New Petzl Pantin. (Rubbish).

I left my SRT kit on the cliffs and it got very very shagged indeed. I got on the blower to Tony at Starless River and ordered new stuff. The AV harness was lovely (since upgraded to an MTDE top and bottom) and the new Petzl Ascenders were utter rubbish. I recall being stunned by their flimsy construction (you can bend them with your hands) and size wise, they are probably better suited to the fairer sex. It seems that Petzl have wandered away from cavers with their desire for bombproof equipment and are pursuing some other market. I bought some CT ascenders, as they were basically like the OLD Petzl ones, with the metal catches (a feature lost in their last sacrifice of quality). I tried a CT foot ascender, because I was so happy with the chest and hand ascenders however, I didn't get on with the catch. I've been using my old (10 years) Pantin and it is very sad, the strap protector has worn through (as I keep it on more than I should) and the salt and acid minewater have really corroded it bigtime. So, I had a bit of cash and decided to get a new Pantin.

A peruse online revealed that the old model are impossible to get, however, one chap on ebay has pictures of the old model. Armed with ?10 more than the new ones cost, I got mine ordered up and thought "I'll look after this one more". What turned up in the post was different to the picture and I had to go through the "Oh here we go again" anger with Petzl and their cost cutting and their crap that they are hawking to cavers. It is just not good enough and I am bloody cross.

I knew the latest models had shrunk a bit and had lost the strap protector, but seriously, what turned up in the post was a joke. There is no hole for your caribiner anymore and as a result, should you choose not to wear it on your foot, it will hitch up on everything as you crawl through a mine/cave as you just randomly hang it by the webbing. So, should you choose to wear it on your foot, you will no doubt require one of their expensive replacement straps, then another, then another, etc.

If you notice, like the rest of Petzl's eco-drive to use less metal, this thing is smaller. You may also note that the catch has a shorter throw and the device is a different shape. I have yet to try this thing, but looking at it, I imagine that it will not just "fiddle on" with no hands and unclip with a flick of the foot.

I cannot be bothered to go through the whole refund process on ebay and giving this goon with the wrong photos the chance to explain his idiocy and mistake. As a result, I will first obtain some tubular webbing (to protect the expensive strap) and in the meantime, I have ordered a chinky foot ascender, which seems to be the same shape/design as the old Petzl.

Thus:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Right-Foot-Ascender-For-8mm-13mm-Rope-Climbing-Rock-Climbing-Foot-Ascender-/361311882895?hash=item541fddce8f:g:G5gAAOSwstxVbtJ8

It's not PPE, but I expect it to work "right".

I'm not happy with Petzl. First they discontinue the excellent Ecrin Roc, then they shrink their ascenders, then they cut corners and what we are left with is frankly sh!t.

The market leader is seemingly being driven by a production manager who would be better suited liquidating companies, which is what they may have to do, if they continue on this path of lessening quality.

So, I really like my Petzl Rack for long pitches and Stop for fiddling. I wonder Petzl, how you can f*&k these up?

 

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cap n chris

Well-known member
I disagree with much of what you have written but people's opinions differ, so... "vive la difference!"
 

pwhole

Well-known member
I'm not happy. On my last three trips (all within a week, and including one two hours ago), my new-model Croll has slipped back down the rope constantly, once giving me a bit of a fright. As this is yet another grumble to add to the large list, I'm rapidly reaching the point of no return with Petzl, and am slowly but surely replacing all my kit with other manufacturer's. I have a CT chest ascender which is unused at present, and may well get one of the Camp Turbos too.

Whilst I don't doubt their safety per se, the general dissatisfaction with performance is beginning to spoil my caving. My Super Avanti harness is splitting under the safety stitching yet again (3rd time), meaning another perfectly good (Super?) harness will have to go in the bin soon. I appreciate that my caving may not be performed in floodlit sparkling Petzl-pixie-caverns, but it should be able to cope with a bit of mud, dammit. Grr....
 

Brains

Well-known member
A while ago someone posted an image of a Pantin with some bungee knotted through the karabiner hole, the idea being to stop it self detaching from the rope unexpectedly. Cant find the image just now, but with the new one that option has gone,,,
 

Simon Wilson

New member
The best thing about the Pantin is that you can flick it off the rope easily when you want to. When you first get one you need to learn how to keep it on the rope but it's well worth the effort. I've looked at other foot ascenders but I wouldn't want one that you can't flick off.

