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Prototype
Version 2.0
Version 3.0
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| Prototype | Version 2.0 | Version 3.0 |
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DO NOT CLIMB SOLO! Nothing can make solo climbing safe. |
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If you are reading this then you do not have the necessary expertise. |
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Do not even think about learning anything about anything from an internet web site. |
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[ Top | Version 2.0 | Version 3.0 | Return to Self Belay ]
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Manuel Larios, inventor of El Mudo, sent me this prototype in 2022.
The El Mudo Prototype is 45 mm. long, 90 mm. wide, 48 mm. high, and weighs 222 g. It consists of a core and a braking pivot milled from a magnetic stainless steel, a stainless steel bolt, and a stainless acorn nut.
There are no markings on the prototype.
Manuel made several prototypes and was kind enough to send one to me. The prototype is smaller (and lighter) than the Version 2.0, but its size makes it more difficult to feed than the Version 2.0. The bolt and nut are adequate for a prototype, but not as user-friendly as the Version 2.0's security pin.
[ Top | Prototype | Version 3.0 | Return to Self Belay ]
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I acquired this El Mudo V2.0 from Manuel Larios through Stonecrag in 2022.
This El Mudo is 58 mm. long, 98 mm. wide, 42 mm. high, and weighs 356 g.
The El Mudo consists of a core (body), braking pivot, and security pin. The core and braking pivot are milled from stainless steel, while the braking pivot is cast stainless steel.
The core is 98 mm. tall, 24 mm. wide, and 32 mm. thick. It has a 13 mm. wide, 13.4 mm. tall D-shaped eye at each end and a rectangular central rope slot that is 38 mm. tall and 13.6 mm. wide. A transverse oval hole measuring 8.5 by 12 mm. accepts the security pin, which provides an axle for the braking pivot. A 3 mm. transverse hole passes through the core.
The Braking pivot is 64 mm. long, 20 mm. wide and 24 mm. high. It that rotates on a 22 by 8.5 mm. slot that accommodates the security pin. A 13.7 mm. eye allows attachment to one's chest harness using an oval or pear carabiner. Two wings form a 10 mm. deep, 13.5 mm. wide rope guide at the carabiner end guide the rope.
The security pin consists of a 7.9 mm. cylindrical section and an arm. The arm has a flat end with internal wings that slip around the sides of the core. A 17 mm. long, 12.4 mm. wide oval hole aligns with one of the core eyes.
One side of my El Mudo is laser engraved with a rigging illustration labeled "To Anchor" and "From Rope." The other side is engraved with "El Mudo," "1x Ø9.8-10.5mm," "Pat. Pend," a book-with-an-"I" icon, "UIAA 129 V9," "M.Larios," and "Mexico."
The El Mudo is a promising device introduced in 2022. It has been many years since a good self belay device was marketed in the USA, and solo climbers have been resorting to improvising techniques that use devices never intended for that purpose. Finally, in the summer of 2022, the El Mudo was announced, and the solo climbing community eagerly looked forward to seeing how it performs. It finally appeared six weeks ago (as of this writing). While there has been little time for field testing from the wide rr community, several experienced lead rope solo (LRS) climbers are evaluating the El Mudo, and I am following their reports with interest.
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DO NOT CLIMB SOLO! Nothing can make solo climbing safe. |
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The El Mudo can also be used for rappelling. While I would not choose it as my primary descender if I was not needing a self-belay device, it is nice to have a self belayer that can double as a descender when needed.
Manuel Larios has confirmed that El Mudo does not always stop an upside-down fall. In replying to a question on Facebook dated November 11, 2022, Manuel wrote the following:
I confirm that El Mudo, by itself, does not stop an upside down fall, it requires, as… [person's name removed - gds] mentions, a backup knot, I recommend the Kleimheist or prusik, but it can be any other, and the chest harness.
