Henchman equipment S.O.T.G Deploys:

 

Easy Lift Harness 717A and their Professional Orchard Ladders with fully adjustable Tripod legs.

Full Reviews pending for all equipment.

Scribbles and Notes posted below are works in progress…

My thoughts or views, my rhyme or reason.

November 2021 Update.

 

The Easy Lift 717A Harness has helped, when it has been required.

Which was often for extra support or stability, when I had an injured shoulder.

It made Hedge clipping and cutting possible; during the recovery period.

 

It is also deployed for long distances of formal Hedging or Shaping, or detailed definition & Technical work; over long lengths of Hedges or Hedging.

It’s not ideal for every day use or deployment, unless you have a specific need for the support it offers; and does well.

 

It’s not very ergonomic being the main reason, so is not easy to put in & out of a busy van constantly, or to be stored for lengths of time on the van.  For fear it will get snagged or tangled.  So it is often left stored in the Workshop Unit; till required.  Mainly as it is a large unergonomic system, and it is fragile and has exposed rope.

It is functional without some practical flairs I felt at the price point they cost; might come fitted perhaps?  The harness is much lower grade or minimally padded throughout.  It is the lack of

 

The Harness is adequate for use & purpose, though lacks some rigidity and the buckles could be of a higher quality.  It’s very basic for the weight and reach the unit is aimed to support & help control out at reach.

Within it’s assigned limits, it does what you might require of it.  Though it can be clumsy using it and I place that to it being missing some refinements.

The exposed major elements were also a concern, notions of them getting snagged in overhead branching or canopy.

This concern being one, that was pondered over before buying, & soon confirmed as always going to be an issue; it seems.  Very quickly from the initial use of the harness.

Regardless of how careful you are moving with this Harness on.

 

So some form of coverall that does wrap the tubular framing and encloses it maybe?  Would reduce snagging or close by branching etc snagging you as you work.

As without it, it looks akin to an old Backpacking Frame, with a strange array of small hydraulic rams attached; for some reason.

Once you have a machine attached, of course it makes sense, after the initial new sensation of a suspended work tool and the differences of operating under mechanical support.  It still attracts snagging from the side, or on the suspended line; or the overhead arms and rams.

The open frame simplicity enables a certain level of complexity, as the unrestricted swing, snag or sway of the rope; has to be predicted or caught before it is out of control.

 

I feel this is where the extra padding and stiffer support of the ram arm could be an improvement.

The arm sometimes swivels or pivots wildly or erratically, when you least need it to move at all.

Which can veer a cut length or depth, if you are not quick in catching or adjusting; for the unrequested motion.

So a covering and some internal dampening would help smooth the sway or pivot point.

 

I’ll get more into detail in the Upcoming Video about this product.

 

I did approach Henchmen, with regards taking one of their other products out for a spin; they declined to reply though.

 

So I went out & bought a Large Estate or Yard Barrow instead.

300 Litre LV2 ROTO Twin Wheel Fixed Wheelbarrow

More on that soon. 🙂

It’s been Nicknamed “Thunderbird 2” though; as it is very useful!

 

That has also been joined by a larger Wheel barrow, & one that tips!

350 Litre MPK ROTO Twin Wheel Tipping Wheelbarrow.

More on that soon, also! 🙂

Though if you need something this size and it has to be reliable, my advise so far.  Go for the solid rubber wheels, even with Slime the pneumatic ones have punctured often.

Though we do use them out in fields, paddocks and woodland etc.  So they do see a lot of thorn or other sharp branches between runs.  It has happened enough to have tried several bottles of Slime, a few replacement tubes and then when upgrading to the 350 Litre, opting for the solid wheels.

These are heavier but that helps with stability.

In my view so far at least.

We got great service from: outdooroutlet.co.uk and a really quick turn around from ordering to driving up to collect the new Large Blue barrow.  Pre-assembled and ready to roll up the ramps onto the back of the van.