You can use this thing in a lot of ways WITH the PROPER training. Ideally, you would NOT do heavy hauling with it, the main pulley is too small and you will lose too much of your pulling power with this system. But a small day pack, crevasse rescue or as a fixed line soloist (again PROPER training) it is an amazing little unit.

I got this mainly for crevasse rescue and it works brilliantly. My rope mates always make fun of me for carrying an extra 165 g, but if I actually had to build a 3 to 1 pulley system, this makes is so much easier to use and maintain. If you want to reassure your partners, get it.

I've had one of these for about 7 years. When you need to haul gear, its nice to have the lock-out feature, so that you can use it as a simple pulley OR a hauling pulley, so that you don't end up carrying 2 pulleys or worse, a pulley and an ascender to catch. I haven't had trouble with it catching, but I've used it mainly for hauling lots of midwieght (30-50 lbs) bags on a fixed line, or something like scuba tanks that are heavier than you'd want to manhandle. I guess the only thing I'd like is if the lockout handle was metal instead of plastic, but I'd say that about all new Petzl cam devices.

I use one of these as part of my solo top roping system, and it works very well. Feeds smoothly and with little effort, and catches positively when weighted. I've never done any hauling with it, but I imagine it would work pretty well for anything under 50 pounds or so. Of course, like any "toothed" cam device, this can remove the sheath from your rope in short order if you subject it to heavy dynamic loading, so (like any rock climbing equipment), proper training and a sufficiently redundant system are mandatory prerequisites of use. Over all, a very well built and versatile piece of gear.

This is such a versatile piece of equipment and it is not bulky. It works very well with the Petzl Attache biner (PTZ0204).

what we been using to haul a small bag up on these OW and Chimney routes at Red Rocks, i.e. Epinephrine and Lady Wilson's Cleavage....with a Black Diamond Guide and double ropes, I rig both the 2nd and the bag at the same time. The 2nd is still within reach obviously if he/she needs to help the pig through a tight squeeze....does not take much elbow grease to haul a desert sized bag up...in fact, can bring both up at the same time, just like two climbers...this pulley catches and holds...thus why you need it if you are going with my method...real light weight and works like a charm.