Power winches for climbers – up without the effort

Speakers: Andreas Riedrich, Linegrip Corporation / Thomas Wahls, T23-Veranstaltungsdienste

Friday 11/13/2026

11:15 am - 12:00 pm

Hall A6 Stage

German

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Sweating is a thing of the past. The modern (industrial) climber doesn’t climb up – he drives.

Motorised winches are becoming increasingly widespread. Not only do they take the strain out of ascending a rope, but they also enable completely new approaches to rope access and rescue. The range of available models is growing. Thomas Wahls presents the latest motorised winches and highlights the differences and challenges involved. To ensure that climbers who value comfort can ascend not only without breaking a sweat, but also safely and in compliance with regulations, a fair amount of groundwork is required. Andy Riedrich from LineGrip Corp. reports on the ‘adventure’ of certifying and testing such a winch. The aspect of how experiences gained can be documented and shared is another key part of the talk.

Following the talk, there will be an opportunity to try out different winches for yourself at the FSBS stand in hall A6.

Various aspects covered in the talk can be tested in practice during the workshop (trussing system, hall A6, Fri 2.45 pm, Sat 2 pm).