The NEW skylotec passo-pl karabiner whats your view???

[Rhystree]

Happy new year everyone,

 

ive just been given a new sktlotec passo-pl karabiner, to look at it a really nice looking karabiner with a good attention to detail with the SKYLOTEC logo branding, because lets face it looks sell.

 

Then to the new PINCH LOCK design and mechanism of the 3 way locking gate, I feel its very different to any other 3 way locking gate on the arb market. As you all know good climbing practice requires us to use 3 way action karabiners (as a minimum) as attachment points to our life line and lanyard (lanyard only when changing branches and its your only attachment point).

 

The movements of the gate are two buttons directley opposite each other on either sides of the barrell/gate, to open the gate these buttons are pinch in any sequence or together at the same time making the two movements and the third (last) as with any karabiner the opening of the gate.

 

click on the link below and have a look at the video i found on line and let me know what all you proffesionals think? or employers, what do you think of your climbers using this karabiner???

 

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzMKFp6askE]Skylotec PassO-PL.mov - YouTube[/ame]

 

 

i have my view, but i won't post that yet as i want to see the opinions here without me starting it on a negative or positive vibe.

 

 

Thanks everyone

[Steve Bullman]

Interesting discussion Rhys,

 

I saw this for the first time friday and have a good fiddle with it.

 

My take on it. Technically you can't argue that it isnt a 3-way karabiner...it has 3 distinctive actions.....however it does just seem too easy to open.

 

Is that a bad thing though? Does it feel too easy to open because its that user friendly, or does it feel too easy to open because its unsafe?

Just because its easy to open, does that mean its too easy to 'accidentally' open? I'm not sure.

 

I think the first time people pick it up, the first reaction is going to be that it opens to easily.....but is this just because its foreign to them?

 

As you said though, they look nice, and I shall be buying one.

[Steve Bullman]

Just watching that video. If he purposely worked the rope in such as way as he is doing, he could open any regular 3-way too

[hazzygawa]

Looks a good idea for a three way lock but...

That looked a little too easy to open with rope. Will have to hold one to get a better idea

[Frankie Lawrence]

I bought one of these at jonsies yesterday but I'm not sure what I think. Everyone else I was with were convinced it to be unsafe etc. It would be a right pain I think having it as a main line attachment but as a flip line lanyard it would be nice and easy. Im looking forward to trying it out.

Edited January 8, 2012 by Frankie Lawrence

[Rhystree]

thanks for the reply steve, yeah theres no disputing the three actions but as you said its very easy to open. The buttons are over half the gate in length and only need a light touch to open. i wonder what the buttons will be like in daily use in tree work with grit, sap and debris? would one button stick down only making it a 2 way action or at worst both buttons become sticky therefore making the karabiner in effect a snappy???????

 

another point is new climbers who not yet have full trust in their climbing kit, we have all been there at first not wanting to put all of our weight in our climbing line and using the tree more for climbing. Therefore putting slack in our system and the chance of ropes/prussiks moving around the karabiner and loading it at different points and maybe both buttons could be pushed or the rope and a branch on say a lime with loth of re- growth.

[Steve Bullman]

i wonder what the buttons will be like in daily use in tree work with grit, sap and debris?

 

I wondered that also, but then I wondered the same about the petzl ball locks but never had any problems with them. I'd like to think skylotec have tested that aspect thoroughly.

 

Personally I think an improvement in the design would be to countersink the buttons into the gate...not sure why they didnt do that in the first place.

[Rhystree]

I bought one of these at jonsies yesterday but I'm not sure what I think. Everyone else I was with were convinced it to be unsafe etc. It would be a right I think having it asca main line attachment but as a flip line lanyRd it would be nice and easy. Im looking forward to trying it out.

 

 

 

its a good point about the flip line or side strop but if you were to use it to advance up the tree when changing over only having this karabiner as your main attachment would you feel confident? if you couldnt see the karabiner maybe due to ivy etc.

i also get what you are saying as to only using it on a wire flip line when chogging down etc so you always have another attachment point. but thats a bit of a one use karabiner to buy a bit like a 2 way snappy you see on flip lines

[Rhystree]

I wondered that also, but then I wondered the same about the petzl ball locks but never had any problems with them. I'd like to think skylotec have tested that aspect thoroughly.

 

Personally I think an improvement in the design would be to countersink the buttons into the gate...not sure why they didnt do that in the first place.

 

thats a good point steve

[Frankie Lawrence]

its a good point about the flip line or side strop but if you were to use it to advance up the tree when changing over only having this karabiner as your main attachment would you feel confident? if you couldnt see the karabiner maybe due to ivy etc.

i also get what you are saying as to only using it on a wire flip line when chogging down etc so you always have another attachment point. but thats a bit of a one use karabiner to buy a bit like a 2 way snappy you see on flip lines

yes i would trust it to advance on a main line/attachment I personally thinkits a better idea than the ball locks and would trust it more as an attachment.

 

I have bought it just for a flip liine/lanyard but thats not because I wouldnt trust it i just dont think that using it on a main line would be easy I think it would be a pain when chainging over and cliping and unclipping. but when stropping in it would be just that little bit more painless and easy.