Rock Exotica Akimbo review after 1 year

Akimbo description
The Akimbo is a mechanical pussik device that can be used in both stationary rope systems (SRS) and moving rope systems (MRS), although it is primarily used in SRS. The idea and initial design for the device came from arborist Jamie Merritt, the project of taking it to market was then taken on by Rock Exotica who tweaked and developed the one that you see in the video.
Dan goes through the design and features of the device, dialling in the friction settings, then he talks about his experiences on the device out in the real world of tree work after 1 year of ownership. Dan is also joined by his friend Dan Chamberlain who also shares his thoughts and experiences with the device.
Subscribe to the ClimbingArborist channel: / climbingarborist1
Website - www.climbingarborist.com
Facebook - / climbingarborist
Instagram - / climbingarborist_com
Podcast - www.climbingarborist.com/podc...
Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Sitcher, Spotify, Googleplay and more….
#rockexotica #Akimbo #climbingarborist #arborist #treeclimber #treesurgeon

[@porkbrick]

thank you for being honest about your opinion, i really appreciate it. the akimbo never started out as a project for anyone but myself, and the more i look at the feedback the more i see that i really did make it for my style and preferences of climbing. i am a tinkerer, and im always messing with my gear. so, to me, making little adjustments between ropes and as i climb feels natural. not everyone likes that i'm realizing. for me making it easily mid-line attachable and easily adjustable were the highest priority, getting that was actually done very early on in the design. the rest of the time spent designing the thing was mostly trying to get it to perform on the rope. making it mid-line the way it is really made it more challenging to get that performance out of it as it limits it to two points of friction. but for me and my style that was worth it. taking it to the wider climbing community happened after those design choices were pretty much set in stone. i do have ideas to improve the design and feedback like yours really does help motivate me and focus on where it needs improving. thank you for that. one thing that i have noticed with the RE akimbos is that they really do smooth out after a good amount of use. there are fine machine tool marks on the friction surfaces and those polish down after a bit. i climb a pretty wide variety of trees in my area, from redwoods and fir to oaks and maples. what i've found over the years with the akimbo is that i switch back and forth between MRS and SRS quite a lot. i might leapfrog up a thick tree MRS and set an SRS anchor once at the top, or do the opposite and SRS up and MRS down just to avoid having to retrieve an anchor. like you i find that the akimbo makes an excellent backup device for setting a second line or using the tail of your rope MRS back from a distant head or long limb walk. in sappy trees ill either use a ring/ring and climb MRS to make the sap more manageable, or ill just switch to the rope wrench (which i think every climber should own). all that said, the akimbo isnt going to fit everyone. i wish it did, but i don't think any device ever will. ill keep working on it and well see how it goes. thanks again. cheers. Jaime

[@ClimbingArborist]

Hey Jamie, Thank you so much for commenting on this video. Like most things products and techniques used by climbing arborists, it always comes down to personal preference. It totally makes sense that this device is perfect for your climbing style which is how came up with your original prototype. All that tinkering and machine work is designed exactly to suit you which makes total sense. I respect you and the work you put in to this product like you wouldn't believe, what an achievement it is. On the flip side are my findings in the video which all boils down to my personal preference. Reading through the comments there are people on both sides and that just confirms that there is not just one opinion. Thank you for all hard hard work, time, effort and money you poured into this project, it certainly made a splash in the industry, that's for sure.

[@porkbrick]

The hype definitely caught me off guard. There is such a demand for that holy grail of a device... at a certain point there was no way the Akimbo could live up to its built up image. Like I said, the people who don’t like it are the ones who are going to help make it better. I started out making it for myself and now I’m learning about other people’s climbing styles and preferences. Thanks again.

[@ClimbingArborist]

@@porkbrickFrom your response to my video you certainly have the attitude it takes to improve this, there is no doubt about it. So many people in your position would get very defensive, feel attacked, be stubborn and set in their ways. You are doing the exact opposite but the sounds of it and that's how you gather the info and improve. I really do applaud you and your attitude.

[@fightington]

@@ClimbingArborist This. Love seeing this approach ❤

[@shawneetree1440]

It is a work of art. Every time I open it up to put a line on I am amazed at its engineering. Thank you for your time and risk in developing this tool! Your humility speaks volumes.

