Front	Rear

Top	Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired my Protecta International AC400 Viper from Inner Mountain Outfitters in 2003.

My Protecta International AC400 Viper is 110 mm. long, 93 mm. wide, 27 mm. high, and weighs 439 g.

The Viper consists of two plated steel plates plates enclosing an actuating lever and a rope anvil. Each side plate has a 15.3 mm. wide, 12.2 mm. high oval attachment hole at the right side of the ascender. A 6 mm. rivet on the left side supports the actuating lever. The actuating lever is spring-loaded counter-clockwise, toward the anvil. The left side of the lever is rounded, while the right side, which contacts the rope, is flat. A 6 mm. special rivet attaches an anvil to the lower part of the rear plate. A groove in this bolt engages a notch in the front plate. Another rivet prevents anvil rotation. The anvil is made of four stacked steel plate stampings. The lower portion of the two middle plates are shorter than the others. A soft synthetic rubber sleeve sits between the outer plates here, surrounding the special rivet.

The front is stamped with "PROTECTA INTERNATIONAL" and their logo, "CE0086," "EN353-2," "No001880-01," an up-pointing arrow labeled "UP," "VIPER," "Ø 10,5-12,5 mm. (tressé)," "Ø 7/16-1/2 inch (braided)," "Made in EEC," and a book-with-an-"i" icon. The inside of the rear plate is stamped with a rigging illustration and an up-pointing arrow labeled "UP."

Comments

The AC400 Viper a lever and anvil arrangement similar to that found on the Troll Rocker or the Ural Alp Basic ascenders. The Viper is designed for 10.5 mm. braided rope (including kernmantle).