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Fixed Multibar Descenders

Many of these are whaletails. These achieved popularity in Australia, but because of some early incidents, they never caught on in the USA. Personally, I think that their weight makes them too heavy for general use, but their ruggedness is advantageous for some rescue applications.

I've also included some related and rather unusual devices here.

Gallery

Image ID Device ↓ Description Acquired Weight ↓ Height ↓ Width ↓ Thickness ↓ Std. volume ↓
American Engineering 406 American Engineering Milled Al whaletail, soft anodized, 7 bar, double ended, 2 horns, full length safety gate John E. Weinel, Inc., 1991 743 284 95 19 513
American Rescue Systems 405 American Rescue Systems 5 unfinished bars bolted to each side of aluminum spine, hinged steel sides John E. Weinel, Inc., 1989 1471 323 82 51 1351
Army Lowering Device, Version A 404 Army Lowering Device, Version A Five hollow bars welded to a stamped frame, hard anodized, sewn sling, clip Jacques Grieff, 1986 633 243 59 38 545
Army Lowering Device, Version B 526 Army Lowering Device, Version B Five hollow bars welded to a stamped frame, hard anodized, like #404 w/o sling Paragear, 1995 358 243 59 38 545
CMI CMIGT 3261 CMI CMIGT Milled Al whaletail, soft anodized, 6 bar, double ended, 2 safety gates, machined gate nuts, eye groove, hole CMI, 2023 729 298 79 25 598
Krok Crab Heavy 1353 Krok Crab Heavy Bent steel plate, 2 x 3 bollards /w swinging gates, 2 x side bollards with bent end plates. Gear4Rocks, 2012 1278 184 163 44 1323
Krok Crab Light 1354
1358
Krok Crab Light Bent steel plate, 2 x 3 bollards /w swinging gates, 2 x side bollards with bent end plates, front strap. Gear4Rocks, 2012 725 140 151 42 882
Krok Half Crab 1095 Krok Half Crab Bent steel plate, 3 bollards /w swinging gate, side bollard with bent end plate. PetrenkoWorld, 2007 662 202 79 36 582
Krok SUR 1391 Krok SUR Steel frame, 4 full and two half Al bollards, sliding cover, spring-loaded latch Gear4Rocks, 2013 561 244 50 37 446
Rocky Mountain Rescue Group Belay Plate 918 Rocky Mountain Rescue Group Belay Plate Milled Al whaletail, hard anodized, 2-sided, 4-bar, double-ended, oval eyes 2002 413 278 76 14 289
Rope Fire Escape Manufacturers (a.k.a. Plush) Descende 3284 Rope Fire Escape Manufacturers (a.k.a. Plush) Descender Cast Fe descender /w 13.7mm. manila rope Renee Hastings, 2023 275 174 43 24 180
Russian Scissors 905
2414
Russian Scissors (Ножницы) Milled steel, unfinished, Slotted frame with pivoting bar piece, round eyes
  • John E. Weinel, Inc., 2001
  • Bob Thrun Collection, 2017
368 240 35 9 76
Single Rope Technique GT16a 576 Single Rope Technique GT16a Milled Al whaletail, soft anodized, 4 bar, double ended, safety gate, machined gate nut, eye groove Single Rope Technique Equipment, 2000 499 216 79 25 435
Single Rope Technique GTL 413 Single Rope Technique GTL Milled Al whaletail, soft anodized,5 bar, double ended, 2 safety gates John E. Weinel, Inc., 1989 600 245 80 25 490
Single Rope Technique GTM 410
2430
Single Rope Technique GTM Milled Al whaletail, soft anodized,3 bar, single ended, safety gate
  • John E. Weinel, Inc., 1989
  • Bob Thrun Collection, 2017
297 121 80 25 242
Single Rope Technique GTR5a 572 Single Rope Technique GTR5a Milled Al whaletail, soft anodized, 6 bar, double ended, 2 safety gates, machined gate nuts, eye groove, hole Single Rope Technique Equipment, 2000 721 297 79 25 596
Single Rope Technique GTRa 571 Single Rope Technique GTRa Milled Al whaletail, soft anodized, 5 bar, double ended, 2 safety gates, machined gate nuts, eye groove, hole Single Rope Technique Equipment, 2000 617 255 79 25 512
Single Rope Technique S150, Version A 414
2431
Single Rope Technique S150, Version A Milled Al whaletail, soft anodized,5 bar, double ended, 2 safety gates, machined gate nuts, eye groove
  • Raven Products, 1990
  • Bob Thrun Collection, 2017
623 245 80 25 490
Single Rope Technique S150, Version B 415 Single Rope Technique S150, Version B Milled Al whaletail, soft anodized,5 bar, double ended, 2 safety gates, machined gate nuts, eye groove, hole Inner Mountain Outfitters, 1991 626 245 80 25 490
Single Rope Technique S160, Version A 411
412
Single Rope Technique S160, Version A Milled Al whaletail, soft anodized,3 bar, double ended, safety gate, machined gate nut, eye groove
  • Raven Products, 1990
  • Inner Mountain Outfitters, 1991
340 155 82 25 318
Single Rope Technique S160, Version B 2517 Single Rope Technique S160, Version B Milled Al whaletail, soft anodized,3 bar, double ended, safety gate, machined gate nut, eye groove Ed Sira, 2019 339 155 80 25 314
Snake 408 Snake Bent from 10 mm. stainless steel rod John E. Weinel, Inc., 1986 443 376 80 10 301
Spelean Whaletail, Version A 409 Spelean Whaletail, Version A Cast whaletail, unfinished,6 bar, double ended, safety gate Speleoshoppe, 1979 524 275 65 28 501
Spelean Whaletail, Version B 1319 Spelean Whaletail, Version B Milled Al whaletail, unfinished,6 bar, double ended, safety gate Tactical & Rescue Gear, 2012 556 275 73 32 638
Storrick – Gerald Wood Whaletail 1171 Storrick – Gerald Wood Whaletail Milled Al whaletail, unfinished, 4 bar Gary Storrick, 2008 624 252 60 20 295
Storrick – Abalone Descender 3265 Storrick – Abalone Descender Milled Al wrap-type whaletail, 5 bars, 2 ears Gary Storrick, 2023 591 279 67 21 387
Storrick Whaletail 416 Storrick Whaletail Milled Al whaletail, unfinished, 6 bar, double ended, 2 safety gates, noncommercial Robert W. Storrick, 1978 710 280 72 25 504
TDPUSA Model FLR-5 1397 TDPUSA Model FLR-5 Milled Al whaletail, unfinished, 6 bar, double ended, 2 safety gates /w plastic thumb nuts Kent Luttrell, 2013 705 298 81 25 612
TDPUSA Model FLR-5 2448 Unknown Whaletail Milled Al whaletail, unfinished, 6 bar, double ended, safety gates, noncommercial Bill Liebman, 2017 550 277 47 19 239

Fixed-bar Height Chart

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