Unicender reviews?

Rocks_and_Trees

Rocks_and_Trees

Location
AZ
Looking for some details on working the tree with the Uni. I've had the chance to work on the Petzl Rig, thanks Jesse, and liked it. Ive been using my grigri for srt and it's fine for ascent, but real choppy to try and work on it. The rig is better.
I like Rons videos, and have been considering the Eddy now too.
But curious about the Uni. as far as how smooth it is for working. I mean, is wrapping the rope around the handle the only way to effectively rappel? Seems a bit contrived to me, but I dunno.

btw, I've been climbing using SRT sometimes lately, and I gotta say....not nearly as fun a my hitch
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So...anyone have any feedback on the Unicender??
 
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Can someone loan Ron one so he can make one of his sweet vids please
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I agree, Ron is the right man for the job.
 
I think if it was put to a vote it would be unanimous. Ron does great reviews. I'm actually surprised no one has loaned him one up to this point. (Tom - hint, hint.)

I have used both the Unicender and the Rig and they are both quite different in their abilities to work a single line. I feel most climbers coming from a hitch would transition to the friction control supplied by the Rig the easiest to adapt to. Used in a Rads setup it has a very familiar feel similar to the standard doubled rope system.

The Unicender really shines in its ability to transfer from a rope walker system to working the tree and then back again quickly. This allows for a fast, effortless advancement while ascending and still very good control on working the tree. The problem is when jumping from doubled rope to single rope, there is a learning curve. If you spent a lot of time on doubled rope it can feel quite unnatural.

The release of a device like the Unicender on a single rope takes some time to develop the touch required that we are so use to with our doubled rope friction hitches. But it can be done. It can be operated with one hand very efficiently, just like a hitch, but on single rope.

I have heard several comments from folks who have tried the Uni that were not comfortable with its full release abilities. I feel most of these users stop their efforts prematurely. The Unicender is different enough that it requires the desire to spend the necessary time to develop the skill to use it to its potential.

Dave
 
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I mean, is wrapping the rope around the handle the only way to effectively rappel? Seems a bit contrived to me, but I dunno.



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http://www.thompsontreetools.com/photos.html

here you will see the inventor squeezing the levers together to rappel/lower-out.

I think that the rope allows you to lower out with both hands down near your waist, rather than above your head. You can use both hands to control the descent, as well.



One consideration that may or may not have to be made is the worst case scenario of a branch breaking from above, sliding down the line, and onto the handle which lessens the friction. Not very likely, but perhaps better to consider it in advance if you are in such a potential situation.
 
Well, errr, gulp, Tom loaned me his Unicender not long ago. I was looking so forward to getting on rope with it, but seems like there was a week of bad weather, I was way behind on some other reviews, got jammed at school, and before I knew it, three weeks had slipped by and I felt so guilty for keeping it that long without trying it that I sent it to another guy Tom had promised it to.

But, I should be out of school around next Wednesday and I'll be off for the summer. If I get another chance at it, I'll for sure get some reviews done.

Sorry guys, I kinda dropped the ball on this one; maybe I'll get another chance though.
 
Boy Ron, the nerve putting your teaching responsibilities before your video productions
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Summer break is close though, I'm sure you'll have another chance
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Boy Ron, the nerve putting your teaching responsibilities before your video productions
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LOL! What was I thinking!!!

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...Summer break is close though, I'm sure you'll have another chance
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[/ QUOTE ]I hope so!
 
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Can someone loan Ron one so he can make one of his sweet vids please
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Agreed, but if it was a poll, it would be...

Who thinks that the Rock Exotica, should comp Ron one?

It would be one vote for yes, beings the fact, he don't sell nothing but, in fact promotes allot of stuff Petzl! Any one no this. Hint-Hint, Someone knows someone, Ron needs a Uni!
 
I'll make a video!
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I've been itching to make a video review of the Uniscender. I've been working more on SRT, in the past couple months, than I have cumulatively my whole climbing career.