[@rypie37]

Ah, productive comment too: I've been climbing on the RE Akimbo for as long as it's been out - I was one of the first people to receive pre-order from Treestuff, but yeah I've used it non-stop since. I'll boil down my thoughts in bullet points: PROS: -Extremely easy to put on and off the rope / adjust. This cannot be understated as it opens up new versatile options while climbing. For example: often I can do 1,2, 3 redirects, then find myself in a spot where I can reach one section of line and pull it to me, then simply take the akimbo off, reattach it, and pull out my tail from whatever redirects it was in. This makes my redirects "retrievable" in a way, even if they're natural crotch. 2 common ways I do this is while V-rigging (super easy since that top part of your line is always with you via the pulley biner) or with the captain hook. I'd be happy to elaborate if this explanation was confusing. -Very compact - I like this for spar work a lot; I can get nice and close to my cinched anchor to make cuts. - Great for crane work - I've only done this a few times, but if the tree allows you can have a canopy tied cutting line in the tree, and switch over to that line form the MRS line you have for setting picks from the crane ball. Very fast to pull off, and the settings should be close enough, since the device is a bit more forgiving with MRS. The times i've done this my cutting SRS line was Xstatic, and my MRS line was Tachyon and I didn't need to adjust it. -I personally love the quick-release tending point - one less thing I have to do / worry about when I sit back to unclip ascenders. Just takes a little getting used to initially / the right length cordage for your chestie / harness / whatever. CONS: -Sap is a no-go. Even a small amount of sap accumulates immediately and you have to clean the akimbo before using it again. Like, don't even try it. Have a different device lined up for Conifers. Akimbo jams up and you can collapse it entirely with full weight on it and you will not move. Disappointing. -Water: I've had mixed results with wetness. It definitely isn't as smooth / sweet spot caliber while it's raining, but for the most part I've just gotten over it and wanted to climb with it rather than my rope wrench. Snow and cold have both been fine too - no problems. -I'm still experimenting with it, but I've noticed the same issue of dialing it in to a sweet spot with a certain rope, then having it not perform the same after a while. I'm not sure what this is - maybe elongation to some degree? To this point my issue has been with creep. I'm not sure if my sweet spot settings are reckless or not, but I tend to like it loose, to where the 2...beaks...open up at a great angle, so that when you barely touch the top beak you get movement. This gives me very responsive movement, especially on limb walks, but if I do a long / rapid descent in open air and decide to stop the akimbo will not stop, but rather slowly creep to where I have to hold myself or bring the tail above the device to manual brake. This can be annoying if you're not prepared for this, but usually you can account for this by descending to a limb or something and tending your slack, which will fix it. Again, it's the stopping in open air. Anybody else experience this? -Lastly, to the same issue, my sweet spot might be a little loose, as I always make sure I manually hike up the akimbo to head height after ascending to make sure it grabs as sometimes it can slip down the rope, especially if you have an ascender attached to the same point like I do with my haas to my swivel. I know my CONS list seems longer than my PROS list, but I might just be trying to tone it down and compensate for my extreme Akimbo fanboy status - I love this thing to death and will certainly be buying a second so I can use one for my lanyard. It's just SO versatile and lets you be efficient in ways you haven't experienced before. Definitely buy one, and if you don't like it use it for your Hook cordage, or a backup system like mentioned in the video. Throwing it on your tail is something special too, and pretty easy to fall in love with (I borrowed a buddy's for a while and couldn't stop double crotching)

[@ClimbingArborist]

That is a great in depth comment, thank you Ryan, I'm sure that will also add and help those who watch the video and are interested in other peoples experiences.

[@TimberTrainer]

Agreed with trying something else on conifers. My favorite is the Lov2. It's basically the opposite of the Akimbo since it works on every rope with zero adjustment. The Akimbo creep is the same thing I struggled with. I think it's the line flattening in the lower cam.

[@justinzaff]

How does the Akimbo compare to the Zig Zag ?

[@sawdustjunkies5779]

Thank you for the review! I've been really considering purchasing an Akimbo. I'm still on the fence about it, but the two reviews in your video really do help. Thanks for taking the time.

[@Joesdifferent]

Jamie did a great job! We all definitely spent thousands of hours thinking tinkering tweaking the measurements back and forth until we all came up with a device that we loved. This is a very good review thank you for sharing and taking the time

[@keirforsyth2080]

This was brilliant! Thank you so much for your thorough review and for sharing your friend's input as well. This is everything I needed to know.

[@thomasolsheski4857]

Thanks for the review, very informative. Once Dan Chamberlin mentioned it’s not for a new climber decided it’s probably best to keep investigating mechanical devices.

[@Ithzzz]

Love your videos Daniel! Great info for a beginner like myself!

[@mikehopkins7384]

Ty for the review..I’ve been interested in the exact issues you covered

[@BlurredVisi0n]

this is one of the best reviews I've ever seen. thanks!

[@ClimbingArborist]

Thanks man, I really appreciate your comment. I try and give my best, unbiased opinion on these products through my own experiences

[@corpsiecorpsie_the_original]

Your review is consistent with others and the instructions I've seen on how to use it: "The settings need to be adjusted and verified every time you use it". You're the first reviewer that has talked about using a lot of different ropes in different weather (dry, wet).

[@bwrightaway2877]

I'm new to SRT and i was really wanting one of these but after this review i think i'll go with the rope wrench. Thx for taking the time to make the videos.

