Ascenders / Descenders

If you need to use your rope as a means of ascent or descent you will need to use some kind of Ascender or Descender. If you are climbing up fixed ropes on big mountain routes or big walls you will need a pair of Ascenders.

Once clipped into the rope each Ascender will move freely upwards but lock off if it is weighted. By having one clipped into your harness via a sling and the other connected to a foot loop you can move one up at a time standing high in your foot loop as you move your harness Ascender up and the do it all again. Some Big Wall climbers and Mountaineers have got this down to a fine art and can ascend ropes very quickly.

On fixed ropes on big mountains it is usual to have one ascender clipped to your harness with a sling. This is moved along the rope as you ascend, in this case you will not normally have all your weight on the rope, it is there as a safeguard.

Descenders on the other hand are used if you need to descend using your rope. Descenders are friction devices which work by applying resistance to the rope as it is passed through the device allowing a smooth descent. The amount of friction is controlled by the climber. You can of course use your Belay Device to descend or Abseil as well as Belaying, but 'Pure' Descenders tend to be used in caving or when making long abseils as they dissipate heat better, and work better on wet and muddy ropes.