Version A	Version B

Overview

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Version A
(#226, 2238/2238)

Left: Front	Right: Front
Left: Rear	Right: Rear
Left: Open for Rigging	Right: Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired a left-foot Version A CMI Foot ascender from On Rope 1 in 2007. I acquired a left and a right in 2017 as part of Bob Thrun’s collection.

The CMI foot ascender consists of an extruded, anodized aluminum shell, a cam assembly, and a set of straps and buckles. The CMI Foot ascender shell is 56 mm. tall, 80 mm. wide, and 32 mm. thick. The rope channel is 17.5 mm. wide, and is 57 mm. from the cam pivot. The cam is spring-loaded and has a (4.3)^5(4) tooth pattern. The cam radius increases from 43 to 62 mm. over a 46° arc, giving an effective cam angle of 24°. A spring-loaded safety on the base of the cam blocks cam opening unless swung out of the way. When the cam is open, the safety may be released to catch the shell, holding the cam open. Slots in the shell accept webbing straps. An ankle strap slides freely, and an under-foot strap is sewn in place. Both straps have adjustment buckles.

The only markings are "Cmi" and "TESTED" stickers on the frame.

This CMI Foot ascender weighs 324 g.

Comments

The CMI resembles the Petzl Pantin B02, and comparisons are natural, but considering the hate mail that I received for dissing the first version of the Pantin, I'm almost reluctant to do so. Here are a few observations:

1. The CMI comes in left- and right-footed versions, the original Pantin did not. Petzl later offered right-footed a Pantin.
2. The CMI is 50% larger and four times the weight of the Pantin.
3. The CMI did not self-destruct when I first loaded it. The original Pantin straps did. Petzl changed their design and fixed this problem.
4. The CMI cam safety keeps the cam from opening accidentally. The Pantin cam has no such feature and the Pantin easily comes off rope when the user does not want it to.
   

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Version B
(#245, 2240/2241)

Left: Front	Right: Front
Left: Rear	Right: Rear
Left: Open for Rigging	Right: Open for Rigging

Technical Details

I acquired a right-foot Version B CMI Foot ascender from On Rope 1 in 2008. I acquired a left and a right in 2017 as part of Bob Thrun’s collection.

The main differences between the Versions A and B are aas follows:

1. The inside of the Version B shell has a slight "step" on the side near the cam pivot.
2. The Version A shell is anodized. Version B has a painted shell
3. The Version A cam appears to be lacquered while the Version B cam has no finish.
4. The Version B shell has an up-pointing arrow on the front face of the rope channel.

Comments

None of the differences significantly affect the ascender’s functionality.

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