The Cheapest Rads sytem

[Damon]

Ok here is a challenge to all you guys with lots of spare gear lying around come up with the cheapest RADS system you can for a begining climber that is not only functional but safe and easy to use


How this idea came to be, I have been promising my fiance for quite some time i would take her up a tree, she doesnt want to use any of my gear because of how it has been used she felt it might be sketchy (i am very very careful with all my gear) but to give her piece of mind i told her i would buy her a setup for her birthday, now i didnt want to invest too much money in this because she could start up freak out and decide she is done and go down and never use the gear again, if thats the case i will probably just mix it in to my gear and use it as needed.

This is a very functional system i tried it out and it works almost as well as a grigri although going down is not as simple

Sorry for the clutter behind i have gear hung everywhere lol

So my setup consists of
1 Black diamond ATC guide 24.99
1 petzl micro pulley 16.99
3 BD lockers and one acessory wiregate 6.95 each
1 petzle right handed ascender 64.99 on sale

all parts came from EMS so they are readily available from a local store which means no S+H if she doesnt want to body trust i have tons of rope to rig an ettiere with for a foot loop

grand total 134.77+tax

The atc is run in "guide mode" which makes it auto locking it has a slot that you can put a string through and pull down to go down however i am just going to have her unweight and switch it over to rap mode to go down because i think it is safer on a unfamiliar device however using it in true guide mode works fine and i completed a limb walk an a complete rapel in this mode

So the challenge is on can anyone come up with a cheaper way that is still safe and functional

Tom

 

[kevin bingham]

going down is the part where it needs to be simple and easy. If she feels like she cant get down at any point during the climb, that is where she is likeliest to freak out. I think the best investment for her would be a pantin.

 

[kevin bingham]

I am interested to why you chose a RADS system over the far simpler ways of getting up and around a tree.

 

[Damon]

I chose a rads system because that is what she wanted!! women cant live with em cant live without em lol i have pantins and she will probabley wear one, i probaley should preface that she is an experienced rock climber but she has never been up a tree, she is more then capable of installing a repel device on the line and rappelling down however she has never done any rope climbing other than a small amount of direct aid.

I suggested that she try first with a blakes and prusiks but apparently friction knots freak her out, since i posted this i have come up with a much better lowering system so that you do not need to take the atc out of guide mode, i used a similar setup to this when i first started out because it was cheap i will post pics tonight or maybe even a video of the setup in action. it is very efficient and actually has less creep then my gri gri having owned reversos grigris guides a cinch and a host of ATCs i would have to say that in my opinion the guide is the most versitle of the cheap autolockers (less then $30) and i can say without a question of a doubt that i have never seen a panic falls on a guide and i have seen them in gyms and out side on all of the other autolockers.

I will say that i dont think anyone who does not have sufficient experience should use any of the autolockers

 

[kevin bingham]

instead of an ATC, try a Kong Robot. It has a nice feature for doing exactly what your trying to do.

 

[Tree Machine]

I use the ATC Guide fairly regularly, but generally both sides on a twin line (DbRT). This is because I use a dual ascender on the twin line going up & around, and then install the ATC midline whenever the point comes where I'm working down and around. The ATC can be applied even when hanging suspended, full-weight on the rope. Usually, though, you're standing on the tree, making it that much simpler.

I drop into a RADS configuration fairly regularly on descent, but never ever on the way up; like our familiar 2:1 friction hitch systems, not footlock friendly and inherent friction within the system to overcome. If it was recreational, whatever, but I make a living at this and climb pretty much the entire day, every working day, so I 'cheat'.


I wish my best girl was interested in climbing a tree. That is so cool, Tom. Tell her Tree Machine says she rocks.