Question about potential issue with MegaJul Auto Lock

Hello, 

I was recently talking to a friend about using a megajul for some basic climbing photogrpahy. By this I mean I'm not spending hours shooting, I'm climbing an easy route to the left or right of my friends project, setting up a rap and taking shots from above of his project. 

For this I've been using a megajul with a prussik on my brake hand. In speaking to a friend who has much more experience and has spent time establishing walls, they mentioned that the megajul has been know to unblock and cause falls. I was just wondering if this was maybe a one off story or is more common? As a follow up to that, is there any gear you would recommend as a backup to the megajul-prussik I'm currently using? 

I understand if I get more into photography I will want ascenders and step ladders, but that's not in my immediate future, more looking for info about megajul safety. 

Thanks 

I’ve had it slip when using certain carabiners, I-beam or similar. Personally never had any issues with it locking and staying locked when using a fat round stock carabiner.

I agree with Sam they are sensitive to biner design and fat round stock is best. Plus you are using a prussik backup so you should be fine. 

Third the biner comment. Use the recommended one. I think it's called the Edelrid Bulletproof. That plus a prusik is grade a redundancy.

Biner design matters but also rope selection. I had slippage with a brand new 9.8 Edelrid rope (see video)

https://youtu.be/hhFc5N4DaG4

After the video they requested the device and rope and claimed to be unable to replicate my issues. They did send me a new rope and device though. I use a grigri now. 

Not familiar with megajul but some also report grigri slipping (or handle getting caught in open position). For that I use a catastrophe knot and/or prussic. 

Yoda Jedi Knightwrote:

Third the biner comment. Use the recommended one. I think it's called the Edelrid Bulletproof. That plus a prusik is grade a redundancy.

Strangely, I found the HMS Bulletproof to be less than ideal. It's sort of a hybrid round-ish I-beam, I experienced slippage using it with a Giga Jul. I recommend something really round like BD Rocklock or one of those little Metolius lockers you have screw a million times.

Yeah t JB e carabiner matters but it can slip slowly like creep never heard of a full unlock after its loaded.  Catastrophe knot is best practice 

That said you will be happier with a grigri and an assender for photography.   I have a megajul and a grigri they are both great for the correct application 

The braking strand can be squeezed out from under the loaded strand and the two ropes cross over, dropping the climber. It happened to me the first time we tested it.

J Gwrote:

Biner design matters but also rope selection. I had slippage with a brand new 9.8 Edelrid rope (see video)

https://youtu.be/hhFc5N4DaG4

After the video they requested the device and rope and claimed to be ubable to replicate my issues. They did send me a new rope and device though. I use a grigri now. 

Similar experience here, with both the Megajul and Microjul. I don't recall exactly but some ropes and biners just don't work well. Most combinations do, however.

Also, most (possibly all) slippage occured with brand-new ropes. And I didn't have any incidents where it held at first and then started slipping at a later point. 

Jim Tittwrote:

The braking strand can be squeezed out from under the loaded strand and the two ropes cross over, dropping the climber. It happened to me the first time we tested it.

This happened in guide mode, right? 

Joe Say'nwrote:

This happened in guide mode, right? 

Yes

For  guide mode we use an additional biner that splits the two strands and prevents the two strands from ever being able to slip around each other. I'm more concerned with slippage while using it to rap but it seems that a prussik provides enough safety. I'll add a catastrophe for when I'm sitting and know I won't be moving while I shoot in the future, three levels of safety don't hurt. Thanks for all the advise 

I usually lock the device off with a mule and then a catastrophe knot.  That way you don't have to worry about the prussik or the catastrophe knot jamming into the device and being difficult to undo.  I guess you could be placing the prussik above the device and avoid the problem that way.

My megajul creeps under load so something needs to be done.

Sam Cieplywrote:

Strangely, I found the HMS Bulletproof to be less than ideal. It's sort of a hybrid round-ish I-beam, I experienced slippage using it with a Giga Jul. I recommend something really round like BD Rocklock or one of those little Metolius lockers you have screw a million times.

That's because, for the giga, they recommend the Strike biner.

Yoda Jedi Knightwrote:

That's because, for the giga, they recommend the Strike biner

Strike looks like it would be even worse... I'm sticking with round stock.

Braden Kerrwrote:

For  guide mode we use an additional biner that splits the two strands and prevents the two strands from ever being able to slip around each other. I'm more concerned with slippage while using it to rap but it seems that a prussik provides enough safety. I'll add a catastrophe for when I'm sitting and know I won't be moving while I shoot in the future, three levels of safety don't hurt. Thanks for all the advise 

Seems like a safe enough system, especially if carefully employing backup “catastrophe” knot blocks.

Probably a good idea to *always* have one of those between you and the hard deck. No real reason not to quickly toss one in 10 or so meters below the lower bounds of where you expect to navigate throughout the photo shoot. And it takes all of 20 seconds to throw a clove hitch on a biner just below your megajul/prussik and clip the cloved biner to your harness as a near-guarantee that you wont slip into a heinous injury, no?

I know you said you’re not yet at the point where you are looking to procure jumars and aid gear, but I’ve got all this available for you and can ship it tomorrow morning, if you’re interested:

$140 total:

- 2 yates big wall ladders

- 1 Camp LIFT device (that I’m not a huge fan of, honestly, but it does the same job of a prussik pretty damn well)

- 1 BD Index Jumar (leftie)

- 1 BD Ascension Jumar (rightie)

All in “very lightly used” good condition.