Rope access descenders for caving

[JoW]

Question mainly for the rope access folks around here, or those familiar with rope access equipment.

I have been a happy user of a Petzl Rig for 5 years or so now, and am very happy with it's function (auto locking, ability to belay and haul with it). The only gripe is the pin inside which wears out a little more quickly than I might wish for. So I'm wondering if there are any other rope access descenders that people have experience using for caving and have found to be an improvement. I would prefer one that is rated for 9mm rope, but it's not a deal breaker if it works appropriately. Would like auto locking and ideally not anti panic (unless it's not too obtrusive).

Before anyone starts I'm not interested in going back to using a stop or other similar device as they don't fulfill my requirements. If there is no device that offers improvement on a Rig I will continue to use it and accept the increased need for replacement due to wear. Just wondering if anyone has used anything else that has been worked well for them.

 

[Oscar D]

Skylotec Spark? Not used it myself but I’ve heard good things.

 

[pwhole]

That does look interesting actually, if a bit pricey - but if the pricey translates into tough, then I guess it's worth it - certainly for work. But it's a lot of money for caving use only.

 

[cap n chris]

Harken Industries Clutch is an absolutely gorgeous descender with a host of rescue applications too. Heavy and not cheap but stainless so proper proper. Loved it. But.

 

[Badlad]

Yes, try the Skylotec Spark (or Sirius) as an alternative to the Rig. Retail at about £180 only a little more than a Rig. The Harken Clutch is a great device for industry but hardly anyone uses them as they retail at £700. I'm not sure you'd find them great for caving anyway.

I'm a Stop user myself (new version), but I did use one of my Rigs for caving for a short period. It was fine but a little bulky for my liking. If you are happy with the Rig size then I think the Spark would be a good alternative. Wear and tear will depend much on the type of trips you do. I can't really say on how it will cope with the underground environment but I doubt it will be any worse than your Rig and may be more robust.

 

[JoW]

Thanks, I'll have a look at the spark. The £700 option is a little bit out of budget...

 

[georgenorth]

I had a play with the Spark at work a while ago. I liked it and would have no problem using one. I’ve also got no idea how long it will last for caving though.

It’s a real shame that bollard on the Rig wears out so quickly - it goes long before any other part of the device, which is otherwise nearly perfect.