MAD ROCK MAD LOCK – 2009 Gear Guide
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Problem: you’re belaying your second directly off the anchor station when he falls. He hollers up, asking to be lowered 10 feet to a ledge. To feed the requisite slack with many self-braking belay devices, you’d have to hook a release hole with an extra carabiner (possibly adding a sling) and use mechanical advantage. Solution: the Mad Lock from Mad Rock (madrockclimbing.com). Applying only manual pressure (depending on the climber’s weight/belayer’s strength) to a protruding horn, you can gradually release the lock. Another clever twist comes via the removable friction pin, which allows the Mad Lock to handle, with customizable bite, ropes from 8 to 11mm.
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A LITTLE HELPWhen the Mad Lock’s set up as a standard, tube-style device, this secondary horn offers a handy rope-wrap point, so you can lock off your climber while she dogs the project du jour.
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HORN OF PLENTYThe aluminum horn that gives the Mad Lock its unorthodox appearance has two functions: 1) it’s the cantilever with which you release the device when belaying off an anchor in self-braking mode, and 2) it’s a bottle opener, for brews with your bizzled braus (!).
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ADJUSTABLE FRICTIONUse a small hex key to add or remove this secondary pin, to custom-size the rope slots. Up the friction to handle skinnier ropes or heavier climbers.
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