Sterling ATS Canyoneering Rappel Device - Review

[moab mark]

Money is in the mail.

[ratagonia]

Money is in the mail.

Thanks Mark - 'preciate ya!

Tom

[oldno7]

Will be waiting for your full report

[moab mark]

That was fast. The new toy showed up today. It has a curve to it, by flipping the device over it changes the friction settings. Just playing with it in my kitchen it seems to have a lot more fricition then a pirana. On the instruction page they do not recommend looping the rope over both lower hooks? I attach the instruction sheet if you want to take a look.

http://www.rescueresponse.com/store/...e_Diagrams.pdf

[oldno7]

Might have to try one out, but it would have to be quite impressive to make me give up my double eights.

[moab mark]

Just by looking at it Tom's concern about the top bar wearing out fast could be a problem. The way the device is curved that top bar will have alot of friction on it. There is not alot of material there.

[moab mark]

Ok I have given it a full test, ok one rappel. I used it on the last rappel in High Spur. It's the only rappel we did on our trip. I think it is about a 60 ft free hang. I used it in the basic canyon mode. It has SERIOUS friction. If I had set my pirana in canyon on that drop I would of been picking rocks out of my behind. Half way down I easily stopped and played with the hooks. The hooks are a vast improvement over the pirana hooks. Like the Totem the plaquette area allows you to really squeeze the rope in that area with your left hand for friction. I wished we would of had more rappels to play with it but hey that was it. If your a big boy you'll like this new device.

[chabidiah]

Kurt, you are old school brotha'.

[Mojave Silence]

Just by looking at it Tom's concern about the top bar wearing out fast could be a problem. The way the device is curved that top bar will have alot of friction on it. There is not alot of material there.

I've got about 30 or so canyons in on my "ATS" and top bar wear is not an issue. It wears far less than a piranha

[dougr]

Wouldn't it make sense to flip to low friction mode to reduce wear on the upper bar? The horns would seem to supply enough friction options.

[ilipichicuma]

Wouldn't it make sense to flip to low friction mode to reduce wear on the upper bar? The horns would seem to supply enough friction options.

Those horns almost give too much friction. I have put the rope around the horns on a free-hang and I couldn't even move, and I'm a big 260-pounder. Using just one of the horns would probably work, though, I haven't messed around with that as much. It's an awesome device, though. I love mine.

[ratagonia]

Wouldn't it make sense to flip to low friction mode to reduce wear on the upper bar? The horns would seem to supply enough friction options.

Low Friction or High Friction mode, that top bar still gets a lot of wear. The advantage with the flip would be that the wear spot would switch right and left.

The High Friction mode is VERY high friction. Unlikely to be a useful way to use for most adults, using normal ropes.

Tom

[dougr]

Serious friction indeed. I finally played with mine today on some raps. Low friction mode with the ears is probably too much. Low friction mode with the one ear underwrap, which is shown in the instructions, is good. Although possible too much still.

I am a bit disappointed that the progress capturing ascension mode isn't as great as I'd hoped.

[ratagonia]

Serious friction indeed. I finally played with mine today on some raps. Low friction mode with the ears is probably too much. Low friction mode with the one ear underwrap, which is shown in the instructions, is good. Although possible too much still.

I am a bit disappointed that the progress capturing ascension mode isn't as great as I'd hoped.

Progress Capture mode on a Pirana (at least) requires the rope to be somewhat soft. So if the rope you used was stiff it might not of worked with any of these crossing type progress-capture methods.

Tom

[dougr]

That didn't occur to me. Noob-ness showing, will test again with something suppler.

Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk

[ratagonia]

bump---

[dougr]

Been using my ATS a lot in the San Gabs in So. Cal. Really liking it now. I'm using low friction mode only, weighing in at 185 but as the leader with a 25 pound pack am coming in at 210. The horns are ridiculous friction that I can't envision ever needing. I use a full technora sheath rope 85% of the time, so rope fuzz isn't adding friction. The ascent mode is actually very decent as well. I use that with a Kong Duck and can get up pretty quickly. Very impressed overall.