Unicender, HH2 (Hitch Hiker) or Rope Wrench?

The Uni is a great tool in so many ways and served me well for years. For commercial use, however, it has been surpassed. The largest shortcoming for it shows up in fast, one-handed swings. They can be done, but consistency is lacking. Another aspect that shows up more at work is while being lanyarded in. When you are not hanging on the Uni it becomes "unhitched" in both directions. Depending on what you are doing this can be somewhat annoying to somewhat dangerous. I have lost the bottom cam while in off-angle work stations as the climbing line can fall out of the bottom L. Gobbling up slack at a work station is less than ideal as it can force the need to constantly be adding back slack that you need to reach your chores.

The new multicenders are great! I personally don't care for the RW, finding the HH2 much more of a fit and smooth as silk in all areas with how I have it setup. And then there is the Akimbo!
 
Thanks everyone. Based on everyone's input. Seems to me, I should make due with my RW, then upgrade to the Akimbo which I'm hopeful will become available ASAP. I'm also very impressed with the HH2, but can see how it can be a hassle and somewhat touchy when getting the hitch properly set and maintained throughout a climb. As a newbie I think I made a good choice by starting with the RW. If not for my high Akimbo expectations, I'd probably buy and settle into using the Uni/drum option or the RR, mainly because I'd rather not have to be so reliant on using temperamental hitch knots. I've heard the HH2 is also great to use as a lanyard/rope grabber due to its ability to function at various angles and without having to be fully loaded. I'm fascinated with the RR, but the Akimbo is a pending favorite, based on the compact, streamlined and fully self contained configuration.
 
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DSMc said:
The Uni is a great tool in so many ways and served me well for years. For commercial use, however, it has been surpassed. The largest shortcoming for it shows up in fast, one-handed swings. They can be done, but consistency is lacking. Another aspect that shows up more at work is while being lanyarded in. When you are not hanging on the Uni it becomes "unhitched" in both directions. Depending on what you are doing this can be somewhat annoying to somewhat dangerous. I have lost the bottom cam while in off-angle work stations as the climbing line can fall out of the bottom L. Gobbling up slack at a work station is less than ideal as it can force the need to constantly be adding back slack that you need to reach your chores.

The new multicenders are great! I personally don't care for the RW, finding the HH2 much more of a fit and smooth as silk in all areas with how I have it setup. And then there is the Akimbo!
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It seems that we've both moved on from the uni but for the sake of discussion, did you ever try the barrel, Dave? I found it to remedy both of the issues you mentioned in your post.
 
Yes, Levi! The Barrel is and has always been a great variable. It made the Unicender a great climbing tool. It made descents a very smooth way down, I was told that it would wear extremely fast compared to the Uni, but after 6 months of everyday use it showed no wear, at all! I have the RopeRunners, which show more wear on the bollards, and the BullDog Bone (original w/rubber grabs) has only shown wear on the Back Spine. Now, after reading another thread, I came to find out that you can turn the Spine 180*, to get twice the use out of it. Before I have to contact @surveyor for a complete rebuild kit. I hope this helps with your question about the Uni. I do miss it terribly, it may require a big sale of a RopeRunner, and a ZigZag, and possibly a RopeGuide 6', since I just bought a 10' RopeGuide. We'll see how things go. Maybe if I place a final order with TreeStuff (from WI), I may have to add a Unicender and another Barrel from @yoyoman! I'm in need of rigging rope 5/8-7/8". So, I'll have to get reacquainted with the Uni all over again! [emoji848]
BTW, someone mentioned that when they are using their positioning lanyard, the Uni goes slack, that wouldn't happen if you attach the top of it to your chestie or neck tether that wouldn't happen.
 
Haha! I've thought of going back to the uni, I miss it at times. My friend has a model, I believe straight from the creator of the uni, with stainless steel inserts. If I could get one like that I'd go back in a heartbeat. Although I wonder, after all this time on the bdb, would I still love the uni?
 
Ll
Levi.CO said:
It seems that we've both moved on from the uni but for the sake of discussion, did you ever try the barrel, Dave?...
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I never tried the barrel or the drum. Those came out close to the time Paul was working on the HH and that really appealed to me. The Uni was a game changer for me allowing me to become SRT proficient. Even with improvements though I doubt it would interest me enough to go back. My HH2 and Akimbo are just to good at what they do.
 
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I personally can't stand the HH2, I hated it so much that I gave it away to another member, on here! PITA!!! Too much work before going to work! I gave it a fair amount of time to get accustomed to it and I still didn't have the patience to keep it! @Raven27 got one hell of a great deal that day!
 
DSMc said:
Ll

I never tried the barrel or the drum. Those came out close to the time Paul was working on the HH and that really appealed to me. The Uni was a game changer for me allowing me to become SRT proficient. Even with improvements though I doubt it would interest me enough to go back. My HH2 and Akimbo are just to good at what they do.
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Don't hold your breath! You won't see the Akimbo until mid-end of 2018! If that soon!
 
Dave Rohach said:
I personally can't stand the HH2, I hated it so much that I gave it away to another member, on here! PITA!!! Too much work before going to work! I gave it a fair amount of time to get accustomed to it and I still didn't have the patience to keep it! @Raven27 got one hell of a great deal that day!
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Same here, well, HH1 that is. I like the concept, and it seems to be the most bomb proof and safe srt system, just too much fiddling with the dog bone and cordage, plus slack tending was no good for me. I know some add a pulley below to help with that but I was not into that approach personally.
 
DSMc said:
I have been using the Akimbo for quite a while now. HH2 is effortless and fast for me to set. Not fiddly at all.
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You must be one of those mainstream guys! That gets to try all of the new toys that aren't on the market yet! We're the nobodies, that have to wait for the good stuff to hit the ground running! [emoji12] just giving you a hard time, but now that I know you have been using the Akimbo, how do you like it? Oh, and how much do you weigh? That's a big factor in equipment purchases!

Dave6390
 
The HH2 was a complete headache for me, even with the holster and the fixed pulley for tending. The video of the RW/Zigzag combo looks kinda intriguing, but using 2 devices with unintended roles is just an accident waiting to happen! I'm not sure why you would do something like that, unless you're not comfortable with tying your prussik properly or your on the "Crazy Train" for disaster. I'm not an expert at marrying devices, nor do I claim to know everything about everything, but this is just way outta my league of ingenuity, if that's what you want to call it! The Zigzag is a DDRT device ONLY. The RopeWrench is SRT ONLY. So learn how to use an E2E or learn how to set a pulley in the crotch of the trees! But, don't make a video of the "Big Fall" better yet, please do! Maybe the Climbers that think this stuff up, will stop!
Sorry for the abrupt opinion, but I don't know why people have to find ways to kill themselves has such a fascination!
 
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