WARNING--DMM Dragons, Petzl Strings & Open Slings

[Coldfinger]

Howdy everybody, as I have just purchased a bunch of new 11cm Petzl Express Dogbones and own a bunch of DMM Torque Nuts and Dragon cams, I was thinking of using the old strings I had from retired Dyneema runners to make the DMM slings on the gear mentioned above easier to use. Problem is that you have to pull the right strand to get the slings to extend as the bartacks and plastic sheath don't fit well through the stem of the Dragon cams and Torque nuts. So I just did a quick search on Petzl Strings as they make several versions and one, the String S, is designed for use with Dyneema.

 

Here's what a Petzl String is:

 

Sometimes Google does us BIG favors with weird unforeseen search results, and up popped Billcoe's post here last year:

 

One more way to die......

 

For the sake of ease here are the key bits of info from Billcoe's Thread:

 

UKC Warning Video

 

Petzl String Warning

 

Turns out I have been using short OPEN loop DMM Dyneema runners in 11 and 17cm lengths WITH the strings as well of thinking of death rigging my DMM kit. ::

 

I liked the open runners as they seemed to be more flexy and thus help keep gear from walking or popping due to rope drag. I just happened to switch to the Petzl Express dogbones as I wanted something easier to clip (with the open loop draws the bottom biners weren't held as well and made clipping a bit trickier). I had actually test rigged my DMM Torque nuts with strings playing around back home but never used them that way.

 

So...... Just thought I might repost this issue, seems kinda important and perhaps expands the issue to all trad gear with extendable slings, i.e. Wild Country, Trango, DMM to name the biggies. Not to mention reslingsers like Mountain Tools and Yates.

 

My 2 cents would be to create a bar tacked dog bone with a rubber keeper on one strand of the slings sewn into ALL gear (like ALL dogbones have nowadays), thus forever eliminating the problem.

 

I emailed links to this to all the abovementioned entities, will post any relevant responses. And kudos to Billcoe for bringing this to our attention.

 

[counterfeitfake]

I'm very confused about what you're suggesting. How were you using these rubber things with cams and nuts?

 

I never understood why you'd WANT to use one of those rubber things with an open sling. Even if it weren't dangerous, it doesn't seem like it would have ANY benefit.

 

BUT- if you WERE going to use it with an open draw... why would you then clip it as shown in this picture?

 

Sure it would kill you if you did it... but why would you do it? What would you be trying to accomplish?

 

I don't really understand the existence of the rubber things as a product, period. And their name is ridiculous and makes them hard to talk about.

 

Okay, rant over.

[Coldfinger]

I'm very confused about what you're suggesting. How were you using these rubber things with cams and nuts?

 

I don't really understand the existence of the rubber things as a product, period. And their name is ridiculous and makes them hard to talk about.

 

Okay, rant over.

 

Well there has been a death from this....

 

Let's see, keeps the rope end biner from cross loading, makes it easier to clip, and in the case of the DMM gear mentioned, makes unclipping the right strand of the extendable sling easier in addition to the above.

 

FYI just about every quickdraw made nowadays uses some sort of rubber keeper, the kind folks at Petzl make one that is way more durable, and works really well and can be re-used but has the added benefit of being dangerous.

[counterfeitfake]

Well there has been a death from this....

Yeah, I understand that. It's a danger we should be aware of. But I don't understand why you'd clip like in the picture.

 

Let's see, keeps the rope end biner from cross loading, makes it easier to clip, and in the case of the DMM gear mentioned, makes unclipping the right strand of the extendable sling easier in addition to the above.

Okay, maybe we are talking about different applications. In an alpine draw I find the flexibility to be the key in making the draw easy to clip. I am not really worried about a biner in a floppy draw getting cross-loaded since it's free to move as soon as force is applied. And I don't think I would want Petzl Strings on my trad rack as it seems like they will only get in the way of racking.

 

But at any rate, if you wanted all these things you see as advantages, you could do it, you just have to not clip like in the picture. Which should be easy because it is not something you have any reason to do. Or am I missing something?

 

FYI just about every quickdraw made nowadays uses some sort of rubber keeper, the kind folks at Petzl make one that is way more durable, and works really well and can be re-used but has the added benefit of being dangerous.

Well some do, some don't. But they're quickdraws.

 

 

To me it always comes down to understanding your gear and using it properly. Everything we do with every piece of gear has potential risk and we should always take that seriously and make sure we understand what we're doing before we do it. There are instances where I might use a piece of gear in a way not specified in the owner's manual, but I wouldn't do it on a whim.

[aforslund]

I agree with Counterfeitfake.

 

1) If you have gear with extendable slings it seems like you would want more freedom to let the biner move.

 

2) Pulling the slings out correctly isn't that difficult.

 

If you have problems properly using gear as it is made and intended perhaps you are in the wrong sport...