True blue auto belay failure One caused a ground fall from ~25 feet up, one instance was caught and after a couple tugs the system caught and the climber was able to be safely lowered and the third instance resulted in a down climb to safety. Maintain your warranty and ensure your TRUBLUEs continue running smoothly by choosing your preferred service plan. Recall Number: 25-165. The August 22, 2024 recall affects about 220 units. Thanks to their contactless braking technology with magnetic induction, they provide an exceptional level of safety. Jul 15, 2021 · On July 12, 2021, Experiential Resources, inc. Sep 22, 2023 · A three-year lawsuit over an auto-belay accident has ended in a $6 million combined payout from the climbing gym and the auto-belay manufacturer. 5m and 16m. With the TRUBLUE it’s possible to descend from platforms, introduce participants to free fall rides, teach your clients to rappel—your imagination is the limit. While traditional auto belays use a top roping format with the device hanging from the top of the route, in 2021, a new type of auto belay–the lead auto belay–was developed that used a lead climbing format (i. Jan 15, 2024 · Photo: CityROCK. Although the frequency of auto-belay-related incidents is relatively low (compared to the frequency of auto-belay usage without incidents) — the severity of these incidents has caused many gym managers and owners to become extremely concerned. e. As I understand it, the old systems were re-purposed for gym use, when they weren't meant to experience such use, but the new units are pretty damn awesome and have seen very few, if any, failures. The auto belay system provides a secure and individual belaying system for climbers, without the need for a third party. The LT versions of the iQ and iQ+ have blue tags above the blue webbing hand grip; the XL versions have a purple tag. Feb 27, 2025 · Name of Product: TRUBLUE iQ and TRUBLUE iQ+ Auto Belays. The model TRUBLUE Speed TBSD150-20 and serial number are on a label located on the handle. There has been a lot of chatter about auto-belays in recent months, both in the media and behind closed doors. 5m version has black webbing handgrip above the carabiner, and the 16m version has blue webbing handgrip. The auto belay devices have a serial number within the serial number range: TBSD00098 through TBSD01180. It is possible to out-climb a TRUBLUE auto belay due to the lag caused by the magnets trying to recoil the slack, but they are one of the most popular auto belay systems on the market today. Hazard: The recalled auto belay device can fail to retract, posing a fall hazard and risk of serious injury or death. Feb 22, 2020 · The TRUBLUE auto belay system uses magnetic braking and has a minimum/maximum weight of 22 and 330 lbs respectively. ) had successfully climbed to the top of the climbing wall (about 52’, straight vertical climb, no pitches or obstacles) utilizing a TruBlue Speed According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the recalled auto belay device can fail to retract, posing a fall hazard and risk of serious injury or death. Colorado-based C3 Manufacturing and Seattle’s According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the recalled auto belay device can fail to retract, posing a fall hazard and risk of serious injury or death. The CPSC warns consumers to stop using the TRUBLUE devices immediately. At least one injury has been reported due to an alleged brake failure. On July 15, 2021, HeadRush released a statement about the failure. TRUBLUE Auto Belay - Beware. All TRUBLUE Auto Belays must go through annual service in order to keep in compliance with third-party safety certifications. Sold At: Headrushtech. The new true-blue systems are designed for climbing gym use, and as far as I know they have not been subjected to recalls since. Feb 27, 2025 · The TRUBLUE iQ+ has an added catch-and-hold brake on the front. The auto-belay itself is safer than the webbing and rope that comprise the rest of the system. The belay devices are gray with blue handles. Local gym in my area uses these auto belay systems, in the past two weeks they've failed 3 times. com from May 2023 through December 2024 for between $2,800 to $4,600. The TRUBLUE Speed Auto Belay Devices are sold in two sizes: 12. The recalled auto belay devices have a serial number within the following serial number ranges printed on the device’s handle, as well on the bottom of the device: Failure of TruBlue Speed Auto Belay Date of Failure: 12 July 2021 Location: Outdoor climbing wall, summer camp, Tennessee, USA Description of Incident: Camper (9 years old, approximately 60 lbs. released a statement describing a failure incident with a Head Rush TruBlue Speed Auto Belay device at a camp in the eastern United States. Jul 17, 2024 · The results of that investigation indicate that a limited number of TRUBLUE Speed Auto Belay devices may have been assembled with a component that was incorrectly manufactured by the supplier. In rare circumstances this component can prevent the backup brake activation mechanism from operating properly. . The notice can be found here. Recall Date: February 27, 2025. the climber clipped into the quickdraws like a normal lead climb on a sport climbing route), where the device was fixed to the bottom of the route. EDIT: yes, it does look like this was a fixed gear failure somewhere in the system, but that's the exception, not the rule, and I'll be stunned if it was the auto-belay itself and not rope, webbing, lanyard, or metal (bolts, caribiners, etc). TRUBLUE Auto Belay Model TB150-12C, TRUBLUE XL Auto Belay Model TBXL150-20A and their associated equipment are designed and specified for Jul 17, 2024 · The results of that investigation indicate that a limited number of TRUBLUE Speed Auto Belay devices may have been assembled with a component that was incorrectly manufactured by the supplier. Failure by the operator to heed any and all instructions, warnings and cau-tions for the correct installation, operation, care and maintenance of the TRUBLUE Auto Belay may result in death and/or serious injury. About 2,200 TRUBLUE iQ Auto Belay Devices were included in the June 20, 2024, recall. The 12. Aug 22, 2024 · The device is gray with blue handles, the 12. 5m version has a black webbing handgrip, and the 16m version has blue webbing handgrip. The TRUBLUE Auto Belay is the only auto belay designed specifically for climbers, and it’s perfect for climbing gyms, ropes courses, zip line tours, and more. myqxg nnsuh eugx aier fnzch jhzmszm wwjph thpyu gjmq jwavmb