[@vincentmunoz7957]

Unicender is the first srt device I started with, definitely recommend that one, if you haven't already by now

[@scottsteele13gmail]

It was great to hear differing opinions and feedback from different users with their own individual experiences. I like the Rock Exotica Akimbo, and although I have barely played with it on a few ropes recreationally and at work, I found it worked pretty well for me on the Poison Ivy rope (I believe that’s 11.7 mm) while climbing DRT (I forget which settings I had it on). I found it pretty jumpy when climbing SRT using a 16 strand 13 mm New England Hi-Vee orange and white climbing line; the rope was just a little too large for the friction points, which I knew ahead of time, but still wanted to test. I’ve been meaning to play with it on another of my 11.7 mm ropes for 2nd tie-in point or lanyard, but have been having too much fun testing different hitch cords with the ISC Phlotich pulley and DMM hitch climber pulley on my climbing line and rope lanyards to stop and fiddle for a moment with testing the Akimbo on any of those. Thanks for the heads up about dealing with pine sap, as I was previously thinking about using that for some work up in Oregon (near Salem) with some removals, but will probably stick with bringing various cordage to be able to swap out as they get sticky, especially as various hitch cordage is so cheap to buy by the foot, and I got rid of my zigzag because of not being able to quickly switch it from one rope to another rope, while working.

[@chrisb4419]

another great video, thanks, Dan!

[@heddeops.8000]

Very informative, I was looking for this. Thanks!

[@PanzerCommanderKRON]

I've been using the Akimbo since it came out, I'm based in the Pacific Northwest so the rain does affect my friction settings to an annoying degree. One thing I noticed in this video, Dan's akimbo is not quite as worn as mine and i believe once it wears some more groove into the bottom friction plate and also rounds out the top friction point it works a little more predictably, also makes it even easier to take on and off rope. Last point that is a huge plus, in my opinion this is the best device for removals especially chunking down spars as the compact nature lends to your primary tie in point acting almost like a lanyard (IE holds you pretty close to the spar and tight). I use one of those singing tree quickies (a type of quick engaging shackle) to just choke my line on a spar and lean to the left or right based on which side I choke off on. I've found Yale 11.7 poison ivy type to be preferred rope and new condition Yale Scandere works well too but becomes worse with any dirt/water. Two of the super duper contract climbers in my area Robert Bundy and Ryan Kafferky also use it, and Ryan's is also kind of finicky. I believe that is because he only ascends with it so its not "worn-in" at all like I mentioned before and how the condition of Dan's akimbo appears in this video. My two cents

[@ClimbingArborist]

I appreciate your extensive in depth comment Kron. Thanks for sharing your personal experiences with this device and how it changes as the device wears down more and more.

[@neightjay]

Well done. Thanks for your unbiased thoughts and opinions Dan. 👍🏼🇨🇦

[@ClimbingArborist]

Appreciate your comments as always dude, there is no point in reviewing products if it's not unbiased.

[@charlespax]

I believe that spring clip was added to prevent a neck tether from pulling down on the Akimbo and allowing it to slide down the rope.

[@MT_T991]

Im out of tree work doing more abseiling but man im happy to see this in the market. Might buy it and do some contract jobs

[@fhudo]

Great review Dan. I have used this device for a year and did not like it one bit; rope runner was my previous go to. However, I was determined to make it work - mainly because of the midline attachable function. I tried many different ropes and as context weigh 190lbs with full gear. Now I love it and use it nearly 100% of the time. Xstatic is my line of choice. What changed? I think the bollards wear slightly (smooth) in and that makes a big difference. I have learned that a very wet rope requires the top bollard to be opened up by 3 points. Once it dries, just revert back. The other major advantage it has is when creating 2:1 mechanical advantage; the shape keeps the rope nicely aligned. Once it works - it’s golden.

[@532woodchuck]

I love my Akimbo, I bought a new poison Ivy calamine with the Akimbo. I use it exclusively on the same rope. I discovered very quickly it don't like sap at all, if I do any conifers I use a different rope with a split tail and Blake hitch and I miss the Akimbo the entire time I'm aloft. I don't climb much when it's wet out so I can't offer anything on that. However I do run the top a bit tighter than the bottom and it seemed to lessen the jerkyness I had in the beginning. It have a second rope that's older and also 11.7mm it uses different settings but I have the settings wrote on that bag if I ever needed to switch them out for any reason. I'd love to try the rope wrench but I do love my Akimbo. Good luck to all and stay safe.

[@rrssmooth6643]

Bought one, love it, and am climbing from your knowledge. Easy really and loving it so far as hobby. Born to be high. Shame you dont like it but as you said I also use other techniques so is an extra tool.

[@MattGlynn]

Great in depth review Dan thank you. Would be interesting to see how long it lasts long term.

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

Great review. Thank you.

