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The only time I seem to use the foorloop is to get into the tree. After that, to work the tree its just climbing. I toss the footloop to the ground and send my acender upside down down the rope. If im going to be in the tree a while I take off my pantin too.
The RADS setup just seems like it takes too many separate motions for effecient ascent. It seems like you are going up the rope at a 3:1 as opposed to a 1:1. I get confused as to the difference between ropewalker, and frog and all that.
I have tried working with a gri- gri and it was really choppy and hard to feather right, maybe the rig and eddy are smoother in that respect.
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No doubt, different climbers will get different impressions.
I've used all out ropewalkers, simplified ropewalkers, Texas and Frog sit-stands, and several variations of DdRT. My choice is RADS, but in all fairness, I have not used a Unicender. In fact, here's a buddy on a bungie walker in my front yard:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRkFE40ZrHo
I pretty much took to the RADS the first time I was introduced to it. Then, because it wasn't quite as efficient as some things I had been climbing on, I drifted away from it. Then I started climbing 'wild' trees and realized my current systems had some short comings and went back to the RADS.
I don't want to give the impression that the RADS is the best climbing system and sometimes that impression is perceived simply by explanation of how it works etc. Nor do I wish to critique the versatile Unicender.
So with that in mind - I find the RADS to be easily learned and quite natural, yet I realize all won't see it that way. I've been putting kids on a RADS for some time now and they do great with it and that's even with a saddle that's too big for them so they have little bitty strokes, but they go right up the tree. And coming down? I remove the upper ascender and they pull the lever. I use a handled, toothed ascender for them because it's a little easier than what I actually use. Here's a cute video of an 8 year old on a RADS for the very first time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E2-1kh6JJA
I said that to simply say, RADS is not difficult to learn.
I have no problems descending with a Cinch, Grigri, I'D, or Eddy on arborist rope. All of those are a little fast on smaller, harder ropes, say 10mm PMI EzBend, but then try a Unicender on a 10mm rope.
A buddy of mine that is considerably heavier than me, I weigh about 190 lbs, has used a Grigri for years on arborist rope and has no control problems. Well, other than self control, he's glazed a few ropes with a Grigri, and micro-rack for that matter, because he likes speed.
When he switched to the Cinch, it was marginal for him, so he came up with using a ring with the RADS to increase friction. Everyone that has used this says the enhanced control of this inexpensive addition gives the descend control and smoothness of a rack.
Here's another advantage of the RADS, and again this doesn't mean it's the best anything or reflect on the Unicender at all. You know that 3:1 on the arms? When you climb, you do put considerable force on the down rope with the arm. That gets multiplied by about 2.3 (not 3 because of friction in the Grigri). What ever that force is, it takes about 2.3 times of your arm force off your knees which of course is significantly less stress to the knee and yet the legs still have a 1:1 stroke.
I also use both legs. So my body weight is shared by both knees and my arms - it's just a very kind, low impact to the knees.
Contrast that to any ropewalker - the full body weight is applied to each knee. That might produce a faster climb at the expense of knee problems over time.
Again, I'm not saying the RADS is for everyone, but every time I put someone on a RADS, they pick it up quickly.
And I want to over-emphasize I'm not critiquing the Unicender nor do I want to short change it in any way.
