Soooooo K.
Just for fun I did a mistletoe prune SRT with the Akimbo on a well used fuzzed up hank of Vortex.
The ascent went great. It tended nicely in the tree and such. Love how that little roller on the bottom smooths advancing out wonderfully.
12.7 mm (1/2) is a tight squeeze in. I have yet to try some Arbormaster to see if the different texture and construction of the rope is different there.
The Vortex was not smooth on decent. The Akimbo, opened all the way up, grabbed with authority. I had to coax it a bit to let go, and it would abruptly. Then grab abruptly unless I added some friction for my other hand on decent. Not impossible to manage, but the 11.7 mm (Poison Ivy family) worked so much nicer. Could be the softness (hand) of the Vortex rope. Might be flattening out too much (rope construction). I would have enjoyed having one more setting, top and bottom, to open the Akimbo up just a smidgeon more to allow for this rope.
Tomorrow I will try a different rope on it on an oak dismantle. See how it plays out.
Maybe some 11 mm Bandit.