Following recent discussions about switching to assisted breaking devices, I thought I’d post a quick note to alert people to the fact that the ClickUp and the new ClickUp+ are actually really rather different devices.
I’ve been using the original ClickUp for about 18 months, and I love it. The only issue I have with it is that it sometimes puts a bit of a kink in the rope, so it’s wise to pull through and climb off both ends regularly to straighten it out.
Climbing with @Max_A at The Reach last week I was really surprised at how differently his Clickup+ handled compared to a regular ClickUp.
The main difference is that the CU+ is much grabbier on the rope, and will lock into place unless the rope is being purposefully fed through the system. The original ClickUp is much less grabby, and the assisted breaking mechanism engages only when there is some tension (albeit very minimal) applied to the break rope.
The best way I can describe the difference is that the original CU is more like a tube device with a mechanism that blocks the rope when breaking force is applied (and needs to be manually released if more rope is to be let through the system) whereas the CU+ is far more like a GriGri, in that you have to actively manage rope feed and any resistance at all will cause the device to engage and prevent rope being fed. (This, if you’re not used to it, can cause you to short-rope the lead climber repeatedly, which is very annoying if they are pumping out at a clip!)
Personally I didn’t like the CU+, and will definitely be staying with the CU original. It does the job really well, and I’m not convinced by the alternative (if I want something that does that, I’ll buy a GriGri).
Anyway, just posting here because I thought it worth making people aware that despite the similarity of name and design, they are better thought of as different kinds of assisted breaking device, rather than a slight modification of an existing model. So, if you’re thinking of getting a ClickUp, try both before you buy.