Thank you so much for putting this video together. It saves a lot of time and really defines the critical features and functions of the MPD. I try not to read or participate in comment sections because they are often quite ridiculous, however, I feel it necessary to give praise to a company that really cares about saving lives and keeping people safe. This device does just that. I am a member of a professional rescue organization and we will be bringing this on soon to make our systems faster and safer.
Question: Do you need a radium release hitch on your belay line if using the MPD? Assuming your belay line is loaded and locked with two prusik, couldn't you haul with the MPD easing the pressure on the belay to release your belay prusik? Even if you had a total main line failure you could re-establish the main line and haul to ease the belay right?
Thanks for your question. To clarify, if you are using an MPD on your main line and another MPD on your belay line, there is no need to place two prusiks on the belay line because the MPD is NFPA certified as a belay device. Should you have a complete main line failure the MPD is designed to arrest the load on the belay line. The user can continue to lower or raise on the "belay MPD" after the mainline is established. There is no need for any type of load release hitch. If you are using an MPD on the main line and tandem prusiks on the belay-loaded main/slack belay system, we recommend a release hitch whenever using prusiks on the line. That is true for the ratchet prusik on a traditional system (not needed with an MPD or Clutch) as well as with the tandem prusik belay. If something were to happen to the main line which caused the load to transfer to the belay, locking up the prusiks, you could rig a new main line, raise the load, and unlock the prusiks. The question is do you have the time and equipment to do that? It could take quite a while to rebuild that main system, not to mention the need for additional rope and hardware. The alternate option is to install a descent device on the belay line, untie the load release to transfer the load to that device, and release the now unloaded prusiks. You would be lowering on a single rope system but that might be preferable, or the only option, to building a second system.
Heres the problem Im seeing: how do you inspect this thing at a glance or even in depth. If something isnt right you cant just open it up and look at it if its under load without breaking out the prusik, carabiners, and extra rope to check on it. What if you get mud in there or tree sap? I can almost guarantee a wet rope or a brand new rope or a weird sized diameter rope is going to have a different feel to the break. How does it handle shock loading in these conditions? Whats the max and min diameter of rope that you can put inside it? I do appreciate that it attaches midline at least. The other thing is that its not as straightforward or intuitive so you cant just hand it off to a newbie and they will understand. Even the brake lock needs to be explained. In the comments you mentioned this in reply to someone asking about use of a radium release hitch: "If something were to happen to the main line which caused the load to transfer to the belay, locking up the prusiks, you could rig a new main line, raise the load, and unlock the prusiks. The question is do you have the time and equipment to do that? It could take quite a while to rebuild that main system, not to mention the need for additional rope and hardware." If time is an issue I would honestly just take a couple of wraps around a tree or rescue 8 and sling before even installing this thing. In my field of work we use break tubes/porta-wraps. They are a single solid block of metal that you take wraps on and can visually see everything going on and intuitively gauge how much friction you have. And even with this fancy device (which has a way waaaay lower weight rating, mind you) you still have to lock it off for people to understand whats going on 100%. Also, you guys use kernmantle? Seriously??
RPM vs MPD, give me the MPD every time. Despise trying to gather slack on a main line through a rack. Change over from lower to raise is light years quicker. Progress capture is effortless. Did I mention you can leave the LRD on the truck. ? RPM is a poor backup to the MPD, IMHO....
It is a nice addition to the bags no doubt, but do not let it be the one and only thing you grab from the bag. Everyone should know how to properly use all the other equipment. It is a tool and sometimes tools fail. We use them for our belay line and like the ease of set up/portability but our mainline is still RPM. INHO you just cant beat the rack. Very good piece of equipment but it has its place.
Great product. Good video. ...but seriously, who puts these together and then goes: "what this really needs is some lame, meandering background music"?
+jolllyroger1 Use the all the time. 5 minutes after using them your good to go. If a simple device is "too" complicated, then...You ARE some kind of special. The MPD is another tool in the tool box for rope rescue, team based operations, and a well made, functional one at that.
+jolllyroger1 you forgot to include a handful of prussics and a radium release hitch and a heavy rescue brake...Oh? you've never actually done real rescue? who would have guessed...
Our backcountry SAR TRT team uses MPD's , but we also continue to train with more traditional techniques. One great advantage of the MPD is it simplifies hot changeovers and dual tension systems.
Thank you so much for putting this video together. It saves a lot of time and really defines the critical features and functions of the MPD. I try not to read or participate in comment sections because they are often quite ridiculous, however, I feel it necessary to give praise to a company that really cares about saving lives and keeping people safe. This device does just that. I am a member of a professional rescue organization and we will be bringing this on soon to make our systems faster and safer.
