This is the Akimbo

"Add to that $2000 for destructive testing..." (from the GoFundMe site)

I assume that the testing will be done prior to shipment of the first run to the investors. As with any new product, early adopters will provide the real world, long term product testing and review. Personally, I've seen enough in the videos and read enough on here that I wouldn't hesitate to use the device prototypes. One look at the thing tells me that Jaime has thought the construction process through, and used quality materials. He strikes me as someone who has invested a lot of time, effort and expense into something he feels strongly will benefit all of us, and if he suddenly decided to switch to using cheaper, lighter materials for the sake of quick profits it would be extremely out of character for him. I think that he is very proud of his device, and is more interested in bringing a safe, tough-as-nails, innovative product to his fellow climbers than he is in making a quick buck. Otherwise, he would have been better off just giving the whole project to Ronco or a Chinese toy company.

Every product that we use in the industry started out as an idea like this. Sometimes things break. Unicenders broke. ZigZags cracked. Carabiners, rings, ropes... you name it. The problems get fixed and everybody moves on. I'm happy to help get it going, and if I set the damn thing on the coffee table in a glass box, I will still be happy to have helped. Mostly, because I don't care to wait around for one of the big box OEMs to come out with something as well thought out as this device. And, because its roots are with climbers, not bean counters.

If the testing shows that the device explodes into tiny pieces on contact with polyester, I'll put it on the bookshelf. But anyone who thinks this thing isn't going to turn out to be a safe, well made tool that will be a joy to climb on... well, they're probably fooling themselves. My two cents worth. I've held off buying the other SRT devices, waiting for the right one to emerge from the crowd. I think this will be the one.
 
John_KAYS said:
I think what's going on is the Akimbo won't be a reality if people don't contribute. Those that are able to and are willing to are giving Jamie the ability to continue bringing this tool along. Testing costs a whole lot of money! So in theory, nobody would get an Akimbo if it weren't for those donating right now. I'm just sorry I'm not one of them.
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This! As I have worked on this project it has been a project of passion. All of the costs have been mine as well as the time and energy put into it. At the end of the day what I want is a product that I as a climber would feel good about spending my money on Nd trusting my life to, and I want to share it with the climbing community. There will be no akimbos shipped untill at minimum informal destructive testing is performed. Without raising this money, I would not be able to produce anything consistent enough to make testing meaningful. Quality is something I care about very much, and it will only improve over time if I have my way. As for the money above and beyond the goal, it will help with getting more akimbos made, as well as more thorough and formal testing. Some of it I hope to use to outfit my shop with some new tools to help me with inevitable design changes and improvements. It is true that nothing is perfect, and if the past is a guide, I won't be able to help myself making changes and tweaks, or starting something new. The response has been beyond my expectations and I am still getting my head around the whole thing. I will do my honest best to put this opportunity to good use and bring you all the best product I can, as soon as I can. Thank you all again. Cheers. Jaime
 
JMerritt said:
This! As I have worked on this project it has been a project of passion. All of the costs have been mine as well as the time and energy put into it. At the end of the day what I want is a product that I as a climber would feel good about spending my money on Nd trusting my life to, and I want to share it with the climbing community. There will be no akimbos shipped untill at minimum informal destructive testing is performed. Without raising this money, I would not be able to produce anything consistent enough to make testing meaningful. Quality is something I care about very much, and it will only improve over time if I have my way. As for the money above and beyond the goal, it will help with getting more akimbos made, as well as more thorough and formal testing. Some of it I hope to use to outfit my shop with some new tools to help me with inevitable design changes and improvements. It is true that nothing is perfect, and if the past is a guide, I won't be able to help myself making changes and tweaks, or starting something new. The response has been beyond my expectations and I am still getting my head around the whole thing. I will do my honest best to put this opportunity to good use and bring you all the best product I can, as soon as I can. Thank you all again. Cheers. Jaime
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Jamie, I just want you to know I would match the $18,000 + if I could just because I think you are a humble, brilliant, honest, hard working guy. You have my support and encouragement, even though I can't donate right now. I think with your attitude and never ending tinkering we will see great things from you. I wish you the best and hope everything goes smoothly and successfully.

I am excited for the day I own an Akimbo. Thank you.
 