[@ClimbingArborist]

Thanks Blair, really appreciate the comment!

[@Hisslave1]

Thanks for the honest review. Probably half of my work is on longleaf pines so if it is so sensitive to sap, it's no good for me.

[@ChopperGooders]

I'm in the UK and the wet weather we have had has played havok with the Akimbo, I wil give it another go in the summer on dry rope!

[@CaseySnyder]

Such a great video. I sort of felt like a traitor when I went with the new Zig Zag & Chicane as friends gravitated towards the Akimbo. The Akimbo was the certainly on every climber's radar and seemed unreal, but now after they are more out there I'm seeing such mixed reviews. I buy way more gear than I need, however, the Akimbo is unlikely to end up in my tool box. I've loved the Chicane and, well, just the classic Rope Wrench. I appreciate your views and insight. Thanks Dan.

[@lancelink88]

Good move, I think you made the right choice!!! I love my ZZ & C too!

[@fludd777]

Ah, this comment aged like a fine milk. Love your videos and just ordered an akimbo loosely based on your recent one. Will likely use it as a lanyard adjuster/Captain progress capture, and occasional backup the my ZZ+Chicane.

[@CaseySnyder]

@@fludd777 isn't that it? When I made last video I looked back at this comment and just thought. Well... Guess I was wrong!

[@johnmccabe8330]

Ive had the akimbo for about 3 months. First day on the job i couldnt find the right settings and threw it back in the bag. Went home and really dialed it in. I had bought a blue moon line with the akimbo to use at work so that may have helped. Havnt tried it on any other line yet. Love it on srs but mrs is a nightmare so far. Im 5’9 160 lbs and i use E4 on blue moon. And yes since ive dialed it in its been my go too srs device

[@johnhamilton7495]

Thanks for your honesty...saves the quess work

[@dukeflem]

I'm definitely not as accomplished as anyone that spoke here but I have this observation. I have a Chicane-ZigZag Plus and the Akimbo and three different ropes. When I put the ZigZag on any of my ropes it works without adjustment. It is slightly different but barely noticeable. For the Akimbo on these three ropes, each one is different and requires some adjustment, although usually minor and easy to note down. But, it also seems to change slightly from day to day. I spent quite a bit of time on one particular rope that I planned on dedicating to the Akimbo. The next day when I used it I went up on the rope easily and then discovered that it only descended with great effort. OK I know I can adjust it, and know how to: I but don't want to do that IN-The-Tree. I know I'm not as good a climber as most of you but at this time, it's in the box for a while.

[@ClimbingArborist]

Don’t put yourself down, those are great points all of which I have come across and why I don’t use the akimbo anymore. I don’t want to have to adjust my climbing device every time I use it, or every time the weather changes, I want a device like the Zigzag that just works with no extra thought.

[@h.i.m.dishonmaurice2599]

I really appreciate your candor. I've ordered one; I'm not your "experienced climber". I've only been dealing with prussiks so far. I've also ordered the Pretzl Zigzag and Chicane. I just wanted something that is midline attachable; I'm gonna have fun dialing in. I've also ordered the Teufelberger Drenaline.

[@tomasandersen367]

Hi from Denmark :-) Thanks for a good reviwe. I use the Petzl Zig Zag for my climbs ;-)

[@matthewpage6762]

zig zag all the way :)

[@TimberTrainer]

Good review Dan. You just put into words what most Akimbo users struggle with. I'm also a fan of KM3 Max although it's not a recommendation from RockX. It always seems to creep on Blue Moon. My favorite recommended line is Cousin Atrax. It seems like the big issue with the Akimbo is how it grabs in the lower section.

[@mtbmaniac25]

My experience has been very similar to your's Dan. I got it for the same undeniable benefits - compact, easy on/off the rope. Been using my akimbo for nearly a year now as my main device every day, but it just doesn't seem to perform. It's just not consistent at all. If the rope gets even slightly damp - the akimbo becomes very jerky. Same thing happens when I get to a spot on the rope that's a bit more fluffy and worn. And it seems to hate sap more than anything else on the market. I plan on still using mine for spar work ant smaller trees, but I'll be doing a lot of experimenting with the rope wrench and chicane for pruning wide canopy trees. Can't wait for the new version of the unicender to come out.

[@ClimbingArborist]

Thanks for your comment and sharing your experience. Pretty much the same experiences as I had, only you've stuck with it longer than I cared to

[@claudeanthony468]

Honest video man ,,, I totally love using the Akimbo in the tree and in rope access work but when its raining i get the Ziggy out. The Akimbo is awesome to access a tall tree taking the ziggy up then switching over DRT depends on the tree its great to be versatile.

[@Everyday_Richard]

I really wanted to buy this. But I ended up going with Zig Zag plus and Chicane. I'm so glad I went with the way I did. I love my Zig Zag. I do want to try the Unicender at some point though. Looks like another awesome device.

