SAKA or the Haas, I would say neither. You may be able to make something better for cheaper.
misfit
Participating member
- Location
- Baton Rouge
Yes, of course. A picture:
Dave Rohach
Branched out member
- Location
- Janesville, WI
The only negative that would be of any concern, "and if it works for you, stick with it ", is keeping your ascenders aligned with your climbing rope. You're rope is being pulled out of alignment, unless you keep your knees almost touching one another. That's where the elastic cord"bungee" helps to keep everything in alignment. Be Safe!
Merle Nelson
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- SF Bay Area, CA
Now you've done it Misfit. You're going to have to start producing those and shipping them out to interested parties. 
misfit
Participating member
- Location
- Baton Rouge
You're right. I overstated my case. I should have said that I dislike unnecessary bungees especially when, as in this case, it also creates the need to disconnect and store the Haas.
Regarding alignment issues, I can only say that that sounds like it could be a problem in theory, but in practice I have not noticed any problems. But that could be just because I am too ignorant or naive to notice.
Worthaug
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- North Cakilaki
You can wear/ store the haas in this exact same way, works pretty good. But, not as well as when the bungee is run under the bridge up to my chestie. It's a really fast run up the rope...
Misfit, when you said you were amateur climber did you mean rec climber or just starting out in the profession? It's all about speed for contract/ production/ competition climbers...
Reed Wortley
CTSP #01739
ISA CA #SO-6953A
misfit
Participating member
- Location
- Baton Rouge
I have not dug out my Haas in a long time, so I am having a difficult time visualizing how it can be worn in the exact same way. But I will take your word for it for now and see if I can figure it out later. And I understand the need for speed, so not having to disconnect and store the knee ascender seems like a good thing in that regard. I may be wrong, but I don't see anything about this setup that would prevent you from running up the rope just as fast.
When I say I am an amateur, I mean that tree work is not my profession and I have been climbing only 2 years.
fall_risk
Participating member
- Location
- Philadelphia
I think Reed is talking about this:
TimBr
Official Well Known Greeter
- Location
- Northern Virginia
Great post. Thanks for the links. This looks like the easiest and fastest way there is to rig up a knee ascender setup. It's a great idea; credit to whoever thought of the idea of combining those pieces/parts together in the first place, and you for passing it on here on the Buzz.
Tim