JeffGu said:
"Add to that $2000 for destructive testing..." (from the GoFundMe site)

I assume that the testing will be done prior to shipment of the first run to the investors. As with any new product, early adopters will provide the real world, long term product testing and review. Personally, I've seen enough in the videos and read enough on here that I wouldn't hesitate to use the device prototypes. One look at the thing tells me that Jaime has thought the construction process through, and used quality materials. He strikes me as someone who has invested a lot of time, effort and expense into something he feels strongly will benefit all of us, and if he suddenly decided to switch to using cheaper, lighter materials for the sake of quick profits it would be extremely out of character for him. I think that he is very proud of his device, and is more interested in bringing a safe, tough-as-nails, innovative product to his fellow climbers than he is in making a quick buck. Otherwise, he would have been better off just giving the whole project to Ronco or a Chinese toy company.

Every product that we use in the industry started out as an idea like this. Sometimes things break. Unicenders broke. ZigZags cracked. Carabiners, rings, ropes... you name it. The problems get fixed and everybody moves on. I'm happy to help get it going, and if I set the damn thing on the coffee table in a glass box, I will still be happy to have helped. Mostly, because I don't care to wait around for one of the big box OEMs to come out with something as well thought out as this device. And, because its roots are with climbers, not bean counters.

If the testing shows that the device explodes into tiny pieces on contact with polyester, I'll put it on the bookshelf. But anyone who thinks this thing isn't going to turn out to be a safe, well made tool that will be a joy to climb on... well, they're probably fooling themselves. My two cents worth. I've held off buying the other SRT devices, waiting for the right one to emerge from the crowd. I think this will be the one.
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X2. Thanks jeffgu for articulating that so perfectly.
 
As a part of 'making this happen' thanks to all who have supported Jaime in testing and encouragement and with dollars. I see this as a powerful model for how to get even more great arb tools in the future.

For any who choose not to be 'early adopters' good for you. I would normally be in that group too. He as with other great inventors will be happy to have our business later too.
 
John_KAYS said:
Jamie, I just want you to know I would match the $18,000 + if I could just because I think you are a humble, brilliant, honest, hard working guy. You have my support and encouragement, even though I can't donate right now. I think with your attitude and never ending tinkering we will see great things from you. I wish you the best and hope everything goes smoothly and successfully.

I am excited for the day I own an Akimbo. Thank you.
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ha! good thing you dont have the money, i wouldn't know what to do with it! the amount of support so far is verging on overwhelming. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. im hoping to get a chance to make a short thank you/update video over the holiday. i want to show where the design sits at the moment as it has changed a bit since i posted the last Akimbo vid. cheers.
 
Wish I had been able to do the $300. Just couldn't do it this week. No work and Christmas coming. If I can swing it in the future can I just pm you and let you know that I sent the. Other $200?
 
the logic behind limiting the number of proof run units available was that if they did not test strong enough, or there was some design problem, it would be easier and much less expensive to re-make 50 verses 300 or 500. provided they come out well, it will be very easy to make a second run. the difference between the proof run and a commercial version is going to be in the finish, labeling/marking, and more stringent testing. plus it will benefit from feedback from the early users. i have no problem doing a second proof run if there is demand and the first performs well in testing.
 
Figures I buy a rope runner and then see this.. *sigh* lol

That's the only reason I can't contribute.. rope runner isn't cheap when you factor in exchange rates to!

This will definitely be my next tool of choice when the time comes.

Bravo with developing this already marvelous tool!
 
JeffGu said:
"Add to that $2000 for destructive testing..." (from the GoFundMe site)

I assume that the testing will be done prior to shipment of the first run to the investors. As with any new product, early adopters will provide the real world, long term product testing and review. Personally, I've seen enough in the videos and read enough on here that I wouldn't hesitate to use the device prototypes. One look at the thing tells me that Jaime has thought the construction process through, and used quality materials. He strikes me as someone who has invested a lot of time, effort and expense into something he feels strongly will benefit all of us, and if he suddenly decided to switch to using cheaper, lighter materials for the sake of quick profits it would be extremely out of character for him. I think that he is very proud of his device, and is more interested in bringing a safe, tough-as-nails, innovative product to his fellow climbers than he is in making a quick buck. Otherwise, he would have been better off just giving the whole project to Ronco or a Chinese toy company.

Every product that we use in the industry started out as an idea like this. Sometimes things break. Unicenders broke. ZigZags cracked. Carabiners, rings, ropes... you name it. The problems get fixed and everybody moves on. I'm happy to help get it going, and if I set the damn thing on the coffee table in a glass box, I will still be happy to have helped. Mostly, because I don't care to wait around for one of the big box OEMs to come out with something as well thought out as this device. And, because its roots are with climbers, not bean counters.

