Thunder Sling - New super light aerial friction brake

[bonner1040]

New from TreeStuff.com. A dead-eye style aerial friction brake with 4 ABR rigging thimbles, offering varying levels of friction control that can be set by the climber in the tree. It weighs a tenth of a block and a port-a-wrap and takes the place of both. It can more than quadruple the holding power of a groundsperson, reducing anchor forces, allowing ground workers to walk the line over to the climber and transfer control, and other benefits.

Check out the video:
https://youtu.be/CaO5TVXH7ic

Buy it: https://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?category_id=0&item=15355

Share this post on Facebook for a chance to win one for free: https://www.facebook.com/TreeStuffdotCom/posts/10153686327475982

 

[treebilly]

Interesting.

 

[pantheraba]

Well done video...good demo of an ingenious product. (was not real crazy with your fingers that close to the device...I understand you could let go if you needed to, but I get that way watching people work a portawrap and being too close to it)

Who is thinking of all this new stuff? There are so many innovations these days in tree work...maybe the internet connectedness is helping stoke the imaginative fires of folks.

Cool to see how this item works. And, yep, many times I have watched Alex running our portawrap or a natural crotch and working to drift/float a limb as it is lowered...with too much weight for me to try to handle from in the tree. This could certainly ameliorate that scenario some.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Well I'll be! What will they come up with next?

 

[pete mctree]

Looks interesting & has potential for sure. Was there not a product being developed that performed that function?

I think the xman was doing it

 

[Mick!]

Looks good, call me a Luddite however but I still think natural crotch lowering with some stubs for friction is a better solution for small crews/self lowering.

 

[MasterBlaster]

The price is nice... I was guessing 225 bucks but I was way high.

 

[bonner1040]

Looks interesting & has potential for sure. Was there not a product being developed that performed that function?

I think the xman was doing it

This is one of 3 aerial friction brake products we have been working on. The TS-1, the 4 ring Thunder Sling, and the Riggn' Wrench.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Way better than a Belay Spool, which is out of production.

 

[pete mctree]

This is one of 3 aerial friction brake products we have been working on. The TS-1, the 4 ring Thunder Sling, and the Riggn' Wrench.

Choice will be a great thing

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Looks like it will be important to keep the standing side/ brake side clear of the tenex. Obviously, don't stand under the load. Redirecting down the tree, intentionally or not, don't run them too close.

 

[bonner1040]

It stays clear of the tenex because the rings twist under load and actually block it!

 

[cory]

Cool idea!

My primary question would be how easy is it to pull the line back up after running a limb?

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

A measure of that would be cool.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm thinking it's supposed to pull the line back easily?

 

[Pelorus]

Interesting concept and video. Well done, Nick!

 

[gf beranek]

Very Good! A great idea. And well explained. It has a place.

 

[DMc]

I agree! Good looking, simple tool! Nice job, Nick.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'd have one in my toolbox, for sure!

 

[gf beranek]

That it is not a mid-line attach-able is a drawback, but what the hey.

 

[Spellfeller]

Okay, leave it to me to ask the dumb/obvious questions!

This cool gizmo is hitched in the tree above the work piece, and then the running end can be managed either by the climber or the groundsperson? Have I got that right?

Any application for negative rigging?

 

[emr]

I wasn't sold on it until I watched the vid. Nice work. I like how you can pass the rope from the ground guy to the climber and never lose control of the piece being rigged.... thats a great benefit for two man crews like we run.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

A HUGE Benefit to two man crews.

Unless the climber can move from that rigging location without the rope, aren't they just standing around mostly, waiting for the piece to be untied. Seems a time saver for all crews. You can negative rig onto that.

 

[dstimber]

Ultra thunder ? Anyone had the thunder sling made up like an ultra sling? I'm thinking about seeing if treestuff can make one up for me. I have a regular thunder sling but one in an ultra sling setup would make things so much faster when moving it around in the tree. Just a thought.