Knee ascender climbing apparatus with removable tether

A double bungee stiff tether self-advancing knee ascender, comprising,

• a load bearing member having a non-stretchable connecting piece that comprises a first end and a second end;
• a cam bearing member secured to the first end of the connecting piece of the load bearing member, wherein the cam bearing member comprising a cam configured to engage a rope while weight is applied on the cam and to disengage the rope when the weight is relieved from the cam;
• a foot attachment connected to the second end of the connecting piece of the load bearing member;
• and
• a double bungee stiff tether elastic bearing member independent of the load bearing member and removably connected to at least the cam bearing member, wherein the elastic bearing member comprises a double bungee elastic piece and a stiff tether guiding piece guiding the double bungee of the elastic piece, the double bungee elastic piece having a first side and a second side, with the first side of the double bungee elastic piece retained by the stiff tether guiding piece when the second side of the double bungee elastic piece is pulled,
• wherein the non-stretchable connecting piece comprises a piece of nonstretchable webbing connecting the cam bearing member and the foot attachment,
• wherein the guiding piece comprises a first end and a second end and the cam bearing member comprises an engaging element configured to engage the second end of the stiff tether guiding piece such that when the second side of the double bungee elastic piece is pulled, the double bungee stiff tether elastic bearing member remains engaged with the cam bearing member,
• wherein the double bungee comprises an elastic cord having two ends and the stiff tether guiding piece comprises a first stiff tube and a second stiff tube that is parallel to the first stiff tube, sandwiching a piece of webbing, the first and second tubes each having a first end and a second end,
• wherein the elastic cord is folded over and positioned inside the first and the second tubes such that two ends of the elastic cord extends beyond the first ends of the tubes while forming a loop between the second ends of the parallel tubes, the ends of the elastic cord collectively are considered the first side of the elastic piece and the loop is considered the second side of the elastic piece, forming the double bungee configuration with the elastic cord remaining slidable relative to the tubes, and
• wherein the length of the non-stretchable connecting piece is optionally adjustable via a buckle.

A method of using an ascender by a climber, the ascender comprising,

• a load bearing member having a non-stretchable connecting piece that comprises a first end and a second end;
• a cam bearing member secured to the first end of the connecting piece of the load bearing member, wherein the cam bearing member comprising a cam configured to engage a rope while weight is applied on the cam and to disengage the rope when the weight is relieved from the cam;
• a foot attachment connected to the second end of the connecting piece of the load bearing member;
• and
• an elastic bearing member independent of the load bearing member and removably connected to at least the cam bearing member, wherein the elastic bearing member comprises an elastic piece and a guiding piece guiding the elastic piece, wherein the elastic piece comprises a first side and a second side,
• the method comprising,
• attaching the foot attachment to a foot of the climber;
• attaching the second side of the elastic piece to a point above the cam bearing member;
• attaching the cam bearing member of the ascender onto a rope;
• stepping on the foot attachment to fully extend the load bearing member to apply weight on the cam to lock the cam in place while at least partially extend the elastic piece;
• and
• lifting the foot along with the foot attachment to relax the load bearing member and to unlock the cam to allow the extended elastic piece to pull the unlocked cam upward along the rope.