Friction Knot or Mechanical Device

[cedar paul]

Been using a Roperunner and finally am replacing the wear items . While I love my Ropewrench with an Icetail Michocan the Roperunner is hands down smoother on descent and I don't have to disassemble before installing on my climbing line - just slide up the tail end. I use it both on ascent and descent as well as adjustment at the top. This also provides primary life support when using in conjunction with the Drey.

 

[barlow96]

I just took a rope rescue technician class. In the class we put 11 mm rope on prussic cord and mechanical advantages ascenders and descenders. We did this to show why we use mechanical devices over prussic cord to pull high lines. The mechanical devices used was the petzel ID, the mistro. And a Gibbs which is a bigger version of a ropeman or Kong duck. The Gibbs tears the rope
Up by desething it at around 1500 lbs if pull. Prussic cord with do the same. The ID and the Mistro let the rope slip at around 1,300lbs but does not tear up the rope. A smaller version of these devices is a madrock safe guard and a grigri. The smaller diameter of the rope these lbs drop on when it will tear up. Just food for thought. Of course age of the rope and how it’s stored play a big factor in all this.