The Full Edelrid Megawatt Review - The New Rope Access Descender

This is my full review of the Edelrid Megawatt. I have been using it for the past two months and I am still really excited about this device. Watch the video to find out why ;-).
I contacted Edelrid in November of 2022 about doing this review. They were very open, quick to communicate and invited me to the Megawatt Vertical Freedom Tour. There I got the opportunity to interview Steph Kleiser who showed the ins and outs of the device. Since then I have been using it and been in regular contact with Edelrid. I really enjoyed our collaboration. I also put it in the hands of a few people I worked with. Mostly experienced L3’s with over a decade of hours in ropes. Everyone said the same. “This is different”, “I like it!”. Yes we all needed a few descents to get used to a new way of working the handle and once you get it, it is a smooth ride.. That one handed operation seems to be one of the favourite features!
Next up is the Fuse which should be coming in April. I can’t wait for that!! (And that Switch Pro Adjust)
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0:00 Intro
0:15 My first thoughts on the Edelrid Megawatt
1:43 How to put the rope in the Edelrid Megawatt
2:22 Operation of the Megawatt
2:48 One handed operation - ADVANCED users only
3:37 Practical example passing a Re-Anchor at work
6:14 One trick to open the Megawatt easily
6:30 Lowering a load or casualty with the Megawatt
8:10 A screw in the Megawatt????
8:55 A foreseeable misuse
11:26 My final thoughts on the Megawatt

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

What are your thoughts on the Megawatt? Have you tried it?

[@crain03able]

Looks awesome definitely want to try it

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

@@crain03able with a few more months of use I can say that my opinion hasn’t changed. I like it👍🏼👍🏼

[@edelrid]

@@TheRopeAccessChannel Thank you for your feedback!

[@kimoyokoROCA]

@@edelrid megawatt slipping on ropes after 2 days of use. Slow speed rappelling 60m building working on dry and clean ropes.

[@jacekmstowski5773]

Did you get a rope slippage after during descending?? I get already few times even wasn't too fast 😢

[@ArielRaskin]

Excellent! thank you for review! thinking on buy one

[@kamilszymczak2411]

excellent test, great that you are doing this, thanks 🤜🤛

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

My pleasure 😃😃. I hope to do more👍🏼👍🏼

[@aerialrescuesolutions3277]

Excellent video. I really like the way the handle will function in push or pull mode, that is slick. The screw for locking it on the rope is pretty awesome too. Thank you, brother. Jim

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thank you Jim😃🙏🏼 It is a pretty slick device!

[@fightington]

Great channel. Best on rope access i've seen on yt after 10 yrs watching

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Wow, thanks! I appreciate that!!

[@ropeaccessworkermelb]

Great review. Good pick up with the screw in the handle and being able to lock the gate on the device. I didn’t even see it in there.

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thanks man🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 I only knew because Edelrid told me😉. I probably would not have noticed otherwise.

[@geminiclimber]

Well done brother. a great review, and I definitely want to get my hands on one.

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thanks man😃😃🙏🏼🙏🏼. It is definitely worth a try!

[@davidwarren719]

Great video and review, I enjoyed it. Really looking forward to hearing what you think about the harness!

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thanks👍🏻. My initial thoughts are good, nice and minimalistic. I need to use it more for a proper review though ;-)

[@davidswan1414]

A good review, I appreciate the effort you went to to demonstrate the problem with the 'release' point in the handle. I've seen a Megawatt recently and it's an impressive effort from Edelrid. I have reservations about the screw, a good idea but I think easy to lose and the temptation to use another screw and potentially damage the hole if the replacement is slightly the wrong size.

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Well.... At least they give you a screw. The Petzl I'd comes without one and you have to guess which one to get if you want to use that feature.

[@vikithebrutal2326]

Really nice review. Now i want to try it too. 😁 I'll put it on my to-buy list. 😁

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thanks! I appreciate that👊🏼

[@galahador]

Great review and great video :)

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thanks so much! Glad you liked it

[@alexiroccos5454]

Great review!

