Reverso Transitions

8/14/2019 Reverso Transitions

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If you want to own just one rappel/belay device, then this is the one to get. The Reverso by

Petzl, a new device which will be available in stores this summer, does just about everything

and does it all very well. It can be used as a dynamic belay device for belaying the leader or

second, as a static belay device for the second, or as a rappel device. It also works great as

a ratchet and because it accommodates two ropes, you can belay two seconds at once or

use it as an improvised ascender on either a single or a doubled rope.

Let's look at it first in its dynamic belay mode. When using

the Reverso to belay a leader we found that the rope ran

through the device very smoothly. There was no tendency

for the rope to bind when giving slack or taking in rope. This

is because the Reverso has a wider angle between the

points where the rope comes in to it on one side and out on

the other side than a typical tube type belay device. At the

same time, the Reverso provides plenty of braking action

and it stops a leader fall with friction, not abrasion. There is

a wear bar on the brake side of the device which has a

pretty large radius when compared to the edges of most other belay devices which are

designed to belay a leader. This provides for a good amount of friction and no unnecessary

wear on your rope. We also liked the fact that there was no cable or keeper cord to interfere

with the rope while belaying or rappelling.

At the top of the pitch, you can use the Reverso to belay one or two

seconds in a stat ic belay mode much as you could with a Gi-Gi (not

Gri-Gri) or other plaquette device. Used in this fashion the Reverso is

a hands-free belay device (which is the only safe way to belay two

climbers simultaneously). If one climber is hanging on the rope, its

possible to safely use both hands while you continue to belay the

other. The Reverso appears to have a couple of advantages over

other plaquettes when used to belay the second or seconds. First,

and this is a big safety issue, when belaying in the auto locking

mode with other plaquettes it's possible if you are using a single thin

rope (9mm) that the brake carabiner on the plaquette could rotate

and the rope could accidentally switch into the lowering mode. Onthe Good/Bad Scale, this is way down near the bad end

somewhere. There is a metal fin on the back of the Reverso which prevents this from

happening. The other advantage we liked was the fact that it was possible to transition from

belaying to lowering while the device was loaded without much effort compared to other

plaquettes. With a little instruction and practice this is easy. (If you have any questions about

plaquette or Reverso use, please feel free to go to theAsk a Guidepage.) If the rope (or

ropes) are not loaded, there is a very smooth, easy transition into a lower.

The Reverso also works great as a rappel device. Unlike some other

multi-function devices this one was made to rappel with. There's no

need to add two or three braking carabiners to make it work right. The

device gives a very smooth and controllable rappel just as it is. If on a

very low angle rappe l, it is very easy to put a spacer carabiner into thedevice to decrease the braking action. This little trick works better with

the Reverso then any other rappel device we've seen. While rappelling,

it's the wide radius wear bar on the brake side of the device which

again makes for a very smooth braking action and minimal wear on the

rope.

The Reverso works on 8-11 mm ropes, weighs in at 81 grams, and only

costs a few dollars more then your average tube style belay device, but

it does a whole lot more.


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Reverso Transitions

There are two situations in which you may want to switch from belaying to lowering with the

Reverso. One is where the device is not weighted (your partner is standing on the rock) and

the other is where it is weighted (your partner is hanging on the rope). Clicking on the

imagesbelow will give you a larger photo with explanations.

Unweighted Transition

Reverso in Self-Locking Mode

(click for details)

If the Reverso is being used in

the self-locking mode and is not

weighted, the transition to a

lower is easy. Basically, what

you will be doing is changing the

way the Reverso is hanging on

the anchor from the self-locking

mode into a redirected normal

belay mode.

First, redirect the brake strand

of the rope through another

point on the anchor above

where the Reverso is hanging

and keep your hand on the

brake strand or tie it off. Put

another locking carabiner on the

anchor next to where the

Reverso is hanging and clip the

Reverso brake carabiner into this

and lock it. Don'topen up the

brake carabiner, as th is would

have the potential of eliminatingthe belay. Unclip the Reverso

plaquette carabiner from the

anchor so that the device is no

longer in the self-braking mode.

You are now ready to begin

lowering as if using an ATC type

of belay device directly off the

anchor with the belay side of the

rope redirected through the

anchor. The set up for this lower

will look like the second photo.

The lowest (blue) carabiner inthe photo is the plaquette

carabiner that held the Reverso

in the self-locking mode before

you made this transition.


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Ready to Lower

(click for details)

Completed Transition, Unweighted


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Weighted Transition

Brake Strand Muled Off(click for details)Weighted Transition, Brake Strand Secured

with Mule Hitch

If the Reverso is loaded, you

begin again by redirecting the

brake strand of the rope

through a point on the anchor

above where the Reverso isconnected. But, this time it

might be a good idea to

muenter-mule or mule the rope

off on to this redirect carabiner

because you'll want both hands

free to work for a bit.

Put another carabiner on to the

keeper bar (the one that the

brake carabiner is clipped

through) and run a cordelette

or a section of the climbing

rope from this carabiner up

through another higher

carabiner on the anchor to

create a quick block and tackle.

Either pull down on th is block

and tackle or step into it with

your foot to rotate the Reverso

about 90 degrees at which

point it will no longer be in the

self locking mode. Be surethat

before this happens you have

secured the brake strand of the

climbing rope with a muenter-

mule, mule, or are at least

holding onto the brake strandbecause cranking on the block

and tackle takes the device out

of the self locking mode

At this point the Reverso is in a

lowering mode and you can

lower your partner. Anytime you

let go of the block and tackle,

the Reverso goes back into the

self-locking mode and

everything stops. Do not unclip


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e everso p aque ecarabiner from the anchor for

this transition because nothing

else is connecting the Reverso

to the anchor and it's too much

trouble to do so. This transition

is pretty easy once you

practice.

Notes- The Reverso was not

designed by Petzl to be used

as described above and as the

instructions that come with the

device state, "A goodknowledge of mechanical

advantage techniques is

required to unlock the system."

when used in the self-locking

mode. The weighted transition

is an introduction to these

techniques. The keeper bar is

not a load bearing part of the

Reverso, but it should

withstand the fo rce required to

unlock it. Even if it were to fail,

the integrity of the belay would

remain intact.

Ready to Lower(click for details)Completed Weighted Transition, Ready to

Lower


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Practice both of these techniques before you actually have to use them on the rock. There

are of course variations to these t ransitions that will also work, but these will get you started.

We've been doing these transitions for quite some time with the Gi Gi before we got Reversos

and they work quite well. Take your time, practice, and be sure that before you move on to

the next step in either of these transitions that you have done it correctly and have not

accidentally taken your partner off belay. Take care and have fun.

Reverso Transitions

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