WTB Antec Axess climbers

[Treeweasel]

Hi all,
I am looking to find a pair of Antec Axess (spelling) climbers in new or near new condition. I know several buzzers commented on them back in I believe 2011, and that some were not impressed with them. I tried a pair last week and immediately liked them. I am a smaller climber, under 170 lbs., so I believe they will last for me. If anyone has a pair that they are willing to part with, please pm me.
Thanks,
Todd
D.C. Tree Service
E. Freetown, MA

 

[tomthetreeman]

I bought them back when they were under $300, then the exchange rate between the Euro and Dollar dropped, now they are well over $400. Good luck finding them. Keep checking eBay and Craigslist too, you never know.

-Tom

 

[Treeweasel]

Tom,
How long have you had yours, how much use have they seen, and how are they holding up for you?

 

[oceans]

Best climbers I've ever worn. Period. I thought they'd be too short for me, but it turns out they're perfect even during extended hours in a climb. I have had mine for over a year now and see no issue with longevity. Rock solid in my book. There was an issue with the rivets on the foot straps, but I just changed them out with my old Weaver straps. Everything else is bomber. They're available from Shelter Tree in Attleboro, MA.

 

[Treeweasel]

Eric,
Thanks for the info. I just talked to someone else who told me the same thing, so I checked Shelter's website and, what do you know, they're on sale! Not cheap, but worth it, i believe.

Todd

 

[oceans]

Worth it for sure, Todd. I think you'll find that the orientation of the spikes is a tad higher than some other climbers, making what little walking around you may have to do a bit easier. These things are adjustable with a small allen wrench. I'm not sure if it was part expansion during temperature fluctuation or just me not double checking my work, but one of the bolts came loose on me and I didn't notice until I took them off after a tree dismantle. This was on my second climb in them. Luckily, I had the allen wrench in my truck. I tightened it back up and checked all the other bolts for tension and they've never come loose since. That was quite a while ago.

My favorite thing about them is that they don't rotate on your leg, whatsoever. This is what drove me mad with all the other systems I tried. I started to look at the Axess climbers when the only other option was to add more bulk in padding to my old climbers. I tried them on at the shop and we all thought they might be too short. Shelter told me they would honor a return if they didn't work out. You couldn't pry these from my cold dead hands now.

Good luck with them!

 

[tomthetreeman]

Good info there from Oceans. I agree, they are durable enough. The one or two people that complained were big guys that do many many crane removals.

-Tom