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thanks!😃😃🙏🏻

[@dylanschulz2404]

Research on how to work on ham radio towers more safely led me to your channel. Thank you for all the information and videos!

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Glad to help

[@levig-man4103]

Great review

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thanks Levi 🤩🤩🙏🏻😃

[@mikekollross8810]

Great video

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Glad you enjoyed it 🙏🏻😃

[@AndersonBurgess]

Excellent review. I currently use the rig as a primary, this looks like it could make a very versatile second/backup. I am also interested in seeing the Edelrid Fuse fall arrest device.

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thank you😃. The Rig is still a personal favourite, has been since 2010-ish! But I find myself leaving the Rig more and more in my bag and taking the Megawatt. I try to give to people I work with to try and get their thoughts about it. Everyone seems to like it (or they are just being polite😜). I'll get a Fuse next month. During the short test I did at the Edelrid Vertical Freedom tour my first impression was good although it does like to ride low. Like some asaps like to just keep rolling down the rope.. Can't wait to try it and see how it is while actually working...

[@kimoyokoROCA]

Yes, after 8-10 levels working in the middle of the building. And also at the bottom… @40cm. Low speed descending @30C outside.

[@cheetahmiau]

Great video. Thank you very much. I don't like Megawatt because of its antipanic, but your review is awesome.

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thanks for watching!

[@TSchulzeMasterClimb]

Gracias por compartir!

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

My pleasure!

[@jimpanse8763]

Thx for this intensive review. I also had the chance to test it and for me as a left hander it's perfect, especially for riggings. We already destroyed one in a really bad miss use situation during a training: passing knots with a casuality using one descender over and one under the knot and left the one over the knot in the rope after passing. That was too much for the megawatt. But again, that was a training situation cos a trainee asked about getting stressed and leave it and we wanted to show what probably will happen. It was a complete miss use of the device! PS: You always act so shy calling yourself an expired professional in your videos. Very cute and a great personal attitude, but u worked hard for what you are now, there's no need to hide. ;) Stay safe, love your content.

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thanks for the compliment Jim🙏🏼😃🙏🏼. And thanks for sharing that Megawatt experience. How bad was it? Bend out of shape or really exploded and came apart? Probably not exploded though. that would have been very scary!

[@jimpanse8763]

@@TheRopeAccessChannel It didn't explode (sadly), maybe I'll try next tome how much weight it takes for that🤪 It stayed on the rope, but broke clearly out it's shape and is trash now. Anyway there was no damage on the rope so I think it's good that way. It might be way easier for everybody to see a damaged device than a broken rope core, know what I mean?

[@pnxelectrical]

"It's not a bug; it's a feature" to borrow a phrase used in Tech 🤘

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

In that case….. I like this bug 😜😜

[@phil.vision]

Nice video!

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@hummerchine]

You are awesome 🎉 !!!!

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thanks haha 😊

[@Handwerkamseil]

Danke!

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thank you my good sir, this is very appreciated 🙏😀🙏

[@-anjarudolph4010]

I want one!

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

I know a place where you can get one ;-)

[@Manu-qh8gi]

Nice video

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thanks 🙏🏻😃

[@hensemzp1]

Hello. Thanks for the work you've done. My main device is Spark and I love it very much. The second Spark was stolen in Canada in the night when I left my gear at the building where I worked. Now I need a second descender for work and I decide for myself which is better - this Megawatt or one more time Spark. The function of the handle in two directions seems convenient to me, if you work simultaneously with two ropes stretched in different directions, then you can ensure that the hands of the devices do not interfere with each other, and work in different directions. I'm right? In general, I like devices without anti-panic, it only bothers me. How sensitive is anti-panic on megawatt? Does it interfere with work?

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

That is correct, with two Megawatts, you could operate each with one had. I think Edelrid has a clip of that somewhere. I also don't like panic funtions. It seems that it engage less easy on angled terrain than an I'd. But..... when it does it is harder to find the sweet spot to give more slack. I usually resort immediately to pressing down on the cam. It doesn't bother me as much as on an I'd or Sirius or the Sparrow...

[@frogdogify]

I have used the Petzl Grillon for so much work,just can’t imagine using something else.

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

A grillon is great!!

[@user-yd8nm6ev1y]

will this work for 12mm rope?

[@franciscoalvarez292]

What do you think in terms of longevity? Do you think it's life span is greater or about the same as with an ID or rig? I really like what you demonstrated about using the handle in different ways for lowering. It's like having a regular ID and evac ID. Seems like a compact device and hope to try one soon.

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

To be honest, it feels more durable. But that’s just it, just a feeling. More compact and sturdy. I’d and rig seem to always have some play and squeezing going on. Time will tell. Good comparison with the ID and iD Evac. In that regards it is almost the same as those two devices. Minus the extra friction point of the evac.

[@joeshmo5399]

Does the megawatt have a backwards rope stop you from falling feature like the Petzl ID?

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Nope.

[@sergio.m.u]

Does the rope slip after descend a couple of minutes straight with this descender?

[@ryanrevoir137]

How does this device work in low angle applications? I have had a lot of trouble with devices that have anti panic functions on lower grades, where your body weight is not entirely in the device and instead of descending the anti panic function just keeps triggering. Thank you!

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

It works the same as the others. you need to get to know the sweet spot. And it is really easy to just depress the cam when you are working on a low angle roof. Similar to paying out rope while belaying with a Grigri

[@patg14]

Maybe you get to it later in the video, but is it inconvenient to use with a duck or a backup that needs to be tended?

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

I don't think I talked about it. It is a little different. I would not call it inconvenient. It is just a different position you have to hold it in. You'll get used to it.

[@leandromata3104]

Hello I am from Brazil IRATA, I use the RIG from PETZL, but I love this device, but here in Brazil we no have to much choices, Will be necessary exportage to here, is Very expensive, the climbers here have to much dificult to get this equipements, Brazilian are limited. Very good vídeo! From Brazil, kind regards!😊

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Thanks for the info! The Rig remains one of my favorites. And we have to work with what we get👍🏼

[@georgesollom-xx2bb]

It feels kinda cheap, I’m interested to see the length of the life span of it. Excited for the fuse aswell

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Haha funny how our impressions can vary. I thought it would feel like that. But I find it feels way more robust than the rigs an id. More like a Spark. Time will tell how durable it really is

[@SpaeDed]

while getting pulled up by a man winch on a tower, a rope we were rigging got caught in the tower we kept goin up ! the rope gave away we got shot up the tower ! 3 guys ! it was crazy

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Sounds like quite the ride.

[@jarrodpelphrey1196]

I'm a high rise window cleaner. I find myself going through 1-2 rigs a year(they rig and I'd start creeping quite quickly. What is the longevity of this vs the rig?

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

I can’t say. Yet. I don’t do many long drops. Apart from the handle I think it should be more durable than a Rig

[@cdurkinz]

This looks better than my grigri.

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Not really comparable right. One is a belay device, the other an industrial descender, a rescue device and a belay device… Big difference.. Also in size and weight haha

[@cdurkinz]

@@TheRopeAccessChannel They sure as heck aren't comparable in price and you're probably way more knowledgeable than I about the other uses. GriGri is often used as a descender in the same manner by climbers but it can also slip way worse than you show in the video if you unweight it for a split second so I doubt it's even allowed in industrial settings. I want a megawatt now though! The one handed expert operation looks super handy. Thanks for the video.

[@tiborseilern5018]

would You prefer the megawatt over the sirius ?

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

I prefer the Spark over the Megawatt, and the Megawatt over the Sirius I think

[@cinakamdfk6001]

12:22 Is this the dunes in Den Helder???

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

No this is what I like to call my backyard in The Hague

[@jacekmstowski5773]

Did Megawatt twisting ropes as Petzl ID's ??

