Tree Climbers International

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

The single most useful climbing aid., Wednesday, 26 December 2007

Written by Justin Scott - View all my reviews - Top 10 Reviewer


Overall rating (weighted)		3.8
Type of Use		1.0
Frequency of Use		5.0
Durability		5.0
Technical Skill Required		4.0
Ease of Use		4.0
Safety		3.0
Strength		2.0
Portability		5.0

I love my Pantins-yes plural-I only use one at a time but it is such an important part of my work climbing that I have one on the travel truck as well as the normal work truck. I added some stitching to stop the straps from creeping and I still occassionally kick out of it unintentionally but the Pantin is an extremely useful climbing aid...and much easier on the knees than footlocking the tail in DdRT. I also use it in SRT as part of a Tree Frog system.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

Petzl Pantin - When you need it, you need it., Wednesday, 05 December 2007

Written by Miko Del Giudice - View all my reviews - Top 10 Reviewer


Overall rating (weighted)		3.7
Type of Use		5.0
Frequency of Use		2.0
Durability		5.0
Technical Skill Required		3.0
Ease of Use		3.0
Safety		1.0
Strength		5.0
Portability		5.0

After reading al the reviews before mine, I just say YES, Yes and yes.
I agree with everything.
You DO have to wear a chunky heel to make it work.
You DO really appreciate it when you have to monkey up a line that's very far from the trunk.
It DOES slough off the line easily, but who cares because
YES, it's just a convenience.

I can add this - Be mindful when using it while working where you are both ascending AND descending, because this Petzl can pretzl your leg. Not so serious really.

And it sheds a whole new light on what is an "adequate placement" of a line. Rather than re-throw to catch something better, you can use the Pantin to go up a line in the middle of nowhere (read: no foothold) and then fix it when you get there.

When I bought it, the girl at the store was like "Pantin? You like that thing?" She is experienced in arborculture, and I knew from her attitude that she must have heard several negatives about it. I almost put it back, but I decided that in those situations where the line is swinging in the breeze, I could use it.

And that's exactly where I need it. Yeah, I could footlock, but it's quicker.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

Versatile tool, Monday, 19 November 2007

Written by Andrew Joslin - View all my reviews - Top 10 Reviewer


Overall rating (weighted)		4.3
Type of Use		1.0
Frequency of Use		4.0
Durability		5.0
Technical Skill Required		3.0
Ease of Use		4.0
Safety		4.0
Strength		5.0
Portability		5.0

I'm using it DRT and SRT. I regard the ease with which it come off the rope as a virtue. It's there when you want it and comes off quickly when you want it out of the way. It works best on branch routes way from the trunk. When you're climbing against the trunk or against a branch you need to tip your toe down slightly to keep it from popping off the rope. Is not life support gear so it is only inconvenient if it comes off the rope accidentally. Requires practice and refinement of your technique to use successfully. A must have if you're climbing on a closed hitch split tail system.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

nice to have..., Tuesday, 13 November 2007

Written by Avery Wynings - View all my reviews - Top 10 Reviewer


Overall rating (weighted)		3.7
Type of Use		3.0
Frequency of Use		2.0
Durability		3.0
Technical Skill Required		3.0
Ease of Use		3.0
Safety		4.0
Strength		4.0
Portability		5.0

I never leave home without it. I had it sitting in my bag for 6 month. Until the day I had a DRT climb on a pruning job and I was 5 feet away from the trunk. It save me from re-throwing a TIP on a lower branch. Since that day it has bailed me out a few more times. The rope has a tendency to slip out of the cam. The key is to lean back a little on the climb. You can put a biner in the hole below the cam stopping the cam from opening all the way. However I found it more convenient to shake my foot and have the rope fall out, when I want to stand on a branch. I find the design light and a low profile. I left it attached to my foot while move around the canopy. I haven't had much issue with the strap, but I wear high top hiking style boots.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

Sometimes handy but flawed, Friday, 09 November 2007

Written by Mark Fulton - View all my reviews - Top 10 Reviewer


Overall rating (weighted)		3.8
Type of Use		1.0
Frequency of Use		1.0
Durability		5.0
Technical Skill Required		3.0
Ease of Use		4.0
Safety		3.0
Strength		3.0
Portability		5.0

I used this a lot the first half year or so I had it. As Desi says, it's not a bad tool for pulling on the tail to go up DdRT.

Three main reasons it's been sitting unused for a while now:
- The rope pops out unpredictably when working around branches in the middle of a climb. Not a problem when you have your technique down and there are no obstructions, but how often do you have that in a tree? As a convenience in DdRT it's fine - don't rely on it for life support; it wasn't made for that.
- I haven't figured out a way to get the straps that come with the thing to work well; I was always fiddling with it mid-climb to get it snugged down again. I often climb in low-cut shoes, and as Desi mentions, it doesn't work with those.
- As soon as there's enough rope weight to slide 1/2 inch climbing rope through the thing (about 10-15 feet in my experience), there is also enough rope weight to single footlock to pull on the tail of the rope, and that's only a tiny bit slower than working the Pantin.

I'd like to see how someone who uses it a lot has solved the strap problem; it might also make a nice component of a rope walking system.

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