I like
belay tubes. The rope runs smoothly, they dissipate heat, they
wear well, they are small, and they don't cost very much. I used
to prefer the Trango Pyramid
(a Tuber) because it worked better on
9-mm ropes (it seems that everything works on 11-mm ropes) than
some of the other belay devices, but when Trango introduced the
Jaws, I'd found
a new favorite belay device. The teeth significantly increase
friction when needed. I no longer have nightmares about losing
control while rappelling down my haul line. Still, these are belay
devices, not long drop rappel devices. One of my former (now deceased)
friends claimed that "there is more metal in a pop tab on
a can of Miller;" probably an exaggeration, but it makes
a point.
There are a lot of similarities between belay tubes. Two points that differentiate them are the slot length and the slot depth. The longer the slot length, the less friction the device has. The deeper the slot (up to a point), the less friction. Naturally, there is a trend for devices with longer slots to have shallower slots. Slot width limits the size rope that one can use.
I define slot dimension is defined in the obvious way. My definition
for carabiner depth is more arbitrary, because it is based on
the carabiner chosen. I measured this as the depth from the top
of the slot to the top (outside) of a particular Omega oval. This
is not only arbitrary, but more difficult to measure accurately
than simple length or width (i.e., your mileage may vary).
|
I use the following criteria to decide whether to call something a Belay Tube:
The example that I use for comparison when I consider placing a device into this category is the Black Diamond Air Traffic Controller. |
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| ID | Device | Description | Acquired | Weight | Length | Width | Height | Std. volume |
Slot |
Slot |
Slot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 753 | Advanced Base Camp ARC, Version A | Forged Al, hard anodized, plastic (covered cable?) keeper | Yucca Dune, 2001 | 60 | 53 | 46 | 101 | 244 | 33 | 14 | 16 |
| 847 | Advanced Base Camp ARC, Version B | Forged Al, hard anodized, stiff plastic-covered cable keeper | Get Lost Adventures, 2007 | 62 | 53 | 46 | 84 | 204 | 33 | 14 | 15 |
| 754 | Advanced Base Camp Brakeman | Forged Al, hard anodized, Al rod keeper | Yucca Dune, 2001 | 51 | 57 | 48 | 85 | 232 | 32 | 15 | 13 |
| 860 | AustriAlpin | Forged Al, soft anodized, 2 slots, plastic covered cable keeper | AustriAlpin USA, 2007 | 58 | 53 | 46 | 102 | 247 | 33 | 14 | 16 |
| 676 | Black Diamond Air Traffic Controller | Forged AL, hard anodized, plastic (covered cable?) keeper | Ragged Mountain Equipment, 1994 | 55 | 57 | 48 | 99 | 267 | 31 | 14 | 13 |
| 835 | Black Diamond ATC-Guide | Forged Al, soft anodized, 2 slots, ribbed V grooves, carabiner eye, release hole, plastic-covered cable keeper | Mountain Gear, 2006 | 98 | 94 | 42 | 102 | 406 | 36 | 14 | 12 |
| 776 | Black Diamond ATC-XP | Forged Al, unfinished, 2 slots, ribbed V grooves, plastic-covered cable keeper | GearExpress.com, 2003 | 87 | 54 | 45 | 109 | 265 | 31 | 14 | 14 |
| 869 | BlueWater | Forged Al, hard anodized, 2 slots, Al rod keeper | Mark McIntyre, 2007 | 49 | 57 | 48 | 83 | 225 | 32 | 15 | 13 |
| 667 | BlueWater AirBrake, Version A | Forged Al, unfinished, 2 curved slots, cord keeper | Exkursion, 1995 | 48 | 55 | 48 | 19 | 51 | 34 | 13 | 11 |
| 857 | BlueWater AirBrake, Version B | Forged Al, hard anodized, 2 curved slots, cord keeper | Dan MacKinnon, 2007 | 46 | 55 | 48 | 19 | 50 | 33 | 13 | 11 |
| 717 | Camp | Forged Al, hard anodized, 2 slots, cord keeper | Jeejo Climbing, 1999 | 46 | 53 | 46 | 101 | 245 | 33 | 14 | 15 |
| 867 | Camp
Lotus |
Forged Al, unfinished, 2 slots, double sided, double ribbed V grooves, plastic-covered cable keeper | Walkhigh Mountaineering, 2007 | 103 | 65 | 47 | 107 | 326 | 34 | 13 | 23 |
| 760 | Camp Shell | Forged Al, painted, 2 slots, plastic-covered cable keeper | K&R Adventure Gear, 2001 | 60 | 52 | 46 | 24 | 58 | 33 | 14 | 15 |
