The Akimbo 2

[DSMc]

There have been many posts and comments on the Akimbo 2 popping up on other threads. Just thought it deserves its own.

I have been using the original Akimbo multi-ascenders since they first came out. Great tool with a few quirks that bothered some users, but its outstanding speed on and off the line and compact form made it more than worth those, in my mind, miner issues to me.

Enter the Akimbo 2. A slew of small changes that add considerably to its user-friendliness. Everything works as it should in my opinion. I've been using it on Stirling Scion 11.5 and it is flawless.

Great job, Jaime!

 

[96coal449]

No! No, no, no......
No shiny new toys!!!
LOL

 

[DSMc]

LOL! Sorry my friend, but there is even more bad news. For those using thinner climbing lines like the Scion, adding the CT Cric into the mix is total game changer for a haul-back system.

Take it off your harness, clip on the rope, then capture the tailing line in the smooth pulley, all with one hand. Incredibly compact and efficient combination.

 

[ghostice]

Akimbo 2 is worth the purchase in my opinion. Don't know Jaime but really great job - the changes/ upgrades are noticeable on vastly different ropes so far in the cave of wonders. Also had some sap "slicks" (not globs) on KM III and it went right over them with some vibes but nothing else (good vibes?). I yam thinkin' this'll be my daily driver, go to (and Arbsession Caralink tether/ hitches for deciduous trees). Well done.

 

[96coal449]

Akimbo 2 is worth the purchase in my opinion. Don't know Jamie but really great job - the changes/ upgrades are noticeable on vastly different ropes so far in the cave of wonders. Also had some sap "slicks" (not globs) on KM III and it went right over them with some vibes but nothing else (good vibes?). I yam thinkin' this'll be my daily driver, go to (and Arbsession Caralink tether/ hitches for deciduous trees). Well done.

It's sooo shiny.....

 

[ghostice]

Come on . . . ya know ya wannnaaa . . . . .

 

[96coal449]

Yup, but I can wait as long as I need to. A benefit of buying all I did, when I did.
Besides, winter's coming.

 

[southsoundtree]

Fwiw, Jaime, I believe to be his spelling.

 

[rico]

LOL! Sorry my friend, but there is even more bad news. For those using thinner climbing lines like the Scion, adding the CT Cric into the mix is total game changer for a haul-back system.

Take it off your harness, clip on the rope, then capture the tailing line in the smooth pulley, all with one hand. Incredibly compact and efficient combination.

Have you had a chance to run it in MRS mode. If so, how well does it function in MRS?

 

[DSMc]

No, I so rarely use MRS it totally slipped my mind to try it. I will give it a go next time out. I'll be surprised if it isn't stellar. The new spring location in combination with the fixed upper friction design works extremely well.

 

[ghostice]

Just been playing with AK2 for MRS in the Cave of Wonders (has AC on!). It works for me with same settings as SRT kinda - depends on what I used as a branch saver/ friction saver up top. If it's a pulley, not that much diff (say a Teuf Pulley Saver). If it's a leather cambium saver or bark, you might have to go down a bit in friction on the AK2 settings - mine was kinda collapsed fully to get it to move down with increasing friction introduced up top at times. Doable, but I'd want the two AK2 legs further apart, esp. if you had sap on the rope. I couldn't believe I could get the AK2 to work on ropes as different as KM III and on Tangent but it does for me (different settings of course but it's still eminently driveable). I did find that tending in MRS, if you pull on the moving leg of rope to advance, because of the larger eye/ hole on the AK2, it tended to slip down the straight leg of the biner (even got it to work side by side kinda on a flat topped HMS biner - with slipping). This was with not a lot of rope below me tho. This wouldn't be ideal for production. The two rope legs could be separated a bit on same biner using a DMM pulley saver spacer ring say, but rubber grommets (like DMM's) didn't stop the AK2 from moving around eventually, and down it went. It does work with a spacer plate on your bridge and no doubt could be made to work with triple connection pulley as recommended - I didn't like the this idea 'cuz it can be kind of a nut banger, at least for me. The AK2 seemed quite happy side by side on the biner descending. That's kinda where my experiments sit for now. Amazing device and so small . . . .

