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primus
Jan 22, 2007, 3:02 PM
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[This is essentially a cross-post of a long-dormant thread in the gear forum on the Ushba Basic ascender. I have not had any response, probably because my latest post isn't on the first page. My guess is that there are a lot of people who would be interested in this topic, so I'm re-posting here.]
I have been doing a bit of solo top-roping on ice using the Ushba basic ascender. Many people who use the Ushba think it's a great device, and I admit I'm one of them. It slides freely up the rope and immediately engages on a down-pull. Given that it doesn't have any teeth, it doesn't fray or tear the sheath in the event of a fall. I came across this article recently and I thought that those of you who are currently solo top-roping using the Ushba might find it interesting (and probably a bit unnerving). FYI, I have never had any of the issues described in this report...of course, if I had, I may not be writing this right now.
http://www.thebikezone.org.uk/...kzone/selfbelay.html
I emailed this link to my friend because he's the one who turned me on to the Ushba. He too has not had any experience of a rope being severed (!), nor has he noticed any damage to his rope as a result of falling on the Ushba.
I'd be interested in seeing if anybody has actually read the "Lyon Report" (see link) that describes the environment in which these devices were tested. The link to the report doesn't work! 
So what's everyone's take on the Ushba? Thanks!
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brianinslc
Jan 22, 2007, 3:21 PM
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Caught the Lyon report awhile back. Did make me think twice about using the basic.
I still TR with it, and jug with it (in conjunction with a gri gri), and toss 'er in the pack as a lightweight ascender, but, I'm much more aware of the potential for shock loading on it, and try to minimize that.
-Brian in SLC
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kixx
Jan 24, 2007, 9:32 PM
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I would think this failure he's talking about here would be in high factor falls which should never happen unless you don't care about slack building up in the rope. Simply peeling off onto the rope isn't really a fall at all.
I have been in several unerving circumstances when the rope has caught on some object to my right or left and created the potential for an actual fall. I always carry gear with me so I can pug it in and aide my way out of the situation... usually hanging on gear while I flip the rope with my hands.
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alpinismo_flujo
Jan 24, 2007, 10:11 PM
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Awhile back while looking into TR Sololing I did read that report but now it's been too long for this old brain to recall anything about it.
Well USHBA had stopped making the Ti version so I searched elsewhere and bought a Yates Rocker per the advice given by mtnTools.com
He had been selling the USHBAs and there was some type of problem with a fallen climbiner in Yosem (this might be wrong due to poor memory). Anyways, to make a long story short - contact mtnTools and get the scoop!
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roy_hinkley_jr
Jan 24, 2007, 11:02 PM
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RTFR. Only relevant if you take factor 2 falls with a 100 kg load. If you're doin' that, you got no business solo top-roping on any device.
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primus
Jan 30, 2007, 8:02 PM
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roy_hinkley_jr wrote: RTFR....
primus wrote: I'd be interested in seeing if anybody has actually read the "Lyon Report" (see link) that describes the environment in which these devices were tested. The link to the report doesn't work!
RTFQ
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primus
Jan 30, 2007, 8:03 PM
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I never found the original Lyon report, but I found a similar one that described their tests, and yes, they were using FF2 falls. Is this true in the tests conducted in the Lyon report?
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moof
Feb 15, 2007, 9:51 PM
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My memory is fuzzy, but if I remember right, the "Lyon Report" was largely discredited. There was a strong conflict of interest as the folks were trying to peddle their own wares.
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wlderdude
Feb 22, 2007, 8:41 PM
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Wow, it has been about a year since I have been here, there is a new forum, but really nothing has changed.
There is a bit of a paradox in what you ask for out of an ascender you TR with. You want minimal friction so that it slides freely up the rope. yet you need friction to engage the cam to hold you. If there is not enough grab in the cam, the rope will just slide both ways.
Some devices use large cams and have enough friction to engage large falls securely, but don't really slide freely on the rope. Devices such as the Grigri.
Some devices get around the problem by putting teeth in the cam. You can be sure the cam will engage. Note that all the teeth do is engage the cam. They do not hold the rope, and therefore will not shred your sheath. However, under lots of use of misuse, the sheath of your rope can be worn. The expection to this are those little rescue ascenders, which look like key chains and should never be used for TR soloing. Last I checked (and it has been a few years) Petzl did not recommend the Grigri be used for self belay. It does rate its ascenders with teeth for the job, though.
Now it would appear that a small cam without teeth would be ideal, but that may not be true. It has to compensate for lack of sure grabbing ability with a steeper cam angle. That means for every downward pund held, it has to put more sideways pounds into the rope. There is no free lunch.
I don't have any personal experience with the Ushba Basic, but I am leery of it. I bought a haul pulley I thought was a Basic at a gear swap. I later found out the haul pulley was infamous for shredding ropes and even found a couple of fibers in the pulley. No wonder he sold it. That doesn't give me a lot of confidence in the company, but the pulley does have an feel of unparalleled craftsmanship. I like my Ushba nut tool a lot.
Petzl does say the Shunt can be used for self belay, but it still says its ascenders with teeth are safer. The design has a lot of weakenesses in it and I will take their work for it. There are too many ways the device could fail to grab the rope or even break. I have used mine for protecting rapels, but that's about it.
The handfull of times I have gone solo TRing, I have used a DMM knock off of the Petzl handled ascender, and a Petzl chest ascender. Knowing that the sheath may get fuzzed or damaged is a small price to pay for the security of knowing I have the safest tool for the job. I always wear a helmet, and that alone makes me safer than most of the other climbers in the canyon.
Good luck and happy climbing.
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