Wild Country Variable Controller Reviews - Product Reviews

Wild Country Variable Controller

Wild Country Variable Controller
More about Wild Country

Average Rating: 3 out of 5
No. of Reviews: 6
RRP: £14
Year: 2005

Description: A smooth belay device, which is heavily radiused to reduce rope wear and to dissipate heat. Pays rope fast and breaks hard.

REVIEWS

1 to 6 of 6 reviews, to post a review you need to be a member - Join now.

Drew Withey

Posted: 17/04/03

'GOOD FOR HOLDING A FALL'

Strengths:
If anyone falls, then this baby will hold them no matter what.

Weaknesses:
Unfortunately if the rope is at all kinked then this will lock the VC immediately.

Overall:
If speed is not of the escence then this will do just fine, but if the climber is quick, then this usually doesn't keep up.

BTW the picture is of a sprung belay plate, and not of the VC!

Performance		80%
Reliability		40%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

60%

Daniel Jones

Posted: 31/07/04

'STICKY'

Strengths:
good locking and top rope belaying on the way up.

Weaknesses:
Very sticky action when belaying someone down, it can become very unnerving for first timers as it can become very slow then when you get the rope released it looses all friction.
Expensive compared to other better devices

Overall:
I had to replace it as it has a terrible sticking action to a DNM bug

Performance		40%
Reliability		40%
Value		40%

Overall Rating

40%

Ali James

Posted: 02/09/04

'I LIKE IT.......'

Strengths:
Two ways to use it, responsive is very good for slow routes i guess.

Weaknesses:
Slow, but i've only had a problem catching up once.
The slick setting does'nt instill much confidence when lowering someone.

Overall:
It's good but could be better and could be cheaper, I think I'll get a BD XTC sometime soon. Looks nice in gold though.

Performance		60%
Reliability		60%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

60%

Paul Gillespie

Posted: 10/06/05

'GOOD DEVICE'

Strengths:
Can be used 2 ways for different friction qualitys

Weaknesses:
Doesn't work well with ropes over 10.5mm or old furry ropes.

Overall:
I really liked this belay device for cragging. For multi pitch climbs i use my reverso.

Performance		80%
Reliability		80%
Value		80%

Overall Rating

80%

Jim Parker

Posted: 13/06/05

'COULD HOLD AN ELEPHANT ON A LEAD FALL'

Strengths:
Good belay plate will hold just about anything on the super frictiony side.

Weaknesses:
Very Jerky when using to lower people off on an indoor wall.

Overall:
Good little belay plate but your money is better spent on an ATC-XP

Performance		80%
Reliability		60%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

67%

Stewart Wright

Posted: 11/10/05

'WORKS WELL, BUT JERKY'

Strengths:
easy to hold a fall, dissipates heat OK, OK for beginners, 2 friction 'grades', plastic covered cable. Nice colours.

Weaknesses:
Not great for beginners! can be jerky with old or kinked ropes, so novice belayer slacks off & lets 10 feet of line through! can jam a bit.

Overall:
available for £17 with a HMS 'biner. seems solid enough, but might unsettle novices with occasional jerky action - but with the right technique they might just hold an elephant

Performance		80%
Reliability		60%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

67%

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