Trango Cinch

I have been reading some commnetary about this descending/ascending tool and want to see if other users have some experiences they want to share. I only found two other evaluations on the Gear Rater and I am sure there are more regular users that can tell us how it has worked or not worked for you.
Here is one of the reviews posted:
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
I hoped the small Trango Cinch would do it all - belay, position, rappel. I understand most climbers are using this device as a positioner; Gear Rater may want to move the Cinch to Positioning Devices instead of Rappeling. I have found a few issues with using it as a rappel device:



1) The store salesperson had me try it out in rappel mode on a 9mm. rope; I think the device requires the rope be 9.4 - 11mil. In order to descend, I pulled (too) hard on the hi-tech plastic lever - and pulled it right past the stop. I still couldn't descend - evidently the cams grab the 9mil a little too well.



2) Also, after several test rappels in my garage with one end of my new 11mil Fly rope, the sheath bunched enough to somehow jam the Cinch - leaving me stuck. No amount of bouncing could force the jam through the device.



3) Finally, I tried rappeling with my new Sterling HDP 3/8" (9.5mil) rope. The Cinch wanted to drop me scarily fast instead of the controlled rate I was looking for. I don't know if this will change when the new rope breaks in. The Cinch has rapped smoothly with older ropes.



I'd love to hear of other's experiences with this sexy little number

I have used a Trango Cinch for a positioning lanyard, in both the New Tribe/Chameleon combo as well as the Sherrill/Beeline kit. I have not had any problems at all, and I must say I love the Trango Cinch.

Before the Trango Cinch I used a Hitchclimber on my lanyard as a slack tender with an eye-to-eye beeline prusik. The only benefit the Hitchlimber gave over the Trango was that it allowed a single attachment point to my harness, as the lanyard could clip back into one of the carabiner holes on the Hitchclimber. The Trango requires two connection points, one for the cinch device and a second for the standing end of lanyard.

Here is a pic of my rig, with my main climbing line (Poison Ivy) using Hitchclimber, and my lanyard with the New Tribe Chameleon rope and the green Trango Cinch.

The main advantage the New Tribe kit has over the Sherrill kit is that the NT kit allows for (and comes with) a friction sleeve, a scaled down 18" version of their Dan House Rope Sleeve. The Sherrill beeline rope is lighter and throws a little better, but since they put spliced eyes on both ends, you can't use a rope sleeve (unless you cut the stopper eye off, and use a knot instead).

All in all, the Trango Cinch is fantastic, functional, and wonderfully simplistic in its design. I haven't experienced any jamming whatsoever, and it lowers me just fine from my lanyard TIP..always smooth as butter and in a very controlled fashion.

Thanks for eh reply .
I have used the Cinch a couple of times at one of the Rendezvous somewhere in the US. It worked nicely but I have so much gear that I was not tempted to spring for more gear (usual I may say). Anyhow I will pass the info to the people that was looking for some advise the other day.

In regard to NE Ropes Fly jamming in the Cinch on rappel, the Fly is more than 11mm in diameter and therefore above the diameter spec for use with the Cinch, not surprised that it jammed.

Sounds like the Cinch is good for a lanyard and probably only useful as an alternate backup descender for rappel use.

If the Cinch was combined with a Hitchclimber pulley it would make an excellent single point lanyard connection, an expensive setup though when you add it up.
-moss

Elrohir wrote:

I have used a Trango Cinch for a positioning lanyard, in both the New Tribe/Chameleon combo as well as the Sherrill/Beeline kit. I have not had any problems at all, and I must say I love the Trango Cinch.

How many people use the Grigri or Cinch on their lanyard? I had not heard of that. I thought maybe the lack of a positive lock made it a questionable choice for a lanyard.