The M-Harness was born of CTOMS’ drive to produce designs customized to the unique capability requirements of defense and security, rather than simply adapt a typical recreational mountaineering harness and offer it in “military colors”. The concept behind the M-Harness was to build a safe design, where the main belt could be worn as a standard trouser belt, with the convenience of a quick release belt, eliminating the requirement for carrying two belts, reducing weight and bulk. This design also sped up donning and doffing the harness, and allows the user to to keep their feet planted while donning the leg loops, ideal when wearing crampons or skis.

The M2 system is an evolution of the original M-Harness design. The buckles were shrunk for less weight and bulk. This also allowed the use of smaller webbing. AustriAlpin customized the buckles for CTOMS so the tabs are flush with the frame for additional safety. Padding was added as a standard feature on the leg loops, and the rear support straps are field replaceable. CTOMS ensured that the safety and function of the harness was the highest standard, not compromising any safety features for convenience, but also not compromising convenience (see Private Bloggins Harnesses 101).

As for the belt, it is 1 3/4″ wide for fit into 2″ trouser belt loops; a 2″ Duty Belt version that has internal loop Velcro, and an inner soft trouser belt are currently in production. The belt is also compatible with the CTOMS X-Belt padding and armor system, making for a versatile and scalable system. If a harness is not in your requirements, it also happens to make for a pretty good standalone belt, as well.

ctoms.ca/Mission-Essential-Equipment/Belts-and-Harnesses/M2-Harness-QR

ctoms.ca

High Angle Solutions is a weekly feature by DMM and CTOMS.

A traditional egress-from-height kit may be too weight and volume restrictive to add to a loadout, putting a user in a potentially dangerous situation if they need to get off a roof or out of a building fast. The TRACE Systems GREY Kit offers users the capability to egress from a height up to 16m (52.5ft) with the stock rope, in a kit weighing only 1.8lbs (.815kg). The GREY Kit maintains a 10:1 factor of safety with a 1-person load, and includes auto-braking when the device is released from grip.

A comparative example in functionality is a firefighter egress kit, although TRACE Systems is smaller than the 7mm minimum rope diameter set by NFPA, making TRACE Systems significantly smaller and lighter. Additionally, TRACE Systems can easily be expanded for additional capabilities with the inclusion of additional components.

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High Angle Solutions is a weekly feature by DMM and CTOMS.

When we first development TRACE Systems we realized that if traditional rigging rules were applied, it could create unsafe conditions. For example, if you tie a knot in a rope that’s been cycled 100 times, the strength reduction of the rope comes quite close to the load limiting slip force of a wet well used rope, risking catastrophic failure should dynamic force be applied to it. There is a rule with TRACE Systems of no knots (with certain exceptions), however this is contrary to common rigging practices.

Additionally, TRACE Systems is not cheap, and because of that, we feared that in an effort to try to save money, some end users may try to use different rope, even 6mm accessory cord in the devices. Testing has proven catastrophic failures at very low forces with alternate ropes (see: privatebloggins.ca).

We had to come up with a means to provide training to end users of the kits that was accessible and cost effective.

Using our online Learning Management System (LMS), we built a course that is accessible anywhere you have an internet connection. Access to the course now comes with the purchase of every TRACE Systems Kit that contains a QD and rope.

This basic online course allows the end user to work through and learn the safe basic use of TRACE Systems at their own time and pace.

The online course covers a basic physics review, the differences in traditional and TRACE Systems, in depth details about the rope and devices, including inspecting them for serviceability, testing videos including with third party components and sharp edge falls, and instructions on how to rappel, ascend, lower and haul.

CTOMS is currently working on 3 advanced modules: Alpine, Climbing and Rescue which will require mandatory practical training from CTOMS or one of their Authorized TRACE Systems Training Providers to follow the online content.

ctoms.ca

High Angle Solutions is a weekly feature by DMM and CTOMS.

CTOMS’ TRACE Systems is billed as the world’s smallest and lightest comprehensive capability micro-rope system. TRACE was designed to allow users to rappel, ascend, throw up a guiding line, and more, with a fraction of the weight and bulk of traditional rope systems.

Development started in 2009 for a micro egress system, which evolved into the TRACE Systems. Catastrophic system failure in traditional rescue systems is mitigated by brute strength of all components, and in recreational climbing via elongation, or stretch of the rope when excessive force is applied. TRACE Systems have neither, therefore in order to get the system so small, a relatively new concept of “Force Limiting” has been engineered into it. The devices, working with specific rope, will slide between 2.5 and 5.7kN depending on variable factors (device wear, rope wear, wet rope, brake hand strength, etc.), which is called the “load limiting slip force”. When excessive force is applied to the system the rope slips through the device until the force is reduced to somewhere between 2.5 and 5.7kN. This limits the force experienced by the system to the load limiting slip force. Should the rope not be allowed to slip through the device due to fouling for example, then the static system safety ratio, or Factor of Safety (FoS) comes into effect.

Due to the engineering of the system, TRACE Kits are “systems” and as such sold only as kits. Rope substitutions are not authorized as there is no evidence to support their use, and some evidence to show it is dangerous. Many tests we have done with alternate ropes have catastrophically damaged the rope where minimal damage occurs to TRACE Systems rope in the same tests. Due to the differences in rigging rules of TRACE Systems, every kit comes with access to the online basic training course. More details on this will be shared in a future ‘High Angle Solutions’ post.

CTOMS just launched their kits, now available for retail purchase online. Note the pricing on the website is in CAD. Agency discounts are available if you contact them directly. Advanced training in climbing and rescue can be contracted through CTOMS or one of their Authorized TRACE Systems TRAINING Providers. More information can be found here: ctoms.ca/Mission-Essential-Training_3/Complex-Terrain-Programs

ctoms.ca/Mission-Essential-Equipment/TRACE-Systems-Kits

High Angle Solutions is a new weekly feature by DMM and CTOMS.