Ascenders

Sport climbing is a form of exercise in which people compete by ascending heights such as rocks while relying on permanent anchors for protection. Ropes attach to the climber and then clip into the anchors to prevent a fall. To ensure the safety of climbers, they should use high-quality foot ascenders.

It is a device that fixes on the foot. It’s there to foster the protection of a person when climbing on steep terrain. Foot ascenders attach to your foot using webbing or sling. Then, they are often clipped on a rope. Climbers can navigate through steep surfaces easily by sliding their feet up the rope and lifting their weight by straightening and lowering their legs. It has a cam that allows the device to slide freely in the required direction of movement. It offers a firm grip on the rope when drawn in the opposite direction. To ensure the safety of a climber, the cmi foot ascender has a locking mechanism. In brief, they make climbing easier.

History of foot ascender

The first development dates back to 1934. Henri Brenot developed the antique climbing ascender. It was in use in France for caving and mountaineering. Walter Marti established the Jumar Pangit, a company in Switzerland, to develop a suitable ascender for a government representative who required the equipment to study eagles. After that, more devices came into the market in 1958. In 1968, Fernand Petzl formed an organization that has since then been producing different types of mechanical ropes. For instance, the company is popular for the making of both handled and handless varieties.

Locking foot ascenders

These are devices that hold firm onto the rope and require your to manually unlock them when not in use. One can use it with adjustable ropes owing to their high level of flexibility. Locking foot type allows the use of ropes of between 8mm to 13mm in diameter. In this regard, the ascenders can support people of varying body weights. They are perfect for people who have minimal experience with rock climbing. They are often used during competition where your’s safety is always a priority. Hence, locking foot ascenders foster the safety of a person by locking the rope into the body of the device to keep it firmly attached.

Non-locking foot ascenders

They lack a locking mechanism and have a simple camming device that is attached to the body of a user. They are easier to remove from the rope as compared to the locking variety. The ascenders are suitable for people with great experience in rock climbing. Also, non-locking types are more suitable for the users that have used other types of ascenders before. They function by strapping onto the ankle allowing the user to hold the rope with the foot. The non-locking types are not only effective in ensuring the safety of a person but also poses no problems in their installation and removal from the body.

Uses

Despite offering functionality to friction knots, a climbing foot loop is safer, easier, and quicker. An ascender foot loop uses a cam that allows the device to slide easily in the required direction of movement. The cam increases the capacity of the ascender to offer a firm grip on the rope when drawn to the opposite direction. The device impedes it from inadvertently dropping from the rope through an effective locking technique. To use it, you have to attach it to the user’s harness using webbing or sling then clip it onto the climbing rope. The foot loop Petzl are often in pairs to ensure you are free to be slid up the rope while the other carries the weight of the user. When using a rope, only your ascender requires to ensure the remaining hand is free for holding the permanent anchors.