The El Mudo comes with two small o-rings that may be used to keep the braking pivot centered on the chest harness carabiner. One should take care choose a carabiner that properly fits the El Mudo. The carabiner hole is too small for many of my standard oval carabiners, but one really should use a locker. I advise against using wider HMS carabiners that allow the rope to slip out from between the wings on the braking pivot.
The small hole through the core and the slot in the security pin arm allow adding a keeper cord, but this is not really necessary as the seat harness loop holds these pieces together.
The Stonecrag web site added the following notice, indicating that newer versions will not have the UIAA 129 V9 marking:
Sept 22, 2022: [T]he UIAA informed us that we must remove the 129 V9 certification mark from El Mudo since this regulation only covers devices for abseil and to belay another person.
And states that the UIAA does not certify devices for LRS.
And, although EL Mudo complies with these regulations and allows you to abseil and belay your partner, the usage of El Mudo is broader; therefore, I must eliminate this label.
It was not our intention of misusing the UIAA label.
Our interest is to provide a reliable and functional device.
The original UIAA 129 formed the basis for the more familiar EN15151-1&2:2012. Looking at El Mudo and reviewing UIAA 129 V9 and the El Mudo manual, I would classify the El Mudo as a "manual braking device" when used as an "abseiling braking device" for the purposes of this standard. My El Mudo passes the design requirements in Section 4. I would expect the El Mudo to pass the applicable strength requirements of Section 5. The El Mudo is not a "locking assisted braking device" by the Section 3 definitions and so those requirements in Sections 5 and 6 do not apply. Section 9 allows manufacturer self-certification for manual braking devices. In short, I believe that the El Mudo meets UIAA 129 V9 requirements for those applications to which those requirements apply. This excludes solo climbing self belay applications, for which there are no UIAA standards (or any others, as far as I know).
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[ Top | Prototype | Version 2.0 | Return to Self Belay ]
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| Front | Rear |
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| Left | Right | Open for Rigging |
Manuel Larios sent me this El Mudo V3.0 in 2023.
My El Mudo V3.0 is * 53 mm. long, 103 mm. wide, 41 mm. high, and weighs 372 g.
The El Mudo consists of a core (body), braking pivot, and security pin. The core is milled from stainless steel, while the braking pivot and security pin are cast stainless steel.
The core is 98 mm. tall, 24 mm. wide, and 32 mm. thick. It has a 13 mm. wide, 13.8 mm. tall D-shaped eye at the upper end and a 13.6 mm. wide, 15.4 mm. tall eye at the lower end. The rectangular central rope slot is 38 mm. tall and 13.2 mm. wide. A transverse oval hole measuring 8.4 by 12 mm. accepts the security pin, which provides an axle for the braking pivot.
The Braking pivot is 64 mm. long, 21 mm. wide and 24 mm. high. It that rotates on a 22 by 8.5 mm. slot that accommodates the security pin. A 14 mm. eye allows attachment to one's chest harness using an oval or pear carabiner. Two wings form a 9. mm. deep, 13.7 mm. wide rope guide at the carabiner end guide the rope.
The security pin consists of a 7.9 mm. cylindrical section and an arm. The arm has a flat end with internal wings that slip around the sides of the core. A 16.2 mm. long, 14.2 mm. wide oval subrectangular hole aligns with the lower core eye.
One side of my El Mudo is laser engraved with"RAPPEL," a rigging illustration labeled "From Rope" and "To Anchor," "Harness," and a a book-with-an-"I" icon.
The other side is engraved with"Harness," "El Mudo 3.0," "1x Ø9.4-10.5mm," ""M.Larios," "Mexico," and "Rappel."
El Mudo 3.0 was designed to offer more braking power and eliminate creep when hanging on the rope. It widens the allowable rope diameter range. and gives its best results with ropes from 9.4 to 9.8 mm.
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DO NOT CLIMB SOLO! Nothing can make solo climbing safe. |
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[ Top | Prototype | Version 2.0 | Version 3.0 ]
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