New Zigzag

Bowline with a loop leaves the potential for a side loaded biner since it's not a cinching knot. No bueno IMO


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I take back everything I said about the Zigzag. I found a crack in mine this morning while in a tree. I did nothing to abuse it, was always easy on it and never side loaded it that I know of. If you bought one, return it.

ape5ave3.jpg
 
Yep, thats why I own a hitch hiker, they're bomb proof!!

I had little faith in the New ZZ, didnt look like they beefed it up at all from the old design..."FAIL"
 
Mine came in yesterday...all new and shiny. Think wes spur will take it back? probibly not until failure.
 
Maybe if it hasn't been opened. You can always call petzl and tell then it's garbage and you won't climb on it and make them give you a refund. Sorry to steer you wrong, I was in love with the thing until today. Doesn't help that I noticed the crack 50 ft up a Tulip Poplar.
 
Call Wesspur.

If they don't stand behind selling a POS for life support, after yet another one cracking, then they are not in a customer service biz. I bet they will. Its only a matter of time before another recall.

Tell them to send you a Hitch Hiker instead.
 
That's the nice thing about the HH. It is bomb proof and my fat ass proves it. . I spent 4 days using mine last week and it works the same as it always has. Any piece of life support that I have to pay too much attention to can't be on my saddle. I would rather fight with a prussic hitch than worry that what I was hanging from would break. .
I would say that Petzl got it right with the GriGri, Rig and ID. But the Shunt, Stop and now the Zigzag are bad stuff.
I got pretty fat this year, 269 buck neked so geared up with the 339 Husky on my Cougar I know I'm at 300 lbs on my HH and it works as well for me as I imagine Bermy's does for her. Srt, drt, putting it on or off mid line. Pouring rain, covered in sawdust. Dry as a bone and in deep snow. All it does is work right all the time.
I thot the zz was going to be the cats meow but it seems not.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #66
Ok guys, I've been using the zigzag for almost 8 months now, so I thought I should follow up with a quick review. My opinion is this is the best piece of equipment one can buy for Ddrt. If you climb SRT or if you switch back and forth from SRT to Ddrt then the zigzag is not for you. But if you are strictly a doubled rope guy then you should seriously consider the zigzag. The 2 most noticeable advantages over friction hitches is that the friction is always constant. You don't have to worry about pairing the right friction cord to your climbing line or tying your hitch with 3 wraps or 4 or 2 twists or 3 or whatever. This thing just simply works the same every time. The second most noticeable advantage is the way it self tends slack once a little weight is in your climb line. No more pull, pull, tend, pull, pull, tend. Now I can just pull, pull, pull, pull, pull, etc. Descending or limb walking is smooth and consistent every single time. Anyway, I just thought I would share my experience with the zigzag now that I have used it a good bit.
 
Yes, good review treehug

How does zz work with pitch on your rope?..does it lock up bad or can u still move ok?
 
Have these zigzags been redesigned since a failure? Has there been any other issues? I just came across this devise and purchased one today. Love the features of it but unsure of safety. Don't know if I should be sending back for a hitch hiker?? Thanks

Jim
 
Jim welcome to The Tree House. I don't know a lot about the Zig Zag and I have never used one. But what amazes me the most about the ZZ phenomenon is what a person has to be thinking to be able to use one.

There wasn’t just one failure in the original version there were many. Fair enough, they had some issues and recalled them. Restart. So now the current version is cracking and instead of recalling them and ceasing all use there are threads about what and where to watch for the cracks developing. Ha, Ha, Ha, I can’t even imagine what I would have to be thinking to use that as a tool I trusted while busting my hump to make money.

Whatever, at least two or three good friends say they are using the ZZ and I’m sure a host of other people can chime in here and tell you why it’s ok. Something about your post had me want to respond maybe the, “Don’t know...” part. If you want to know, the Hitch Hiker sure works well for me. But hey, thats just me. I’m cracked climbing gear averse. (Again, to be honest, I don’t really know anything here. This is just what I’ve read, been told, and my personal thoughts.)
 
Thank you Merle. I had seen it on YouTube and told myself I needed one. Then after the fact I read the bad reviews. It will be here probably Friday. Guess I will end up returning it Saturday And get a hitch hiker. I love the ease of use as it looks but not at a chance of getting hurt. Thanks again.

Jim
 
Just my opinion, but I think you are making a mistake returning it, Jim.
Especially considering the fact that literally thousands of the newer ones have been sold (asked a Petzl rep at Expo), and ZERO reports of any failures resulting in injury/death.
I love climbing on my ZZ. Own two of them (different length ropes).
I've been badly hurt in several falls over the years, and if I didn't feel safe climbing on a ZZ, believe me, there isn't a chance in hell that I would climb on that thing.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #75
The first generation zigzags did have an issue with the carabiner on the end of your climb line rotating causing it not to be loaded on its major axis. This issue has been corrected in the second generation zigzag. The issue that some people are experiencing with the second generation is a hairline crack in a certain spot on the chain. Do not let this shy you away from the zigzag. The crack is rare and the nature of the crack is such that it does not cause failure in the zigzag. However, with any equipment if you discover a crack or defect you should stop using it. I think Petzl has corrected the cracking issue anyway. I know that if you have one that has a crack you can return it and they will send you one that has been "beefed up" in that area. I would imagine that all of the ones that they are selling now are the newer ones that have been beefed up already. With any gear just inspect it before and during each use. Like I said in my previous review, I have been climbing on mine for about 8 months. Mine has not cracked and I am pretty rough on gear. I have complete confidence in mine. If I ever do discover a crack I will send it back and get another one ASAP. I converted from the hitch hiker set up to the zigzag and as far as performance, the zigzag is superior by far. I would dread having to go back to the HH now that I have been on the ZZ. I hope this input helps, but the most important thing is that you feel comfortable and safe in the tree. If you don't feel safe with the zigzag, or any piece of equipment for that matter, then you should use something else.
 
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