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Version A
Version B
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[ Top | Version B | Return to Brake Bar Descenders ]
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Kris Wild donated this Coe Descender in 2016. It was used by Squamish Search & Rescue until they converted to another device.
Version A is 101 mm. tall, 70 mm. wide, 22 mm. thick, and weighs 327 g.
There are no markings on this device.
My first impression of the Coe Descenders wa "Wow, are these heavy!" They are made from steel and the bars are solid, not tubular. These are descenders that would outlast many others.
A single Coe Descender does not provide enough friction for most people and situations, so they are normally used in pairs (or occasionally triples), much like the classic Carabiners with Brake Bars.
The classic Carabiners with Brake Bars rappel can place a side load on the carabiner gate, possibly leading to failure. The Coe descender eliminates this by eliminating the carabiner gate. In the process, though, the latching feature was lost, and the bars on the Coe swing freely. The user must be careful, since the rope can come free if the device goes slack (say, from stepping on a ledge during descent).
The Coe Descender was made by Pentincton Engineering. I first learned of them from Tom Martin’s book Rappelling, and they were the final devices that I needed from that book. Thank you Kris!
[ Top | Version A | Return to Brake Bar Descenders ]
 |
|
| Front | Rear |
 |
| Open for Rigging |
Kris Wild donated this Coe Descender in 2016. It was used by Squamish Search & Rescue until they converted to another device.
Version B is 103 mm. tall, 109 mm. wide, 22 mm. thick, and weighs 449 g.
There are no markings on this device.
Version B has a longer brake bar, and this increases the descender’s weight by 37%. While the longer bar may help with tie-offs, it really does not provide much security when used that way. It does help reduce the likelihood of the device coming off rope if the device goes slack, but again, this is not entirely secure - so be vigilant when using either of these.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Return to Brake Bar Descenders ]
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