No matter how careful you are about not walking about wearing your Pantin the strap will wear out. The old design wore out on the corner of your instep. The new one wears out where the small strap passes through the frame. At least that's where my new one wore out. One saving grace with the new design is that because of where it breaks it is an easy repair. You can just sew it back together.

DSCN3502_zpsanbi4pfo.jpg
 
pwhole said:
I'm not happy. On my last three trips (all within a week, and including one two hours ago), my new-model Croll has slipped back down the rope constantly, once giving me a bit of a fright. As this is yet another grumble to add to the large list, I'm rapidly reaching the point of no return with Petzl, and am slowly but surely replacing all my kit with other manufacturer's. I have a CT chest ascender which is unused at present, and may well get one of the Camp Turbos too.

Whilst I don't doubt their safety per se, the general dissatisfaction with performance is beginning to spoil my caving. My Super Avanti harness is splitting under the safety stitching yet again (3rd time), meaning another perfectly good (Super?) harness will have to go in the bin soon. I appreciate that my caving may not be performed in floodlit sparkling Petzl-pixie-caverns, but it should be able to cope with a bit of mud, dammit. Grr....

If you're running something like an MTDE Garma, a small croll is a good thing for allowing to "flop" and fold out the way. Esp if you rig your descender on the left (which I don't). Forget the mini croll. I use a Camp Turbochest and it's a great thing.
 

cap n chris

Well-known member
Post another picture doing EXACTLY what you did last time and then I'll quote it and modify it so it's possible to show you how you didn't actually do it quite right.
 

Simon Wilson

New member
I've got better ways to spend my time. I've bought an original 1940s carburettor to fit to one of my bikes and I'm making a copper petrol pipe for it.
 

Simon Wilson

New member
Simon Wilson said:
The best thing about the Pantin is that you can flick it off the rope easily when you want to. When you first get one you need to learn how to keep it on the rope but it's well worth the effort. I've looked at other foot ascenders but I wouldn't want one that you can't flick off.

No matter how careful you are about not walking about wearing your Pantin the strap will wear out. The old design wore out on the corner of your instep. The new one wears out where the small strap passes through the frame. At least that's where my new one wore out. One saving grace with the new design is that because of where it breaks it is an easy repair. You can just sew it back together.

DSCN3502_zpsanbi4pfo.jpg

Correction. The earlier Pantin strap broke where it passes through the frame. The new design has improved that. You can see in the photo that my new one is wearing at the edge of the instep. You can mitigate that by adjusting the buckle to spread the wear and lengthen the life of the strap. You could also protect it with tube tape as suggested by the respected Mr Cornwall above.
 

snoboy

Member
D-f-C, I was going to point out that you may be able to obtain a replacement foot strap for your old Pantin, but then I saw the pic of it and, well, maybe it is time for a new one.

I am also a fan of the old Pantin for reasons, but sadly I misplaced mine last year. I had been using it for work, and the new style for caving. Functionally I have found them quite similar. I do wish the carabiner hole remained in the new design, as it always was in the back of my head that I could use it replace my hand jammer if required. I do prefer the buckles on the new one. Over all, it's a wash for me.

Treestuff in the USof A makes a Pantin copy for those who want to kick it old style: http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?category_id=195&item=15099

The new Croll is definitely not my favourite. Luckily it seems that Petzl still makes the old style one. Seems a lot of industrial users who might be faffing about on 13mm rope, weren't sold on the new style either. I believe it's the B16AAA, though I can't seem to locate it on the site right now, lots of retailers seem to have it stocked.
 

NewStuff

New member
snoboy said:
Luckily it seems that Petzl still makes the old style one. Seems a lot of industrial users who might be faffing about on 13mm rope, weren't sold on the new style either. I believe it's the B16AAA, though I can't seem to locate it on the site right now, lots of retailers seem to have it stocked.

Here you go.

https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Professional/Rope-clamps/CROLL

On the subject of Foot Ascenders, I'm liking the Camp Turbofoot, seems to work very well indeed once you have the technique sorted. I can't compare to any other device, I've not bothered with one before, but it seems very small. Time will tell on it's longevity, or lack of.
 
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