BELAYING TO THE SECOND WITH MICRO TRAXION
SECURE THE SECOND WITH MICRO TRAXION, ATTENTION TO ANY FALL
The MICRO TRAXION is not a belay device. It has not been designed or certified for this use. But, for practical reasons, it is sometimes used to belay a climber from the belay anchor. For this reason, Petzl has carried out a series of tests to understand the limits and risks of this practice.
SECURITY ALERTS
- Please read the technical data sheet carefully before consulting the following techniques.
- You must understand the data sheet information in order to understand this informational supplement.
- Mastering these techniques requires specific training and training.
- Confirm through a professional your ability to execute these techniques, alone and in complete safety, before executing them autonomously.
The use of a blocking pulley, to belay a second, allows us to consider that it is possible to always keep the rope taut above the climber and thus avoid any fall.
To do this, the belayer must be especially attentive, must recover the rope as progress is made and not leave slack between the anchor and the climber.
Specifically, when approaching the anchorage and during belay manoeuvres, a 50 cm rope slack forms very quickly, one must be wary of each step taken by the climber.
It is recommended that the climber is informed of the use of this technique to belay and that he knows its limits, so that he himself can adopt the appropriate precautions.
Some situations can complicate the maneuver and increase the risk:
- Collapse with the risk that the climber will not be able to overcome it: if the second is suspended from the rope, it is very difficult to allow him to descend safely. The belayer should rather consider a hoist to help you get over the step.
- Long flanking end: when the last quickdraw is removed, there is a risk of falling directly onto the anchor. If the rope has recovered well following the climber's progression, it is a pendulum fall.
- Eventual movements during maneuvers in the meeting. Attention, the climber must not climb above the level of the anchorage and/or above the MICRO TRAXION.
Tests carried out to better understand the risks of this use:
The drop tests have been carried out with a soft dummy (behavior similar to that of a human body). Attention, the results of these tests must be taken only as an indication, many factors can aggravate the results. In any of the cases it is advisable to avoid any fall.
Note: A single complete rope break was observed during these tests, on a heavily worn rope (result in red). The results marked in orange represent the breakage of the rope sheath and one or more core threads, and this already corresponds to a particularly dangerous situation for the climber.
Measurement of the height of the critical fall based on the weight of the climber.
Test carried out in a factor 1 fall, with a new 9 mm VOLTA GUIDE rope.
Comparison in fall factor 1, with a new double PASS rope end of 7.7.
Comparison of the results in case of using a worn rope
Attention, the behavior of worn strings cannot be repeated (depending on their degree of wear and the type of wear), these results are only indicative (the tests have been carried out with a very worn string, at the end of its life). useful life).
Essentially, it must be remembered that in this use, a worn string must be used with even more vigilance than a new string. (As opposed to a downhill braking situation where the new rope tends to be more slippery.)
Pendulum drop tests
In the case of a long flanking finish, the risk of pendulum landing cannot be avoided.
The tests have been carried out for a quite real case of a fall with a 2 m rope when the climber is 1.8 m from the anchorage, at the same level.
Tests carried out with new rope only.
