Question 1

Does this Rescucender grab the rope with cam action (won't damage rope) or does it have spike teeth which could dig in and damage rope?

Accepted Answer

To my knowledge the rescucender is the only cam rope ascender/arrester that doesn’t damage a rope under a shock load. It was originally designed by Rock Thompson in 1989 based on the “Soloist”, another rope arresting device he designed as a self-belay for rock climbers. I personally conducted drop test back in the “90’s” when I worked for the University of Nevada Reno’s industrial fire school using the original design and we had no rope damage. I still teach rescue work and I still use rescucenders. We have been using them to acsend ropes and to tighten high lines for years. And there were other’s that also did test with the rescucender and they published their results with similar findings.  There is a YouTube clip of one damaging a rope but if you look at the cam it is severely wore and damaged and should never have been used. This new design is really great as there is no more the little wire that people have gotten twisted or wrapped around the rope.
I love this new design and the rescucender (both the original and new design) is the only hard ascender I use in rescue work. (Soft ascender being cordage loops tied onto a fixed line using an ascender knot, ie Prussic, Kliemheist, Bachman, etc.)
However... High angle rope work is always dangerous, people working in this environment need to obtain professional training and always plan for the unexpected to occur and not totally rely on one piece of gear; always remove any slack in your rope systems to prevent or minimize your chances of having a shock load on your rope system. (My CYA Statement)
YIS (Yours In Service)

Question 2

Can this work as an up and down control for roof work? Please advise if I need another type of controller?

Accepted Answer

I'm not sure what you mean by up and down control.  This is a device that grips the roop and lets you ascend normally but you can't descend without manual intervention.  (You have to hold the lever to let the rope out.   As soon as you release the lever, it grips the rope.)  If you are working on a roof with a rope affixed to the apex, then it would keep you from falling as long as you were disciplined enough to keep the rope snug in case the tension isn't enough to pull it out for you.

Question 3

Is this device mid-line attachable?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can put the rescucender on the rope whenever  and wherever you want. You just have to remove the carabiner in order to put it on or take it off.

Question 4

How smooth is the feed, any drag? Looking for something that can handle 11.4mm rope

Accepted Answer

I use the Rescucender to TR soloing. It feeds very smoothly and is super easy to use. I have only used it on ropes up to 10.0 mm.

Brand	Petzl
Style	Tractor
Item Weight	290 g
Number of Pieces	1
Is Electric	Yes
Net Quantity	1.0 Count
Global Trade Identification Number	03342540103818
Item model number	B50A
Product Dimensions	14 x 5 x 9 cm; 290.3 g
ASIN	B01F8JBPV0

PETZL - RESCUCENDER, Openable Cam-Loaded Rope Clamp

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