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qwert
Mar 18, 2013, 10:25 AM
Post #1 of 13
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Registered: Mar 24, 2004
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Anyone already handled one?
Is it just another strangely formed tuber, or is it a semi auto/assisted locking device?
Unfortunately there is not much info on it on edelrids homepage. It was already discussed on this site here, with the declaration "best belay device" but other than this video, nothing substantial was posted, and the thread drifted into the discussion of someones misguided attempts on preventing factor 2 falls.
So lets try it again?
http://www.edelrid.de/...dware/micro-jul.html
http://www.edelrid.de/...rdware/mega-jul.html
In reply to: Mega Jul Our most versatile belay and abseil device made of solid stainless steel for durability. For belaying a leader or bringing up 2 seconds, also suitable for abseiling Very lightweight construction High braking performance assists the belayer with leader falls Small eyelet for releasing unit with a carabiner when bringing up your partner Rope can be paid out faster to a leader by holding device in the open position with the thumb Suitable for 7.8 - 10.5 mm ropes 
Unfortunately they have not yet uploaded a user manual for those devices, they still link to the jul (without mega or micro
).
so looking at it, the plastic part of the cable, and the operation shown in the video makes it seem like it does work similar to the mammut smart, and the term assists in "High braking performance assists the belayer with leader falls" could also point into that direction, but i am not sure.
Reason i am asking is the following: After first discarding it as a stupid idiot n00b device (due to the fact that it was only used by that group, and that it was not available in a double slot config) I recently used a friends mammut smart (the alpine version off course  ) and i have to admit i was wrong. That thing is quite good. However i cannot image using that thing to rappel a few pitches, plus its insanely bulky. If the mega/micro jul works on the same principle, it would solve both those issues.
qwert
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JimTitt
Mar 18, 2013, 10:59 AM
Post #2 of 13
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Registered: Aug 7, 2008
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I did play with one a bit at ISPO last month, functionally itīs the same as SRC, Smart and the rest. Which means paying out conventionally is more challenging and where Climbing Technology had the better idea. But it is a fair bit more compact than the competition which will help sales.
Hard to tell at a show what itīs really like with a filthy, damp and half knackered 10mm rope out there in the real world but looking at the slot dimensions and the radii it will probably be pretty grim like all the rest, thumb ache dragging loads of rope through could be an issue.
The ones I handled could have been improved finish-wise but they were prototypes so who knows what they will do to the moulds for the production models.
Suupposed to be available from April 1st which may not be a good omen!
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qwert
Mar 18, 2013, 4:13 PM
Post #3 of 13
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Registered: Mar 24, 2004
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JimTitt wrote: I did play with one a bit at ISPO last month, functionally itīs the same as SRC, Smart and the rest.
In reply to: Which means paying out conventionally is more challenging and where Climbing Technology had the better idea. But it is a fair bit more compact than the competition which will help sales.
In reply to: Hard to tell at a show what itīs really like with a filthy, damp and half knackered 10mm rope out there in the real world but looking at the slot dimensions and the radii it will probably be pretty grim like all the rest, thumb ache dragging loads of rope through could be an issue. 
But thats the tradeoff with about all devices except the munter hitch, You have to choose between easy handling and high brake force. Trying to cover various rope sizes in one devices just makes these problems worse.
qwert
(This post was edited by qwert on Mar 18, 2013, 4:14 PM)
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JimTitt
Mar 18, 2013, 7:08 PM
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The Metolius BRD, SRC, Smart and the original of all this type of plate, the Salewa Antz all have the problem that when paying out the rope hovers on the brink of pulling the karabiner into the locking position so if you grab a bit of rope or use one thatīs a bit sticky/hairy they tend to lock up. The more "assisted braking" you build in the worse this is due to the wedge angle you build into the bottom of the plate.
The Click-Up has a plastic spring tab underneath which holds the karabiner away from the locking position until there is a more substantial jerk which makes paying out much better. Almost certainly the best of this kind of device if you can put upo with itīs size, weight, the colour scheme etc.
