SRTE Stop

[Lava]

I'd like to hear folks' experience with the SRTE Stop descender. I've searched the forums here and read a few bits and pieces, and I've seen Bonnie Crystal's review on the web, but I'd like to get a few more opinions. I currently have a Petzl Stop and a Kong Indy, and they suck on 11mm rope with any dirt. The SRTE unit seems like the ideal device for someone who wants smooth operation from 9 -11mm?

And where the heck does one find one for sale these days? All of the online distributors listed on the SRTE page appear to be broken...

[Anonymous_Coward]

Hey Bruce,

I have not used the SRTE myself, but have been on several trips with people that do. They include canyoneering in Zion, a week-long trip in Lechuguilla, and caving in Australia with actual Australians.

The one complaint I have heard (besides the weight) is that you have to use a tool to adjust the device for different friction/rope sizes. The only time this was a real problem was in Lech with all the different types and conditions of ropes. Brett Cook had one and he said he would not bring it back to Lech. He had to use a leatherman several times a day to re-orient the spools for different ropes. It was too much work for what it was worth.

For the canyon and Aussie cave trips, the SRTE was fine. We were using the same type of rope all day. I do remember the SRTE folks on our Zion trip asking me on the first morning what size rope we were using. Then they got out their tools and adjusted for 9mm.

If you still want one, and can't find one, let me know. The Aussies are coming up to Hawaii in February. I could get them to bring one up. Then it would just be the matter of getting it over to the mainland.

[Lava]

The one complaint I have heard (besides the weight) is that you have to use a tool to adjust the device for different friction/rope sizes.

Thanks for the info Andy!

But isn't that really a feature? With a Petzl Stop you only get one friction setting and if it doesn't work with the rope you're using, then you're out of luck. With the SRTE you get the variable friction of the handle, plus 3 different base friction settings. At least that's how it strikes me...

And I'm not sure there's a descender on earth that moves smoothly on Lech ropes!

[NZcaver]

You're not wrong.

Bruce, check your email. I've hooked it up so you can swap and try the SRTE for a while.

If anybody else is interested, here's the instructions for these things - http://www.srte.com.au/pdf/Descenders.pdf

[gdstorrick]

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[Lava]

There were at least 32 versions in 2000, plus older and newer ones; I don't have a total count. I only own and tried 11 of the versions, so I'm not sure my comments have any validity for the one you have in mind. They seem to provide about the same amount of friction as most bobbins, so they are fast for my taste. The good news is the autostop feature holds securely. The bad news is that it takes quite a bit of effort to hold the handle to keep the autostop disengaged. The reason is that squeezing the handle causes rotation which lifts the upper bollard, and the trailing rope with it. In fact, if one stops then uses the other hand to apply a strong hip brake, squeezing the handle actually lifts the rappeller upwards. The result is that one's handle hand becomes tired very quickly. Not everyone agrees with me on this.

I tried varying the friction by rotating the internal hex bushing as indicated in the instructions. It is a fairly easy task to make the switch, but I could notice no differences on rappel. Despite the documentation, I doubt that the hex bushing affects friction much at all, since the relative location of the two bollards is fixed, and that should control the friction. I was hoping that the force required to hold the handle down would vary, since the fulcrum is being moved, but in all cases the force required was so high that I could not notice any change.

----> Gary

So wait... you didn't like it?

[Primitivist37]

I love my SRTE gear. All of my kit for frogging is SRTE.

I have the stop for double rope (D2A) and have used it on ropes from 9 to 12 and have never changed the cam. The 9mm was double rope however.

I honestly love it and it warks for me but the things I have had issues with are:

The bulk took a while to get used to.
It's quite heavy.
Crossing lips is tricky if you get it wedged against the rock face.
Length means it sometimes drags.
The handle is sometimes considered too long and I know of other who have just cut a few inches off it.
Sometimes if the rope is a little stiff the ride feels very bouncy.

Other than that I love it. It has plenty of mass which is good for heat dissipation.

One of the reasons I love SRTE so much is just the weight and build of their items. I feel safe on Petzl gear but thin alloy like that doesn't have the same feel to me as the solid alloy of SRTE.

[Anonymous_Coward]

And I'm not sure there's a descender on earth that moves smoothly on Lech ropes!

Oh, but there is. It's called a 6-bar steel rack!

[gdstorrick]

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[Lava]

Which version do you mean by "it"?

Gary

Whichever versions you liked!

[Jeff Bartlett]

And I'm not sure there's a descender on earth that moves smoothly on Lech ropes!

Oh, but there is. It's called a 6-bar steel rack!

Damn AA, you beat me to it, I was gonna say "Petzl Simple rigged in a C."

[Lava]

Got my SRTE Stop in the mail two days ago, tried it out in my garage tonight. As far as stopping, on 9mm it crept down the rope at about 10cm/sec. Once I rethreaded the rope around the extra braking post, it did not creep at all. On supple dynamic 11mm and stiff fuzzy 11mm it did not creep at all. The rappel (all 1 meter of it) was very fast on 9mm, nominal on supple dynamic 11mm, and actually still very nice on stiff fuzzy 11mm maxi-wear! All of this was with no braking biner, so using one will add some more friction. Obviously I need to try this thing in a tree or a cave before I can say for sure, but it appears that finally I have an auto-locking device that can smoothly handle the full gamut of US and Euro ropes.

[self-deleted_user]

Oh hey this is interesting, as I dont have vert gear yet (nor am I trained nor do I live around many caves anyway) but to me, since I have been on rope once - went up a few feet changed over and came back down - but I used a rack, and I was so nervous and flustered that it's a good thing as I was only about six feet up as I let go with my...uh...brake hand? the one below you (sorry I don't remember all the terms exactly), TWICE in those six feet. My instict was to just let go of EVERYTHING and grab the rope above me so badly...and that makes me very worried to try again especially a larger drop and I've been doing some reading and if I let go of everything like that, a stop would...stop me! But then I heard they don't work on our American ropes. But this one does??

I was supposed to go to the TAG Cave In and I heard you could try out different equipment and stuff there, but alas stupid me waited for my paycheck to come in (stupid University payroll system that had me off pay for six weeks, and I will NEVER see that money and I'm already a poor grad student!) and I wanted to be sure I'd be paid before I bought my plane ticket (only $150 round trip to Atlanta, woo!) but now that woo! is booooooo. Yeah. Yesterday, price DOUBLED. So no more TAG Cave In for me unless I can find a ride or get the name your own price thing on priceline.com to give it to me for $150 or less.

Yeah though...that short experience with a rack scared me. My friend kept grabbing the rope below me and (nicely yelling) DONT LET GO OF THIS!!!!!!! I'd like to vertical cave, but I'm pretty scared of it now. I can't even remember where to keep own hands and I don't think it's just a matter of practice and getting used to it - it is my instinct, that I did TWICE in a short six feet.

[gdstorrick]

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[chh]

I have not used the SRTE myself, but have been on several trips with people that do. They include canyoneering in Zion, a week-long trip in Lechuguilla, and caving in Australia with actual Australians.

Actual Australians! You're CRAZY!

Oh, and a Stop or a Simple in "C" was going to be my suggestion as well.

Cheers.