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As you guys purchase/obtain new equipment, post it up here so we can see what you've got, why you decided to get it, and what you think about it so far!
Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =) |
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I recently purchased an ATS descender, specifically for canyoneering.
It is amazing with small diameter and/or wet ropes. I think the rope we were using the last time I went out was a dyneema/kevlar construction, and was only about 6mm or so, and it got soaked.
Worked fantastic on this device! You can actually set it up a plethora of different ways for more or less friction. I wasn't sure what to think of it at first so I did the "most" friction configuration and found it was way too much. After some playing with it on descents while rappelling down waterfalls, I found that one of the lower friction levels actually worked very nicely, even on that super small diameter rope.
I used both single and double rope rappel techniques with it, down 100ft and smaller waterfall drops, maybe 8 drops total. I was super happy with how it performed!
It has a rubber grommet inside the hole you attach it to the biner with. This grabs the biner and holds the device in a specific position. It's also nice cuz it doesn't clank when you're walking around with it dangling. =P
Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =) |
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Got one of these for Christmas:
http://www.karstsports.com/33101.html
BMS Long Frame Micro Rack w/hyper bar.
I've never used a rack before, only a Figure-8. The rack seems nice - I figured the adjustable friction and better durability would be worth it. I'm planning to try it out later this week in an iron mine's air shaft.
[last edit 1/15/2013 4:09 AM by tick - edited 1 times]
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Sweet!
I've got a 6 bar rescue rack with double hyper bar made by the same company.
Racks are awesome, and they don't twist the rope like figure-8's!
For a long time I had switched to my ATC for mines instead of the 8's for just that reason, then got the rack, but only really used it on long raps; 200 to 300ft, and a whole bunch of rigging stuff. Then switched to the Rig.
I've been thinking quite a bit about getting a rack similar to the one you got though. Niffty xmas present!
Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =) |
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Posted by tick
Got one of these for Christmas:
http://www.karstsports.com/33101.html
BMS Long Frame Micro Rack w/hyper bar.
I've never used a rack before, only a Figure-8. The rack seems nice - I figured the adjustable friction and better durability would be worth it. I'm planning to try it out later this week in an iron mine's air shaft.
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I have the same rack with dual hyper bars. Not sure the second bar is that useful. I really like mine. Hope you like yours too.
Enjoy!
Abby
"Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem." Ronald Reagan |
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Posted by Abby Normal
I have the same rack with dual hyper bars. Not sure the second bar is that useful. I really like mine. Hope you like yours too.
Enjoy!
Abby
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Abby, with they double hyberbar across the top, or with them both on one side?
With the double across the top you can add more friction on double ropes, or cleat-off. The double on just one side lets you add quite a bit more friction on single-rope, or cleat off. You can also use the double top hyperbar for added friction on single rope.
When I was doing all the rigging for load-lowering in those turbines in Iowa I used my rack for all of it. 1,000lb to 2500lb loads. If I wanted more friction I'd wrap a bight from the brake-hand side around one or both of the hyper bars. Also used it for cleating, then tied a mule knot off up above to secure it for overnight-hanging.
Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =) |
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Got two of these as well while I was back in Iowa.
 
They only weigh 4oz each, work with up to 1/2" rope. The total weigh for both of them and two biners to carry them on is right around a pound.
Allow for a very lightweight-carry and very fast-set-up haul system up to 4:1
Easily enough to pull a person up using mechanical advantage. Double-swing-sides.
CMI Double Sheave Micro Pulley with Becket 1/2" Specs
Meets ANSI Requirements : Yes
Width : 1.75" (45mm)
Height : 3.5" (70mm)
Weight : 4 oz (113 grams)
Color : Gold & Green
WLL : 700 lb (317 kilos)
Tensile Strength : 7,000 lb (3,175 kilos)
Metal : Aluminum
Sheave Diameter : 1.25" (32mm)
Rope Capacity : 1/2" (13mm)
$40 each
Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =) |
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Posted by Therrin
Abby, with they double hyberbar across the top, or with them both on one side?
