Isc RP885A1 D5 Work Rescue Descender

Nice descender. Couple of notes having used it a few times now. 1) Be very careful someone doesn't mis-mark rope. This descender will slide while locked on 7/1634; rope. Yes I know it is rated for 1/234; rope, but somehow a 7/1634; made it into our rescue cache marked as 1/234;. I rode it down, while locked off (had a Petzl ASAP on my belay, which didn't activate but it was an interesting ride down.) 2) This descender is not a 1 for 1 direct substitute for a Petzl I'd. They are a little different, but this ISC device is awesome. Pro's- All metal, metal handle, OPENABLE GATE (so handy), smooth action, and the ability to swing handle completely 360 degrees in case of contact with an object, etc. Handle works similar to I'd but better. Did I mention the GATE OPENS while attached to your carabiner/harness? For ascending, it is easier to pull while weighted than an I'd. It is NFPA G rated and stamped as such for any detail oriented people out there. It does not require a friction carabiner for a 2 person load. Cons- Like the I'd the device is able to be loaded backwards and does not have the same grippy tooth catch that the I'd does. This is overcome by training with your equipment. I did not try and backwards load to see if the cam has any action in stopping a fall, but I will try it at a safe height at our next drill to find out for myself. CHECK YOUR ROPE DIMENSION. While not designed for it, a 7/1634; rope DOES NOT WORK with this descender. The Petzl I'd will allow for an 11.5-13 mm. The D5 gate seemed a little loose like the rivet/hinge was loose. It had a little play in the gate, maybe 1/834; of wobble. I may be nitpicking about this, but it is a life safety/rescue device. Not sure if this is by design or whether mine is a defect. This question had not been answered yet by ISC, who I emailed shortly after receiving my descender. I'll follow up again. Overall, recommended over the Petzl I'd. Sorry this is long and drawn out. I would rate the device 5 stars if not for the few cons above. I hate comparing it to an I'd L but it is the more common device.