Review: Kong Back-Up

Has anyone tired/seen/used the Kong Backup for TR Solo or Solo?

They claim it will hold a Fall Factor 2 "in semi-dyanmic way and it avoids the shocking effects on the ropes"..... What is a semi-dynamic way... Does it allow a little bit of rope slippage?

Here is a link to the Product data sheet.
kong.it/doc/Kong_Back-Up.pdf

this is the first I've heard of it, but it looks like a snazzy piece of gear. I'll be eager to hear what people have to say.

The PDF doesn't provide much depth of purpose or testing/rating. It looks like PPE for industrial work, kind of... I don't think it'd work as a back up to an abseil. You folks think it's for TR solo's? or running up fixed lines (tr solos....)?

I'm certainly curious.
T.

does that locker look strangely not climber-esce to anybody else?

Pat I use those exact lockers at my work (a rock gym), they're just super safe autolockers.

Interesting. According to Yates' site it's only for 10-12mm ropes though. Dunno if it would work with something skinnier.

I'm a bit leery on the "free mode". It looks like one could accidentally bump the button into this mode (where it doesn't catch you at all) in a fall i.e an upward movement on the button releases the device.

The description leaves a lot to be desired, but that's not quite how I read it WRT 'free mode'; I think it'll still catch a fall in that mode but is still able to move down the rope without user intervention when climbing down a ladder or whatnot (which seems to be the intended purpose).

Seems to me the mechanism is quite similar to that used in a Ushba Basic ascender / Troll Rocker / Yates Rocker, but with the addition of a lever that will bears on the rope on the upper side of the device and a spring (attached to the mode selector lever) that can push the bottom of the long anvil (gray part on the left part of the device in the pic) counter clockwise to add friction and put the device into one-way 'lock mode'. In 'free mode' that pinching at the bottom won't be there, so the device is free to slide down the rope with little effort. But the moment any downward force is applied to the biner the lever it is attached to will be pushed into the rope, thereby causing it to push into the top of the long anvil, which causes it to pivot pinch the rope at the bottom, at which point you're in the same situation as 'lock mode' and the device will rotate and lock up the same as the Ushba/Yates/Troll. This is all speculation based on the pictures, but seems to fit.

Oh, and it also looks like the mode selector lever has a spring loaded push button on it that needs to be depressed in order to free the lever from the circular cutouts in the back cover. If that is the case I can't imagine it would be terribly easy to accidentally switch modes bu bumping the device.

I wonder if this device will hold and fall that is upside down?

This is a Work at Height, Fall Arrest device it appears to work in a similar manner to the Petzl ASAP but with the ability to lock it off in place until the ASAP - this may cover the recent Petzl statement that the no longer recommended the use of a Shunt in the work place as a back up device in descent while towed by a cord, as a back-up device in rope access. For those not familiar the cord is a thin cord put through the cam to release the cam. It is short and unknotted to facilitate it being ripped from your grasp should something happen to your mainline (rather than back up line)

Since 1999 Petzl has provided specific information regarding the special use of the Petzl SHUNT as a back-up device for industrial rope access. Petzl required that users must have received and mastered IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) training or similar and must also use the Petzl SHUNT within the current "IRATA method".

Extract from the June 2009 statement:
"Professional operatives who choose to use the Petzl Shunt as a rope-access and work-positioning back-up device must have received and mastered IRATA training or similar, and must use the Petzl Shunt with IRATA method. Responsibility for this remains with the employer and the user."

PictoAnalysis:

* In the light of incidents and accidents, indicative tests have been conducted, including – but not limited to – a workshop in March 2011 with rope-access experts present. The findings of these indicative tests demonstrate that releasing a towing cord while towing a Petzl Shunt as a back-up device is not consistently effective:
- In an emergency situation, the natural human reflex is to increase the grip on the cord, therefore reducing the likelihood that the cord will be pulled from the hand.
- Additionally, this natural reflex may override any conscious action to open the hand and release the cord.
- Consequently, either of these hazards could result in overriding the braking function of the Petzl Shunt.
* Following these tests, working sessions with IRATA alerted Petzl to the fact that there has not been special training sufficient to minimize this potential risk. Testing and experience demonstrates that human response to emergency situations, even among expert users and highly trained professionals, is not completely predictable.

