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Kong-Bonaiti makes a modular ascender system centered around their modular ascender. This is a handleless eccentric cam ascender with slots and holes so that accessories can be attached. In addition to the handles shown here, the Block Roll attachment turns the ascender into a hauling pulley.
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I obtained a pair of caver handles from Inner Mountain Outfitters in 1992.
The caver handle is made from 3.6 mm. anodized aluminum alloy. There are no reinforcing ribs. The handle has an 84 mm by 46 mm, irregular shaped hand opening. It has two rivets at the top that mate with the keyhole slots in the modular ascender. A stainless steel insert near the top of the handle has a threaded hole aligns with the countersunk hole in the modular ascender, and a countersunk Allen-head screw holds the handle in place. A hole on the strap and a rivet allow attaching the caver handle to the climber handle. A 13.6 mm. hole at the base forms the main sling attachment point. This hole is not beveled.
A white, fluorescent, plastic hand grip is molded to the sheet metal frame.The handgrip has four shallow, closely spaced finger grooves.
The front side of the hand grip has "BONAITI - KONG - ITALY" in raised letters.
The small handle is designed for caving use. One of my plastic handles broke in storage, showing that the fluorescent plastic deteriorates over time. Alex Sproul at Inner Mountain Outfitters supplied a replacement.
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I obtained a pair of climber handles from Inner Mountain Outfitters in 1992.
The climber handle is made from 3.6 mm. anodized aluminum alloy. There are no reinforcing ribs. The handle has a 99 mm by 48 mm. oval hand opening. It has two rivets at the top that mate with the keyhole slots in the modular ascender. A stainless steel insert near the top of the handle has a threaded hole aligns with the countersunk hole in the modular ascender, and a countersunk Allen-head screw holds the handle in place. Two holes on the strap (the top one countersunk) allow attaching the caver handle. A 13.6 mm. hole at the base forms the main sling attachment point. This hole is not beveled. handle..
A white, fluorescent, plastic hand grip is molded to the sheet metal frame.The handgrip has four shallow, closely spaced finger grooves.
The front side of the hand grip has "BONAITI - KONG - ITALY" in raised letters. The frame is stamped "UIAA."
The large handle is designed for mountaineering use. It provides more clearance for mittened hands.
[ Top | Modular Ascender | Caver Handle | Climber Handle | Return to H.E.C. Ascenders ]
The indecisive and those with special situations can bolt a climber handle to the modular ascender, then attach a caver handle to form a double-handled ascender. I this configuration, the lower attachment holes in the Caver and Climber handles align to form a single attachment hole.
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©2008, Gary D. Storrick