I'll admit. At first I wanted to just climb on it DRT. But, I knew in my head that SRT has much more reward for the efforts put into it (while ascending). So, I stuck it out and forced myself to get comfortable with SRT. You should have seen how stiff I was my first work climb SRT. I looked like a green horn climber! It was ugly.
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I switch over from SRT to DRT often. I have found many many ways to use the Uniscender. I'm doing things, with the Uniscender, that required a lot of gear in the past.

***Seriously though. There is going to be a need for stainless steel, tungsten steel, or carbide steel Uniscenders (At least the wearing parts). I'm going to burn through the aluminium fast!

So, Sherrill. Please take my idea and run with it!
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***Seriously though. There is going to be a need for stainless steel, tungsten steel, or carbide steel Uniscenders (At least the wearing parts). I'm going to burn through the aluminium fast!

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Alluminum? Nothing wrong with, I know it dissapates heat fast. But when you call some thing T6 alloy, a guy thinks, well this is top of the line brand new stuff! And maybe it is a new alloy, but they could get specific with it and say it is aluminum and ?---

Not trying to knock no-one, Jamin just caught my attention with that.

And Jamin, make a vid, sounds good. Do you have a youtube channel?
 
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I'll make a video!
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I've been itching to make a video review of the Uniscender. I've been working more on SRT, in the past couple months, than I have cumulatively my whole climbing career.

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There ya go - it's about time!
 
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I'll admit. At first I wanted to just climb on it DRT. But, I knew in my head that SRT has much more reward for the efforts put into it (while ascending). So, I stuck it out and forced myself to get comfortable with SRT. You should have seen how stiff I was my first work climb SRT. I looked like a green horn climber! It was ugly.
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This is so common and what stops many climbers from advancing. When you make your living with hard earned skills with the tools that you use,changing to something that makes you slower or awkward can hurt both pride and wallet. It also makes you doubt the sanity of the ones that recommended this "new and better way" forgetting the slow and awkward beginnings of your career. So try to master the new way/tool before making the judgment on its usefulness to your climbing style.

Dave
 
I've been using the uni exclusively srt for over a year now and would never consider going back to anything else. As Dave pointed out the speed at which you can switch from a rope walker system to limbwalking is amazing, you can cover big parts of the tree very very fast without breaking much of a sweat. The system feels very secure because the uni never has to be unclipped from the harness.
I also agree with Dave though, that the uni does require some patience, I wasn't all that impressed for the first month with the limbwalks but then rapidly started improving my control. After about 6 months i gained the control of dropping srt without looping the cord around. Basically like a hitch and that's really what the uni resembles to me, a mechanical hitch.
 
R&T....if you want Uni reviews you can find them in the TB archives. Put 'Unicender' in the title and 'Tom Dunlap' in the other box. I doubt that there is a Uni thread on TB that I HAVEN"T commented on :) Also, use Google to find out what else is out there on the web.

Ron will get my loaner Uni back from our buddy so he can climb on it. Once he gets it I'm sure that it won't take long to see a video.

When I met Morgan at Expo in 2005 I stopped using DdRT and trying to find a hitch that would work for SRT. Since that time I've ONLY used the Uni. I've taken novice climbers who are from 13-55 up with the Uni and they all find it easy to use. There are LOTS of production arbos using the Uni and singing it's praises.

Now that Rock Exotica has taken over production of the Uni we've seen a nice price drop. This puts it in a more competive position in the market place. If someone were to buy a Uni and not like it I know that they would still demand a high used price so they learning experience would be pretty painless.
 
Can't believe i beat the competition to such a worthy cause! Heck yeah, i'll toss one to Ron, as soon as they come in that is. Latest update from Rock is late May (i think). I'd like to see a lot more of this (unbiased reviews that is) -caveot- on our site. Give me a ping Ron.
 
Thanks Tobe! that's way cool, Ron makes some good videos. I'll make sure and buy one from sherrill if I do. Not that I know anywhere else to get one...
 
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I'll make a video!
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I've been itching to make a video review of the Uniscender. I've been working more on SRT, in the past couple months, than I have cumulatively my whole climbing career.

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There ya go - it's about time!

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It figures that the weather would kick up some 80mph winds in my area. I'm swamped! I do't see a video in the making, just yet.
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Reminder: I'm looking for a climber.
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