With the double across the top you can add more friction on double ropes, or cleat-off. The double on just one side lets you add quite a bit more friction on single-rope, or cleat off. You can also use the double top hyperbar for added friction on single rope.
When I was doing all the rigging for load-lowering in those turbines in Iowa I used my rack for all of it. 1,000lb to 2500lb loads. If I wanted more friction I'd wrap a bight from the brake-hand side around one or both of the hyper bars. Also used it for cleating, then tied a mule knot off up above to secure it for overnight-hanging.
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Therrin, good question for clarification. Mine is the BMS Micro Rack Long Frame with Dual Hyper Bars. Mine would be the one on the far left.
Because it's their "Micro", it really is designed for single rope use. In a rescue situation or with dual ropes, a 6-bar standard width rack with dual top hyperbars would be a nice choice.
Abby
"Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem." Ronald Reagan |
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Sweet! In the places we go those could be a lifesaver if someone was injured and needed to be extracted. I carry a personal pulley with me, but it's a single sheave. I may purchase some like yours for an emergency kit.
Abby Normal
"Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem." Ronald Reagan |
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Got a Petzl Stop for christmas. I've attempted use once in the field and found that if you try to use it with frozen rope, it wont go anywhere.
[last edit 2/7/2013 7:35 AM by uLiveAndYouBurn - edited 1 times]
"Aint nothin' to it but to do it"
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Nice Stop!!
 I laughed out loud at picturing you using frozen rope. Better luck next time!
Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =) |
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It was in MSP and it was 6 degrees Fahrenheit. Luckily we were rappelling underground.
"Aint nothin' to it but to do it"
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Seems like frozen rope would suck with almost anything but that a rack might handle it the best.
Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =) |
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Figure 8 did fine.
Haters gonna hate.
"Aint nothin' to it but to do it"
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Ahh, yeah I suppose that would do. We all but stopped using 8's underground because of the rope-twist-snarl issue.
Haters? Where???
Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =) |
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My last purchase: Petzl Spelegyca Cow's Tail C44 http://www.karstsp....html#.URV1-8oh2So
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I decided that it was finally time to retire my antique Jumar (Version D) and I ended up getting a Kong Procave ascender. It arrived in the mail today and while I like the look and feel of it I must admit that I'm going to miss hanging my life on a historical artifact. 
Just look at the aluminum pitting on the old girl! I inherited her from the original owner and she's been used regularly and continuously since the 1970s. I'd estimate that she has climbed something like ten thousand total feet of rope in her lifetime! 
Larger img: http://img442.imag...295/002cropped.jpg
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Sweet!
Be sure to let us know what you think of the Kong one after you've used it a bit.
Teknical, remind me to send you an article that Dav sent me, about the spelegyca.
I'd have to find it, or have him re-send it.
Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =) |
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Thanks for sharing the old gear! I have a few old bits laying around, but none as cool as that. A couple of Chouinard biners, and a couple of brake bars that would slide on a biner gate to make an early version of a rack. I actually remember when 8 descenders first hit the market and were all the rage. A dedicated descending device! What a concept.
If you have been using it that long, you probably remember when Jumar was also a verb. To "Jumar" was to climb a rope using Jumar hand ascender.
Joanne
Jeeze I'm getting old....
"Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem." Ronald Reagan |
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Room-mate gave me this little guy for my birthday (I'm turning 28, which my mathematician friends tell me is a "perfect number"), a new Petzl Micro Traxion:
It's a very compact and efficient progress-capturing pulley. Seems a little tight on 11mm rope. (I doubt it would work on 11mm that is very worn and fuzzy). If I decide I'm comfortable with the slightly low 2.5kN working load this will replace the bulkier prusik-minding-pulley arrangement that I carry for self-rescue purposes on sketchier or more remote trips.
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