[@JJForrest]

Thank you for your review. I'm sorry you didn't like the Akimbo. I think it's a great device & the folks down at Rock Exotica are pretty awesome, toO! Cheers! 😎👍👍

[@karendarbres]

Hey! My SRT climbing has been mostly (also rope wrench) on this device and I like it. I like mechanical and was very used to the various versions of the spiderjack. I use one rope most of the time and have perhaps just been fortunate not to have had big issues with sap or wet rope. I’ve been happy with the akimbo, but like Dan chamberlain, wouldn’t recommend to a beginner. For me the pros outweigh the cons, but that is a very personal thing

[@antoalvarez91]

Great & honest review brother 💯

[@ClimbingArborist]

Cheers bro, appreciate the comment

[@mvblitzyo]

Exceptional review ! I’ve had a similar experience. And do not use it currently. Also several climbers love it and other do not. They just gave it away because they were unhappy. With it. Thanks for many years of excellent content. Joe

[@FT4Freedom]

The Akimbo is a device I would want to climb on for many climbs before I was going to work on it.

[@nickjacinto1130]

I Love mine. The few drawbacks are the tiny accent slack tending tether point cant take even a small carabiner, its a whole different device when it's wet, and if you drop something in your lap you're going for a ride.

[@fraslfarms3464]

I totally agree, sent mine back.

[@MoisburgerBaumdienst]

I’m from Germany so we can’t test it!!! There are some climbers they get it from some where but I’m still waiting for there recommendations so we see I’m fine with my spider jack 3 so we’ll see what comes next?!? I also like to climb some day “old school” with knots( like the valdotan) Greetings from Hamburg Germany

[@kivaswander5537]

Hey Dan. I just got an akimbo. I’ve never trusted fully mechanical devices but I thought the parts of this once looks thicker than any other, and most importantly it doesn’t really on a spring function that could rust out or get jammed like the top link of the zig zag. I don’t like how small the pins look in some of the links, I don’t link that you can not cross load it again wood without maybe damaging it like a rope wrench that can take a real beating. I kind of want to force myself to use it because I often do not use my rope wrench and feel SRT is 3-10 times safer that DRT because you fail can get caught and you can not get down in an emergency with drt. And the wrench is simply not please to tend slack with and it’s hard to pull slack out with one hand.

[@thetreeleggedman9444]

Good review dude, cheers. I don't think I cbf with the changing of all the setting. Be nice to try someone else's but I don't want to buy something and have to loose too much time on a job or spend all my Sundays working for free in the back yard dialing it in. I'm pretty happy with rope wrench and zig zag or French prussic and the 3:1 pulley up the top. Horse for courses right.. Thanks for the review man

[@stihlsavvy]

I like mine nothing beats the slack tending and action of the rope runner but with this you can hook up a rad system on the fly if you need to and not worry about free falling. doesn't like the sap either..

[@carter_kolarek]

hey dan, i love the device, and i solely climb off it and the wrench now but i catch myself always reaching for the akimbo. Its funny though because it wasn't always that way.... when i first got it i couldn't wait to give it a run just like you but i found myself quite disappointed in just how jerky and difficult it was to move around fluently. I forced myself to learn it better and really burn it in and once it got some good wear it became night and day smoother and better than anything else ive used. I really cant think of anything better than it in any aspect of tree climbing to this point, and thats my review after 3 years roughly on it. I will say i started on the bigger diameter xstatic because reviews told me that rope was great with it, which it is, but not until year 2 with some great wear did i go back to it with xstatic..... I ran hyper climb, blue moon and km3 (not km3 max) and had most success with the slightly firmer hyper climb and skinny but even firmer km3. not sure that makes much sense but yea im glad i stuck with it for a couple months of break in. cheers brother, and all the best,

[@conservationtreecare2083]

I really didn't like it at first using it with samson Voyager. I was also running it on 12.5MM HTP which I also wasn't a big fan of. Interesting that both of those ropes are on the tested rope list for the Akimbo. I ended up buying a ZZ/Chicane setup and the akimbo sat in my bag collecting dust. Recently though it has had a renaissance. One thing I did was transition to Teufelberger Xstatic which seems to work very well with the akimbo. The other thing I do is that I mainly use the akimbo on my access line. I have been trying to get better about leaving an access line in my trees for rescue. I'll typically get part way up the tree with a Basal anchored access line then bring along a second line for getting to the top of the tree. The akimbo is perfect for ascending the access line then when I get to the PSP I switch to my ZZ rig on the second rope, pop the akimbo off and keep climbing up, leaving the basal anchored line clear. The basal anchored line is available if my ZZ line isn't long enough to get me to the ground, and I can easily put the akimbo on it at any time. I also find that by mostly using the akimbo on the access line in the bottom of the tree I have many fewer issues with Pitch, certainly a huge weakness for the akimbo. I also tried starting out a newer climber on the akimbo and it was a big mistake. No near accidents, just way too much complexity and nuance for a newer climber.

