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Prototype, Version A
Prototype, Version B
Prototype, Version C
Prototype, Version D
Prototype, Version E
Prototype, Version F
Production Model, Version A
Production Model, Version B
Keychain
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| Prototype, Version A | Prototype, Version B | Prototype, Version C |
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| Prototype, Version D | Prototype, Version E | Prototype, Version F |
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| Production Model, Version A | Production Model, Version B | Keychain |
Carroll Bassett originally sold equipment under the name "Vertical Supply" before switching to "Bassett Metal Studios (BMS)" in the mid-1990s.
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| Front View: Open for Rigging | Rear View: Open for Rigging |
I acquired this Rappel Tube Prototype from Vertical Supply in1994. Carroll Bassett gave me another in 2023.
This Rappel Tube Prototype is 168 mm. tall, 84 mm. wide, 100 mm. thick, and weighs 438 g.
The tube is 1-5/8 inch 304 stainless steel tubing. The inner end has holes through which pass an 11 mm. rod with an eye at the lower end and a hook at the upper. A second hole on top engages the hook when the device is in use. A horizontal rope retention rod passes through and is welded to the outer end.
There are no markings on the Rappel Tube.
This prototype differed from the production model in several respects. The rope guide was in line with the center of the tube, so the rope ended up bending around the guide. This was not desirable since the guide would overheat. The retention pin was installed horizontally, which worked, but made the device unwieldy for packing into a cave pack.
Carroll told me that under some circumstances, the rope could slip over the top of the guide. I have not observed this, and later versions did not seem to have the same problem.
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| Front View: Open for Rigging | Rear View: Open for Rigging |
Carroll Bassett gave me this prototype in 2023.
This Rappel Tube Prototype is 151 mm. tall, 103 mm. wide, 69 mm. thick, and weighs 333 g.
The tube is 1-5/8 inch aluminum tubing. The inner end has holes through which pass an 11 mm. rod with an eye at the lower end and a hook at the upper. A second hole on top engages the hook when the device is in use. A vertical rope retention rod passes through and is welded to the outer end.
There are no markings on the Rappel Tube.
Using aluminum instead of stainless steel for the tube reduces the weight of this spool. Aluminum is also a far better thermal conductor than stainless, which helps this version run cooler. On the other hand, aluminum wears far more quickly, and failure of the walls would be catastrophic. In my opinion, aluminum is not a good choice for a rappel tube, and apparently Carroll felt the same.
Welding a stainless retention rod to an aluminum tube would not be practical. Using a split pin for the retention rod is not a bad idea, but it seems that the holes were oversize. Carroll pressed ball bearing balls into the split pin and then crimped the ends to hold them in place, thereby locking the pin in position.
[ Top | Prototype v. A | Prototype v. B | Prototype v. D | Prototype v. E | Prototype v. F | Production v. A | Production v. B | Keychain | Return to Horizontal Spools ]
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| Front View | Rear View | Side View |
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| Front View: Open for Rigging | Rear View: Open for Rigging |
Carroll Bassett gave me this prototype in 2023.
This Rappel Tube Prototype is 157 mm. tall, 103 mm. wide, 67 mm. thick, and weighs 502 g.
The tube is 1-5/8 inch 304 stainless steel tubing. The inner end has holes through which pass an 11 mm. rod with an eye at the lower end and a hook at the upper. A second hole on top engages the hook when the device is in use. A vertical rope retention rod passes through and is welded to the outer end.
There are no markings on the Rappel Tube.
This prototype is similar to Production Version B. The following differences are minor:
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Carroll Bassett gave me this prototype in 2023.
This Rappel Tube Prototype is 164 mm. tall, 100 mm. wide, 58 mm. thick, and weighs 483 g.
The tube is 1-5/8 inch 304 stainless steel tubing. The inner end has holes through which pass an 11 mm. rod with an eye at the lower end and a horizontal hook at the upper end, with the opening outward. A vertical rope retention rod passes through a hole to the outer end. Both rods are welded in place at their top hole penetrations.
There are no markings on the Rappel Tube.
Fixing the main rod with the hook and eye adds a second weld to the production cost. The advantage is that the fixed hook is faster to rig and derig. The disadvantage is that the rope is not captured as securely. Ultimately, security and cost won over speed.
[ Top | Prototype v. A | Prototype v. B | Prototype v. C | Prototype v. D | Prototype v. F | Production v. A | Production v. B | Keychain | Return to Horizontal Spools ]
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Carroll Bassett gave me this prototype in 2023.
