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The Edelrid OHMEGA, introduced right this moment, is a brand new sort of belay help that reduces the load on the belayer in a fall whereas offering different benefits. The OHMEGA defines a brand new class of belay help gadgets. Positioned on the primary piece of safety, it actively reduces the load on the belayer in a lead fall.
It additionally reduces rope drag for the chief and has different benefits. It’ll hit the market in August 2025.
Edelrid claims that the OHMEGA is a unique animal than the OHM. The German model developed the OHM (now in its second technology) to offset the destructive results of a lead climber far outweighing the belayer.
The OHM passively provides friction to the rope within the occasion of a fall, reducing the power transmitted to the belayer. This reduces the probabilities of damage to the belayer from being pulled into or up the wall and does the identical for the lead climber by minimizing fall distance.
The OHMEGA actively provides resistance to the rope throughout a fall by way of a spring-loaded cam as an alternative of passively doing it via geometry and cord drag. Moreover, the quantity of “weight” added to the belayer is adjustable between three ranges of help. That is functionally probably the most important distinction between the OHM and the OHMEGA.
It’s Not Simply an Up to date OHM
The OHMEGA additionally has further options that make it vastly totally different and advantageous for each climber and belayer in comparison with the OHM. First, a pulley reduces rope drag on the first bolt. This lessens the load on the chief and makes fast lead clipping simpler for each climber and belayer, particularly on lengthy routes.
The OHMEGA makes use of an energetic cam as an alternative of the passive system utilized by the Edelrid OHM; (picture/Edelrid)
The OHMEGA attaches to the primary piece of safety by way of a brief Dyneema sling, not like the OHM, which is on a standard-length quickdraw dogbone. This drastically reduces the quantity of rope journey distance wanted to activate the belay help, which additionally makes delivering a softer catch because the belayer a lot simpler.
The sling can be how the climber adjusts the extent of help; it merely adjustments the leverage ratio of the cam and does so with out sophisticated mechanical implies that may very well be problematic in sure situations.
The truncated activation distance additionally helps forestall accidents in the course of the high-risk interval when the chief is simply above the primary piece of safety. Faster belaying help minimizes the chief’s potential to hit the bottom or the chief and belayer to collide.
The Edelrid OHMEGA works on single ropes between 8.6mm and 10.5mm.
Edelrid OHMEGA: Manageable Kind Issue
The Edelrid OHMEGA weighs solely 170 g; (picture/Edelrid)
I’ve used the Edelrid OHM since its introduction in 2016. Though it drastically improved belaying dynamics when my climbing companion was a lot lighter than me, I solely introduced it sport climbing due to its comparatively excessive weight and bulk issue.
The Edelrid OHMEGA is rather more compact and light-weight than the OHM. At a fraction of the scale of the OHM and a scant 170g, I can see protecting it in my pack as a “just in case” merchandise and hauling it into the alpine.
The Edelrid OHMEGA accepts single ropes between 8.6 and 10.5mm; (picture/Edelrid)
Tommy Caldwell has already been utilizing the Edelrid OHMEGA, saying, “The OHMEGA is among the most ingenious merchandise to hit the market for a very long time. It reduces each the rope drag when lead climbing and the load created by weight variations in a rope get together. The machine itself weighs little greater than an ordinary quickdraw.
I’ve seen many accidents that would have been averted by utilizing the OHMEGA. After making an attempt it as soon as, you additionally notice simply how straightforward it’s to make use of. I wouldn’t be stunned if the OHMEGA have been to turn out to be an ordinary piece of substances for the climbing group.”
Keep tuned for a full overview of the OHMEGA when it turns into out there for buy in 2025.
