Hi All,

I want to replace my croll - I find it too small, too fiddly and whether a justified or not it just doesn't fill me with confidence - not good when big  pitches just aren't your thing 

So what do I buy??

Thank you 

Camp Turbochest.

I'm 6'3", and don't have the smallest of digit's, and I get on with it just fine. I did take the cord off the cam, but that's my personal preference. I'm even benching my olde style Crolls in favour of it., despite them having very little wear.

I think Starless River have started stocking them now. If you happen to be up this way anytime before you decide/buy, feel free to borrow it and see what you think.

If you want an older style Croll, they still do it in the Industrial/Rope Access, with a different designation (Last time I looked).

Camp Turbochest.

Tony had these in stock today:



Thoughts??

Thanks, again 

I have one of those CT ascenders and I have no complaints. It's heavier than some, but that's because the body is thicker than some - certainly the Croll. Tony persuaded me that it was suitable (and he had no Turbos at the time), so I took the plunge. A lot of my caving is rough, so I need one that can take some hammer, and this one (so far) feels up to the job. It would be nice to have a Turbo as well for 'clean' SRT-heavy trips though, and you may get more benefit from one in the Dales than down here in dirty old Derbyshire

Are there any other bits of kit available other than:

Petzl Croll
CT Evo
Camp Turbochest
Kong Futura Body
Kong Cam Clean
Anthron AC-30

If you want to avoid something small and fiddly and prefer something chunkier, I wouldn't go for a Turbochest. I have one and really like it, but it's about the same size as the new Croll and probably a little more fiddly. I've heard that the CT ascenders are similar to the old style Croll to use, but I've not used one in anger.

ianball11 said:

Are there any other bits of kit available other than:

Petzl Croll
CT Evo
Camp Turbochest
Kong Futura Body
Kong Cam Clean
Anthron AC-30

Click to expand...

Yes

https://www.alpkit.com/products/fixe-dome

That's a good price.

I have just started using a CT Evo to replace a warn out Croll. Most caving shops are now stocking them. I've used it down Alum and King Pot so far with no issues. It's very similar to a few generation old Croll.

Not so sure about the tubochest for muddy trips...

I love the ABC's, and in speaking with Tony last week when I was there, your CT is basically our ABC. I looked at them pretty close. If I needed another ascender would have gotten one. Definitely another vote for the CT.

I have 3 really really awesome things which I have thought "How did I do SRT before this?"

1. 5 bar rack descender
2. Foot ascender.
3. Camp Turbochest chest ascender.

Good products deserve credit where it's due, which is why I think the turbochest would be a bargain at twice the price. It really is a fantastic thing

Hmm...the Petzl 5bar rack I don't like, and I love racks.
my BMS microrack far outshines the 5bar Petzl, and if more is needed, classic 6bar 14" Jframe
I use my BMS microrack every time I am in the UK, so super easy to use and does our 11mm stiff as cable ropes to the oddest ropes like your 9mm stretches to 8mm loaded loosygoosy ropes. 

Turned out I didn't need to 'buy' a new chest ascender after all - someone on the forum sent me (a new) old style croll. 

Thank you very much - how kind  .  I owe you a pint 

Hi Amy,

Any chance you could post pictures of your racks with a scale?

Fulk said:

Hi Amy,

Any chance you could post pictures of your racks with a scale?

Click to expand...

I think it's on the site http://storrick.cnc.net/VerticalDevicesPage/RappelDevices.shtml

@Amy : Is this the BMS - microrack? : http://storrick.cnc.net/VerticalDevicesPage/Rappel/RappelImages/URackImages/DSC1234_4348.JPG

Fulk said:

Any chance you could post pictures of your racks with a scale?

Click to expand...

Fulk! What a thing to ask a lady !

Off topic I know, but while we're on racks, another vote for the BMS microrack. I was given one by an American caver who I took caving on his UK holidays a number of years ago and I really rate it. Great all rounder I think. Good wear resistance as it's stainless. Bars are tubular, which mitigates the poor heat disipation of the stainless steel, but might get a shap edge when they wear through (like the new croll), but this will take a while and should be easy to detect before it goes.

The Petzl 5 bar rack is great for straight drops, but I find it awkward on technical SRT as it is so long. I ended up cutting the end off mine and turning it into a U-rack. It beats the BMS microrack for pull-through trips as it'll do two ropes and it's even easier for technical stuff as it's very short. Only let down is that it's crap on a thick rope (as it's too short). When the Petzl bars wore out, I made new ones from mild steel rod, which have good heat disipation and pretty good wear resistance.

I also have a kong (rackong?). It's pretty much identical to the BMS microrack in size and design, but has aluminium bars which seem to be wearing out VERY fast even if the heat disipation is good and it is lightweight. When they do, I'll make the new ones from mild steel I think...

Each stlye has it's place in SRT, just depends what sort of caving you do. I guess you could say racks for pitches or somethnig like that 

PeteHall said:

I also have a kong (rackong?). It's pretty much identical to the BMS microrack in size and design, but has aluminium bars which seem to be wearing out VERY fast even if the heat disipation is good and it is lightweight.
racks for pitches or somethnig like that 

Click to expand...

My Kong banana simple is also wearing at an astonishing rate: must be the alloy they use?

Meanwhile back on topic -

When I first saw the CT I was happy with the compact Croll and didn't like the big look of the CT. Now that I have a CT and can compare them, the CT is not all that big and smaller than the Croll before the compact one.

The Camp Turbochest is 92mm long, Compact B16BAA Croll 96mm, CT 106mm, B16AAA Croll 109mm, c.1994 Croll 119mm.