Petzl vs. CMI

[hank moon]

ABC Chest Ascender

Har!

[mgmills]

I would argue that one should NOT touch the catch when thumbing the cam to downclimb, lest one accidentally disconnect the ascender from the rope! In my experience, "thumbing" is best performed with the thumb (or a finger) pushing down on the TOP of the cam without touching the catch. Comments?

NZ, that is what I was taught and have taught others.

Re: CMI vs Petzl - I've never owned a CMI. I use a petzl left handed handled ascender (old style catch). Used to use a left handed jumar which I loved but had to retire it after the spring broke.

I think CMI's are good ascenders. I climbed once at a practice session with a weird ropewalker made up entirely of CMI ascenders. It worked but it felt weird conpared to a ropewalker set up with a petzl basic and croll.

[Rick Brinkman]

I agree with NZ. Shouldn't ever touch the 'ring' on the old style (or the plastic on the new) unless attaching or detaching from the rope.

To down climb, I use my index finger on top of the cam. Helps keep the teeth from catching on the rope too.

[fuzzy-hair-man]

I would argue that one should NOT touch the catch when thumbing the cam to downclimb, lest one accidentally disconnect the ascender from the rope! In my experience, "thumbing" is best performed with the thumb (or a finger) pushing down on the TOP of the cam without touching the catch. Comments?

I suggest the same thing, I also suggest that they use thier finger or thumb to push the rope away from the cam's teeth to prevent the teeth from catching. Often people are afraid to do this for fear that it will suck thier finger into the Croll but the rope is going up through the Croll not down so this isn't an issue.

<edit> Oops, Rick already said that....oh well.

[hank moon]

index finger works well - stuff it down between the cam and the rope. the nail will drag against rope sheath, so keep that nail trimmed.

[potholer]

If a rope was a bit hairy and hence 'catchy', I'd probably have a thumb on top (keeping the rope and cam apart), and a forefinger underneath doing the same thing, though I do wear well-fitting medium-thick PVC gloves and don't have any great fear of my fingers getting trapped.
The bottom finger would be more a case of pushing the rope into the ascender frame with the end of the finger than the finger being used as a wedge between cam face and rope.

[ian mckenzie]

Have never had the Croll catch going up the rope; if it did, I'd just tug the rope below the Croll rather than thumbing. Downprussiking is another thing of course, where thumbing rules!

As for the upper ascender, the Jumar (at least, the old one I've got) has conical teeth that are not biased downwards, so it tends to slide up hairy ropes smoother while other ascenders might catch. However it is also the case that the Jumar slips a little easier/more frequently than jammers with biased teeth.