Faders SUM - Caution Again...
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 3:31 am
Typically the focus of SUM belay device cautions are in regards to it getting stuck on a corner of the carabiner which inhibits free movement. However, what we've experienced to be an issue with our setup is a result of the width of the major axis of the carabiner not being wide enough to allow for the device to move freely and the break lever is getting caught under the belay loop. This only happens when the SUM rotates sideways but, nonetheless, it's happened 3 times to us: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhGTt0hrO7Q
We have been using a Petzl Freino biner because we liked the friction spur for lowering when we had a Grigri. It doesn't work the same way with the SUM but we continued to use it because the spur prevented the SUM from moving around the corner and essentially served the same purpose as the SUM belay positioner. At this point, we are retiring the Freino and either going with a biner with a wire gate keeper to keep the biner from rotating on the belay loop or a Petzl Williams biner since that's what Faders recommends (however I want to test it to confirm the lever moves freely when the belay loop is involved): http://www.outdoorsafetyinstitute.com// ... angles.pdf
So any folks out there using just any old biner with a SUM may want to check sideways movement of their setup to ensure they cannot reproduce the same situation we have. Here's an old SUM caution video that demonstrates what free movement from all positions should look like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jlUlVyt6h0
And before folks start chiming in that we should just stop using the SUM, there are many reasons why I personally like it and want to continue using it. IMO every device has its nuances and it's more important to learn how the one I choose to use works "wrong" than how it works "right".
We have been using a Petzl Freino biner because we liked the friction spur for lowering when we had a Grigri. It doesn't work the same way with the SUM but we continued to use it because the spur prevented the SUM from moving around the corner and essentially served the same purpose as the SUM belay positioner. At this point, we are retiring the Freino and either going with a biner with a wire gate keeper to keep the biner from rotating on the belay loop or a Petzl Williams biner since that's what Faders recommends (however I want to test it to confirm the lever moves freely when the belay loop is involved): http://www.outdoorsafetyinstitute.com// ... angles.pdf
So any folks out there using just any old biner with a SUM may want to check sideways movement of their setup to ensure they cannot reproduce the same situation we have. Here's an old SUM caution video that demonstrates what free movement from all positions should look like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jlUlVyt6h0
And before folks start chiming in that we should just stop using the SUM, there are many reasons why I personally like it and want to continue using it. IMO every device has its nuances and it's more important to learn how the one I choose to use works "wrong" than how it works "right".
