UKC

Just saw this on R&I:
http://www.rockandice.com/video-gallery/auroco-epic-auto-belay-for-lead-cli...
Initial reaction was "no way I use that", but I'm pretty sure I said that about the Gri-Gri as well. Do you see this taking off in gyms? Will we need to add extra bolts at the bottom of sport climbs to hold the auto-belay?

In reply to HakanT:

Was going to say yes, but then I saw it's radio controlled. Hopefully if there's more than one in the gym then they won't interfere with each other, and also hopefully it's not hackable or jammable!

In reply to HakanT:
The main limitation is it can't see the climber, it can maybe tell how high you are from the amount of rope that's gone through but it isn't going to know about ledges or large volumes or other climbers on nearby lines that a falling climber might collide with.

It might be fun to have a couple of selected lead lines equipped with autobelays. Maybe in the climbing wall scenario there'd be no need for the remote - you come off you get caught and then lowered to the ground just like a normal autobelay.

In reply to HakanT:

An intriguing concept. I'd see it as more applicable to industry use than climbing use if I'm honest, but good luck to them.

Would be interesting to know how it feeds out slack when you want to clip. Do you have to use the remote, or will it happily feed out at a slow pace? If the former them you'd need one remote on each arm!

In reply to HakanT:

Where are the robot arms to shake out the tangles in the dead rope?

In reply to EddInaBox:

Ooh! Damned good point.

In reply to HakanT:

total madness

In reply to Otis:


I imagine you need to pull it through yourself. If it is using electronics it should be able to have low friction for pulling rope through and then actively brake the rope after a fall, it's got more flexibilty than a simple mechanical device. Probably less slack out than a mechanical device if the climber is actively pulling the rope thorough and potentially really soft catches if they get it tuned right and apply braking progressively.

In reply to HakanT:

Or, at a wall, you could tie your rope to the clip on one of the current top-rope auto belays, let it fully retract, pass the rope through a ground-anchor screwgate and tie in, then climb in the usual way.
The down tension might be annoying though

In reply to Otis:

I cant really see it been that useful in industry, lone working is very rarely allowed and tower / mast climbing would be a right faff with that thing, much quicker with a pair of klik klaks

In reply to tom_in_edinburgh:


True, but it also doesn't stand around chatting, gawk at attractive climbers or get neck ache.

In reply to HakanT:

Silent Partner every time for me. In general comparison I have to wonder how this ever got to market, perhaps its cheaper although it doesn't look it. I guess its the industry certification within Europe that the device seems to have. With the SP being a US device, I imagine it won't have that. Thanks for sharing, always interested to hear about developments in this area.

In reply to HakanT:

Just hope the batteries don't run out half-way through the climb..............