| 779 | Climb Axe Max | Forged Al. Soft anodized, 2 slots, plastic-covered cable keeper | Climb Max, 2003 | 51 | 56 | 47 | 100 | 259 | 34 | 16 | 7 |
| 687 | DMM Bug, Version A | Forged Al, unfinished, 2 curved slots, wire keeper | Exkursion, 1995 | 71 | 52 | 56 | 107 | 306 | 29 | 16 | 18 |
| 846 | DMM Bug, Version B | Forged Al. hard anodized, 2 curved slots, plastic-covered cable keeper | Northern Mountain Supply, 2007 | 82 | 52 | 56 | 100 | 293 | 28 | 15 | 17 |
| 792 | DMM Bugette | Forged Al, unfinished, wedge shape, 2 D slots, wire keeper | Shoreline Mountain Products, 2004 | 24 | 42 | 41 | 77 | 131 | 28 | 12 | 9 |
| 888 | DMM V-Twin | Cast SS, unfinished, 2 slots, ribbed V grooves, plastic-covered cable keeper | backcountry.com, 2008 | 89 | 56 | 42 | 100 | 235 | 35 | 16 | 16 |
| 866 | Forged Al, hard anodized, 2 slots, V grooves, plastic covered cable keeper | Walkhigh Mountaineering, 2007 | 77 | 60 | 48 | 112 | 320 | 33 | 15 | 9 | |
| 744 | HB Marshall | Forged Al, soft anodized, Al rod keeper | Link Up Gear, 2000 | 49 | 47 | 38 | 82 | 146 | 33 | 11 | 17 |
| 695 | HB Sheriff | Forged AL, hard anodized, soft plastic keeper | 1996 | 59 | 54 | 48 | 80 | 204 | 32 | 14 | 13 |
| 699 | HB Sheriff Rigid | Forged AL, hard anodized, Al rod keeper | Ragged Mountain Equipment, 1997 | 65 | 54 | 47 | 78 | 198 | 32 | 14 | 13 |
| 863 | Kong Chuy | Forged Al. soft anodized, 2 slots, plastic-covered cable keeper | Outdoor Outpost, 2007 | 58 | 56 | 47 | 98 | 258 | 35 | 16 | 7 |
| 743 | Liberty Mountain | Forged Al, soft anodized, Al rod keeper | Link Up Gear, 2000 | 51 | 57 | 48 | 83 | 226 | 32 | 15 | 13 |
| 838 | Mad Rock Paradox | Forged Al, unfinished, 2 slots, ribbed V grooves, plastic-covered cable keeper | Jim L. Rott 2006 | 69 | 61 | 45 | 106 | 292 | 31 | 16 | 10 |
| 799 | Mammut | Forged Al, hard anodized, plastic covered cable keeper | Justin Tease, 2004 | 60 | 55 | 47 | 101 | 259 | 30 | 15 | 14 |
| 845 | Mammut Fuse | Forged Al, hard anodized, plastic covered cable keeper | Eastern Mountain Sports, 2007 | 42 | 46 | 47 | 75 | 163 | 30 | 16 | 10 |
| 755 | Omega Pacific SBG | Forged Al, hard anodized, 2 slots, V grooves, shank | Omega Pacific, 2001 | 56 | 50 | 44 | 63 | 141 | 39 | 18 | 6 |
| 764 | Omega Pacific SBG II, Version A | Forged Al, unfinished, 2 slots, V grooves, long shank | Mountain Tools, 2002 | 78 | 53 | 46 | 82 | 199 | 39 | 17 | 8 |
| 861 | Omega Pacific SBG II, Version B | Forged Al, unfinished, 2 slots, V grooves, long shank | Omega Pacific, 2007 | 78 | 53 | 46 | 82 | 203 | 39 | 18 | 5 |
| 745 | Forged Al, hard anodized, 2 slots, V grooves, wire keeper | Link Up Gear, 2000 | 79 | 60 | 48 | 112 | 324 | 33 | 15 | 9 | |
| 841 | Forged Al, hard anodized, 2 slots, V grooves, plastic covered cable keeper | Alan Woodhead, 2006 | 73 | 60 | 47 | 111 | 314 | 33 | 15 | 9 | |
| 715 | Smiley's Atoga Prototype | Forged Al, unfinished, 2 slots, 3 lightening holes each side, rod keeper | Smiley's, 1999 | 50 | 56 | 47 | 84 | 218 | 31 | 15 | 15 |
| 716 | Smiley's Atoga | Forged Al, hard anodized, 2 slots, rod keeper | Smiley's, 1999 | 50 | 55 | 47 | 83 | 212 | 33 | 16 | 15 |
| 852 | Stubai | Forged Al, soft anodized, 2 slots, plastic covered cable keeper | Sarah Oldfield, 2007 | 58 | 53 | 46 | 99 | 241 | 33 | 14 | 15 |
| 700 | Forged Al, hard anodized, 2 slots, V grooves, wire keeper | Nomad Adventures, 1997 | 78 | 60 | 48 | 113 | 327 | 33 | 15 | 9 | |
| 842 | Wild Country VC Pro | Forged Al, unfinished, 2 slots, ribbed V grooves, plastic-covered cable keeper | M. Hallet, 2006 | 65 | 56 | 45 | 95 | 237 | 34 | 15 | 12 |
| 879 | Zero-G G-Spot | Forged Al, soft anodized, 2 slots, plastic covered cable keeper | Walkhigh Mountaineering, 2007 | 57 | 53 | 46 | 100 | 242 | 33 | 14 | 15 |
| 864 | Forged Al, hard anodized, 2 slots, V grooves, plastic covered cable keeper | Maximum Adventure Sports, 2007 | 73 | 60 | 48 | 111 | 316 | 33 | 15 | 9 |


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©2008, Gary D. Storrick