Rope wrench & Zigzag

[aaronlouiscrane]

Anyone out there on the zigzag, rope wrench duo ? just wondering how anyone is finding it? :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

[Coletti]

Didn't think the zz was rated for srt?

[Mark Bolam]

I started a thread on this a while back.

Funny timing, I had my first go on a ZZ today and was impressed.

Would love to team it with the RW for SRT, and still might, but it's definitely not considered good practice.

Search for my original thread, much cleverer people than me explain it better.

Sorry, I can't link it.

[Steve Bullman]

Didn't think the zz was rated for srt?

 

Its not but plenty people out there are using it with one.

[JeffGu]

It tips the bottom of the ZZ in, toward the rope. This causes the swivel harness attachment point to be forced outward against the housing, putting more lateral stress on the (about 5/16" diameter) stem of the swivel loop (carabiner attachment). I played with it for a day and decided it wasn't worth the risk.. I'm not sure that aluminum piece won't snap if you shock loaded the line a bit.

 

It does, however, work. Petzl says SRT is ok with a munter hitch to take some of the friction off the device (essentially the same thing the RW is doing) so lots of folks take this to imply that use with the RW is safe. Petzl seems silent on the subject, so who knows? If not for the issue with the swivel, I wouldn't hesitate to use the configuration, myself.

[JoeRD]

It tips the bottom of the ZZ in, toward the rope. This causes the swivel harness attachment point to be forced outward against the housing, putting more lateral stress on the (about 5/16" diameter) stem of the swivel loop (carabiner attachment). I played with it for a day and decided it wasn't worth the risk.. I'm not sure that aluminum piece won't snap if you shock loaded the line a bit.

 

It does, however, work. Petzl says SRT is ok with a munter hitch to take some of the friction off the device (essentially the same thing the RW is doing) so lots of folks take this to imply that use with the RW is safe. Petzl seems silent on the subject, so who knows? If not for the issue with the swivel, I wouldn't hesitate to use the configuration, myself.

 

I came to the same conclusion as above.

 

Another consideration for me was the 'Friction chain' on the ZigZag was taking the climbers full weight when the wrench is not fully engaged. In the event of shock loading I do not know what effect this extra force (theoretically 2x as on DdRT) would have on the 'friction chain'.

 

Taking into account the problems that Petzl have been having with this device I personally am not prepared to use my ZigZag with a rope wrench- a configuration it has not been tested for by the manufactuer. I believe Lyon are the distributers for Petzl in the UK. They are in a good position to advise on this.

[MattyF]

Petzl are never going to recommend the use of the ZZ with the rope wrench because they will not support a product made by ISC it's simples !

[Vespasian]

I have a zigzag only got it in November, and only used it climbing a coupla tree's round our place..

Now after hearing its not recommended to use on SRT I wondered why that might be, not even knowing what SRT even meant at the time..

 

then I came across a climber on utube pointing out the dangers of SRT using one friction hitch... burn through the rope an all that, Oh so thats what it is I thought...

 

Now I don't know but surely somethin made of metal isn't gonna suffer the same friction as two ropes moving with weight on it?..

 

I fancy trying it out to see how it works, a few small descents from 20ft or so, see if the rope or Zig Zag heats up any....

 

Not that I intend using a zigzag like that at all, I'm still gettin to grips with climbing a rope to be honest...so no heroics from me at the mo....

[carlos]

i think petzl are the last people id ask about whether its rated or not for srt!!!!

[Coletti]

I had considered getting getting a zillion and rw as the zillion IS rated for srt