My Three Favorites

You don't really think that I can choose three favorites now, do you?

After all, I have quite a few devices in my collection, designed for a variety of applications, and sometimes a direct comparison would be meaningless (e.g., do you prefer this ascender over that descender?)

Any list of three favorites must depend on the perspective taken when forming the list. I'm going to recognize that fact and create multiple lists here. I'll look at the collection from a number of perspectives, and choose my three favorites from each of those. Sometimes I'll take a serious perspective, and sometimes a more whimsical one. Hopefully, at least some of my choice will be interesting.

The Holy Trinity


Peck Hook	Pierre Allain	Fisher Eight

Stéphane Pennequin and I jokingly call these "The Holy Trinity" because they are the three descenders shown in the 1968 book Mountaineering, from Hill Walking to Alpine Climbing by Alan Blackshaw. I read this book shortly after developing an interest in climbing, and always wanted to acquire one of each. That proved to be extremely difficult, and I did not succeed until 2012.

The Peck Hook has no real intrinsic value, but to me, after 43 years of searching before finally finding one, it is one of the most treasured pieces in my collection.
The Pierre Allain is a classic device that appears in many of the older climbing books, and it is still rather easy to find on eBay. It makes a good addition to any equipment collection - which is where it should stay.
This Fisher Eight is made from what appears to be a piece of bronze plate. The cut and finish are imprecise, indicating that it may have been hand cut. It took me 36 years to find this one, and to my surprise, I found another soon afterward. I gave that one to Stéphane as thanks for the earlier version Pierre Allain that he had given me.

Collection Specials


Peck Hook	Tokyo Top Ascender	Original MAD Motorized Ascending Device

These are three of my "miracles of acquisition."

Of all the devices in my collection, the Peck Hook took me the longest to find. It is one of the three descenders shown in the 1968 book Mountaineering, from Hill Walking to Alpine Climbing by Alan Blackshaw, a book that I read when first developing an interest in climbing and rappelling.
One day in the 1980s, I saw this ascender being used in the classic movie Godzilla versus Gigan (Toho Co., Ltd., © 1972). The good guys used it in in a successful escape from the Godzilla tower where they were being held captive by the cockroach space aliens. In February 2015, Olivier Peron Caillet found a pair on a French auction web site, acquired them, and sent them to me.
Nevin Davis made the first MAD, or Motorized Ascending Device. This was the first and perhaps only motorized ascender whose details were widely published. Without a doubt, this is the most complex, and most interesting item in my collection. James Wells made a copy (that I now own) from plans obtained from Nevin, but the original is special because of its historical interest.

Normal Caving, Short Drops


Howell-N-Mann Mount Sira	Modified Small CMI UltrAscenders	Cable Ladder

Most of my caving occurs in West Virginia, where most of the drops that I encounter are fairly short. In this situation, I prefer a lightweight equipment.

The Howell-N-Mann Mount Sira rack is the best device of its size and weight that I own. The titanium tubing gives the bars good wear resistance and the hollow aluminum inserts help to absorb and dissipate heat. The long fourth bar makes bar control easier.
Modified small CMI UltrAscenders, rigged Texas, are what I use for almost all of my caving except when I'm doing complex work in big pits and can justify a heavier, more efficient rig. I replaced the safety with one that was easier to operate and could also hold the cam in the full-open position. This way I can have my cam locked open as I'm waiting for my turn to climb, then walk up, place the ascenders on the rope, touch the safety to close the cam, and I'm ready to climb in seconds.
Does the ladder surprise you? There are many situations where a cable ladder is the best choice for short drops. One example is a short entrance drop with a large group. In this case, belaying people up the ladder can be faster than having everyone carry, rig, and climb with their own ascenders. The photo is of me climbing a ladder at the 2019 NSS Convention in the first test of Ed Devine’s new scaling pole.

Normal Caving, Longer Drops


Howell-N-Mann Custom Standard	Jumar 79 with wear pins	PMI Double Roller Chest Box

Deeper pits can justify carrying and using a heavier, more efficient rig. I prefer the Cuddington three-phase system to the Frog. The Cuddington Mitchell is faster and more efficient on free-hanging rope, the third phase handles long slopes quite well, and the overall system is barely slower than the Frog for passing the occasional rebelay.

I had Sam Howell custom build this rack for me. It has no frills other than the centering rings. My goal was to have a rack with pure functionality. This rack gives me all the control flexibility of an open-frame rack with little more than twice the weight of a figure eight.
Choosing the Jumar 79 was one of the hardest decisions that I made on this page. From the perspective of practicality, I should have chosen the Modified small CMI UltrAscenders, or possibly the Modified large CMI UltrAscenders. In the end I chose to list the Jumar 79 here because of the number of memorable drops where I've used them.
The PMI Double Roller Chest Box was simply the best box on the market. It is exceptionally well made, very smooth, easy to use, and surprisingly light.

Deepest Pits


Storrick MegaRack	Jumar 79 with wear pins	PMI Double Roller Chest Box

Very little changes for the deepest pits.

Why do you think I made the MegaRack? It is heavy but barely gets warm on long rappels. My idea was to design a rack where the size of the bars was proportional to the amount of heat that they would absorb during a long rappel.
In this case, I chose the Jumar 79 because it is a comfortable one for my hands. From the perspective of practicality, I should have chosen the Modified small CMI UltrAscenders, or possibly the Modified large CMI UltrAscenders.
The PMI Double Roller Chest Box was simply the best box on the market. There is no reason to change my decision here.

