Good catch on finding this. Thanks for attaching all those helpful links.
Previous recall was on the newer “screamer"-style elastic leashes degrading due to wear and dirt.
This tims the focus is on the older “belay device” style with rope passing thru holes in metal. (but also some additional screamer-elastic models recalled)
Last year I had purchased the newer screamer-style Via Ferrata kits for Sharon and me (luckily not among the models recalled) - so we could use those instead of our older Petzl Zyper “belay device” for routes where I thought there was any sigmificant chance I might fall.
I was mostly concerned about unreliable release / impact forcoes resulting in spinal or pelvic injuries (which might take a very long time to heal, if ever). And Mammut.ch had posted a concern about unreliable release forces on their website.
Seems like now a key concern is that if the lanyard ropes get worn, the “belay device” style is even more unreliable regarding predictable release forces. This finding makes a lot of sense to me based on my experience with actual belay devices for rope-protected non-VF climbing when I’ve climbed with other people’s worn ropes.
Ken
P.S. note that to largely get past the whole question of reliable impact forces in Via Ferrata climbing, there is the Skylotec model ?Skyrider? - which uses a totally different approach from either of those mentioned above.
