Very Useful Tool,  Wednesday, 14 November 2007 I have both a set of Petzl Ascension, and Black Diamond nForce ascenders. They both have their strengths.

Sherrill doesn't sell (yet?) the Black Diamond ascenders, but the Petzl product works very well. It has two rings on the bottom for carabiner attachments, which helps keep the ropes tidy if you've got one strap to your harness and another to a foot loop (and another to a micro-pulley).

The Petzl locks open and closes with an easy push of the thumb, but taking ascender off the rope can be difficult with just one hand if you're wearing a glove, because it involves pushing on a small plastic nub. The Black Diamond nForce has a trigger which is a little easier to operate gloved one-handed.

The grip is good and secure, and it frees easily for ascending. I will occasionally use it as a back-up when rappelling down, letting it slide along the rope above my belay device; if needed a quick flick of the thumb would give an instant lock onto the rope.

It's possible if torquing it around a branch or bend to slide it off the rope when ascending it up the rope, but that's uncommon, and you wouldn't be having it hold your weight at that point, anyway.

If you haven't worked much with ascenders, they are hard if not impossible to remove when weighted even a little bit (I guess that's the point, but if you're anchored in at another location and trying to remove the ascender, you have to be able to slide it up a little)

 Strong and Safe,  Wednesday, 14 November 2007 I use SRT pretty much exclusively getting in and down from trees, and this is my primary attachment 'biner.

It's strong and safe, and the triple action required to open it gives me security, but also means I can adjust add or subtract from it one-handed when I'm roped-in with other supports.

I like this larger, D-ring version, as it's easier to use with gloves, and the "D" shape keeps the supports and gear closer to the stronger spine and away from the gate.

 Bulky, but opens up more trees,  Wednesday, 14 November 2007 The rating system may not give a fully accurate "score" as my only recreational use and somewhat infrequent use translate into lower scores but do not mean it's not a good product.

I got this device after being repeatedly frustrated with trying to get my throw bag up into higher branches. It's a bulkier tool, but does break down into two pole segments plus the sling-shot, which makes it easier to carry / transport.

The real beauty of this device is that it delivers your line higher up and better placed than most could ever do with just line tossing. It has definitely allowed me to climb trees higher and safer than I could have without it. As the Sherrill brochure states, this also allows you to shoot a line almost straight up, which puts more branches and options at your disposal.

It takes a bit of force to get the sling-shot fully drawn down, and you definitely have to put your weight into it to get the shot launched, but it's easier with practice. Proper line flaking and bag placement into the pouch is needed to get the shot to work, but when it does, it's sweet! I find the more I use it, the better I get (makes sense).

Considering the price of a lot of the gear used for tree climbing, I think this is a good value. Getting a good line placed well in a tree is one of the most important aspects of a successful climb, and this certainly improves your chances.

 Worth Every Penny,  Wednesday, 14 November 2007 I was introduced to this descender during my first guided climb up a 230 foot Douglas Fir.

I climb almost exclusively SRT, and when rigged with a mechanical ascender with foot loop and a micro-pulley the I'D allows simple ascent and descent with easier use than rope hitches.

Rate of descent is controlled by the amount of pull on the handle, and a panic catch re-sets the grip and makes this very safe and basically foolproof. The decent is usually smooth and the I'D will allow for a fairly quick steady descent after you get used to the "feel" of it. I can descend quicker with an ATC belay device, but that requires having a back-up Prusik or other safety device or taking a safety risk.

I also have an Eddy Belay Device, which is a smaller, lighter version of this (made by a different company). I prefer the I'D, however, as the rope seems to descend and ascend smoother through the unit with much less "catching" on descending than with the Eddy Device.

There are engraved diagrams on the unit which adds safety to threading it. Overall it's a solid, useful piece of equipment that, once you start using it, you wonder how you got along without it.

 Beautiful Rope,  Wednesday, 14 November 2007 This rope is soft, light, and strong. I use primarily SRT and it works great with mechanical ascenders and belay devices. The softness seems to help untie weighted knots (typically a figure 8).

I have the bright green color which, as one reviewer noted, helps a lot to check placement after shooting up a throw bag. My next rope purchase will probably be the Poison Ivy camouflage color, however as I've done some public parks climbing where I like to be a little less obvious.

I consider this my "premium" rope, and tend to not use it on wet days or sappy trees because I hate to get it dirty.