Version A
Version B
Version C
Version A | Version B | Version C |
The "Uola" ("Rock" in English) brand is manufactured in Lithuanian city of Panaveys. Thank you to Gintautas Švedas for supplying this information and correcting my mistaken belief that these were Russian.
[ Top | Version B | Version C | Return to H.E.C. Ascenders ]
Front View: Closed | Rear View: Closed |
Front View: Open for Rigging | Rear View: Open for Rigging |
I acquired my Version A in 2017 as part of Bob Thrun’s collection.
Version A is 188 mm. tall, 86 mm. wide, 27 mm. thick, and weighs 178 g.
The shell is a tall irregular shaped stamping made from 3.8 mm. aluminum alloy sheet metal. A 15 mm. diameter rope channel is formed in the upper portion of one side and a smaller cam channel lies opposite. A hole drilled through both sides of the cam channel accepts a 6 mm. semi-tubular rivet. The cam and cam spring are mounted on this rivet. The head of the rivet sits in front while the roll sits in depression on the back of the shell. The handle below the cam has a hard plastic hand grip molded into place. The hand grip has four finger grooves. A 14.6 mm. sling attachment hole lies below the handle opening. A 13.9 mm. hole passes through both sides of the rope channel, providing an attachment point just above the cam. A carabiner placed in this hole will probably drag on the rope. All attachment holes are well rounded.
The cam is a plated skeletonized steel casting. The cam radius increases from 36 to 51 mm. over an angle of 37°, giving a 28° cam angle. The cam has number of small conical teeth, all of which have their axes sloping downward. The tooth pattern is (4.3)^2(2)(2S2)^2(1S1)(2.3)^2(2), where "S" refers to a single slot. Like most eccentric cam ascenders, the inner cam face radius reduces from top to bottom to accommodate various sized ropes. A spring-loaded manual safety bar is mounted on the bottom of the cam. 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. This provides a means of locking the cam open. A knob on the safety bar assists in operating the safety mechanism.
The grip has the word "UOLA" molded into one side.
The other side says "MAXI 400 KGS."
The ascender is moderately well made, but roughly finished.
[ Top | Version A | Version C | Return to H.E.C. Ascenders ]
Front View: Closed | Rear View: Closed |
Front View: Open for Rigging | Rear View: Open for Rigging |
I acquired my Uola, Version B from John E. Weinel, Inc. in 1989. I acquired another in 2017 as part of Bob Thrun’s collection.
Version B is 190 mm. tall, 87 mm. wide, 29 mm. thick, and weighs 176 g.
The knob on the pin on the cam safety have been changed from a 4.3 mm. tall, 8.9 mm. diameter cylinder to a 3.3 mm. tall, 9.5 mm. diameter rounded button. Otherwise, Version B is identical to Version A.
The grip has the word "UOLA" molded into one side. The other side says "MAXI 400 KGS."
All of my Uolas are right-handed ascenders. John tried to get a left-handed one, without success. Perhaps they didn't exist.
| Version A | Version B | Return to H.E.C. Ascenders ]
Front View: Closed | Rear View: Closed |
Front View: Open for Rigging | Rear View: Open for Rigging |
I acquired my Uola, Version C in 2017 as part of Bob Thrun’s collection.
Version B is 188 mm. tall, 86 mm. wide, 27 mm. thick, and weighs 178 g.
The handgrips have been changed to a different type of plastic. The new grips are softer and seem to be tougher than the previous ones.
The grip has the word "UOLA" molded into one side. The other side says "MAXI 400 KGS."
The new grips are softer and seem to be tougher than the previous ones.
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