If the testing shows that the device explodes into tiny pieces on contact with polyester, I'll put it on the bookshelf. But anyone who thinks this thing isn't going to turn out to be a safe, well made tool that will be a joy to climb on... well, they're probably fooling themselves. My two cents worth. I've held off buying the other SRT devices, waiting for the right one to emerge from the crowd. I think this will be the one.
Click to expand...

Well said, Jeff.

One of my favorite sayings, when installing (putting together/repairing) stuff these days is: "The guy that designed this never actually had to install one." I don't think China has a lock on poor quality stuff anymore. There's plenty of crap made right here in the USA, and quality craftsmanship has nearly disappeared. We had five licensed contracting companies working at our house this summer, and none of them really understood "level, plumb, square and straight." Profit and hurry were the only things they knew.

Jaime, on the other hand, wants to contribute something of value to all of us. He wants it to work well and wants it to be safe. I only met Jaime this past May, and will attest that he truly is a down-to-earth guy that just likes tinkering with stuff and finding a better way. Heck of a good climber and a professional arborist with Davey, responsible for the safety of people under him. He would understand what you were talking about, if you called him and said: what about this or that?

When I first saw and climbed on this device last May I said: I want one. Jaime is now two versions beyond, but they are still made by hand! Cut, sanded, drilled by hand. Parts from the local ACE or supply house. Imagine when a CNC machine gets involved!

I am thrilled to see the support of confidence from so many climbers out there, sight-unseen basically. Some can contribute with $$, some can only afford encouragement at this time. I am impressed with it all.

Go, Jaime!


climbing with Jaime and his Akimbo in a 180' Coast Redwood, May 2015

IMG_4414.webp IMG_4415.webp
 
bobstewert said:
Well said, Jeff.

One of my favorite sayings, when installing (putting together/repairing) stuff these days is: "The guy that designed this never actually had to install one." I don't think China has a lock on poor quality stuff anymore. There's plenty of crap made right here in the USA, and quality craftsmanship has nearly disappeared. We had five licensed contracting companies working at our house this summer, and none of them really understood "level, plumb, square and straight." Profit and hurry were the only things they knew.

Jaime, on the other hand, wants to contribute something of value to all of us. He wants it to work well and wants it to be safe. I only met Jaime this past May, and will attest that he truly is a down-to-earth guy that just likes tinkering with stuff and finding a better way. Heck of a good climber and a professional arborist with Davey, responsible for the safety of people under him. He would understand what you were talking about, if you called him and said: what about this or that?

When I first saw and climbed on this device last May I said: I want one. Jaime is now two versions beyond, but they are still made by hand! Cut, sanded, drilled by hand. Parts from the local ACE or supply house. Imagine when a CNC machine gets involved!

I am thrilled to see the support of confidence from so many climbers out there, sight-unseen basically. Some can contribute with $$, some can only afford encouragement at this time. I am impressed with it all.

Go, Jaime!


climbing with Jaime and his Akimbo in a 180' Coast Redwood, May 2015

View attachment 34594 View attachment 34595
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Jamie, is that a backup for your bridge ring...or are you trying to make it fixed position? I'm curious what that tether strap on your bridge is for. @JMerritt
 
JMerritt said:
honestly i cant remember. i think i was using it to back up the ring on the bridge for some reason. i start to look really hard at at my gear above 100'.
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I don't blame you. If I was up in a 180' tree I would have two harnesses on... and a parachute, and yeah I would look really hard at my gear so I didn't look away and see how far away the ground was. It is a great selling point for your Akimbo that you trust it more than your bridge ring.
 
You've got a lot of rope people excited there Jaime, me included!
Will the 'go fund me' be open another week or so? Got to get it together with the exchange these days; it was almost par couple years ago.
What kind of metal are you thinking of using for production and will the eccentric shaft be replaceable as it wears?
You've done great work, thanks for all your thoughtfulness behind this!
 
I guess the gofundme site does not automatically impose a time limit on campaigns. i feel like i should close it at the one week mark as it has been so successful. i dont want to end up with more than i can deal with and end up pissing people off. As it is now, all of the parts on the Akimbo will be replaceable. the eccentric pins are stainless, and because they are adjustable i believe it will be easy to account for wear over time by just changing the setting. the cams will be aluminum and should be replaceable as well. im leaning towards 70 series aluminum for the high wear parts for better durability. cheers
 
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