aricooperdavis
Moderator
<rant>
I believe that chest ascenders should open to the left. This is because I want the following, in order of importance:
1. my hand ascender tether to be on my central attachment point on the opposite side to the side that my chest ascender opens, so as not to interfere with my ability to open my chest ascender when weighted.
2. my hand ascender tether to be on the same side of my chest ascender as the hand that I'm holding it in, so that the tether doesn't cross the pitch rope, requiring it to be passed around the pitch rope at rebelays or pitch heads.
3. my hand ascender to be held, primarily, in my dominant hand (right).
4. my footloop to be worn on my dominant foot (right).
With a traditional chest ascender that opens to the right I can only have 1 and 2 if I forgo 3 and 4. Alternatively I can have 1, 3, and 4, and forgo 2.
What I actually do is have my hand ascender tether not on my central attachment point but on a maillon on my right harness attachment point, rendering 1 unnecessary so I can happily have 2, 3, and 4.
If I could buy a decent left opening chest ascender I could have 1, 2, 3, and 4, without bodging my kit in a way that it isn't designed to be used.
</rant>
I believe that chest ascenders should open to the left. This is because I want the following, in order of importance:
1. my hand ascender tether to be on my central attachment point on the opposite side to the side that my chest ascender opens, so as not to interfere with my ability to open my chest ascender when weighted.
2. my hand ascender tether to be on the same side of my chest ascender as the hand that I'm holding it in, so that the tether doesn't cross the pitch rope, requiring it to be passed around the pitch rope at rebelays or pitch heads.
3. my hand ascender to be held, primarily, in my dominant hand (right).
4. my footloop to be worn on my dominant foot (right).
With a traditional chest ascender that opens to the right I can only have 1 and 2 if I forgo 3 and 4. Alternatively I can have 1, 3, and 4, and forgo 2.
What I actually do is have my hand ascender tether not on my central attachment point but on a maillon on my right harness attachment point, rendering 1 unnecessary so I can happily have 2, 3, and 4.
If I could buy a decent left opening chest ascender I could have 1, 2, 3, and 4, without bodging my kit in a way that it isn't designed to be used.
</rant>