Stop Bobbins

Bobbins are mechanical descenders where the rope path follows the S-shaped path shown in the figure. The braking surface typically consists of two non-rotating bollards fixed to a side plate, with a second pivoting side plate provided to keep the rope from jumping off the other end of the bollards. A third (usually smaller) bollard may be provided. The seat maillon usually attaches to holes in extensions of the two side plates; these holes are aligned when the side plates pivot to the closed position.

Some bobbins have a mechanism that applies additional braking force if the rappeller releases or squeezes (depending on the design) a handle on the bobbin. Plain bobbins have no such mechanism. I divide the bobbins with such mechanisms into these groups:

1. Stop Bobbins, the subject of this page, where the main upper bollard is fixed to the rear plate, the main lower bollard is fixed to a rotating lever that moves in one direction to stop and the other for descending,

2. Double-Stop Bobbins, where the main upper bollard is fixed to the rear plate, the main lower bollard is fixed to a rotating lever that moves in either direction to stop and to the center for descending, and

3. Near Bobbins, where the two main bollards are attached to a rotating lever. These may have a double stop feature, and attachments to provide for a double stop are available for most of those that do not.

I find that the Petzl Stop is more likely to stop me than the Diablo, Dressler or Kong - in fact, on a clean rope, I can often rappel with the latter ones locked off. The Tracson is a complex device that I've included here rather than create a new category. It combines a Jumar-type cam with a bobbin into a single rappel and ascent device. I would not like to rely on the stop feature because of the sharp cam teeth. My first Tracson immediately bent both times that I tested it, and I haven't used it since. Its an interesting idea, but I think it needs more work to be practical.

