Do you have one? The Prusik is awesome but it locks up tight on the tether. I find it difficult to release even with two hands. With the ropeman it is so nice just to use one hand to release.
I have owned ropeman 1’s, used them for two seasons, and sold them after converting to distel hitch and tender. Prior to that, I used prusik (with the pain of adjusting a prusik). I still use prusik on pre-set trees with sticks and life lines. I do not own a shizzle, but I think another member uses one. My $3 tender does what a shizzle does and is much cheaper.
Just my opinion ...
If one only knows how to tie the prusik friction hitch and sees the ropeman to replace the prusik, one would be all over the ropeman as a solution.
If you search my posts, a long time ago I was the one to bring up the low, to me, rating of the ropeman. I was uncomfortable with the low rating of the ropeman and the possibility it could sever the core of the rope with a fall (ropeman may not fail, but it might cause failure in tether). Then add onto that, people backing up the ropeman with a prusik above the ropeman was just too much for me.
Arborists use tenders, but some of them (pulleys) can be noisy. The DIY simplicity of a silent tender solves the problem a ropeman solves. It does this without lowering the weight ratings a ropeman does.
TonyGreenway, on the forum, was my inspiration to change. After back and forth with him, and copious Internet sleuthing, I came to the conclusion that using a tried and true, purpose built slack tender was a better fit for me than using an ascender for the purpose of slack tending and holding me on a tether.
I think everyone should investigate the pros/cons of each option and choose based on their risk calculations.
Just my 0.02