  Privacy
| Legal |
Table of Contents Back | Next | Home | Cover Page |
 Technology & Development Center |
Fixed Anchors in the Wilderness
Egress Systems of New Mexico has designed the Geartriever, a device to help retrieve gear (such as slings and runners) that would normally be left behind. The Geartriever is a small, plastic, conical device that fits on the end of a climbing rope (figure 4). A tension band is attached to one end of the sling. When the rope is pulled down after rappelling, the sling, Geartriever, and rope are recovered. Slings, runners, and even carabiners can be recovered when using fixed anchors, trees, or rock horns (figure 5a and figure 5b) as rappel anchors.
Figure 4—The Geartriever can recover slings and
runners. A sling is passed through a fixed anchor.
The Geartriever is attached to the end of the climbing rope.
A tension band is placed on one end of the sling.
When the rope is pulled, the sling comes with it.
Figure 5a—A rock horn is being used as an anchor
point in this demonstration of the Geartriever.
Figure 5b—The Geartriever is pulling a
sling and carabiners from a rock horn.
The Geartriever’s inventor and manufacturer has a patent. He stated that he would not sell this device in the United States because of legal issues.
 |
E-mail: