Front	Side

Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired my Single Rope Technique Equipment RBM from Single Rope Technique Equipment in 2000.

The Single Rope Technique Equipment RBM is 78 mm. long, 132 mm. wide, 71 mm. high, and weighs 834 g.

The spool is a 63.5 mm. (2-1/2 in) aluminum cylinder with two 6.6 mm. stainless steel roll pins that act as rope guides. The side plates are 1.7 mm. stainless steel bolted to the spool with 3/8 inch (9.7 mm.) hex-head bolts and washers. Each side plate has a slot and a second bolt (with washer) passing through a slot and into the spool. This arrangement limits the amount that the two plates can pivot to 45°, for a total of 90° with respect to each other. Although not strictly necessary, it does make the spool somewhat easier to rig. The second bolt is set with enough clearance that the side plates pivot smoothly.

Each side plate is stamped "SRT 19723001."

Comments

Like the Bassett Metal Studios Belay Spool, the Rescue Belay RBM is designed solely for rescue situations where lowering heavy loads is a possibility. It is similar to the Bassett Metal Studios Belay Spool prototype in many respects, and weighs essentially the same.

The spool is a 63.5 mm. (2-1/2 in) stainless steel cylinder with two 6.7 mm. stainless steel roll pins that act as rope guides. The side plates are 1.5 mm. stainless steel bolted to the spool with 8 mm. hex-head bolts (with washers). The side plates are stamped so that the edges are turned away from the rope. Each side plate has a slot and a second bolt and washer passing through a slot and into the spool. This arrangement limits the amount that the two plates can pivot to 45°, for a total of 90° with respect to each other. Although not strictly necessary, it does make the spool somewhat easier to rig. Unfortunately, the bolts are tight enough that the side plates do not pivot freely.

The Rescue Belay RBM uses a stainless steel drum while the Bassett Metal Studios Belay Spool’s drum is aluminum. Under most conditions this allows the rope to run with somewhat less friction than the Bassett Metal Studios Belay Spool provides. This can be an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on the weight being belayed and the exact nature of the rigging. I see no compelling reason to recommend one over the other - buy the one that is sold in your hemisphere.

History

Boris Rogelja founded Single Rope Technique Equipment (SRTE) in 1980. Capital Safety Group acquired SRTE in 2011 and their devices started showing DBI-SALA, Capital Safety, and/or Rollgliss™ markings. 3M acquired the Capital Safety Group in 2015 and the Single Rope Technique Equipment markings disappeared.