I was quick enough at the keyboard to be able to take Old Dude up on his offer of comparing the retreever to the sidekick:
Guys--
I am the creator of the sidekick rope retieval device. As such I believe the sidekick to be a supperior tool to the re-treever. Therefore I would like to make the following offer: To the first two arborists that contact me to request that I send them a sidekick---I will do so at absolutely no charge.
The only conditions are that they must currently own and use a re-treever and that after a short period of 'up-use'(of the sidekick) post their most objective thoughts vis-a-vis the two tools on this web-site for all to see.
[email protected]
PS: should I fail to respond it simply means that I have already given the units away
Well, I got the sidekick in the mail on Friday and immediately opened up the tube to check this thing out. My first impression was "wow, this thing is stout!" It is a much beefier device than the retreever. A little longer in the un-opened configuration and with a dog leash clip directly on the handle. I think I'll put a piece of 2mm cord between the handle and the clip.
There were no instructions sent (other than the strong warning on both devices NOT to use near wires). It turned out that instructions aren't needed. In about 30 seconds I figured out how to untwist each section, extend and then twist to lock.
I was in my living room on the couch when I was checking out the sidekick. Once it was extended, I reached up to the ceiling with my arm and the device at full extension and pulled the chain on the ceiling fan. The pull chain requires a pretty strong tug, and the sidekick was easily able to turn on the fan! I gave up trying such a feat with the retreever since the hook could not be bent in such a fashion to grab the pull chain.
I didn't get a chance to go climbing this weekend (and I was having SO much fun cleaning the garage out...) that I didn't get a chance yet to compare the sidekick with the retreever while aloft. However, both tools will be on my belt for the next several climbs and I'll be sure to report my findings. Also, whenever the next rec climb is in Boston, I'll bring both tools for all to try.
Bob
Guys--
I am the creator of the sidekick rope retieval device. As such I believe the sidekick to be a supperior tool to the re-treever. Therefore I would like to make the following offer: To the first two arborists that contact me to request that I send them a sidekick---I will do so at absolutely no charge.
The only conditions are that they must currently own and use a re-treever and that after a short period of 'up-use'(of the sidekick) post their most objective thoughts vis-a-vis the two tools on this web-site for all to see.
[email protected]
PS: should I fail to respond it simply means that I have already given the units away
Well, I got the sidekick in the mail on Friday and immediately opened up the tube to check this thing out. My first impression was "wow, this thing is stout!" It is a much beefier device than the retreever. A little longer in the un-opened configuration and with a dog leash clip directly on the handle. I think I'll put a piece of 2mm cord between the handle and the clip.
There were no instructions sent (other than the strong warning on both devices NOT to use near wires). It turned out that instructions aren't needed. In about 30 seconds I figured out how to untwist each section, extend and then twist to lock.
I was in my living room on the couch when I was checking out the sidekick. Once it was extended, I reached up to the ceiling with my arm and the device at full extension and pulled the chain on the ceiling fan. The pull chain requires a pretty strong tug, and the sidekick was easily able to turn on the fan! I gave up trying such a feat with the retreever since the hook could not be bent in such a fashion to grab the pull chain.
I didn't get a chance to go climbing this weekend (and I was having SO much fun cleaning the garage out...) that I didn't get a chance yet to compare the sidekick with the retreever while aloft. However, both tools will be on my belt for the next several climbs and I'll be sure to report my findings. Also, whenever the next rec climb is in Boston, I'll bring both tools for all to try.
Bob