I donīt use any of this kind of device though personally even though Iīve got all of them!
"You are not supposed to get your ropes filthy and dirty! You are supposed to climb dry and perfectly bolted, short, overhanging sport routes under the southern sun, while wearing the latest climbing fashion, with shiny new metal and a smooth ultrathin rope. Get with the times, gramps
"
Regrettably this weekend was in the Frankenjura, standing in 4" of snow and dodging dislodged icicles. Felt like a f###### alpinist!
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Syd
Mar 20, 2013, 12:21 AM
Post #5 of 13
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Registered: Oct 25, 2012
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Is the Mega Jul in stock anywhere yet ?
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shockabuku
Mar 20, 2013, 1:04 AM
Post #6 of 13
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Registered: May 20, 2006
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Jim - how does stainless do as a belay device material? I'm not an engineer but I seem to remember that it doesn't dissipate heat well.
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JimTitt
Mar 21, 2013, 7:00 AM
Post #8 of 13
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shockabuku wrote: Jim - how does stainless do as a belay device material? I'm not an engineer but I seem to remember that it doesn't dissipate heat well.
Stainless is both poor at transferring the heat away from the points of contact and heats up faster than aluminium but whether this is going to be a problem in practice who knows. I doubt it is going to be the device of choice for really long abseils so wouldnīt think it will be a problem.
Iīve made and abseiled on plenty of prototype plates from stainless and never noticed anything particularly but know from experience that in a Grigri it can get shockingly hot. We even started a project on measuring the heat in the plate but it got nowhere due to the difficulty and expense of fitting thermo-couples into the plate and building a machine to accurately duplicate abseiling, somewhere Iīve all the bits lying around.
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Syd
May 9, 2013, 4:00 AM
Post #9 of 13
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Registered: Oct 25, 2012
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Got mine today. It's tiny. It looks fantastic from my initial testing.
Super smooth, easy raps with complete auto lock off, on 2 ropes ... the hole for the biner handhold is rather small and I had to buy a new smaller biner to fit though. They still recommend a prussik for protection but there would be a lot of temptation not to use it.
Great for belaying. Smooth and easy in and out. Auto lock work great and seems softer than a Gri Gri. A single rope doesn't quite lock off totally, I assume to soften the lock. The ergonomics are much better than belaying a lead using a Gri Gri. It should make belaying on doubles much safer than an ATC.
The only benefit I can see for my Gri Gri is 100% lock off on a single rope when working a project on top rope.
It is so cheap, a quarter of the price of a Gri Gri ! It should capture the market.
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billcoe_
May 10, 2013, 12:35 PM
Post #12 of 13
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Registered: Jun 30, 2002
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Always a pleasure to support honest friendly people, I ordered 2, one for my boy. Thanks for stocking them!
I see one of the critiques of the Mega Jul is jerky raps when configured normally. An extra carbiner has always fixed that issue for me when I've encountered it with other devices. Just make sure it is the same size to get the effect.
(This post was edited by billcoe_ on May 10, 2013, 12:40 PM)
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Syd
May 10, 2013, 8:42 PM
Post #13 of 13
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Registered: Oct 25, 2012
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billcoe_ wrote: I see one of the critiques of the Mega Jul is jerky raps when configured normally. An extra carbiner has always fixed that issue for me when I've encountered it with other devices. Just make sure it is the same size to get the effect.
My lightweight wife initially had a bit of jerkiness but for me raps have been as smooth as silk. The key seems to be the angle at which you pull down on the rap biner you place in the little hole at the end facing you. Tilt it gradually rather than slamming it down to the max.
If you're trying to pull up on the yellow handle instead of pulling down on the biner, I'd also expect it to be less smooth.
It's also just as smooth if you thread it backwards as I did the first time. It then works just like an ATC, without any auto lock.
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EdelridMegaJul.png
