What am I doing wrong with the Akimbo?!!

G_defy

G_defy

Location
Woodstock
Hey guys this is my 1st post. Been a long time lurker lol most if my questions got answered on a previous post....Anyhow recently purchased an akimbo after climbing off and on srt on a wrench...coming from drt on a mechanical couldn't stand inconsistent tendencies along with primarily the setback...bought this thing and for the life of me I can't dial it in...adjusted top and bottom friction settings...sometimes it slips...up the friction then it just "sticks" then "freefall"...very frustrating...yale bluemoon 11.7 I weigh 170 with gear and all maybe 200...its like I have no idea when I go to descend if it's gonna completely stick and then just release(ie freefall) or be perfectly smooth. Climbed on every mechanical and never experienced this...I gotta be missing something and hoping for y'alls advice...btw thanks for all the questions answered that I never had to ask from this forum...
 
Try setting both somewhere in the middle and just climb with it, get a good setting and do some fast descents ( with your other hand tailing the rope) it takes awhile for it to break in and then things get smoother. It’s not going to be perfect right at the start, you just have to accept that and know that it will become great later.
 
G_defy said:
Hey guys this is my 1st post. Been a long time lurker lol most if my questions got answered on a previous post....Anyhow recently purchased an akimbo after climbing off and on srt on a wrench...coming from drt on a mechanical couldn't stand inconsistent tendencies along with primarily the setback...bought this thing and for the life of me I can't dial it in...adjusted top and bottom friction settings...sometimes it slips...up the friction then it just "sticks" then "freefall"...very frustrating...yale bluemoon 11.7 I weigh 170 with gear and all maybe 200...its like I have no idea when I go to descend if it's gonna completely stick and then just release(ie freefall) or be perfectly smooth. Climbed on every mechanical and never experienced this...I gotta be missing something and hoping for y'alls advice...btw thanks for all the questions answered that I never had to ask from this forum...
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I have been climbing on mine for a few months now. As was stated it does get better as it works in and I am sure familiarity with tge device plays into that as well. I tend to be in the E, 3-5 range depending on conditions and I am pretty close to your size. I run mine on 11.7 poison hi vy and 11.1 dragon fly. Works great on both ropes without changing the settings...gotta love the warmth of the device after a fun rappel...keep at it and have fun
 
It's my understanding that most of the Blue Akimbo's suffer from this jumpiness, but the Orange version is reported to be buttery smooth. Might want to get a different color?
 
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Hey thanks for the replies. So I climb everyday so in y'alls opinion like maybe another 3-4 weeks? And Rico I do hope you're wrong lol because I really can't afford to buy another one and yes it's the blue version. After all the high praise on this thing I really was starting to think I got a defective one.
 
G_defy said:
Hey thanks for the replies. So I climb everyday so in y'alls opinion like maybe another 3-4 weeks? And Rico I do hope you're wrong lol because I really can't afford to buy another one and yes it's the blue version. After all the high praise on this thing I really was starting to think I got a defective one.
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I would first like to welcome you to TreeBuzz G_defy and I do apologize for yanking your chain. You will quickly learn to take very little of what I say seriously around here. I would take the advice of the folks with experience running an Akimbo and give that thing a good burn in before making a decision as to whether you like it or not. I'm sure with some time it will show itself to be a world class tool.
 
rico said:
I would first like to welcome you to TreeBuzz G_defy and I do apologize for yanking your chain. You will quickly learn to take very little of what I say seriously around here. I would take the advice of the folks with experience running an Akimbo and give that thing a good burn in before making a decision as to whether you like it or not. I'm sure with some time it will show itself to be a world class tool.
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Hey thanks Rico. Yeah I really always try to blame operator error first. I'm gonna keep at it. At least I have some hope that it'll get better that helps with the frustration. Think I climbed for so long on a lock jack where it was like borderline telepathic control just gonna be a learning curve.
 
