Resonator 3000
The Resonator 3000 is an advanced descender designed for recreational canyoneering and technical search & rescue. It is named Resonator 3000 because when hit with a carabiner, the aluminum body will produce a long lasting eerie sound resonating at a frequency of 3000Hz. When this page was first published the Resonator was not commercially available; limited quantities were distributed to search & rescue technicians or friends and family or the creator. It can now be be purchased from vendors in Europe and Australia.
Please note the Resonator 3000 is not a 'clone' of other descenders (such as the Pirana, Totem, ATS, CRTR, SQWRL, etc). It is a device that combines aspects found on several other devices into a unique versatile package that can fit many advanced rigging scenarios while still small enough to be used as a personal descender.
Some of the benefits of the Resonator:
- Although it may seem big at first look, it's footprint is just 1/2" bigger than the OKA from Kong. It's shorter than the Totem but yes, it is bigger than the CRTR2.
- Unlike asymetric devices, you can use both sides, so it will last twice as long. When it start to show signs of wear, flip it and use the other side.
- Unlike single gigi slot devices, the Resonator 2 gigi slots allow for advanced canyon rigging Twin Line setups, Twin Belays and other advanced rigging.
- Unlike other horned devices, the Resonator has 30+ adjustable degrees of friction. It can easily be used for single person rappel, tandem rappel, rescue pickoff, etc.
This is not an official user guide for the Resonator 3000. This page documents a few of the ways it can be used, but examples are neither complete nor extensive. The friction can be set with a simple swing of the hand and in case of emergency quickly released with a strong horizontal pull+wiggle (very useful for class C canyons). The following examples are in no way complete, but should provide a good glimpse of the variability in friction that you can achieve with the Resonator. [NOTE: All percentages are approximate, based on field experience and NOT measured in a lab]
The friction can be scaled up to stop the rappeler mid flight to allow him/her to free one hand or both hands to take pictures or solve unexpected problems.
The Resonator can also be operated in double strand, both in Figure 8 configuration or the Gigi Slot configuration (which does NOT twist the ropes). The double gigi slot configuration is very useful for long vertical drops, where twisted ropes can easily lock up and get stuck, but is NOT recommended when landing in flowing water.
The Resonator can also be used to implement complex riggings for advanced users:
Credits
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