"unlike most via ferrata kits, the shock absorber will still function if you fall while just one of the carabiners is attached."
I am not aware of any via ferrata kit that does not have this feature. It is quite essential in fact: Falling while only one carabiner is attached will break the fall with the same impact than with both carabiners attached.
(even if we're talking about V-Style ferrata sets which however are rarely used nowadays - there it's even essential to only have one carabiner attached or the set will just block (not dampen) the fall.)
Or did I misunderstand something?
By the way, it would have been nice to have a whole view of the set instead of just the carabiners.
I thought that as well. Look at Petzl's stitching based one, both of the carabiner slings are attached to the shock absorbing device, so it will still work if you fall on one.
Ah, I was just about to start a thread on this too - so apologies if I repeat some of your points by simply posting what I was about to submit.....
"The other clever aspect of the new BD kits, is that unlike most via ferrata kits, the shock absorber will still function if you fall while just one of the carabiners is attached." (my bold)
Can you explain this statement please Jon? It's my understanding that most (all?) the commercially sold VF protection kits function like that.
Y-arrangements such as the Petzl Zyper-Vertigo have two clipping-tapes attached to a length of shock-absorbing rope - the rope will run through a friction device and absorb the load whether one tail or two happen to be clipped at the time of a fall.
Other arrangements run a single length of rope through a friction device to create two tails - in operation you only clip one tail at the time (except at change-over points) so that the length of the other tail can run through the device for shock-absorption. This arrangement would provide no shock absorption if you happened to fall while both tails were clipped.
It's not clear how the new BD set-up is any different. Or have they put the folded, stitched tape on both tails and done away with the friction elememt of the set-up altogether?
Yep, this puzzled me too. My Petzyl Zyper works the same whether one or two carabiners are attached.
In addition, wouldn't it be particularly stupid if the BD unit only gives you "half the load protection" when one carabiner is attached? When you are fankling with carabiners you are particularly vulnerable to a fall, and it will be the longest fall possible since you are at a change-over. "in most cases, that should be enough" isn't really enough!
Ah .. Trail put this up on their site a week or so ago, and reassuringly a completely different claim is made:
With Black Diamond’s systems, even if you’re climbing on the one clip, you’re safeguarded by the full strength of the sling,” says the company’s north of England sales rep Paul Innis
That's a pretty woolly claim in itself - slings aren't reknown for their shock absorbing qualities - certainly not compaired to a length of dynamic rope!
Ah .. Trail put this up on their site a week or so ago, and reassuringly a completely different claim is made:
With Black Diamond’s systems, even if you’re climbing on the one clip, you’re safeguarded by the full strength of the sling,” says the company’s north of England sales rep Paul Innis