[@steveroberts3713]

Thanks for review! I have a question for an experanced that uses more then one type of climbing devices. I use a zigzag, and do alot of big hairy jobs, I'm wondering is there other devices as good or better than zigzag?

[@chrishall8203]

great review , what was the effect that water had on this device?

[@tomlynch9706]

Your experience mirrors some of my peers, people that I look up to as mentors for technical climbing. I got to demo one for a few min, I put it on some worked in ABL 11.8mm double braid, he climbs on Yale Kenmaster 11mm I belive. I weigh less than him. It still crept, I didn't adjust it at all so maybe it be okay, dialed in. I wanted to love it so much. Guess my next system will be the BDB, Uni or just get a HHx, heck even Rope Runner seems better. Too many stories of it being nothing but a pain in the ass if you can't dial it in perfect. I climb on a Zigzg with a wrench or a Hitch Hiker, both perform amazingly. However, they both have small trade-offs. Mainly: easy mid lineable, weight and for the ZZ & wrench stack height. I'm leaning towards a Uni, to use on spar work and a throw hook system. Thanks for the review and having a guest that has had a positive experience to show both sides!

[@andrewbjenks]

I have used a unicender for 8 years and the akimbo for 10 climbs. Very finicky, I am switching back to the unicender tomorrow. I will try using it more with my captain hook and a new line without any pitch. Several times today the akimbo found a thicker spot in my line that it couldn't get through, the unicender never noticed it.

[@GabrielFalbo]

@@andrewbjenks I imagine not the 8 years in the same Unicender! Mine lasts only a couple of weeks!

[@FT4Freedom]

It would be cool if the friction surfaces are worn in ahead of time.

[@JakobusIsrael]

zigzag chicane or this device? . midline attachable seems definitely a great advantage. Maybe I have to try it in the shop and look for my preferences. thanks for your videos climbing arborist

[@bthompson661]

I use the akimbo and i have noticed it is jerky fornme on SRT but DRT it works smoothly as can be

[@robertrichard3401]

Just picked up a akimbo, my first srt set up. I’ve climbed drt for 17 years, first on the prusik hitch climber then the zig zag. First impression is it’s well made and I think I’m going to love it. I’ve loved the Yale blaze rope for ten plus years,like never bought any other rope love it. It’s technically .1 to small for the akimbo. Thinking the teifelberger fly (11.1mm) which is listed as an approved rope. Any experience with that rope or any one that runs a blaze, let me know your thought.

[@szarorudy]

Thx C.A.. Bee safe.

[@Green-he6ht]

The akimbo is so badass, it’s midline attachable and the friction settings just adjust it whenever it’s so damn simple and you also have to know how to use the akimbo you have to push down on the top piece first and slowest not just jam it down it’ll descend too fast but you have to learn how to use it

[@TreeCamper]

Never had huge problems with sap. I'll just stick with my rope wrench.

[@roddenmcgowan]

I am now using a Adjustable Bulldog Bone on a 11.7 mm Donaghys Cougar Blue. Do you have any experience with this device and if so how would you compare it with the AKIMBO, and anything else?

[@kencanoe]

Akimbo is $350 but really is $550 b/c you're going to buy a new line to see if it will release more consistently on that. When it first came out many were sharing their settings...I use B3 on this rope...etc...it's kind of irrelevant what settings others use...it changes with conditions, wear etc.. I have two and we like the versatility and put up with its randomness.

[@eddieclark3021]

No one does it like Dan. Thanks, Brother. So, what is your all-around favorite hybrid device, or do you mostly use hitches?

[@ClimbingArborist]

Thanks for your comment bro. I love the ZigZag for MRS and the ZigZag & Chicane for SRS, but also love the rope wrench and hitch

[@Billster1955]

Great review. This is my first year climbing. I started on a Blake's hitch closed system DRT. Then switched to using a split tail and the Blake's hitch. In the fall I started climbing SRT with a rope wrench and experimenting with several different hitch cords. I'm interested in buying my first mechanical next year 2022, but I can't afford to buy them all. The Zigzag seems to be the smoothest running from the video I see it in. If it were only midline attachable I'd buy it. The Uni with Mumford's mod looks interesting. Do you have a video review of it? If you do please send me a link. Maybe 2022 will bring some new gadgets our way. Thanks for your honest review and climb safe.

[@ClimbingArborist]

No problem 🤙

[@firedtradesman]

Too much fiddling around with settings for me. Unicender works every time on whatever rope wet or dry with no drama, Ddrt or SRT. Midline attachable and small/short for spar work. Matthys Fabricating rope capture makes it tend nicely. Nothing I'd rather climb on.