PictoConclusions:

* Previous Petzl statements required special training for this specific use of the Petzl Shunt. The lack of any described methods or special training therefore makes these previous Petzl statements obsolete.
* As a measure of precaution, Petzl recommends to NOT use the Petzl Shunt, while towed by a cord, as a back-up device in rope access.

This statement supersedes all previous statements and communications relating to this particular use of the Petzl Shunt.

I'd be interested in using this as a trailing backup on a dynamic line for TR solo. I would like to use the Shunt, but I'm afraid that the "arm" that goes to the carabiner attachment point can break in a fall. Anyone break a shunt in a fall?

The Backup will catch a fall in both free mode and lock mode. It would be a terrible "backup" indeed if it didn't.

Lock mode means the device will freely slide up the rope, but won't slide back down. Useful when the user is only going up a rope and has no intentions of going back down the same rope system. Or wishes to easily rest on the device.

Free mode means the device will freely slide both up and down the rope. Useful if the user is going both up and down like a worker going up and down a ladder. You don't want your device to prevent you from down climbing a ladder. In Free mode you can down-climb without manipulating the device with your hands. It will slide down the rope with you as you down climb.

In either mode, the device will lock on the rope in the event of a fall.

Ben Beard wrote:I'd be interested in using this as a trailing backup on a dynamic line for TR solo. I would like to use the Shunt, but I'm afraid that the "arm" that goes to the carabiner attachment point can break in a fall. Anyone break a shunt in a fall?

Jim Titt wrote: The arm is rated to 20kN, this is written on the first page of the instructions! We´ve done a fair bit of pull testing on Shunts and the last problem is the arm breaking. You don´t want to trail it on an extension sling though.

Partly because it would increase the impact loading, primarily because it brings the Shunt up to a convenient height so that when you panic grab the rope you´ll grab the Shunt as well and go down fast! And if it stops you when it´s extended it hits you in the face.

Probably some of the reasons Petzl also warn against this!

Other than rescue work, I see no reason to invest in this device or a Petzl Shunt for that matter. Sold mine years ago.

If you're looking for a reliable, cost effective backup device... there is always the prusik. Used in a one-for-one (ie... move up a bit, slide the prusik up a bit), the prusik works great as a backup. Unfortunately for the manufacturers, they don't make any money from it. A Kong Backup or a Petzl ASAP will cost you over $200.

The Kong Back-Up is rope access and work on height fall arrester. It is very popular in the rope access community and is also being used in the construction industry. It is designed and CE certified to be used on 10, 11, and 12 mm static rope and 12 mm no cut lanyards(EN567/UIAA 104). Which doesn't mean that it will not work on other rope, just that it is not certified to do so. I have not heard of any test results using the Kong Back-Up as a TRS device. I would love to find out if someone has and how it worked. If price is a concern the Kong DUCK is a super innovative mechanical prusik and is much cheaper than the Back-Up.

Kong is a great traditional Italian manufacturing company with roots in metallurgy dating back to the 1800s. They make many climbing, safety, rescue, and yachting products. In fact they used to make carabiners for Petzl!

Please let me know how you like Kong and if you have any questions about our products.

John
Kong-USA

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Is there any reason this wouldn't work for lead soloing?

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It would certainly catch your fall and it would travel easily up the rope no matter which mode it is in. My main concern would be how the climber would rescue him or herself if they fell. This is not a rappelling/descending device therefore the climber would need to take their weight off of the device before climbing down or descending.

How do free solo climbers handle a fall? Do they usually just get back on the wall and keep going?

John C. Dunn wrote:It would certainly catch your fall and it would travel easily up the rope no matter which mode it is in. My main concern would be how the climber would rescue him or herself if they fell. This is not a rappelling/descending device therefore the climber would need to take their weight off of the device before climbing down or descending. How do free solo climbers handle a fall? Do they usually just get back on the wall and keep going?