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I acquired my 10.03 from Ural Sport in 2005.
The primary difference between the 10.03 and the basic is the side plate material: the 10.03 uses 4 mm aluminum.
The front plate on my 10.03 is stamped with a rectangle containing "RUSSIA" and URAL-ALP." The outside of the rear plate is stamped with "Made in Russia" and a rectangle containing the words "KOZLOV DESIGNS." The inside of the rear plate is stamped with triangles pointing up and down, with"ROPE Ø8-12 mm" between.
Like the Basic, the 10.03 is well-made. All surfaces are nicely rounded. The 10.03 is slightly larger and heavier than the basic, but many people would not notice the difference. Unfortunately, the 10.03's aluminum shell does not look as nice as the Basic's engine ruled titanium.
I acquired my Basic from John E. Weinel, Inc. in 1994.
The Basic consists of two pear-shaped plates of engine-ruled titanium enclosing an actuating lever and a rope anvil. Each side plate has a 15 mm attachment hole at the right side of the ascender. A 6 mm bolt on the left side supports the actuating lever. The stainless steel axle bolt passes from front to back, passing in sequence through a nylon washer, the front side plate (free to rotate), a second nylon washer, the actuation lever, a third nylon washer, the rear plate (held tightly), a stainless steel washer, and a stainless steel nut. The nut is staked in place with two center punch marks. The bolt axis is drilled for 60% of its length to reduce weight. The actuating lever is spring-loaded counter-clockwise, toward the anvil. The left side of the lever has cutouts to reduce weight, while the right side, which contacts the rope, is flat. A 6 mm special bolt attaches a to the lower part of the rear plate. A groove in this bolt engages a notch in the front plate. A 3 mm countersunk rivet prevents anvil rotation. The left side (rope face) of the anvil has a shallow U-shaped groove milled in it.
The front plate is stamped with the UIAA logo and a circle containing "URAL-ALP," and "TITANIUM EQUIPMENT." The outside of the rear plate is stamped with a rectangle also containing the words "TITANIUM EQUIPMENT." The inside of the rear plate is stamped with the Sieg Heil icon, a circle containing "ROPE OR HAWSER Ø6-13 MM" and the numbers "62-94."
This
Ural-Alp ascender is similar to the Russian
ascender described on a previous page, but it is much better
made. To start with, the side plates are made from thicker Titanium
sheet, and have a beautiful engine turned finish both inside and
out. The pivoting lever is rounded at both ends so that the rope
isn't cut, and the axle is drilled to reduce weight. This ascender
uses a milled block as an anvil instead of the knurled post, and
the superfluous second post is eliminated. The side plate geometry
is slightly different, so the ascender is easily raised when used
on rope or cable from 6 to 13 mm (I haven't tested this ascender
on large cable, but it is labeled for use on them).
Like the Russian ascender, the Ural-Alp rotates when loaded, resulting in perhaps 4 cm of lost motion in each step.
The Ural-Alp is equivalent to the USHBA Model 10.05 Basic Ascender. The instruction illustration shown here is for the USHBA Version (which I do not have).
Serguei Khramtsov (of eBay's Ural Sport store) sent me an email with the following comment:
"In my opinion, your descriptions for Ural-Alp's USHBA's Handled and Basic ascenders and other ascenders based on the same principle are not complete. Because it has no words about using it on ice covered ropes. If you ask mountaineers who ever climb by ice-covered rope they will told you that "eccentric cam" type ascenders became absolutely helpless in this situation. Only some "eccentric cam" type ascenders with aggressive teeth can grip the ice-covered rope. But they are not good for a rope. But I'm sure that mountaineers who have USHBA's ascenders had no problem to climb by icy ropes."
I have not tried to use the USHBA ascenders on icy ropes, so
I cannot confirm their performance first-hand; however, I appreciate
the comment.
I acquired my 10.05M from Ural Sport in 2005.
The primary difference between the 10.05M and the Basic is the attachment point. On the 10.05M, the attachment hole in the rear plate is 16.5 mm high and 30.5 mm wide. The front plate has a matching hook that opens downward, and a spring wire gate to close the hook opening.
The central axis lever bolt is not drilled like it is on the basic or 10.03.
The 10.05M has the same markings as the 10.03.
The hook arrangement allows one to rig the 10.05 without removing the sling maillon from the eye. This is a nice feature, since it will help avoid dropping the ascender. Unfortunately, the required geometry places the attachment maillon farther from the main line, which increases the motion lost in each step to perhaps 8 cm.
I acquired my 10.07 from Ural Sport in 2005.
The top end of the actuating lever is where the 10.07 Super Basic differs from the 10.05 Basic. The rounded end of the lever is undercut at a 45° angle. The center half of the lever is milled away, and a stainless steel ball bearing bearing rides on a 7.5 mm axle staked to the lever. The net effect is that the undercuts and bearing form three sides of a pseudo-pulley.
The 10.07 has the same markings as the 10.03.
The pseudo-pulley lets the rope run smoother, and adds only 20 grams. Although you may not notice much difference ascending, the pseudo-pulley does a good job reducing friction if the ascender ever needs to be used as a pulley for hauling gear. Ural Sport rates the hauling capability as 40 kg, so this is NOT a rescue pulley.
I like it.
I acquired my 10.07M from Ural Sport in 2005.
Take the 10.05M Basic K and replace the lever with the Super Basic 10.07 lever, and you have the 10.07M
The 10.07M has the same markings as the 10.03.
I discussed the hook attachment with the 10.05M, and the pulley with the 10.07.
I acquired my 20.01 from Ural Sport in 2005.
The 20.01 is functionally equivalent to the Basic, but all parts are steel. The side plates are 2.9 mm thick and painted with a speckled gray paint. The remaining steel parts have a black oxide finish. The actuating lever does not have lightening cutouts on the left side The bolts are standard hex bolts, and the nuts standard hex nuts.
The 20.01 has the same markings as the 10.03.
The 20.01 weighs 2 to 2.5 times what the other ascenders on this page weigh, and steel rusts. Enough said: buy one of the other models.
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©2007, Gary D. Storrick