Petzl Handled Ascender
Petzl Handled Ascender
The standard of handled ascenders! Work well, fit the hands well, not too heavy, pretty strong. If you are looking for handled ascenders, these are the goods. When exploring canyons, exiting caving-style, or for rescue and SAR work, sometimes there is nothing like a real, handled ascender for getting up a rope.
Petzl says:
“Our handled ascenders have been refined to provide greater comfort, efficiency, ease of use. The ergonomically shaped handle is over molded with dual density grip for greater friction and better grip. The grip is wider at the bottom, providing better comfort for your pinkie fingers during use. The index finger indent has also been increased, offering greater efficiency when pulling on the ascender. The cam has been redesigned to minimize friction when sliding the ascender up the rope while the angled teeth provide secure grip in the worst conditions (wet, icy, or muddy ropes). The geometry of the single piece aluminum frame ensures optimal handle orientation when the device is loaded and will maintain solid, comfortable performance for ascents of any length.
Molded grip provides even greater comfort with a more ergonomically shaped handle. This shape keeps your hand from sliding to the bottom of the frame each time you pull on the ASCENSION. The bi-material handle includes a rubber over molded grip, increasing the comfort and grip in wet or icy conditions.
Chrome-plated steel cam with angled teeth and self-cleaning slot securely grips the rope, even in muddy or icy conditions
Ergonomic trigger allows one-handed installation and removal
Mono-frame construction eliminates weaknesses and keeps the ascender lightweight and durable for years of use
The two attachment points allow for different uses (e.g. self- belaying, hauling systems, etc.)
Anodized frames are color coded for easy identification (black -left / gray -right)
Safety catch prevents the cam from opening too far, helping
to keep the rope captured for added safety
1 cm secondary hole at the bottom will accommodate a screw link for attaching aiders, slings, etc.”
You may also consider…
An elegant, simple design for ascending ropes. Now with a nice plastic widget that helps set the teeth into the rope. Use with a large-rod-stock carabiner like the Cypher Iris or the BD RockLock. Very lightweight and handy to have. Fits on ropes 8mm to 11mm, works pretty well on my 6mm pull cord. The downside: sharp teeth can tear up the rope, and it is very hard to move DOWN the rope, for instance when changing back to rappel mode. This is probably the best choice to carry as an emergency ascender. Superlight and compact, not too too pricey, and it does not wear out. Also useful for hauling packs and stuff like that.
BUT: not good on actual 8mm ropes. Very hard to get it grip => tears up the sheath when it does not work. If using the really nice, expensive, modern top-of-the-line ropes, then you definitely can afford a Petzl Basic and MicroTraxion for your ascending kit, to avoid tearing up the rope.
PRO TIPS:
A. Use a round-stock carabiner like the BD Rocklock or Cypher Iris.
B. Clip using the German style for most uses. The French style will work better forcing it past a lip.
C. CAN be used as a progress capture device using the German style, with the rope inside the carabiner. Not the best, but okay.
D. Now that these are wicked expensive, just get a MicroTraxion and Basic, which weigh a little more but work MUCH better.
For most canyoning, I carry a Micro Traxion and a Petzl Basic as the center of my ascending kit. The Micro is also good for hauling, and better than the Nano because locking the cam out is a surprisingly useful feature when doing anything other than ascending the rope. Micro - recommended. Nano - not so much. (Unfortunate that these tools have gotten rather expensive, even the Tibloc!)
PETZL SAYS:
MICRO TRAXION: A multipurpose 3-in-1 device (pulley, self-jamming pulley, rope clamp / grab) for hauling a sack, raising a person, setting up a hauling system or self-belaying. Works fantastic for a canyoneer-style ascending system, especially at the waist. Sheave with self-lubricating bushings is efficient and compact. Works well for Tyrolean traverses and for ascending rope.
NANO TRAXION: A multipurpose 2-in-1 device (progress-capture pulley, rope clamp / grab) for hauling a sack, raising a person, setting up a hauling system. Works fantastic for a canyoneer-style ascending system, especially at the waist. Sheave with self-lubricating bushings is efficient and compact.
The Nano or Micro-Traxion will find a place in all work or rescue kits.
CRITR3 !!! Back in stock!
An innovative rappel device from Todd and Desi at Climbing Sutra, now an Imlay Canyon Gear product. Lots of options allow careful adjustment of friction while on rappel. Symmetry allows flipping that extends the life of the device. Part of the new wave of rappel devices that allow changes in friction while rapping. Lots of options has made this a popular rappel device especially for full-size (>170 lbs) canyoneers.
I have moved production to a quality shop in Taiwan, and made a few minor tweaks to the design to help it rappel smoothly right out of the box…
The first rope designed specifically for Colorado Plateau Canyoneering, the Canyon Fire has become popular with discerning canyon enthusiasts across the globe. Since the sheath is what counts, we added material there to create a “sheath-heavy” static rope, with 60% of the material devoted to the sheath. The result is a cut resistant, durable rope at a reasonable weight and an affordable price. It is on the stiff side for a tad more friction, to help resist cutting, and so it has a noticeably lesser tendency to get stuck in cracks on the pull down.
We carefully finish the ends to weld the sheath to the core without making the end larger than the rope itself, and to not create a long stiff section.
NEW - SHORTS - we offer 10-20 foot pieces at a low low price, leftover from our cutting of spools. No choice of length, but yes choice of color