Really love this cmc rescue team
Awesome video, we use the 13mm one and we love it!!!
This video was very well put together with practical information. Thank you
Excellent video
Very cool technology!
Question: Do you need a radium release hitch on your belay line if using the MPD? Assuming your belay line is loaded and locked with two prusik, couldn't you haul with the MPD easing the pressure on the belay to release your belay prusik? Even if you had a total main line failure you could re-establish the main line and haul to ease the belay right?
Thanks for your question. To clarify, if you are using an MPD on your main line and another MPD on your belay line, there is no need to place two prusiks on the belay line because the MPD is NFPA certified as a belay device. Should you have a complete main line failure the MPD is designed to arrest the load on the belay line. The user can continue to lower or raise on the "belay MPD" after the mainline is established. There is no need for any type of load release hitch.
If you are using an MPD on the main line and tandem prusiks on the belay-loaded main/slack belay system, we recommend a release hitch whenever using prusiks on the line. That is true for the ratchet prusik on a traditional system (not needed with an MPD or Clutch) as well as with the tandem prusik belay.
If something were to happen to the main line which caused the load to transfer to the belay, locking up the prusiks, you could rig a new main line, raise the load, and unlock the prusiks. The question is do you have the time and equipment to do that? It could take quite a while to rebuild that main system, not to mention the need for additional rope and hardware. The alternate option is to install a descent device on the belay line, untie the load release to transfer the load to that device, and release the now unloaded prusiks. You would be lowering on a single rope system but that might be preferable, or the only option, to building a second system.
Heres the problem Im seeing: how do you inspect this thing at a glance or even in depth. If something isnt right you cant just open it up and look at it if its under load without breaking out the prusik, carabiners, and extra rope to check on it. What if you get mud in there or tree sap? I can almost guarantee a wet rope or a brand new rope or a weird sized diameter rope is going to have a different feel to the break. How does it handle shock loading in these conditions? Whats the max and min diameter of rope that you can put inside it? I do appreciate that it attaches midline at least. The other thing is that its not as straightforward or intuitive so you cant just hand it off to a newbie and they will understand. Even the brake lock needs to be explained.
In the comments you mentioned this in reply to someone asking about use of a radium release hitch:
"If something were to happen to the main line which caused the load to transfer to the belay, locking up the prusiks, you could rig a new main line, raise the load, and unlock the prusiks. The question is do you have the time and equipment to do that? It could take quite a while to rebuild that main system, not to mention the need for additional rope and hardware."
If time is an issue I would honestly just take a couple of wraps around a tree or rescue 8 and sling before even installing this thing. In my field of work we use break tubes/porta-wraps. They are a single solid block of metal that you take wraps on and can visually see everything going on and intuitively gauge how much friction you have. And even with this fancy device (which has a way waaaay lower weight rating, mind you) you still have to lock it off for people to understand whats going on 100%.
Also, you guys use kernmantle? Seriously??
RPM vs MPD, give me the MPD every time. Despise trying to gather slack on a main line through a rack. Change over from lower to raise is light years quicker. Progress capture is effortless. Did I mention you can leave the LRD on the truck. ?
RPM is a poor backup to the MPD, IMHO....
por favor crear algunos videos instructivos en idioma español.
It is a nice addition to the bags no doubt, but do not let it be the one and only thing you grab from the bag. Everyone should know how to properly use all the other equipment. It is a tool and sometimes tools fail. We use them for our belay line and like the ease of set up/portability but our mainline is still RPM. INHO you just cant beat the rack. Very good piece of equipment but it has its place.
This beats the rack
Wow this comment ages like fine milk.
Great product. Good video. ...but seriously, who puts these together and then goes: "what this really needs is some lame, meandering background music"?
비싸다
....you truely overcomplicated that thing....
To complicated ..... You can do everything it does with carabiners or various 8's too heavy and not able to use for other things
jolllyroger1 you are some kind of special.
jolllyroger1 apparently you've never used one...
+jolllyroger1 Use the all the time. 5 minutes after using them your good to go. If a simple device is "too" complicated, then...You ARE some kind of special. The MPD is another tool in the tool box for rope rescue, team based operations, and a well made, functional one at that.
+jolllyroger1 you forgot to include a handful of prussics and a radium release hitch and a heavy rescue brake...Oh? you've never actually done real rescue? who would have guessed...
Our backcountry SAR TRT team uses MPD's , but we also continue to train with more traditional techniques. One great advantage of the MPD is it simplifies hot changeovers and dual tension systems.
Does nothing an id doesn’t do better.