UKH

I'm looking for a locking pulley for progressive capture in hauling, rescue etc. Not required for self belay or such shenanigans.

My searches have lead me to two very similar devices... The famous Petzl Mini/micro Traxions and the Climbing technology Roll N' Lock.

I'm not so convinced by the aggressive teeth on the Traxion, but I imagine this is better for iced ropes. The Roll n' Lock has a more gentler toothed cam, like the WC Ropeman 1. Both appear to have the same working strength of 4kN (I'm assuming this based on the 4kN stamped on the R n' L), with the Roll n' Lock having a slightly higher breaking strength.

Looking for user experiences of either please. What you liked, didn't like, flaws etc.

Also looking at the Kong Duck, but doesn't seem so efficient and more ascender specific like the ropemans?

Any other devices I may have overlooked? And yes, I have Prusik knots

In reply to GrendeI:

I've got a rollnlock, and have had a brief play with a friends microtraxion.

I've used my rollnlock to haul a couple of people up sea cliffs, as an ascender and for self belaying up easy ground. Does all of these well while being light and compact enough to be an "always there" item on the back of my harness.

From playing with the microtraxion, it's slightly nicer as a pulley/hauler, but there's not much in it. About the same size & weight too.

Short version: Rollnlock is a mini ascender which doubles as a pulley/hauler, Microtraxion is a pulley/hauler that doubles as a mini ascender.

In reply to Monkey_Alan:

Nice! Thank you for the reply.

What say you with regards to icy ropes and the Roll n' Lock? Is the cam aggressive enough?

In reply to GrendeI:

I've not tried either on icy ropes.

In reply to GrendeI:
Both are great for what you want. Don't worry about the teeth.

In reply to GrendeI:

Not used the roll n lock, but appearances can be deceptive. When I did some drop tests years ago, those 'gentle' teeth on the Mk1 ropeman were able to chop the rope completely. The Petzl cam design damages the sheath, but not the core. Used all the traxions and they all work well, though the micro is a bit fiddlier with gloves than the pro or mini.

In reply to GrendeI:

I like the RollNLock since it is wide enough to take two strands of 7.8mm (which I use) as it has a flatter pulley, it´s designed for 16mm flat tape as well.

In reply to GrendeI:

My micro traxion pretty much lives on my harness now, its lighter than a rope man and is so versatile that I can hardly see a reason it would ever leave my harness.
I have used it:

in the alps to protect moving together on slightly steeper ground

to escape a sea cliff (so much easier than prussiks)

haul a bag out of a sea cliff so that the second didn't need to climb with it

as an assisted haul device when a climbing partner couldn't get up a pitch on a multi pitch route

Could I have done all these things without it? sure, but they were all so much easier with it.

A partner commented that they were terrified of dropping it while removing it from the rope in the alps, so to remove the chance of dropping it I have tied some thin chord around it and attached it to the crab, the chord sometimes gets in the way slightly, but it saves the fear of dropping when fumbling around with cold hands and gloves.

In reply to jimtitt:

If I understand your comment correctly, the Roll n Lock can be used in pulley mode with two ropes?

If so that is a massive advantage, but surely rather inefficient?

Shame, mine are 8.1.

In reply to alastairbegley:

Nice, thank you!

Any comments on use with icey/ snowed up ropes?

In reply to GrendeI:
Can't comment there I'm afraid as I haven't needed to use it in winter

In reply to GrendeI:




No idea about the efficiency or not, I used it for ascending.

In reply to GrendeI:


I've just tried it on some 7mm cord that I soaked in water and left in the freezer.
Worked fine.