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Not in my experience. Most of the times the rope comes out almost straight

[@jacekmstowski5773]

Not at all

[@50StichesSteel]

Is there any nuisances learning this device? Is there a point where you can free fall without the device locking up? Like when using the one hand descend can it reach a point where you drop quickly?....( sorry I typed it before watching the full video. You demonstrated it with trying to make the dummy fall, i only see it happening with one hand use)

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

If you are used to a Rig or Spark, the lever action takes a little getting used to. If you are used to something like a TazLOV3 it is sort of more familiar. I think there is very little chance that you will manage to find that zeropoint by accident. Especially with one hand. It only happens at the point where you have the handle fully opened and then slowly pull through and try and go slow through the panic function. Or actually try to have it stop in the middle of the panic function.. If it would happen, it would be with two hands because you really need to squeeze the rope hard. Or have 100/150 meter of rope in weight, then find the sweet spot and then decide to let go of everything and work without a backup.... Not really happening by accident I think

[@50StichesSteel]

@The Rope Access Channel Thank you for the quick response.. Yes that is the ones I'm use to.. Rig and iD and GriGri's..This one looks like a perfect blend of those in a smaller package. I really like the double lock when opening the device too. Seems easy to switch on rope. The dual direction of the lever is also very appealing. I may have to get one of these. Just trying to start with the possible faults and work backwards..This seems to have everything covered. Very nice!

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

@@50StichesSteel I have used grigri’s since they were released and the Rig is still one of my favorites. If you are like me it takes some time to get used to the quick response in the handle. After that it is on par with the Rig for me. And the Spark if I can ever get used to threading the rope in differently 🙄🤪

[@tintin3756]

Как называется страховочная система надетая на вас..какая фирма

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

What do you mean? English please

[@tolikmacovei2022]

Tin Tin asks: what is the brand name of the harness you wear?

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

@@tolikmacovei2022 which one? I think I wear 3 different ones in this video. Cmc atom Edelrid vector y Eyeolf and I forgot the model name

[@user-fg7kg8hl8x]

Does it wear as bad as the ID S

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

I have heard a few complaints about the green lever breaking. But with regards to wear and tear on the rope and on the harness, it is a solid device. In my opinion it lasts longer than an ID's

[@ludwiksikora1119]

You didn't say anything about possibility of giving away a slag while climbing up the frame or construction with no top anchor when you have to often change over head anchor point.

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

You mean as in lead climbing? That is what the standard EN 15151 is for. I mentioned that. In 25 years of rope access work I have only done that twice for work and outside climbing for fun. So it kind of is not in my system and to me is more recreational. Besides, it was mentioned in the first video I did at the Megawatt introduction.

[@ludwiksikora1119]

@@TheRopeAccessChannel not the lead sport climbing. I mean solo climbing on construction from ground to top without top anchor point. So as you climb you need to give a slag to get higher anchoring point.

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

@@ludwiksikora1119 aha ok. Yeah I did not say anything about it because that seems pretty far outside of it was designed for. That would basically be lead rope soloing on a structure if I understand you correctly that is..

[@33samogo]

It's just a GRIGRI in a new guise! The anti-panic handle is separated from the cam, which is good, but handling a descend is terrible, the lever is pushed up with the thumb is not really ergonomic handelling:), it can be good for rock climbing but not for industry long descends. Also, the lever has little or no mechanical advantage, as I can see from this presentation, this men that is difficult to control the speed of descend, which is quite obvious as the descent is not smooth. Anti-panic function is the most primitive one (similar to Eddy's), and function well only with one rope diameter full loaded, as is the case for all other anti-panic descenders on the market. The primitive anti-panic that works in both directions allow one hand descend, but is not working perfect, so not safe for industry usage. Who would have thought that in the development of rope devices it would be so difficult to switch from sport to industry mentality. My three out of five stars for this device.

