New Grivel Umbilical (I don't get it.)

Here's a photo of Grivel's new double spring 2.0 umbilical. It's different than others I've seen. I don't get how it's supposed to work. Looks like the tools tie into each other, and only one is attached to your harness? Anyone used this? What am I missing?

from website

- Makes it impossible to lose the ice axes
- Leaves hands free
- Long when required
- Compact when required
An elastic double sling system to avoid losing tools when climbing on rock or ice, solving the problem of modern climbing without a leash.
The Double Spring is attached to the harness by looping it through the tape ring over the harness itself.
The two ice axes are attached with 2 small carabiners to the holes on the spike (max 750kg).
Permits easy changeovers of hands and tools.
The two sections are so elastic that they don’t impede any movement and allow maximum arm extension when required.
Compact when required, long when required.
Attention: the double spring must never be used as a self belay for the climber or to belay a companion. Its strength is limited to 200kg.
The two small carabiners have a maximum resistance of 750kg and must never be used instead of normal carabiners when climbing or belaying.

I'm confused here,,,,first you death gripped straight handle tools in ancient times. Then you added your own 1" tubular webbing for a strap, then leashes, then you tied those leashed tools to your torso to hang off the leashed tool when placing screws, then you had Android leashes that could unhook, then the sporty world of NO leashes and new fangled double grip handles came along with such curves in the pic you couldn't swing one if you tried to,,,and now we are back to a fancy pricy leash once again? Gear life goes in circles, just to sell new stuff I believe. I'll use my old webbing tie in if I need a long umbilical for my tools once again.

So, one of the tools is clipped into the swivel carabiner, and the other tool is clipped into the regular carabiner? Seems like a strange way of incorporating a swivel into the system. The BD system is different (and seems to make more sense.)

my guess is that the swivel carabiner goes to your harness, you clip one carabiner to a tool and girth hitch the other.

+1 that would be my guess.

From their website

n elastic double sling system to avoid losing tools when climbing on rock or ice, solving the problem of modern climbing without a leash.
The Double Spring is attached to the harness by looping it through the tape ring over the harness itself.
The two ice axes are attached with 2 small carabiners to the holes on the spike (max 750kg).
Permits easy changeovers of hands and tools.

T Howes had it above

The copy from the website is taken from the older ones, which do indeed use 2 locking biners with a girth hitch onto the harness. I have this version, it works pretty well for the little use I have gotten out of them lately.

The version shown with the spinner girth hitches onto one tool and clips to the other. Spinner attaches at the harness.

If I had to hazard a guess I'd say grivel did this to avoid any copy right infringement on the bd design and still incorporate a spinner in the system .

Still I would have dropped both carabiners and just left the loops to girth hitch the tools
But I really don't use this unless I'm in the gym where there required. So moot point on my part.

Blue Ice BOA.

Is it possible that this leash is available in girth hitch and carabiner variations, and this is simply a prototype that shows both?

The CAMP version has provisions for either termination and it works well.

Dobson wrote:Is it possible that this leash is available in girth hitch and carabiner variations, and this is simply a prototype that shows both? The CAMP version has provisions for either termination and it works well.

I think the deal is that when you actually buy this rig then all three ends have a biner on them. That is, they just removed the other black biner so that you can see that switching out the biners is possible (or conversely, perhaps it only comes with the red biner and they simply attached the black biner to one tool end so that you can see how it should look when you add your own biners).

I've had too much single malt to try and figure it out... I'm just gonna chop steps with my piolet.

The carabiner with the swivel is clipped to your harness while one tool is hitched with the loop and the other clipped to second carabiner. It has nothing to do with patents. It's intended to incorporate some of extra security of the Blue Ice Boa while eliminating the problem with that design: It's inconvenient to get a tool out of the umbilicals to plunge the shafts when moving on snow. This looks like a pretty nice compromise actually.

The Call Of K2 Lou wrote:I've had too much single malt to try and figure it out... I'm just gonna chop steps with my piolet.

and after all that drink, its' easier to twist your ankles into that awkward much needed French' stance in your 10 point crampons too. Best of luck.

Jason Himick wrote: Yeah, I don't get the umbilicals at all. Seems like the android leash is a superior system if you need to tether your tools to something.

But then you risk losing your tool every time you place gear or grab a rock hold. Not to mention wrist leashes being no fun.

Derek Doucet wrote:The carabiner with the swivel is clipped to your harness while one tool is hitched with the loop and the other clipped to second carabiner.

thank gawd...
That was just in time!

Amazing, Barry Blanchard can drop a tool...
what a dolt.

Jon Griffith photo of Ueli Steck soloing the Ginat.

And Steck...a beginner leashless on moderate ground.

Righteous indignation!

I ended up buying these: Cassin X-gyro. Can attach to either or both of your tools via biner or girth hitch. Incorporates the swivel feature. Seems like the best of all worlds.

camp-usa.com/products/techn…

Original Boa leash

There have been any number of commercial leashes available now. Grivel offering the first. They tend to come and go like the wind these days. I like simple, strong and secure.

I have used and still own everything pictured here and a few others that haven't been as well. Never found a need for the swivel or much use for a biner that will not stay closed.

Full strength (for the webbing anyway) girth hitches seem the best option if you have an easy attachment point. It is a natural solution if you are on Petzl tools.