Selner superscender

Steve Connally

Steve Connally

Been here much more than a while
Location
Suffolk, Virginia
Used it for the first time today. Got one made longer than standard for my clams. I like the idea and it may be a getting used to it thing but when I'm ascending I'm used to keeping my balance by going hand over hand like climbing a ladder. With this I have to slide it up the rope and resist the hand over hand habit. Not sure if I like it or not. It's just not smooth like hand over hand. The device is smooth but my technique isn't. What does everybody think about the ss?
 
Hey Steve, keep me in the loop with your experience with it. I know that before I started using it I was a hand over hand guy. Especially if I used the haas. The main thing for me was always grabbing that tiny line. I know my wrists and fingers will thank me later for the larger grip.
 
Don't get me wrong. I like it but I still end up using one hand on the line and one on the SS. I'm gonna try to change that muscle memory for a while and give it a chance. I'll bump this thread after a while.
 
So today will be the last day trying this out and it will likely be on tree bay. Again the movement isn't as smooth as hand over hand for me. The movement is just like advancing a footlock Prussic. I find that lends to a good bounce on the tip in certain instances. Also a few things I have noticed. So with the rope runner, you need to always be mindful of something above your device. For instance, moving through a crotch with both arms on branches and the rr advancing via teathers. Suddenly there is a lot of pressure on the teather. Looking down I was advancing the SS and the RR. No wonder. Also in a similar situation the gear loop of the SS caught the slic pin of the RR. Keeps it locked but still.........

These aren't design flaws. It is a quality piece of gear and a brilliant idea. All my negative feedback is only user preference and certainly avoidable via muscle memory and attention to detail. I'm just more fluid grabbing the rope hand over hand. Seems more natural to me.
 
Thanks for taking the time to do this review, Steve. Much appreciated. I'll show you something that I use in my next post. Gotta go find the link.

Tim
 
I use this item above my Rope Wrench ZK-1. I clip a biner through its connection point, and pass a four foot long dyneema loop runner through the biner and attach each end to a biner on my saddle's side "D's".

This gives me a redundant attachment to my main climbing rope, which is also really high, and therefore keeps me oriented vertically. It glides up the rope with almost no resistance at all. I just hook my left thumb through the loop of steel cable and do my usual hand over hand deal.

It might still be too much like a sliding motion for your taste, Steve, but to me it feels pretty fluid. Once I get as high as I want to go, I remove the dyneema sling from the carabiner that's attached to the ascender, and substitute a small pulley, to create a 3 to 1 mechanical advantage system for limbwalking. As this is a cammed ascender, I have no teeth above my hitch.

Here's the link to one of my favorite ascenders.

http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?item=144

Tim
 
Thanks Tim. It would be the same motion as the Selene. I bought it to save my hands and that was pretty much the only reason. I won't say I never use a 3:1 but I use it so rarely I can't even remember when I used it. Seems easier to just make a fast walk or use the foot ascender. I have gear on my saddle to set one up just incase. But it pretty much just hangs there or ends up being a redirect. I appreciate the info though. I doubt I'll hang onto it even though it's a really cool idea. Just doesn't fit my methods well. That's why I sold all my hand ascenders. Just don't use them.
 
Awesome that you gave it a try. Again it's a simple idea that came to me at my desk. Thanks for understanding it for what it is. I hope you can pass it on to another arborist.
 
It's a great product Casey. Hope you don't take any offense to my evaluation. You know how you just get comfortable with a certain style or technique. I will pass it on.
 
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