Life saver
I've climbed since I was a kid, and did alot of climbing in the military, both on duty and off. I still believe in the Boyscout soldier motto of being prepared for any scenario. I carry two Tiblocs in my go bag, and have twice needed to pull them out.
Is the Tibloc an every day use ascender? Not by any means.
Is it a piece of kit that can and will save your backside if needed? Absolutely.
If you climb, and if you care about your safety, this little gem should definitely have a spot on your rack. Like I said, I keep two.
Houseless Zech at
REI on
12/12/2011
Solid, strong piece of equipment if used by idiots will dammage ropes
The Petzl Tibloc is decently cheep ($30.00) and small/lightweight. It fits ropes 7-13mm, but only comes in one size/color. Generally two Tiblocs are needed, where if you have a Petzl Ascension, only one is needed. In addition only certain types of carabiners work with it and tapes/slings are needed. Also, if you are stupid and use it wrong you can fray your rope and damage the sheath. Plus when using it in a harsh environment such as a wet mucky cave it can run in to a handful of problems. In all it’s a great product I would recommend to a friend...or enemy.
A must have on your trad harness, just in case
A great little piece to have. I have never had to use it, thank goodness. This needs to be on you at all times when you lead; keep this, a small knife, some cord, and a quick link on a biner and your prepared for many emergency situations. Note however, that the teeth are nasty on the rope if used wrong. It doesn't weight anything however, so highly recommended. The piece itself is sturdy, well built, and hasn't corroded, it will be on my harness for many years to come.
Nice, specialized piece of equipment.
Can be used to protect a leader when simul-climbing, and for emergency situations but it can tear your rope up so I wouldn't recommend it for use as a regular ascender. I have taken a whip on it to test it and it held perfectly with minimal damage to the sheath of the rope i was using. But once that sheath is damaged, the rope becomes much more susceptible to wear and is pretty much useless except as maybe a haul rope.
Simple and Effective
I LOVE this ascender! There is something very comforting about a simple devise with no moving parts. When used as directed this little guy works perfectly and weighs next to nothing. I keep it on a biner on the back of my rack and other than the sound it makes i never know its there. Be CAREFUL when using it though, if you don't follow directions you could tear up a rope sheath!
TxClimber at
REI on
04/04/2011
safety first
buy it. keep it on your trad harness with that bit of prusik cord, mini knife, and nut tool. youll forget its there till you really need it. perfect for emergency jugging to rescue your idiot friend who was trying to impress his girlfriend. better safe than sorry, and it weighs nothing.
Two words: Awesome
These are amazing if you are too poor to buy real ascenders...virtually any biner will work with them as well as any rope. They're also great for locking yourself in place while doing wall work. I've had mine for about 5 years and sometimes I wear them as jewelry...people think i'm fly
Awesome ascender.
I have two tibloc ascenders I use for multipliers in my slackline rig. I can rig a 200'+ line with my pulleys and these ascenders. They really are great. Super easy to use, very quick, small and convenient.
Oh yeah great for rock climbing too :).
Jeremyl04 at
REI on
03/03/2009
Well Worth It...Hell, Get 2!
These are mainly used as an emergency ascender for my canyoneering adventures. These are tiny and super easy to use. No moving parts equals no maintenance is needed. It is a little harsh on ropes though. I wouldn't use it an a primary ascender.
Nice little fella' to have around...
I carry this and an oval biner all the time. Great tool for self rescue or just to make an easy ascent.
Simple design makes it useful for many occasions, belay/rescue/regular ascent.
DFullMonty at
REI on
01/01/2011