Croll Chest Ascender ???

[hobby climber]

Does anyone use the "Croll Chest Ascender" in this forum? I'm interested in this product but know very little about it. What do you guys think of this Sherrill item #29492 for tree work? (pg#36 top right in the 2004 catalog) Thanks in advance. HC

 

[Lumberjack]

What do you want to use it for?

Do you SRT?

 

[hobby climber]

Yes, I do SRT! Just want something different than a friction hitch for the longer climbs. I use a pantin foot ascender and a tautline hitch (w/8) at this time. I'm thinking I would like to use the panitn foot ascender, the Croll Chest ascender and still have a friction hitch above as back up and to make transitions safer. Again, I will be using the Croll for climbing to position only at this time till I learn more about the product. Is the Croll a substitute for a friction hitch or other types of ascenders? Just what is this products range/ability? HC

 

[kf_tree]

i've used one when i went though some training with a rope access engineering company. we would use a 2 line set up to asend. one one line we use a croll and handled accender with a etrier, on the other line we used a shunt. the croll has the same exact mechanism as an ascender.



when useing a croll you need a harness with shoulder straps and a hard tie in to your harness. a croll and asender count as one safe point of contact. a croll by itself or a single asender is not considered a safe point of contact, both must be in contact with the rope at all times. that why we used 2 ropes so if you had to pass a knot etc and you unclipped the croll you still had a point of contact on the other rope.

if you check out yates climbing gear's web site (i think there site is broken down to rec climbing gear and work gear) they have a super sweet looking harness set up for useing a croll. the harness was designed with a croll in mind for srt. if i did much srt that is with out a doubt the harness i would get.

i'll try and answer any questions you have about.

 

[Lumberjack]

I SRT also. I currently use a CMI Rope walker ascender. I am going to pick up a left hand ascender and run a strap down to my left foot (right foot has pantin) and another coming down to my saddle for redundancy. That would allow me to use both legs individualy, which I think will be plenty fast and still conserve energy.

I dont think the tauntline is the best knot to use for a friction hitch. A klemhist(spelling?) or VT or a number of other knots would be easier to advance up the rope.

For me and my climbing style a chest ascender would be annoying and cumbersome (in my mind, never used one).

 

[kf_tree]

a pantin and croll would not be considered 2 points of contact since the pantin is not "hard" tied into the harness.

i agree with lumber jack that a kliemhiest (ok so niether of us can spell it) or prussik would be a better option than a tautline.

 

[kf_tree]

if you can try and find or order a complete petzl catalog. in the back of it there is a wealth of info on proper biner use srt options etc.

 

[Lumberjack]

Another reason is if the upper point failed, and the pantin didnt pop off, you would be left hanging upside down by one leg... not very comfotable.

I dont like the croll because its not a closed shell and its tied to you chest the same as the pantin is to your foot, and I could just see it poping off one way or the other. With a hand ascender you can install a biner to hold it on the top and bottom. I still perfer closed shell, and have been known to climb using only the pantin and the CMI, but not I put my standard VT under the CMI on my Paw on my saddle.


I would replace the tauntline with a better knot, it just aint good.

 

[kf_tree]

lumber jack

the proper way to use a croll is the chest harness/shoulder harness holds the croll upright on your chest the bottom of the croll goes to the hard tie in of the harness useing a delta link. this way it will always hold you upright. to make it closed shell all you need to do is put a biner in a hole and it can't open til the biner is removed.

how do you attach the cmi to your harness? also i'm not clear by your writing.......do you always back up the cmi with a hitch or just sometimes? do you then have to manually move the hitch up as you go? or does it automaticly follow you up?

 

[Lumberjack]

I use a biner to attach the CMI ropewalker to my saddle.

I use to rarely back up the ascender, now I just throw on the VT and go up.

The VT advances on its on with the micro pulley as a slack tender.