This Rappel Tube Prototype is 168 mm. tall, 84 mm. wide, 100 mm. thick, and weighs 438 g.
The tube is 1-5/8 inch 304 stainless steel tubing. The inner end has holes through which pass an 11 mm. rod with an eye at the lower end and a horizontal hook at the upper end, with the opening inward. A vertical rope retention rod passes through a hole to the outer end. Both rods are welded in place at their top hole penetrations.
There are no markings on the Rappel Tube.
Prototype Version E differs from Version D as follows:
[ Top | Prototype v. A | Prototype v. B | Prototype v. C | Prototype v. D | Prototype v. E | Production v. A | Production v. B | Keychain | Return to Horizontal Spools ]
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| Front View: Open for Rigging | Rear View: Open for Rigging |
Ed Sira gave me this prototype in 2023. Carroll Bassett had given it to him roughly thirty years earlier for pre-production testing.
This Rappel Tube Prototype is 168 mm. tall, 102 mm. wide, 59 mm. thick, and weighs 438 g.
The tube is 1-5/8 inch 304 stainless steel tubing.The inner end has holes through which pass an 11 mm. rod with an eye at the lower end and a hook at the upper. A second hole on top engages the hook when the device is in use. A vertical rope retention rod passes through and is welded to the outer end.
There are no markings on the Rappel Tube.
This prototype is nearly identical to Production Model Version A, except that it lacks the cooling sponge. Ed's testing revealed that the tube would easily overheat, possibly risking rope damage, and so the sponge was added to the production models.
[ Top | Prototype v. A | Prototype v. B | Prototype v. C | Prototype v. D | Prototype v. E | Prototype v. F | Production v. B | Keychain | Return to Horizontal Spools ]
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| Front View | Rear View | Side View |
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| Front View: Open for Rigging | Rear View: Open for Rigging |
Carroll Bassett gave me this prototype in 2023.
This Rappel Tube is 145 mm. tall, 112 mm. wide, 59 mm. thick, and weighs 498 g.
The tube is 1-5/8 inch 304 stainless steel tubing.The inner end has holes through which pass an 11 mm. rod with an eye at the lower end and a hook at the upper. A second hole on top engages the hook when the device is in use. A vertical rope retention rod passes through and is welded to the outer end.
There are no markings on the Rappel Tube.
The Rappel Tube was a relatively recent reintroduction of the rappel spool idea. To rig the rope the tube is slid down the rod toward the eye, and then rotated 90 to 180 degrees. The rope is inserted into the hook, and the hook is rotated back into place and slid down into the tube. The rope is then wound around the remainder of the tube. I find that two to three total wraps are about right. The long pin keeps the tag end from coming off the spool.
One nice touch is a sponge stuffed inside the tube. This can be wetted before use to help keep the tube cool. This is more important than it sounds. Rappel Tubes do not bend the rope much, and so little descent energy is transferred to the rope interior; instead, almost all of it goes to heating the tube. Without cooling, they can easily overheat.
[ Top | Prototype v. A | Prototype v. B | Prototype v. C | Prototype v. D | Prototype v. E | Prototype v. F | Production v. A | Keychain | Return to Horizontal Spools ]
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I acquired my Vertical Supply Rappel Tube, Version A from Vertical Supply in 1993.
This Rappel Tube is 149 mm. tall, 102 mm. wide, 58 mm. thick, and weighs 475 g.
The tube is 1-5/8 inch 304 stainless steel tubing.The inner end has holes through which pass an 11 mm. rod with an eye at the lower end and a hook at the upper. A second hole on top engages the hook when the device is in use. A vertical rope retention rod passes through and is welded to the outer end.
There are no markings on the Rappel Tube.
Production Version B has a shorter tube than Version A, saving about 25 g. Version B has a matte finish while Version A is polished.
[ Top | Prototype v. A | Prototype v. B | Prototype v. C | Prototype v. D | Prototype v. E | Prototype v. F | Production v. A | Production v. B | Return to Horizontal Spools ]
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| Front View | Rear View | Left Side View | Right Side View |
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| Front View: Open for Rigging | Rear View: Open for Rigging |
I acquired my Vertical Supply Rappel Tube, Version A from Vertical Supply in 1993.
This Rappel Tube is 77 mm. tall, 27 mm. wide, 38 mm. thick, and weighs 36 g.
The tube is 18 mm. galvanized tubing and the rods are 4.7 mm. steel.
There are no markings on the Rappel Tube.
Carroll made this as a curiosity and did not intend that it be used as a descender. When I asked him if he had ever tied it, he laughed, suggesting that he has more sense than me.
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