Wall Climbing


Trango Jaws	Modified Large CMI UltrAscenders	Rock Exotica Wall Hauler

Big wall climbing is not my area of expertise, although I've dabbled in it. That said, I have a couple preferences, but can easily see why others would choose differently.

The Trango Jaws is the only device design of this size and weight that I feel comfortable rappelling down my 9 mm. haul line. One caution: like all belay tubes and tubers, these can get very hot on rappels.
I chose my Modified Large CMI UltrAscenders over the small ones because jugging with aiders & daisy chains is not nearly as efficient as it is with a "real" ascending system, and so having a good handle to pull on justifies the extra weight. I stay with an milled-frame ascender because they are far more rugged than the stamped frame type.
The Rock Exotica Wall Hauler is an improvement over the traditional Jumar haul system that more than justifies carrying the additional weight. There are lighter and smaller options, but this one is good enough for me.

Rappelling, Back in the Day


U. of Virginia Rappelling Log	Rappelevator	Cuddington Spool

Let us not forget our American history:

This idea was from 1955. Beware. One caver soaked their log in linseed oil for two weeks prior to using it in Catawba Murder Hole (on a manila rope). Friction ignited the oil, and the log burned with a 3" flame.
Joe Voigt took a barrel of toroidal steel tie-down rings for an Atlas rocket and manufactured these in the late 1950’s. The rappelevator passes knots with ease
This spool used to belong to the legendary Sara Corrie.

Cool & Clever


Cardiac Arrestor	Rappelestein	Coat Hanger

Now let’s leave the realm of practicality and look at some descenders that are favorites of mine for completely impractical reasons.

I love this eight! Not only does it look cool, but it has the best name of any descender that I know. I've had mine for many years, and the name still gets to me. This one is blue-green, but I prefer the bright red version, for obvious reasons.
Don Shofstall invented the rappelestein in 1965, and I made this copy about ten years later. No self-respecting caver would go to a caver party without one.
Rick Banning’s wonderful jest from 1968 actually works.

Absurd Eights


Radeberger Haken	Rocksport	Russ Anderson Steel 8 with Ears

The figure eight is supposed to be a small lightweight descender. These do not quite achieve that goal.

This stainless steel monster weighs nearly two kilograms and is almost the size of a toilet seat. Not what I want to carry in my cave pack.
The Rocksport is five times the weight of a typical deaf eight. Made from phosphor bronze, you can give up any hope of wearing this beast out.
This Russ Anderson eight was made for the "Bigger is Better" crowd. Others, such as CMC, Kong, and PMI offer similar canoe anchors. They weigh almost as much as the Rocksport.

Ridiculous Racks


Mio Mechanical Mio-R	R.E.D.E.	Extended Brake Bars

"The Rappel Rack is the best rappel device in the world." John Cole invented the ideal descender, but people can't resist the urge to "improve" upon the original. These three are interesting failures. Don't get me started on hyperbars.

Take the simplicity of an open-frame rack, close the frame, enlarge the bars, add a whirly-wheel gizmo and a "safety" lever, and the result is this 2+ kilo caver’s nightmare. Fortunately, it wasn't made for us and so we don't have to use it in our world.
The R.E.D.E. is too large and heavy for my taste, but it is a clever design.
In 2009, someone spotted this idea in some photos on an older base-jumping site and discussed it at some length on one of the caving boards, calling the idea "suicide." I made some long bars to try, and disagree. The idea is clever, but the bars tend to stab me in the gut.

Stupid Lawyer Tricks


Rollgliss	MSA Dynescape 506416	Petzl Exo

When lawyers get involved, manufacturers write the most stupid things:

Consider the following extracts from the Rollgliss user’s manual:
- The Unit is delivered with the rope already correctly threaded.
- The Unit may only be opened by the manufacturer or a person authorized by the manufacturer to do so.
- A rope may only be replaced by the Rollgliss Company or by Rettungsgeräte BRDA GmbH otherwise no responsibility can be accepted.
- The rope has to be pulled back after each roping down operation. To achieve this, hold the Rollgliss 200 unit in one hand and place the brake and control lever in the central position. You, or another person, can now pull the rope back to its starting position.
…but they still print rigging directions on the inside!
Reading the MSA Dynescape manual, one instruction is particularly onerous: "Return to manufacturer for inspection after each use." Really?
For years I could not buy a Petzl Exo. On Rope 1 tried to get one for me, but Laurel Smith, Regional Sales & Support Representative of Petzl America wrote the following (email dated September 3, 2008, quoting Michel Goulet, Manager - Work and Rescue Division):
"We can send an EXO descender (only) free of charge, but we need a letter addressed to Petzl America stating that the device will not be used, that it is intended for exhibit purpose only and when it will be returned to us."
I could get one only if I promised never to use it?

Fun Designs


Famau	Interalp Camp Job	Stubai Tricouni K Climbing Irons

These three just look cool.

I saw my first Famau at Eastern Mountain Sports in 1976. Roland Brown gave me his in 1979. I did not see another Famau until 2002. Since then, I've collected several.
I first found out about the Job when I acquired my Interalp Camp Look ascenders during a visit to Italy in 1982. The two are designed to be used together, and they share the same instruction sheet.
The Stubai Tricouni K Climbing Irons are one of the most bizarre ascenders in my collection. The eyes must be uppermost initially then pulled down through 180° to grip with the two small hooks engaging the rope to be climbed.

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My Three Favorites

The Holy Trinity

Collection Specials

Normal Caving, Short Drops

Normal Caving, Longer Drops

Deepest Pits

Wall Climbing

Rappelling, Back in the Day

Cool & Clever

Absurd Eights

Ridiculous Racks

Stupid Lawyer Tricks

Fun Designs