 

[96coal449]

That's the card holder for me....MRS. Riding the ball is the norm for me now.
Of key interest to me, is the unexpected release when slapped by a branch.
I don't like how the ZZ reacts....good thing it's not a frequent event.

 

[ghostice]

So suggested to DMM - maybe what'd be nice for AK2 MRS'ing is a wide topped biner with a larger "horn" on the top of the long side to retain the AK2 - the DMM Ceros biner's isn't large enough - (keep a wire snap retainer on the bottom end) - call it the AKIMBiner? A DMM spacer between the AK2 and other rope end and everything works nicely. Or RE comes up with a new biner (although it's just DMM seems further down this path right now). Cheers

 

[pcpTR33]

I’ll echo ghostice and say I really didn’t mind the AK2 in Mrs, I was running it on a Kinisi, using a slightly lengthend bridge for the splice and shortened the second bridge for actual device attachment. It’s smooth and very workable, running through a pulleysaver I did not have to change my friction settings from SRS (I run tachyon). My only wish was that it self tended better that’s where I believe the zigzag still beats the device for its self tending action in MRS. When setting your friction settings especially for SRS, I found you almost have to take the top “bird setting” to C or D and it actually “breaks” a lot easier and several co-workers have found the same, even though the “a” setting is wide open it is very very stiff to break in our experience. So far I do enjoy it, may try the rook/Hydra, the gyro3 still has them quite close/messy so wouldn’t recommend.

 

[ghostice]

On the tending with the AK2, that's why I mentioned I didn't have a long tail. It's been noted above that the AK2 works well with a CRIC, so for limb walks etc. I'd use that and set up a 3:1 with a biner on your leg loop for the rope tail. The AK2 with the CRIC is the cats meow as mentioned.
I liked the side by side on the same biner trial rather than the two rope bridge option (I used Kinisi Max too) just for how compact and well behaved the thing was. Hoping for new biner technology?
A footnote too is that I put some dry lube on the bottom bearing/ sheave on my AK2 - the thing seemed kinda dry as it came outta the box.

Oh an addenda: I really liked RE used just a plain cardboard box for the AK2 - don't need fancy tin/ moulded plastic inners that'll get tossed anyway. Please save the haute couture packaging for Chanel . . . . .

 

[Acerxharlowii]

Akimbo 2 is worth the purchase in my opinion. Don't know Jaime but really great job - the changes/ upgrades are noticeable on vastly different ropes so far in the cave of wonders. Also had some sap "slicks" (not globs) on KM III and it went right over them with some vibes but nothing else (good vibes?). I yam thinkin' this'll be my daily driver, go to (and Arbsession Caralink tether/ hitches for deciduous trees). Well done.

So it works on 11.1mm the specs say 11.5 -…

 

[ghostice]

Seemed to work on my KM III (not max) peachy. Just have to find the settings that'll work for you (I climb with the kitchen sink . . . ).

 

[snunyabizness]

So suggested to DMM - maybe what'd be nice for AK2 MRS'ing is a wide topped biner with a larger "horn" on the top of the long side to retain the AK2 - the Rhino biner's (Ceros?) isn't large enough - (keep a wire snap retainer on the bottom end) - call it the AKIMBiner? A DMM spacer between the AK2 and other rope end and everything works nicely. Or RE comes up with a new binder (although it's just DMM seems further down this path right now). Cheers

picture please

 

[ghostice]

DMM kindly got back to me. As for picture - see DMM Ceros biner and spacer configuration pic below. Solution may be some kind of rubber or plastic washer on the "horn side" (or different biner) ? I just don't like the suggested Hydra solution and have also tried CMI plate but both seemed "clunky".
Cheers all

AK2 shown with DMM Prest-in and DMM Ceros - lotsa floppin' on tending

 

[snunyabizness]

DMM kindly got back to me. As for picture - see DMM biner and spacer configuration pic below. Solution may be some kind of rubber or plastic washer on the "horn side" (or different biner) ?

cut a small piece of worn big shot tubing, perfect diameter.