Salewa Antz

 

The Salewa Antz is rigged by inserting a bight into the left side (as shown) and clipping an HMS carabiner through the slots and the bight. The HMS is anchored appropriately. The rope to the climber is then threaded through the coil of the guide rod. Rope is fed by letting the HMS carabiner move to the right and down. During a fall, the Antz is pilled into the orientation shown, and the HMS carabiner is pulled to the left, wedging the rope between an aluminum block on top (not visible) and a nylon roller below.

Rappelling with the Antz is done by clipping the sling to the seat harness, and inserting an HMS carabiner into the slot, trapping a bight in the same manner as when belaying, The top guide is not used, and the HMS carabiner is not clipped to the rappeller. Since this leaves the Antz in the locked off position, the rappeller must pull on the HMS carabiner to descend. This requires too much effort for my taste.

I do not like the way that the rope runs over a nylon roller. Under load, there is too much potential for the roller to seize, which will result in glazing the rope.

The Salewa Antz does not appear to be designed for double rope, despite the large separation between the side plates.

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©2007, Gary D. Storrick