unicender - is it worth it?

jeff_r

jeff_r

Location
BC.
I'm just about to spend some extra dough on equipment - I don't really need a unicender, but do a lot of climbing SRT and DdRt. . . how cool is this thing?
 
Don't own one, am not a high production company, and I splice my own gear, it does not seem worth it to me...yet. It seems to last up to 18 months under heavy use, but replacemnet parts are not cheap, splitails don't last as long but are dirt cheap to replace. It probably disperses heat better than a friction hitch so climb lines will last longer. Excellent versatility (SRT or DdRT) is a plus but I don't think it's as cool as The Singing Tree rope wrench by Kevin web page or as inexpensive imho $.02
 
Re:is it worth it?---Lyle Lovett answers :)

To paraphrase Lyle Lovett:

Don't Touch My Uni Lyrics

Album: The Road to Ensenada

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZfzfjB280M&feature=related

Man you better let go
You can't hold on to
What belongs to me
And don't belong to you

I caught you looking
With your roving eye
So Mister you don't have to act
So surprised

If it's her you want
I don't care about that
You can have my girl
But don't touch my Uni

I grew up lonesome
On the open range
And that cold North wind
Can make a man feel strange

My John B. Stetson
Was my only friend
And we've stuck together
Through many a woman

So if it's her you want
I don't care about that
You can have my girl
But don't touch my Uni

My mama told me
Son to be polite
Take your Uni off
When you walk inside

But the winds of change
They fill the air
And you can't set your Uni down
Just anywhere
So if you plead not guilty
I'll be the judge
We don't need no jury
To decide because

I wear a seven
And you're out of order
'Cause I can tell from here
You're a seven and a quarter

But if it's her you want
I don't care about that
You can have my girl
But don't touch my Uni

If it's her you want
I don't care about that
You can have my girl
But don't touch my Uni

No it never complains
And it never cries
And it looks so good
And it fits just right

But if it's her you want
I don't care about that
You can have my girl
But don't touch my Uni

You can have my girl
But don't touch my Uni
You can have my girl
But don't touch my Uni
 
[ QUOTE ]
The quick answer.

Worth it even at it's original price. Now that they're a lot cheaper, everyone should own one

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree 100%.
 
18 months, more like 3 months for me.Is it worth it im not sure,its not gonna make you any faster.well on on some stuff it may but on others it will make you slower.It all depends on how you use it and using it at the appropriate times.Ive went back to using ddrt because I felt like a goof coming back from really long downward limbwalks.personally i think im faster in most situations with ddrt but if I had several trees to traverse over too the uni may be a better choice.Also if we have storm work that involves alot of limb fectching in the tops.It works great in the place of the croll on a frog walker system.Just not sure how a production climber with daily use could get over 6 months out of it using it exclusively.But you want to try and borrow one becasue we all have different climbing styles and it just may fit yours.One thing I might add,if the uni could be locked onto the rope with and integrated slack tending pulley it would be alot better device.
 
When I first bought my uni I was still climbing a lot of drt. I would use the uni to ascend to my tip then set up for double.

Since I've converted straight to srt, I honestly feel like I'll be able to climb well into my 50's and 60's (even though I hope not to have to)

Srt had changed my climbing, made me much much faster and made me much less sore. I've been climbing srt strictly for 2 months now and I love every minute of it. I even use Srt for removals with spikes (running bowline your TIP, the spike up without a lanyard and my uni tends the slack on the way up, it's auto belay at it's finest)

I'm buying 3 more very soon, another for me and two for the other two climbers that I climb with.

It's so easy that my trainee has climbed exclusively srt, has only been climbing for 4 months and yet is almost as fast as my 7 year veteran.
 
As good as the uni is, it could still stand an update.

For example, a slack tending pulley on the lower "L" would be huge. Also, I'd be interested to see one made of titanium. Yes. I know. That would make it more expensive but not as much as you think. If the manufacturer doesn't try to stick it to the end buyer by doubling the price and only increases the costs for the material alone youd be surprised how affordable it could be.
 
it seems like titanium would be worth it if they wear out. although it seems the life varies dramatically from climber to climber
 
I would like to try one out, but I have other things to get first....like a helmet as ya'll know. I like my hitch climber and cord combo. I am stuck between SRT and DBRT on removals. I haven't tried to run my rope up on a bowline yet either though. That makes sents to me though...being tied off you can walk out as you go.
 
The Uni is a fantastic, stand-alone tool for SRT both ascending and working the tree. Whether it is worth the price will be dependent on how willing you are to incorporate this style of work. In order to make SRT work efficiently for treework positioning, there are many little changes that you will need to incorporate compared to doubled rope.

As has been stated, I don't believe the Uni is fully evolved in its design. It has come a long way and is pretty fantastic to use, but wear is still an issue that can be improved upon.

My initial Uni lasted two years with one rebuild. And I am probably one of the worst offenders for high wear usage. I don't consider the cost/wear component to be of any consequence, because the money it makes offsets that nicely. It is just so obvious that with a change of material the Uni would last tremendously longer.

There are tricks that will extend the life of the Uni. If you climb with it on a tether, it is very easy to incorporate additional friction underneath. I did over 30 70 ft TIP pines recently using a new Uni. I ran a figure 8 underneath for the descent. The fig 8 was new and had grooves worn in it at the end of the job. The Uni had not even worn the anodizing off the cams.

So with a little thought, I am optimistic on a long life for this Uni even in its current state of design.

Dave
 
Dave,

Would you attach a pic of your pulley slack tender setup?

Morgan made a prototype of a slacktender Uni. I've been climbing on it and some others too. it works nicely...now...to see if it goes into production. Sorry, no pics yet.
 
Aluminum I have found to wear very fast on all of the aluminum that I have used, (eights, ATC's, biners and friction savers, robots, etc) I have been skeptical of Al for use in the rope wrench because of this. Is there any damage to the rope that aluminum dust causes in your ropes? Stainless steel is so dang heavy, and titanium so expensive. People have mentioned plastic to me a lot but im not sure about that either.
 
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