If you have a dual-ascender on a doubled rope, if you footlock only one of the 2 lines, the rope will feed through only that one side of the ascender, resulting in 2:1 ascent with some motion and friction at the crotch. If you footlock BOTH lines, you have a 1:1 ascent, no friction at the tie-in crotch. You can have it either way, at any given moment during the ascent. The option and versatility is nice, but you'll probably elect to grip both ropes with your feet, push yourself up one length and gain one length in altitude. 1:1 is not hard to get used to. Footlocking two lines (IMHO) is easier than footlocking a single. The benefits should come real clear, most immediately to most climbers
.....but that's ascent on an ascender.
The device we're attempting to describe does not do ascent (or at least not very well). It is for descent and pinpoint accurate work positioning and efficient, 1:1 slack tending. |