[@TravorAhern]

The uni is the best !!

[@firedtradesman]

@@TravorAhern you're the reason I'm on the uni... You basically taught me how to climb :-) thank you again, btw.

[@TravorAhern]

@@firedtradesman Any time my man !!!

[@michaelbutler275]

Thanks for helping me to not waste my money AGAIN. You could easily spend at least a $1000 maybe more on all of these ascenders trying to figure out which which one is the most foolproof. I'm so tired of complicated As it can get you killed, Or worse... so badly hurt that you can't work anymore! Thanks EC!!!

[@sempi8159]

Sadly not allowed in Europe :(

[@edwindude9893]

It’s a beautifully made device.

[@randyshaffersr.785]

I love mine ! But I’m a little disappointed with the ware that has occurred after less than a year of use ! It’s kinda costly to replace every year .

[@turtlezed]

I remember reading about this device in Climber mag some time ago and wondered where it would go..especially since it wasn't available in the UK. some of the points made here are very relevant, especially the point made about removing and reattaching from multiple redirects, how fast and handy is that!! I think it will serve a purpose other popular devices cant and if you've got some spare cash, yes it would be nice to be able to hang one on ya belt for specifics. I remember dismissing it, even tho it had all of these features, based on the max weight it would handle and it's non approval status in the UK. I bought zigzag based on feedback and a destruction test I saw here on KZbin, can somebody test one of these to destruction please, now that would be well worth watching. My work is not so urgent that I would lose out by not owning one of these, it's like everything else shiny and new in the climbing gear industry, I'll look at it but it isn't on my radar, I like my spiderjack 3( lockable on the rope) and zigzag/chicane (predictable and smooth) too much to change the way I'm working, unless of course this devices capacity gets uprated significantly and approved over here then it could end up firmly on my Xmas wishlist...😉 If you're searching for your million dollar invention dude, why not put the brain cells to work thinking about how this devices friction can be easily added to with a changeout of a component or an additional device (like r.wrench/chicane have provided or some other 'S' bend pin device??) to add a given amount of friction but elsewhere, allowing this device to be more sensitive to less friction it would be handling. Bit like the zig zag after you add chicane. Keep it up Dan, I like your methodical no nonsense approach. Happy New Year Dude.👍

[@ClimbingArborist]

Thanks for your extensive comment bro. In my opinion you were wise to not get sucked in by the hype of this product and wait to see what the actual user feedback is. Its so funny that this device was the number one talking point online before it was brought to market, now it's out, there isn't much chat at all which kind of says everything I think.

[@turtlezed]

@@ClimbingArborist thinking about it tho, if you only had it on your belt as a descender, midline attachable, you may as well just use a rescue fig 8 n save yourself some cash.

[@TimberTrainer]

Good base tuning is really tight on the top, and two notches looser on the bottom. Avoid mushy ropes and sap.

[@joshhorn3411]

I just cant get it dialed in!! I've found it very frustrating as it seems to be a very well made and thought out device. I also think it could can be dangerous in certain situations. For example when the device is slack in the system when rope walking or re adjusting positions Ive had it float down the line out of no where ( then to be caught by your bridge). Now this to me is a real potential danger as if you were to slip off a limb with the device floating like that you are going down with zero friction! It also happens when ascending it can some times float/slide up or down. I hope this makes sense, Great review by the way..

[@ClimbingArborist]

Thanks for the great comments and feedback of your own experiences👍

[@PiotrKonar]

Hi Bro! I undarstand you in 100%. I have Akimbo 1year too (we have them from the same delivery :) I love this preety gear but my relationship with Akimbo is complicated like your :))

[@ClimbingArborist]

Thanks bro! I really appreciate your comments😁

[@francishensel6910]

Good video

[@carlward4106]

have you tried a bulldog bone?? similar kinda thing but very little adjusting needed , works fine in wet etc( obviously different in the wet but still useable).

[@ClimbingArborist]

Not tried the bulldog bone

[@FT4Freedom]

The KMIIIMAX is a cable. That's a point there.

[@josesanchez4727]

What do you prefer??

[@Back_country_nut_head]

How well does It handled tree resin?

[@veiledrecalcitrance4314]

I’ve had a similar problem with the Spiderjack 3, far too tight friction wise, no matter what rope or setting I put it on. Just couldn’t get used to it. Ended up going back to the rope wrench. But man I’ve wanted one of these for soo long. Just haven’t taken the plunge, I will though. Wanted it for too long not to give it a shot

[@Mr1danjackson]

Have you tried using the alternative sized cams?

[@FT4Freedom]

It is brilliant and compact and checks all the boxes. But it's not a device for idiots and it requires time and practice to understand how it works in amy system. But generally it's more amazing than the competition and quiet compact. Did I say compact. I do like the ART spiderjack 3 and I think I would enjoy using the Akimbo as well. High respect to Jamie. His device is quite impressive.

