Brian G Posted January 31, 2008 Report Posted January 31, 2008 Most of the exhibitors at any given Inspection World are pretty much the same year to year. There was one somewhat unusual outfit at New Orleans I thought you guys should know about, a company called Krawl Gear. Their flagship product is a wheeled device intended to make moving through a crawl space easier and faster, but they have other stuff too. www.krawlgear.com (click on "The Gear" when you get there) Reaction to the crawler was mixed, so judge for yourself. I'm sure many of us have considered trying to build something like this....crawling sucks. They do have a 30 day trial I didn't see mentioned on the website, but I haven't gone over everything there yet. They also weren't asking the same price in N.O. (check with them if you're interested). Personally, I really liked the arm/elbow pads. They cover from the wrist all the way past the elbow. I'll be ordering a pair of those soon. Brian G. Krawl Ya Varmit! [:-crazy]
Jim Katen Posted January 31, 2008 Report Posted January 31, 2008 You can read a brilliantly written hands-on review of the Krawler in the December Reporter. - Jim Katen, Oregon
charlieb Posted January 31, 2008 Report Posted January 31, 2008 Brian is right. The pads are great. You you scrawney people. I could not get the XL arm pads on. As for the crawler. It works great unless you have a built in gut break pad!
Les Posted January 31, 2008 Report Posted January 31, 2008 The races in New Orleans were especially entertaining! I forget who won. Jim's review was about the same as one of his inspection reports?
randynavarro Posted January 31, 2008 Report Posted January 31, 2008 I get my forearm pads from the local bike shop. The one that sells the heavy duty mountain bike stuff.
Phillip Posted January 31, 2008 Report Posted January 31, 2008 Charlie was doing good in the races until is crawler slided back on him and his brake pad got in the way. The arm pads are nice but they would not fit me.
Scottpat Posted January 31, 2008 Report Posted January 31, 2008 My take was that in order for the Krawler to work one needs to be less than 6' in height and around 175lbs or less. It's just not made for folks with a built in skid plate! Also I'm betting that it would not do well in a crawl that is covered in crushed rock like I have in my area. Jim's review covered it all.
charlieb Posted January 31, 2008 Report Posted January 31, 2008 Originally posted by Les The races in New Orleans were especially entertaining! I forget who won. Some scrawny guy. Go figure. The man was fast. I guess it was a good thing I hit the "brakes" in the heat before!
Brian G Posted January 31, 2008 Author Report Posted January 31, 2008 Originally posted by Jim Katen You can read a brilliantly written hands-on review of the Krawler in the December Reporter. My bad, I've been behind in my reading lately. It was indeed a well-written article. [:-thumbu] I wasn't aware they were at IW last year. How come none of you knotheads posted about it? [] I know it wouldn't work in most of my crawls. There's just too much junk, mud, trenching, and other weirdness in the wildly diverse crawl spaces in my little postage stamp of America. But sometimes it would be great, and one place it definitely would work is in my crawl space (smooth, hard clay, with a little gravel). I may succumb later, if business doesn't totally die off. If you have a built-in brake problem, just get rid of the brake. No problem. [:-dev3][][:-dev3] Sounds like they need an XXL, and maybe a XXXL, on the elbow pads. I'm still waiting on the Holy Grail of inspection gadgets...the levitation harness. Roofs, attics, exteriors, vaulted ceilings, crawl spaces; all at virtually no effort or risk. Someday.....(probably looooong after I'm dead). [:-indiffe [:-hspin] Brian G. Is There a Cure for Toolus Gagetitus? [:-drool]
hausdok Posted January 31, 2008 Report Posted January 31, 2008 Hi, It wouldn't work in about 85% of the crawls I see. One needs that extra inch or two to get under the ducts. I'd have to get off, slide under, reach back and pull the thing forward, climb back on, move on and then repeat. Plus getting past the swales, sewer pipes, etc., it'd be a huge waste of time. I'm sure it works fine in a crawl with a smooth hard-packed or concrete-covered floor and not a lot of ducts blocking the way but it would be next to useless around here. OT - OF!!! M.
Les Posted January 31, 2008 Report Posted January 31, 2008 I have found it helpful when I am in the basement inspecting. If I kneel, just right, on the gadget I have found I can kiss a particular part of a reeeltor's anatomy without ever having to stand up on my own hind legs! It also help me get off that damn 8/12' roofs. I'll bet Chad F has at least one modified creeper in his barn that would do the same thing!
Erby Posted January 31, 2008 Report Posted January 31, 2008 One of the best crawl space protectors I've found is the Kevlar arm shields with elbow pads. Keeps my arms and elbows from getting cut / scratched, etc in the crawl space. Here' an example. Lots of different types out there. http://palmflex.com/cut_resistant/kevla ... PAodEzC6QQ A lot of the auto manufacturing facilities around here use them for their employees.
Brian G Posted January 31, 2008 Author Report Posted January 31, 2008 Jeez, no padding on those Kevlar sleeves; zero. I don't think that type would work for me, but the mechanic's model looks interesting. Brian G. Crawl in 'Em Now, Knife-Fight in 'Em Later [:-mean]
Ken Meyer Posted February 1, 2008 Report Posted February 1, 2008 Football forearm/elbow pads work for me. Just the right amount of padding, and they don't cost much.
davidlord Posted February 1, 2008 Report Posted February 1, 2008 I think the Krawler thing would be useless on anything but concrete or hardpan with no obstructions. I often wonder how most of the inspectors I see at various events and conferences have the physical ability to perform this job.
Erby Posted February 1, 2008 Report Posted February 1, 2008 Brian: Sorry, the flu's got me down. It's the mechanix heat sleeve type that I use. Mine has padding in the elbows. They've saved me from lot's of bumps, scrapes, and minor scratches. David: They don't. That's when the good ones get help and the others claim you don't need to walk a roof to see everything, the crawl space is inaccessible, and the attic was observed from the hatch.
Brian G Posted February 1, 2008 Author Report Posted February 1, 2008 Originally posted by davidlord I think the Krawler thing would be useless on anything but concrete or hardpan with no obstructions. It runs over some stuff better than you might think. They had a few obstacles in the race course at IW, and Jim's article talks about that aspect as well. It's one of those things you would have to use as the situation permitted, and leave in the truck otherwise. I often wonder how most of the inspectors I see at various events and conferences have the physical ability to perform this job. True. I've looked at certain guys waddling down the aisle in search of a BIG seat and had the same thoughts. I'm not quite as thin as I used to be, and a big, tough crawl wears me out. Brian G. "I Didn't Inspect the Crawl Space Due to Massive Girth Issues" [:-crazy]
Brian G Posted February 1, 2008 Author Report Posted February 1, 2008 Originally posted by Erby It's the mechanix heat sleeve type that I use. Mine has padding in the elbows. Do they have padding in them, or did you add it? If they came padded, is it all around or just at the elbows? Brian G. Enquiring Minds..... [:-magnify
crawlspacecreeper Posted March 7, 2023 Report Posted March 7, 2023 Crawl Space Creeper - Under House Krawl Gear! Available now at www.Crawlspacecreeper.com High quality and 2 sizes to choose from. Hand assembled in the USA.
Les Posted March 7, 2023 Report Posted March 7, 2023 I re-read the entire thread. Kinda forgotten some of the people that used to hang around here. Good test of my mind/memory.
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