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Version A
Version B
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[ Top | Version B | Return to Sticht Belay ]
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I acquired my DMM Betterbrake at the 1990 SpeleoFest, but did not record from whom. I bought two more on eBay from Ken Pritchard in2012, and gave one of them to Артём Бабин.
This DMM Betterbrake is 64 mm. tall, 64 mm. wide, 14 mm. thick, and weighs 69 g.
This plate has forged raised letters saying "DMM" and "WALES" on one side and "9MM OR 11 mm. ROPE" and "BETTERBRAKE" on the other.
The DMM Betterbrake is a normal forged double-rope "Sticht"
plate drop-forged from 2014 aluminum alloy. The curves in the slots do not provide any real functional benefit that I recognize.
There is some question about what to call this device. The instruction sheet refers to it as a "Betta Brake" (two words) and as a "Bettabrake" (one word), but the illustration in the instructions and the markings on the device call it a "Betterbrake" (one word). Take your pick.
The instructions warn against using any belay plate for rappelling. It is nice to see a manufacturer that understands that the needs of belaying and rappelling are not the same, and that a device designed for belaying is often not well-suited for rappelling - even though people frequently use them for that purpose.
The instructions also recommend against using the Betterbrake with laid ropes - we used to use them but by now, they’ve essentially disappeared from the climbing and caving scenes.
[ Top | Version A | Return to Sticht Belay ]
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| Front | Rear |
I acquired my DMM Betterbrake, Version B from Sarah Arsenaut in 2021.
Version B is 64 mm. long, 64 mm. wide, 14 mm. thick, and weighs 73 g. It has two slots that are 30 mm. long.
This plate has forged raised letters saying "DMM" and "WALES" on one side and "9MM OR 11 mm. ROPE" and "BETTERBRAKE" on the other. The rear is also stamped with "P" and "M."
I suspect that the "P" and "M" are the initials of a previous owner and not factory markings. In any case, they are quite neatly done.
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