[@rafaelcardenas1202]

rope runner for the win

[@ianbraddock2945]

Is that an older rope? I havent seen that pattern anywhere

[@Version135]

Guess I'm glad I went zigzag chicane. Only thing I don't like is how tall it is. Someone should make a really tiny shackle or biner that works with it!

[@chillipphi]

I wish Rock Exotica would just update the Unicender to included something like the Drum and a lower tending pulley. If they did that and make it out of steel that would be the best of all the options out there. The Akimbo seems to finicky for my preference. Being only rated for certain ropes is way more than I want to deal with. I picked the ropes I have for a reason and would rather get a device that worked on a broad range of ropes

[@_Szakal]

is it fine for rope solor climbing?

[@rypie37]

What kind of rope is that? I like it!!

[@ClimbingArborist]

Yale Northern lights

[@aliray1165]

Doesn’t look good. Zig zag all the way for me now but I have to work with two ropes, so I use a really loose backup rope with a mk1 zig zag and my chicane +mk3 ZZ is my main device for everything. It’s great and I’m starting to make it all work well together.

[@ClimbingArborist]

Sounds like a good setup you’ve got going on 👍

[@aliray1165]

Climbing Arborist thank you, I was inspired by seeing your lowerable anchor point video so I try and do that as standard now, and it’s like a slack emergency line. Keeps the council admin happy anyway. But I want to upgrade the figure of 8 belay to a Petzl rig because it doesn’t twist the rope. Your videos are awesome 👍

[@pfv3462]

what do you think of the ?NOTCH ROPE RUNNER PRO have you tested this one yet??

[@ClimbingArborist]

Never tested it, and likely never will due to recent complaints from many people on the function of it and build quality.

[@Yankeebelletreeworks]

I cannot get mine right for nothing. I keep trying to go back to it tho. I want to like it

[@EricKammerzelt]

Have you tried the hitch hiker x?

[@ClimbingArborist]

Only tried it on two occasions

[@br-dj2ti]

Can u do one on the zigzag please

[@ClimbingArborist]

Certainly, it’ll be out in about a week or so 👍

[@adamcastro8497]

What is your number 1 go to device?

[@ClimbingArborist]

I like the Zigzag and chicane SRS, and zigzag for MRS, but I do still keep going back to the rope wrench for stationary rope climbing.

[@adamcastro8497]

@@ClimbingArborist I just got my chicane it is very smooth but the only thing about zig zag and chicane it's not a compact system

[@ClimbingArborist]

@@adamcastro8497 That is true, but do you actually kind the size an issue, because I don't think it causes any problems, and think the size of the new pulley makes it better and easier to tend than the previous version

[@markfeist1312]

What's your preference? Zigzag/chicane?

[@ClimbingArborist]

Zigzag chicane for mechanical, but I still keep going back to the rope wrench

[@gatienbrun1489]

@@ClimbingArborist So you prefer to work with Rp wrench with knot ( Which knot ? )? For more precision ? Thanks for you vidéos ! =)

[@danielwharrier2408]

does anyone know why it can't get a ce mark?

[@ClimbingArborist]

Because it hasn't gone through all the testing required yet

[@danielwharrier2408]

@@ClimbingArborist so basically rock exotica can't or won't put it through the required tests?

[@tifacoba]

Some know if it is ok to use in Germany?

[@tifacoba]

Ah ok I asked to early you just gave me the answers.

[@deanmartin1071]

Put the speed up as high as possible so you can listen to this.

[@justinzaff]

So what's better , the Akimbo or Zig Zag ?

[@ClimbingArborist]

It's all personal preference

[@justinzaff]

@@ClimbingArborist Main thing I noticed is the Akimbo is mid line attachable and the zag isn't .

[@FT4Freedom]

Swapping a device between ropes shouldn't result in the same response. Knowing the adjustments from experience will be YMMV.

[@randyupladek1855]

T t t TODAY Jr !!!

[@FT4Freedom]

Akimbo is Ferrari. It's a pro tool and it works great once you become Enzo.

[@wilhelmsteinert4733]

Bull dog bone!

[@markfeist1312]

Friend of mine raves on about bull dog bone... are they really that good?

[@proxy7863]

@@markfeist1312 it is very good and very similar. It is homemade so hope it doesn't fall apart on me lol

[@Akanat0r]

I just feel naked when I'm up a tree useing it. Something dont feel right.

[@75MalcolmX]

All machanical things are shit in the rain.

[@Sethhaun78]

Ibtryed every device and didn't like them any of them I bought all of them then I bought the akimbo for my bluemoon works bang.on...perfect I'm 160 pounds .ordered the focus rope yesterday..excited and have the hitchhiker xf from Richard Mumford. With cords.and cord by the ft epicord and hrc cord. ....favorite to devices and of course hitchclimber