The original design is great, but I have designed this one with an equipment/rope tarp. I have made it detachable and it stores in a side pocket. The new design will come with an owners manual explaining the different ways it can be used as a rope management tool. When you reach the crags all you need to do is tie-in to the end of the rope and start climbing, it feeds out just fine. No more stacking or untangling ropes. You can also feed it into the bag. At the top & bottom of the belay bag (inside) I’ve sewn in two small loops, to tie the rope to. Tie a figure 8 in the bottom one, it will give you a knot at the end of the rope; preventing rappelling or belaying off the end. The knot you use in the top loop is knot… as critical, although I will recommend a knot in the manual. The new design holds about 70 meters x 10.2mm of dynamic rope just fine….the instruction manual explains more.
P.S. When using it to rappel from helicopter, or for canyoneering you can snug the draw string up tight and it minimizes or prevents water and dirt etc. from getting in it. Also, storing your rope in a Hansen Rope Bag will increase its life.
While I was showing off a prototype, a couple of climbers suggested putting a drain hole in the bottom. I seen bags that have a large grommet in the bottom. Some climbers stick the rope through it and tie a figure 8, but I have had problems with it working loose and dangling out. It also exposed the that end of the rope to ???. Storing all of your rope in the bag will increase its life too. As ropes age they dry out, and aging more quickly.
This is a nylon shock absorber from a lanyard, which is over 20 years old. The nylon seemed like new, and the elastics bands were still good! I hope to test it to failure soon, but I believe the nylon in the protective case will test out well, I have seen other similar test where ropes were stored in original packaging and the tested out to nearly new strengths.
You can tie directly into the bottom end if you want. There is a technique for doing that, without sticking the rope through a hole? Maybe I will include it in the owners manual? I hope to work out an agreement with Liberty Mountain, or maybe I will market this one directly? I have some prototypes I am selling, if your are interested. Thanks! D.S.Hansen d.hansen@hansenspecialities.com
Below is the first page of the user’s manual to my new bag design for the 2020’s. This comes with a users manual, and . . . It is available directly from me, and it too will soon to be available at Speciality Mountain Sports Stores.