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

It is a bit more than just a grigri. It is an industrial descender and a rescue device which happens to have a belay EN certification as well. I would not use it while rock climbing. Way to big and heavy. Have you used the Megawatt? I had no problems up till 50 meters descending. The fact that you can use it with either your right or left makes it real easy. It does take some getting used to. That a device is different than what we are used to doesnt make it a bad device. It is just us who need some time to learn a new skill. The anti panic is just as annoying as any other descender with an anti panic and in my experience works just fine. Probably better because for me I trigger it less frequently than an I'd or Sirius. Why would this not be safe for industrial use?

[@33samogo]

@@TheRopeAccessChannel for industrial use devices need to be 100% safe, that is why the device handling restrictions are used, to not allow the possibility for a human errors that devices can not handle! This makes the difference from sport and industrial gear and sport an industrial mentality. You should compare Megawatt descending capabilities (no i haven't tried it) with Skylotec MARK 1 descender or Petzl Stop, even if they are from a different category, when are you testing how easy and safe is descending control. The same for anti.-panic function, find the device with the best functional feature and compare it with others, make a comparison between the features not between devices! Your channel is great, keep going!

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

@@33samogo ther is no 100% safe device. Human error is almost always the culprit. People have gotten hurt with an I’d and asap and hitting structures at 1,9m/s. My view on the Megawatt is in the video. Just as safe as a rig/Sirius or most other descenders. and like I said, more for advanced users. Like a rig or Spark or tazlov.

[@33samogo]

@@TheRopeAccessChannel Of course, there is no 100% safety, that is why in industry applications usage restrictions exist. The job of gear manufacturer is to make device usage as much as possible close to 100% safe, not to allow or promote features or usage techniques that are fare from 100%. Tazlov is a great example, this ascender/descender&fall arrest all in one device is 50% dangerous and not suitable for industrial usage. Why you consider Spark for advanced user only? I like to exaggerate to make the point more clearer, I actually love thumb control devices 😉 Thank you for your great gear reviews!

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

@@33samogo haha, yes, you are quite black and white haha. And I kind of see what you are saying. And I don’t fully agree. Tazlov is a great device with many weird useful applications. It does thing that other devices don’t do. So for the right job with the right crew it can be the perfect device. I love it. Definitely not for everyone though. Companies should do their risk assessments on the gear they use. Nothing is 100% safe and probably 99,9% of accidents are due to user error not due to devices failing. It’s not the device, it’s the person operating it. I consider the Rig, Spark, Tazlov all advanced user device because they have no anti panic function.

[@paulmitchell5349]

So a branch accidentally pushes the opening button......

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Did you watch the video attentively? Or do you think a branch will push that button twice in a row when the device is unloaded while at the same time swinging open the plate and taking the rope out for you? At the 1:40 mark you can clearly see that what I am assuming you are trying to say is very very unlikely. The same could be said for a D4, Spark, Lov3, heck even an id could be opened by a branche if a branche became alive and decided to open the device.

[@bionickchief]

That is just a grigri

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

Did you watch the video? 😂😂 You can't really compare the two. They are completely different devices. One is designed as a belay device and the other as descender. Sure the Megawatt has EN15151 too and has way more functionality than a Grigri. I did not even try to belay with it because we hardly ever do that. It is a rope access (and rescue) descender. Come to think of it, I did not mention that in this video, because it was already covered in the introduction video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqfHp2CvpNd0erc Thanks for your comment. I need to get used to non rope access technicians watching this. This will make the next review video more complete I think. For any sportsclimbing I would take a Grigri any day, smaller, lighter and probably easier to lead belay with as well.

[@DrewNorthup]

​@@TheRopeAccessChannel I've found that explaining to people why I use a Kong Indy Evo to hang off of a rope while photographing rock climbers is sometimes a more complicated task than it might otherwise appear. Then again, they often don't realize at first not only that I'm using a static line but why I would do so.

[@TheRopeAccessChannel]

@@DrewNorthup haha I can imagine. Especially with something like the Kong Indy evo. For recreational climbers that must be a weird looking device😉