Looking for suggestions on an ascender/decender...

Looking to upgrade my Gri-Gri gen. 1....... Any suggestions on an all-in-one ascender/decender? Rig, ID, ART product, unicender, other?

Something combitable with SRT & DRT would be a plus.

USHBA Link
I like the USHBA for climbing used like this-




Alternate for rope ascension-descending-


Imagine if you can attaching a 26” long loop runner thru your saddle’s side loops and D-ring instead of that clunky heavy steel delta screw link. Everyone likes the friction system at their navel and reaching above to pull down the rope. This makes slack tending your down rope difficult until it can tend itself.

DbRT going up?
Girth hitch on your loop runner to your saddle, use your delta if you must.
Attach a USHBA Basic with a locking biner on the other end.
Open the basic up and thread you down rope thru.
Attach your up rope to the same biner with a F8.
With loop length adjusted for your height it positions itself so both of your hands are just under the USHBA in your most powerful stoke.
When you pull down the down rope it pulls up the biner; the USHBA and all in a self-advancing method.
Being a toothless cam it slides like butter; no tresses to weave; no fuss no muss.
Add a foot loop under your hands and you can climb in Four-wheel drive.

DbRT heading down-
To release the toothless cam you have to be able to rotate the USHBA to let it slide down. This is the only tricky part- you have to pull down the down rope to lessen its grip, rotate the USHBA and get ready to drop. I like to add a pair of non-locking biners to the down rope. Attach the top one in the upper locking biner and the lower on goes on the saddle D-ring. Thread the rope first thru the lower and then the upper and you have added a lot of mechanical advantage (3:1 times 2 = 6:1 I think). Hold the USHBA rotated and the slowly release your down rope and you can drop as fast as you like and stop on a dime with the slightest tension.

SRT (not my style)
It works just like any other ascender except it has no teeth.

See you at the top, Dan

That is an interesting suggestion. I have only seen the Ushba mentioned a couple times on the internet. I wonder why Wesspur, Sherrill tree, Bailey's and tree stuff.com don't carry it?

The price seems to be very realistic also.

Hey there,
I've got an ART Spiderjack II, been using it for about 6 months now and I like it a lot. It does the job well, once I'm 15-20' the weight of my rope tail tends slack constantly. The cam is toothless, so it's easy on my rope. The drawbacks I've found are minor: 1) It needs to stay next to your rope, so has a velcro strap on one side, (and functions best with tight eye splice). If the velcro comes loose, the spiderjack can turn the corner on your carabiner, it won't tend slack when it's upside down. A few times when I'm crawling through a tight spot I've pulled the velcro open, but it hasn't been a big deal. 2) It cannot be installed mid line, has to have the end of your line fed through it. I suspect at some point they'll improve the design so that it can be opened on one side and installed midline. I'm hoping so anyway. 3) It's not great for removals, at least not the final trunk, because it constantly self-tends your slack and can be a pain to loosen if you're at/above your tie-in point.
Those considerations aside, for pruning/general climbing with a higher tie in point, it makes for a really smooth climb. Pay strict attention though, (as always), there is no safety mechanism, if you tilt it upward without holding the rope, or using the thumb-lever break, it will let you drop. Be safe,
William