ID	Device ↓	Description	Acquired	Weight ↓	Height ↓	Width ↓	Thickness ↓	Std. volume ↓
2468	Венто (Vento)	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, stamped gate	Alexander Starkov, 2017	317	211	56	30	354
431	BO.VE Diablo	Bent frame, solid spools, round brake, no-stop lock, stamped gate	Repetto Sport, 1982	327	223	63	32	450
451	Cascade (Каскад)	Bent frame, solid upper spool (cut), solid lower spool /w round stop, aux. rod, wire gate	Vladimir Kisseljov and Ilia Alexandrov, 1994	246	222	55	32	391
3018	Chinese	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, plastic gate	Strade FarEast Ltd. (3cdeal_sfc), 2021	342	218	61	33	431
1383 2435	Climb Tech	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, plastic gate	Climb Tech, 2012 Bob Thrun Collection, 2017	342	219	60	33	433
432	Dressler DAD	Bent frame, irregular cast spools, open top	Repetto Sport, 1982	247	179	51	32	292
2464	Epic Peak	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, plastic gate	Epic Peak, 2017	343	219	64	32	446
3053	Fiolent (Фиолент)	Bent frame, solid upper (cut) & lower (/w steel brake) spools, stamped gate	Denis Pivot, 2021	278	244	69	29	485
1418	Good Makings	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, plastic gate	Yungfeng Xiao, 2014	342	217	64	32	445
3311 3312	I Climb (元鴻興有限公司) #659B	Al plates, ss anvil, ss cam on Al handle, plastic cleat	I Climb via Kevin M. Mai ZhongJie, 2023	434	131	86	41	458
1434	Kong, Version A	Bent frame, solid spools, cut lower spool, top brake linked to handle, stamped gate	Clear Out Our Stuff, 2015	398	232	55	27	342
522	Kong, Version B	Bent frame, solid spools, cut lower spool, top brake linked to handle, stamped gate	Inner Mountain Outfitters, 1996	397	230	65	32	478
528	Kong, Version B (modified)	Bent frame, solid spools, cut lower spool reversed, top brake linked to handle, stamped gate	Inner Mountain Outfitters, 1997	397	230	65	32	478
2553	Kong Pirata	Stamped frame, cast Al spools,spring-loaded plastic handle, stamped gate	Karst Sports, 2020	421	177	61	40	436
3024	Kong-Bonaiti, Version A	Bent frame pivots at top bar, solid spools, cut lower spool, top brake linked to handle, stamped gate	Avi Basri, 2021	399	239	60	31	446
433	Kong-Bonaiti, Version B	Bent frame pivots at top bar, solid spools, cut lower spool, top brake linked to handle, stamped gate	Speleoshoppe, 1982	400	239	60	30	430
1344	Krok Desant	Bent frame, solid spools	Gear4Rocks, 2012	373	184	84	26	403
1392	Krok Desant Classic	Bent frame, solid spools (cut), aux. rod, wire gate	Gear4Rocks, 2013	410	196	118	29	666
1345	Krok Grisha, Version A	Stamped frame, milled cam on spring-loaded handle, single rope	Gear4Rocks, 2012	399	156	84	31	402
1357 1362	Krok Grisha, Version B	Stamped frame, milled cam on spring-loaded handle, single rope	Gear4Rocks, 2012 Krok (Alex Dniprovsky & Alex Kostromitinov), 2012	402	135	109	36	526
1454	NTR	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, plastic gate	Linko Chen, 2015	343	218	62	32	436
2595	Orion-Alp (Орион-Альп)	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, stamped gate	Artyom Babin (Артём Бабин), 2020	352	216	59	32	408
435	Petzl Stop, Version A	Bent frame, solid upper (cut) & lower (/w steel brake) spools, stamped gate	Repetto Sport, 1982	289	225	61	33	453
436	Petzl Stop, Version B	Bent frame, solid upper (cut) & lower (/w steel brake) spools, stamped gate	Caves Unlimited, 1984	302	226	64	32	463
1324	Petzl Stop, Version C	Bent frame, solid upper (cut) & lower (/w steel brake) spools, stamped gate	Geoffrey Storey, 2012	297	231	63	32	463
2420	Petzl Stop, Version D	Bent frame, solid upper (cut) & lower (/w steel brake) spools, stamped gate	Bob Thrun Collection, 2017	309	229	62	32	458
437	Petzl Stop, Version E	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, stamped gate	John E. Weinel, Inc., ~1987	327	240	63	32	484
2586 3141	Petzl Stop, Version F	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, stamped gate	Seth Parks, 2021 Gregory Jones, 2022	325	225	61	32	443
438 3020	Petzl Stop, Version G	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, stamped gate	Bob & Bob, 1991 Avi Basri, 2021	322	225	62	32	446
3160	Petzl Stop, Version H	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, stamped gate	Wade S Walker, 2022	327	223	62	32	445
541	Petzl Stop, Version I	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, plastic gate	TSA, 1997	325	223	68	32	485
3026	Petzl Stop, Version J	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, plastic gate	Joe Nicely, 2021	323	223	68	32	484
2526	Petzl Stop, Version K	Stamped frame, cast SS spools, aux. rod, spring-loaded plastic handle, plastic gate	Petzl America, 2019	348	200	70	38	533
1368	Rock Empire	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, plastic gate	Climbing Terekpl, 2012	341	220	59	32	418
518	Russian, Version A	Bent frame, solid upper spool (cut), solid lower, stamped gate	Theresa Williams/Maury Benamy, 1995	255	220	62	27	368
973	Russian, Version B	Bent frame, solid upper spool (cut), solid lower, aux. rod, stamped gate	Ural Sport, 2004	286	208	74	30	459
452	S.A.R.L. Voynett Tracson, Version A	Combination bobbin and ascender	Repetto Sport, 1982	580	192	107	50	1027
2409	S.A.R.L. Voynett Tracson, Version B	Combination bobbin and ascender	Bob Thrun Collection, 2017	589	192	107	50	1027
3264	S.E.Peak	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, plastic gate	Amazon.com, 2023	341	219	63	33	448
3373	Sluka - Stibrányi	Stamped Al frame, solid Ti spools, handle on upper spool,stamped gate	Martin Sluka, 2024	326	202	64	32	417
3044	SunniMix	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, plastic gate	Strade FarEast Limited (sportsloving), 2021	339	219	66	33	469
2503	TAZ Lov2	Al plates, ss anvil, ss cam on plastic handle, plastic cleat	Omni Pro Gear, 2018	364	154	84	42	534
2597	TAZ Lov3	Al plates, ss anvil, ss cam on plastic handle, plastic cleat	Omni Pro Gear, 2021	387	152	84	44	563
3019 3037	Tupa	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, plastic gate	Runwu Silent (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd. （润物无声（深圳）科技有限公司）, 2021 Strade FarEast Ltd., 2021	341	218	61	33	436
1468	Vento (Венто)	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, plastic gate	Carl Janysek, 2015	340	218	64	33	452
3115	Vertical (Вертикаль), Version A	Bent frame, solid upper (cut) & lower (/w steel brake) spools, stamped gate, no gate spring	Artyom Babin (Артём Бабин), 2021	391	210	67	28	390
2594	Vertical (Вертикаль), Version B	Bent frame, cast upper & lower spools, aux. rod, stamped gate	Artyom Babin (Артём Бабин), 2020	348	210	74	29	446
3167	Vertical (Вертикаль), Version C	Bent frame, cast upper & lower spools, aux. rod, stamped gate	Vertical (Вертикаль), 2022	343	221	54	33	399
3033	Xinda King Kong	Stamped frame, solid upper spool (cut), cast ribbed lower spool /w stop, aux. rod, wire gate	Kangjin Liao (e4store), 2021	316	236	63	32	466