Just resign yourself to looking like a herky jerky rookie and then one day you’ll suddenly realize you are floating from limb to limb like a flying squirrel. Sheer elegance.
 
chiselbit said:
Just resign yourself to looking like a herky jerky rookie and then one day you’ll suddenly realize you are floating from limb to limb like a flying squirrel. Sheer elegance.
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This is what happened to me.. I don't know what broke in, me or the akimbo, but once the upper cam stopped sticking everything slowly got better. It's even working on lines that it didn't play nice with before.
I went about it like I did when learning SRT. Look like a fool, and struggle with it for EVERY DAMN CLIMB for 6 months to a year. I've been on a hitch once or twice since I've had my red akimbo. Something has changed and it's certainly different, but a very nice tool.
Side note and it's nearly a deal breaker, damn thing HATES the smallest drop of pitch on the rope. Just stops instantly, and no amount of jerking or bouncing will get you past that spot!
Oh well..
 
Had my first MRS experience with the Akimbo the other day...was working on a cliff side with approx 50-60* slope. First time I have used MRS in a long time, but wanted the 2:1 for the trip back up. Opened the both bollarda up a little bit and I was surprised at how smooth it was. Felt like I needed to collapse the jaws more, but was smooth and predictable. Looking forward to trying it out fully suspended
 
RyTheTreeGuy said:
Had my first MRS experience with the Akimbo the other day...was working on a cliff side with approx 50-60* slope. First time I have used MRS in a long time, but wanted the 2:1 for the trip back up. Opened the both bollarda up a little bit and I was surprised at how smooth it was. Felt like I needed to collapse the jaws more, but was smooth and predictable. Looking forward to trying it out fully suspended
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It’s at its best and smoothest DdRT
 
G_defy said:
Hey guys this is my 1st post. Been a long time lurker lol most if my questions got answered on a previous post....Anyhow recently purchased an akimbo after climbing off and on srt on a wrench...coming from drt on a mechanical couldn't stand inconsistent tendencies along with primarily the setback...bought this thing and for the life of me I can't dial it in...adjusted top and bottom friction settings...sometimes it slips...up the friction then it just "sticks" then "freefall"...very frustrating...yale bluemoon 11.7 I weigh 170 with gear and all maybe 200...its like I have no idea when I go to descend if it's gonna completely stick and then just release(ie freefall) or be perfectly smooth. Climbed on every mechanical and never experienced this...I gotta be missing something and hoping for y'alls advice...btw thanks for all the questions answered that I never had to ask from this forum...
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There's a bunch of threads with infinite pages on the akimbo and it's adjustments.
 
Mowerr said:
There's a bunch of threads with infinite pages on the akimbo and it's adjustments.
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There's no need to exaggerate.
There are 638 pages in that thread... which is why I am happy to hear about how it is working. I'm not reading that thread.


I guess there are a few others, but that one should have everything.
 
RyTheTreeGuy said:
Had my first MRS experience with the Akimbo the other day...was working on a cliff side with approx 50-60* slope. First time I have used MRS in a long time, but wanted the 2:1 for the trip back up. Opened the both bollarda up a little bit and I was surprised at how smooth it was. Felt like I needed to collapse the jaws more, but was smooth and predictable. Looking forward to trying it out fully suspended.
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Moving the rope to new positions on the cliff is a good idea if sharp and not padded.

3:1 SCAM technique (or a fixed pulley), with rope appropriately padded, can help. You can move the pulley away from the TIP, possibly over the top lip, so less drag.
 
southsoundtree said:
Moving the rope to new positions on the cliff is a good idea if sharp and not padded.

3:1 SCAM technique (or a fixed pulley), with rope appropriately padded, can help. You can move the pulley away from the TIP, possibly over the top lip, so less drag.
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Set up a friction saver in an oak approx. 25 ft from cliffs edge to negate the friction/abrasion from the edge. Was a fun experience and can definitely reccomend MRS for slope work. Great tool to have in the tool box. I am a SRS fan for 95+ percent of work but there is still a place for MRS in this business and I am glad I was taught it when I was first learning
 
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