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Kong-Bonaiti v. A
Kong-Bonaiti v. B
Kong-Bonaiti v. C
Kong
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| Kong-Bonaiti v. A | Kong-Bonaiti v. B |
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| Kong-Bonaiti v. C | Kong |
In 1977 the Bonaiti company changed its name to Kong, but they continued to put the combined name "Kong-Bonaiti" on their products for many years afterward.
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| Front View: Closed | Rear View: Closed |
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| Front View: Open for Rigging | Rear View: Open for Rigging |
I obtained these ascenders from Inner Mountain Outfitters in 1992.
The ascender came in both right and left-handed versions. Each is 110 mm. high, 79 mm. wide, 37 mm. thick, and weighs 139 g. The ascender shell is a subtriangular anodized shape bent from 3.5 mm. aluminum sheet. The rope channel is formed by bending one side of the ascender into a U. The rope channel is 15.5 mm. in diameter. The opposite side of the shell is bent on an inclined axis to form another U. A hole drilled through both sides of the U accepts a 5.5 mm. semi-tubular rivet. The cam and cam spring are mounted on this rivet. The pivot is centered 42 mm. from the inside of the rope channel. There is a stamped D-shaped cam stop, but the cam contacts the inside of the rope groove before reaching the stop.
The main sling attachment point is an unbeveled 13 mm.
hole located below the cam near the rope channel. A second attachment
point consists of two unbeveled 17.1 mm. by 14.7 mm.
holes through the rope channel U, just above the cam. A third
attachment point lies above the cam pivot. This hole is 12.2 mm.
wide and 10.5 mm. high. Two key hole shaped holes and a countersunk
hole at the base allow attaching handles
or the Block
Roll.
The cam is a plated skeletonized aluminum casting. The cam radius, measured from the pivot, increases from 38 mm. to 48 mm. over an angle of 42°. The cam tooth pattern is (3)(4.H)^2(3.H)^2(2.2.1) where H represents a mud relief hole. A spring-loaded manual safety bar is mounted on the bottom of the cam with a solid pin. The normal action of the spring holds the safety against the cam. When the cam is opened, the shell interferes with the safety bar, thus preventing opening the cam. If the safety bar is moved away from the cam (opposing the spring), it will clear the shell and the cam will open. At full open the safety can be released and the spring will hold the safety against the back of the shell. A 10 mm. long, 7 mm. diameter pin riveted to the side of the safety bar assists in operating the safety mechanism.
The front of the shell is stamped "KONG-BONAITI-ITALY"
and "UIAA."
Like the Kong-Bonaiti Cam-Clean, this ascender is well-made. The cam is slightly different, with more teeth. The cam appears to be plated, so the teeth have an irregular look that is of no functional significance. The cam safety has a slight outward bend that makes it slightly easier to operate. The shell is reinforced, like the Cam-Clean, and has a stamped cam stop as well.
As a handleless ascender, this is a nice one, but it really shines as part of the Kong-Bonaiti modular system. If desired, handles can be added to form two different handled ascenders and a dual-handled ascender. In addition, the Block Roll can be attached to form a hauling pulley.
The cam stop does not touch the cam in normal use, so unless you weigh far more than you should, it does nothing.
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| Front View: Closed | Rear View: Closed |
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| Front View: Open for Rigging | Rear View: Open for Rigging |
I acquired my right-hand Kong-Bonaiti modular, Version B from Brent Fader in 2011. I acquired two left-handed ones from Geoffrey Storey in 2012 along with caver handles.
Version B is 114 mm. tall, 79 mm. wide, 27 mm. thick, and weighs 155 g. The rope channel is 15 mm. wide. The cam radius increases from 38 to 58 mm. over an angle of 42°, giving a 30° cam angle. The tooth pattern is (3)(4.H)^2(3.H)^2(2.2.1).
Version B is stamped "KONG-BONAITI-ITALY" ad "UIAA." The right-hand one, which is newer than the others, is printed with a rigging icon and "MODULAR on the front, and "KONG," "BONAITY," "ITALY," "CE0426," "UIAA Ø 8-11 mm.," and "9825189" on the rear.
Version B has a shorter cam safety than Version A has.
[ Top | Kong-Bonaiti v. A | Kong-Bonaiti v. B | Kong | Return to E.C. Ascenders ]
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| Front View: Closed | Rear View: Closed |
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| Front View: Open for Rigging | Rear View: Open for Rigging |
I acquired this ascender in 2017 as part of Bob Thrun’s collection.
The Kong-Bonaiti modular, Version C is 113 mm. tall, 79 mm. wide, 28 mm. thick, and weighs 158 g. The rope channel is 16 mm. wide. The cam radius increases from 38 to 58 mm. over an angle of 42°, giving a 30° cam angle. The tooth pattern is (3)(4.H)^2(3.H)^2(2.2.1).
The front is printed with a rigging illustration and "MODULAR." . The back of the shell is printed with"KONG-BONAITI-ITALY." The front of the cam is printed with "CAM-CLEAN," CE0426," "UIAA Ø 8-12 mm.," and "99005675."
Version C does not have the two keyholes and countersunk hole in the shell that Version A and Version B have, so it is NOT "modular" in the same sense that the earlier versions were. Instead, it has two other holes that Kong can use to make it "factory modular" - not the same as "user modular." It is a shame, I liked the "user-modular" feature.
[ Top | Kong-Bonaiti v. A | Kong-Bonaiti v. B | Kong-Bonaiti v. C | Return to E.C. Ascenders ]
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| Front View: Closed | Rear View: Closed |
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| Front View: Open for Rigging | Rear View: Open for Rigging |
Technical DetailsI acquired one Kong Modular from Zoro Tools Inc. in 2021 and another from Plaza Pawn in 2022.
The Kong Modular is 114 mm. tall, 79 mm. wide, 25 mm. thick, and weighs 158 g. The rope channel is 16 mm. wide. The pivot is centered 48 mm. from the inside of the rope channel. It has an oxide-finished asymmetrical open-web cam /w sloping teeth. The cam radius increases from 38 to 58 mm. over an angle of 42°, giving a 30° cam angle. The tooth pattern is (3)(4.H)^2(3.H)^2(2.2.1). There is a tab safety below the cam.
The front is printed with "MODULAR" and a rigging illustration. The back of the shell is printed with the Kong Italy logo, "875.D00," the UIAA logo, "CE0426," a book-with-an-"i" icon, "EN 567," a coil-of-rope icon, "Ø 8 ÷ 13 mm," "EN 12841:06/B 100 kg." a coil-of-rope icon, "•Ø10 ÷ 13 mm," "EAC," "TP TC 019/2011," "Made in Italy, "182607," "18," and "0187."
The Kong Modular does not have the two keyholes and countersunk hole in the shell that early Kong-Bonaiti modular ascenders had, so it is NOT "modular" in the same sense that these versions were. Instead, it has two other holes that Kong can use to make it "factory modular" - not the same as "user modular." It is a shame, I liked the "user-modular" feature.
The tab safety is harder to grip than the pin safeties on the Kong-Bonaiti versions.
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